In Week 12, the Panthers took the Kansas City Chiefs to the brink, as the then-two-time defending champs needed a last-second field goal to pull out a 30-27 win. And if not for a devastating drop from Legette two weeks later, they probably would have knocked off the eventual champs—the Philadelphia Eagles—on the road.

After showing some signs of progress toward the end of the 2024 season, the Carolina Panthers are entering 2025 with renewed hope for a successful campaign.

By that accounting, the Carolina Panthers are predicted to have the seventh easiest schedule in the NFL. They are scheduled to play the teams with the six easiest schedules in the NFL and ten of the teams with the top 11 easiest schedules.