CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers will close a rare scheduling lineup in Week 4 when they face the Cincinnati Bengals, their third AFC opponent in a row.
It's just the fourth time in Carolina's 30 seasons that the Panthers have faced three AFC teams in consecutive weeks -- 2000, 2006, and 2023 were the first three.
The Panthers were crushed by the Los Angeles Chargers before defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in the preceding two weeks. The NFL schedule wheel locks Carolina against all four AFC West teams this year along with one AFC North team, which will be the Bengals.
The interconference matchups provide rare opportunities for AFC and NFC teams to collide. Carolina has played 121 regular season games against AFC teams with a 57-63-1 record. The Panthers have also played in two Super Bowls against AFC teams, both of which were losses.
While the Panthers hold a losing record against the AFC and are under (.500) against all but one AFC division, each year provides a new opportunity to better those numbers.
AFC East
The Panthers will get a chance to improve their 15-18 record against the AFC East in 2025. Carolina currently has a four-game losing streak against the conference, with their last win coming against the New York Jets in the opening week of 2021.
The first win in Panthers history came against the Jets in Week 7 of 1995. New York also provided the Panthers with their biggest win over an AFC East team, a 30-3 hammering in Week 10 of 2005.
Carolina holds winning records over the Jets (5-3) and the New England Patriots (4-3). Three of Carolina's wins over New England have come by four points or less, while all three of its losses to the Patriots are by over 10 points. The Panthers also lost the 2003 Super Bowl to New England.
The Panthers are 2-6 against the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills. The Indianapolis Colts were once members of the AFC East and lost to the Panthers twice during that period.
Arguably the most dramatic win over an AFC team came against the Patriots in 2017. Cam Newton guided the Panthers to a 30-16 lead over the Patriots but Tom Brady orchestrated an epic comeback to tie the game with three minutes remaining. Graham Gano nailed a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Panthers the 33-30 win on the road.
The Panthers dropped a heart-crushing loss to the Bills in 2013 courtesy of an EJ Manuel touchdown pass with two seconds left that gave the Bills a 24-23 win.
AFC North
Carolina's 8-15-1 record against the AFC North is its worst against an interconference division. The Panthers face the Bengals on Sunday but will not face all four teams again until 2026. The AFC North has a six-game winning streak against the Panthers stretching back to 2018.
All four AFC North teams were in the AFC Central before the 2002 NFL realignment. Carolina's record against these teams improves when this period is included, jumping up to 12-16-1.
The Panthers have never beaten the AFC North version of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carolina's only win over Pittsburgh came in 1996. The Panthers are 0-7 against the Steelers ever since.
The Panthers are around or above (.500) against the other three AFC North teams. Carolina is 4-3 all-time against the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, and 3-3-1 against the Bengals. The Panthers beat all three in their only matchup against those teams while they were in the AFC Central.
The Bengals have provided some iconic moments in the Panthers' history. Steve Smith Jr. scored two punt return touchdowns in a 52-31 demolishing of the Bengals in 2002. It was the most points scored by the Panthers in a single game.
The only tie in Panthers history came in 2014 against the Bengals when the two teams stayed locked 37-37 after trading field goals in overtime.
AFC South
The AFC South was also created by the 2002 realignment, meaning its teams were dispersed elsewhere before the change.
The Panthers are 12-11 against the AFC South since its inception. If you include the records when the teams were in the AFC Central and AFC East, the Panthers are 15-13 against these teams.
Most of the Panthers' success in the AFC South is due to a 5-2 record against the Houston Texans. The Panthers are 5-3 all-time against the Colts and 3-4 all-time against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis was previously in the AFC East. The Titans and Jaguars were previously in the AFC Central.
Carolina's dominance over Houston teams stretches back to before the Houston Oilers became the Titans. The Panthers dominated the Oilers 31-6 in 1996 in one of the final games at the Houston Astrodome.
The Panthers have pulled off two dramatic overtime wins over the Colts. The first came with a 23-20 victory in 2003 after Peyton Manning led the Colts to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.
The second came in 2015 after the Panthers blew a 17-point lead and trailed after the Colts scored a field goal in overtime. Carolina then tied the game with a field goal. Luke Keuchly intercepted a pass shortly after that set up the Panthers in position for a game-winning kick to win the game 29-26.
Carolina's first shutout loss in 20 years came against the AFC South's Jaguars in Week 17 of 2023 when the Panthers were creamed 26-0.
AFC West
The Panthers face all four AFC West teams this season and are 1-1 so far. Carolina still has games with the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos later this year.
If the Panthers beat both teams, their 15-16 record against the AFC West will switch to a winning record.
This year's 26-3 loss to the Chargers snapped the Panthers' four-game winning streak against the franchise, which stretched back to 2008. The Panthers are 6-2 against the Chargers, which greatly improves their record against the division.
Carolina's fortunes against the other three AFC West teams are not so bright. The Panthers are 4-4 against the Raiders and 2-5 against the Broncos and Chiefs. The Panthers won their only game against the Seattle Seahawks when they were in the AFC West.
The Panthers' only shutout win over an AFC team came with a 34-0 blowout of the Chiefs in 2008. DeAngelo Williams rushed for three touchdowns and over 120 yards in the win. The Panthers defense forced Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard to commit three turnovers.
Opening day of 2008 provided another wild moment for the Panthers against the AFC West. Jake Delhomme scored a touchdown pass on the final play of the game to beat the San Diego Chargers 26-24.
Two of the worst losses in franchise history came against AFC West teams.
The Raiders beat the Panthers 52-9 in Week 17 of 2000, the 43-point margin is the worst in Panthers history. The final play of the game, and the season, was a 74-yard fumble return touchdown for the Raiders.
Denver beat the Panthers 34-0 in 1997, the second-worst blowout in franchise history. Carolina also lost the 2015 Super Bowl to the Broncos.
Next steps
The Panthers get three more tries this season to better their record against the AFC. With just five games each season against interdivisional opponents, the script can quickly be flipped. The Panthers held an overall winning record against AFC teams as recent as 2021 but losses have piled up and left the team under (.500). A win against the Bengals on Sunday could go a long way in the Panthers record books.