Panthers’ 2022 NFL schedule features marquee QBs, a game in prime time and a tough bye
The NFL is king.
Need proof? Look no further than yourself. Yes, you. This is an analysis story about football games that will not be played for four-plus months. Just two weeks ago, the NFL commanded your attention by showcasing the selection of 300 20-year-old rookies, most of whom will have little to no effect on the very games you are reading about.
But that’s fandom and a part of what truly makes the NFL a 12-month season.
Whether you spent all day following Twitter leaks of the Panthers’ schedule or are getting your first dose here, let’s break down Carolina’s 17-game slate. Three variables matter most when analyzing a schedule.
▪ 1) Opposing quarterbacks.
▪ 2) Identifying possible winning or losing streaks.
▪ 3) When the bye week lands.
Before we get into that, let’s first address the season opener.
In Week 1, the Cleveland Browns come to Bank of America season to face the Panthers. The NFL is banking on disgruntled Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield to be in Carolina by then, setting up a made-for-TV revenge game. Of course, a lot would have to change by Sept. 11 for Mayfield to be the Panthers’ starting quarterback. Until Cleveland agrees to pay the majority of Mayfield’s fully guaranteed $18.9 million fifth-year option, Carolina won’t trade for the 2018 No. 1 pick.
It’s not a revenge game yet, but could be soon.
Panthers face Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, etc.
It’s all about the quarterback when evaluating the NFL schedule. The Panthers will face a challenging slate of playmakers in 2022. With trips to Baltimore, Cincinnati and Los Angeles — and home games against Arizona, Cleveland and Denver — Carolina faces six Tier 1 quarterbacks, not including two division games against Tom Brady.
Essentially half their schedule includes games against future Hall of Fame QBs. Joe Burrow pushed the Bengals to the Super Bowl last season before losing to Matt Stafford. There is not a quarterback in the league more dynamic than Lamar Jackson. Russell Wilson is still a top-10 thrower. Expect Deshaun Watson to pick up where he left off (he led the league in passing yards in 2020) before sitting out the 2021 season.
While the Browns and Broncos were acquiring elite quarterbacks, the Panthers lost Haason Reddick and Stephon Gilmore in free agency. Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson returning should offset Gilmore’s departure, but the team is still searching for Reddick’s replacement. The defense was stingy at times last year, but there is no guarantee Phil Snow’s unit won’t regress this year.
Carolina will be overmatched at quarterback in all these games whether Sam Darnold, rookie Matt Corral or a different veteran starts. Vegas likely will not favor Carolina in any of the eight games mentioned above.
There are a few wild-card quarterbacks on the schedule as well. In Week 15, Carolina hosts Pittsburgh. Though rookie seasons are challenging, first-year quarterbacks are difficult to prepare for because there is so little pro tape on them.
The Steelers drafted Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett at No. 20, making him the only quarterback selected in the first two rounds. Despite signing Mitch Trubisky, Pickett will likely start. The investment is too high not to put him out there.
In Week 5, the 49ers come to Bank of America Stadium. Perhaps this is the real revenge game if Jimmy Garoppolo winds up in Carolina. Even if he doesn’t, San Francisco is expected to start Trey Lance this season. Following similar logic to what could make Pickett a challenging matchup, Lance is a second-year player who played in only six games last season.
Luckily for Carolina, six of its games come against underwhelming quarterbacks. Four of those contests are division matchups against Atlanta and New Orleans. The Falcons will start either Marcus Mariota or rookie Desmond Ridder, while New Orleans re-signed Jameis Winston after losing out on Watson. None of those quarterbacks are scary, especially considering the poor rosters around them.
In Week 16, the Lions and Jared Goff come to Charlotte. The Panthers should be favored. Carolina travels to the Giants in Week 2 to face Daniel Jones. Again, the Panthers should be favored there.
Winning and losing streaks
In 2020, the Houston Texans opened the season with an unfavorable first four games. The Chiefs, Ravens, Steelers and Vikings all beat Houston, dropping the defending AFC South champion Texans to 0-4. Despite losing to Pittsburgh and Minnesota by only one score, then-coach Bill O’Brien was fired following the Vikings game.
That’s an example of how influential losing streaks are in the NFL.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule enters 2022 on the hot seat. One problematic losing streak could cost him his job. Looking at the Panthers’ schedule, there are a few multi-week stretches to keep an eye on. First, the good.
Carolina could start the season 3-0. In Week 1, the Browns may be without Watson. Then the Panthers travel to the Giants for a very winnable game and then come back home to host New Orleans. Carolina beat the Saints at Bank of America last season. But the Panthers also won their first three games last year before losing 12 of their next 14.
The schedule intensifies from Weeks 4 to 7. That four-game stretch includes home games against Arizona followed by the 49ers. Then there’s a trip to Los Angeles before coming back home to host Tampa Bay. Even if Carolina starts 3-0, entering Week 8 at 3-4 is very possible.
The Panthers do catch a break playing Arizona in Week 4 as All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is suspended for the first six games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
Carolina plays Atlanta twice in three weeks between Weeks 8 and 10, the latter being a “Thursday Night Football” contest. In between those games is a road trip to Cincinnati. Week 11 through 14 could be another tough streak. The Panthers travel to Baltimore, then are back home for Denver and an open week before heading to Seattle.
The Panthers end the season with back-to-back divisional road games against Tampa Bay and New Orleans. Six of the Panthers’ final 10 games are away.
The bye week
In 2021, first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski received a blessing from the NFL schedule-makers. The Browns got a Week 9 bye, the perfect landing spot for a bye week during a 16-week regular season.
Organically the Browns were able to split their season into quarters, with their open week splitting the year in half. Cleveland won five games before its bye week and ended the season winning six of their final eight games. Stefanski won Coach of the Year and the Browns won their first playoff game since 1994.
Bye weeks matter.
The Panthers (once again) were not blessed by the schedule-makers. Carolina will finally get an open date in Week 13. Their season could be on life support by then. Playing football for 15 straight weeks from August to December is challenging for any team regardless of talent or injury history.
Panthers schedule
- Preseason Week 1 TBD - at Washington Football Team
- Preseason Week 2 TBD - at New England Patriots
- Preseason Week 3 TBD - vs. Buffalo Bills
- Week 1 (Sept. 11) - vs. Cleveland Browns, CBS, 1 p.m.
- Week 2 (Sept. 18) - at New York Giants, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 3 (Sept. 25) - vs. New Orleans Saints, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 4 (Oct. 2) - vs. Arizona Cardinals, FOX, 4:05 p.m.
- Week 5 (Oct. 9) - vs. San Francisco 49ers, CBS, 4:05 p.m.
- Week 6 (Oct. 16) - at Los Angeles Rams, FOX, 4:05 p.m.
- Week 7 (Oct. 23) - vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 8 (Oct. 30) - at Atlanta Falcons, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 9 (Nov. 6) - at Cincinnati Bengals, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 10 (Nov. 10) - vs. Atlanta Falcons (TNF), Amazon, 8:15 p.m.
- Week 11 (Nov. 20) - at Baltimore Ravens, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 12 (Nov. 27) - vs. Denver Broncos, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 13 (Dec. 4) - BYE
- Week 14 (Dec. 11) - at Seattle Seahawks
- Week 15 (Dec. 18) - vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, CBS, 1 p.m.
- Week 16 (Dec. 24) - vs. Detroit Lions, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 17 (Jan. 1) - at Tampa Buccaneers, FOX, 1 p.m.
- Week 18 (TBD) - at New Orleans Saints, TBD
This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Panthers’ 2022 NFL schedule features marquee QBs, a game in prime time and a tough bye."
