CHARLOTTE - The Panthers will open and close their 25th regular season at home for the first time in a decade, squaring off against last year's NFC Championship game participants to begin and end their 2019 slate.
Carolina opens up Sunday, September 8 against the reigning NFC champion Rams and closes on Sunday, December 29 against the reigning NFC South champion Saints – both at Bank of America Stadium. The last time the schedule was bookended by home games was 2009.
The Panthers will also play at home in Week 2, hosting division foe Tampa Bay on Thursday Night Football - Carolina's lone true primetime game barring flex-scheduling changes down the line. The Panthers have played at home in both Week 1 and 2 just twice previously, and both of those seasons (2003, 2005) produced trips to the NFC title game.
This year's schedule is much more demanding travel-wise than last year's, when the regular season finale at New Orleans qualified as the longest road trip. After the two-game homestand to open, the next two games are at Arizona and at Houston, followed shortly thereafter by consecutive games in London against the Buccaneers and in San Francisco against the 49ers.
The good news is that Carolina's bye falls in Week 7 between the London and California trips, and after the Week 3 and 4 road trips, the Panthers don't have road games in consecutive weeks. They also don't have back-to-back home games after Weeks 1 and 2, alternating between home and away from Week 8 on. Also beginning in Week 9 when the Titans visit, all of Carolina's games are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The second half of the schedule includes all four meetings with NFC South foes Atlanta and New Orleans, capped by the Saints' first Week 17 trip to Charlotte since 2009. The Panthers have wrapped up the regular season in New Orleans three times since then.
In addition to facing quarterbacks Drew Brees and Matt Ryan twice each over the second half of the schedule, the late slate includes trips to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 10 and Andrew Luck and the Colts in Week 16, as well as a seemingly annual meeting against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks in Week 16 at Bank of America Stadium. Despite their distance geographically, Carolina and Seattle will square off for the eighth time in as many seasons on December 15.
The Panthers have also finalized dates and times for their preseason schedule.
Scroll through pictures of Carolina playing its 2019 opponents.
Carolina faces off against the Rams in the season opener. It marks the second consecutive season that the Panthers have started at home and the second time ever playing the Rams in a season opener.
The Panthers play the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football at home in Week 2. It marks the fifth time since 2006 that the Panthers and Bucs have played in primetime.
Carolina hasn't played at Arizona since 2013. In 2011, Cam Newton set an NFL record with 422 passing yards in his rookie debut at Arizona.
Richie Brockel scored a touchdown on a trick play in Carolina's last trip to Houston in 2011. The Panthers have only played the Texans four times in franchise history, the fewest of any team.
The Panthers last played the Jaguars at home in the infamous rain game of 2011. That also marked the first victory of head coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton's tenure.
Carolina plays the Buccaneers in London in the Panthers' first international game in franchise history.
Carolina plays at San Francisco in Week 8 after the bye. The Panthers have won the game after the bye week in four straight seasons.
The Panthers have only played the Titans twice at home in franchise history. Tennessee is the last team that Carolina has yet to beat at home, but they will get their chance in Week 9.
Carolina is 2-4 all-time at Lambeau Field with wins coming in 2008 and 1999.
Carolina is 4-3 at home against the Falcons since 2012.
There is only a 12-point total differential in the all-time series against New Orleans, which Carolina leads 1,082 -1,070. The Panthers have a 25-24 edge in the all-time series against Carolina's most common opponent.
The Panthers have won the last four home games against the Redskins, including a 44-16 victory in 2015.
In 2018, Christian McCaffrey had 26 total receptions in two games against the Falcons. He tied Steve Smith's single-game franchise record with 14 catches at Atlanta in Week 2 and then posted 12 catches at home against Atlanta in Week 16. It marked the most receptions by a running back against an opponent in one regular season in NFL history.
This year marks the 10th meeting between the Panthers and Seahawks since 2010, including the playoffs. It marks the most games against any team outside of the NFC South in that span.
Carolina is 3-0 all-time at Indianapolis, including a 27-19 win in the last matchup in Indy in 2011.
Week 17 marks the 10th time in franchise history that Carolina has closed the season against the Saints. Carolina has met New Orleans in more season finales than any other opponent.
