Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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After a relatively manageable workload in the first month, the Panthers have to wait until December for a bye, and then have a brutal closing stretch of the 2021 NFL regular season.
The Panthers rank 26th in the league in opponents' strength of schedule for 2021, though that number is based on 2020 records and doesn't always turn out to be an accurate indicator of the following year's performance.
Carolina only plays six teams this season which advanced to the 2020 playoffs, but finish the schedule with four straight against postseason participants.
That begins with a Week 15 trip to Buffalo, followed by a home game against the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, then a road game at New Orleans before closing the now-17-game schedule with a trip to Tampa Bay.
(Of course, if you're a glass-half-full type, you could also imagine that if you have to play a 44-year-old quarterback twice, playing Tom Brady in Weeks 16 and 18 is the time to do it. Maybe this is the year he finally looks his age. And without Drew Brees at quarterback, the Saints could be a completely different team.)
That strenuous final stretch of the season is made more difficult because the Panthers have to wait so long to catch their breath.
Their bye week comes in Week 13, marking a long march through training camp, preseason and 12 straight weeks of football before a chance to rest.
Other than that, things set up nicely for the Panthers early.