CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers are days away from opening the 2024 NFL season against the New Orleans Saints.
A win in Week 1 would bury some of the negativity associated with 2023's abysmal 2-15 record and show signs of good things to come the rest of the year. A loss, though, could spell for a mediocre season if historical trends remain true.
The Panthers are 11-18 all-time on opening day, which includes a 1-4 record in Week 1 the last five years.
Opening day has not been kind to Carolina for most of its history. The team went 1-5 in its first six Week 1 contests and went on a dreadful 2-8 stretch from 2004 to 2013. The Panthers only extended run of Week 1 triumphs came from 2014 to 2018 when the team went 4-1 in opening kickoff games.
While Week 1 results breed overreactions and spawn predictions that fail to come true at the end of the year for most teams, the Panthers typically trend in the direction of how they play in the season's first game.
In 18 of the Panthers' first 29 seasons, the team finished with a winning or losing record that matched whether or not Carolina won in Week 1. For example: The Panthers beat the San Francisco 49ers to open the 2017 season and finished with a winning record of 11-5.
The Panthers have finished opposite of their Week 1 result eight times. Carolina had 8-8 records in the remaining three seasons.
Carolina's odds at a losing season are heavily tipped if they lose Week 1. The Panthers have gone on to finish with a losing record in 13 of the 18 seasons they have lost in Week 1. Only twice have the Panthers managed a winning season after losing the first game (2005, 2013). All three 8-8 seasons happened after Week 1 losses.
On the flip side, though, the Panthers have finished with a winning record just five of the 11 seasons they have won in Week 1. This means that the Panthers have finished with a losing record in the majority of the years even when they win the first game.
Even with the lopsided numbers, Week 1 can still provide fans with joy for the simple fact that football is back! But the Panthers have also put together some great performances on opening day.
Memorable wins
2003, 2015 - Wins over Jacksonville spawn Super Bowl runs
An NFL anomaly that would be found in a trivia book is that both Panthers Super Bowl runs started with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1.
Carolina squeezed past Jacksonville 24-23 in 2003 and beat the Jaguars 20-9 in 2015 to open those seasons.
The 2003 win featured a 17-point comeback and a touchdown pass in the final 20 seconds to seal the deal. The Panthers fell behind 17-0 in the third quarter but pounced on the Jaguars with three touchdown passes and a safety on a blocked punt in the final quarter and a half of play. Jake Delhomme found Ricky Proehl for a touchdown with 16 seconds left to win the home game.
The 2015 win was far less dramatic. The Panthers never trailed in the road contest as Cam Newton and the team easily handled the lowly Jaguars.
The Panthers went on to win the NFC Championship in 2003 and 2015, sparked by spirited Week 1 wins over the Jaguars. Carolina is next scheduled to play Jacksonville in 2027 -- let's book them for Week 1 now!
2008 - Jake Delhomme's buzzer-beater zaps Chargers
Dante Rosario caught a touchdown pass from Delhomme as time expired to give the Panthers a 26-24 win over the San Diego Chargers.
Carolina led 19-10 in the fourth quarter but two Chargers touchdowns put San Diego up 24-19 with two minutes left in the game.
Delhomme used every second that remained on the next drive to take the Panthers 68 yards downfield for the score. The final play was a fourth down from the San Diego 12-yard line with two seconds left. Delhomme found Rosario in the middle of the end zone for the score. It was the only touchdown Rosario scored in 2008.
Kicker John Kasay's role proved pivotal in the contest. Kasay made all four field goals he attempted, including a 49-yarder in the fourth quarter that was necessary for the win.
The Panthers went on to finish 12-4 and win the NFC South.
1996 - Panthers blowout Falcons
Carolina's first Week 1 win is the largest opening-day triumph in franchise history. The Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 29-6 to start the 1996 season on the right foot.
Atlanta's only scores were a pair of field goals in the first half. Meanwhile, the Panthers scored two touchdowns and two field goals to take a 20-6 lead into halftime. The Panthers managed just three field goals in the second half, but it was enough to beat the Falcons by 23 points.
Carolina's defense sacked Atlanta quarterback Jeff George seven times in the game. Lamar Lathon had three sacks. Kerry Collins tossed two touchdowns for the Panthers.
Kasay once again was a standout for the Panthers on Week 1. He made all five field goals he attempted, including a 53-yard kick that was then the franchise record for longest field goal. His five scores set a Panthers record that wasn't broken until Kasay scored six field goals in a 2004 game.
Crushing losses
2016 - Panthers lose Super Bowl rematch with Broncos
The NFL schedule makers were estatic when the Panthers were set for a game with the Denver Broncos in 2016 just months after the teams face off in Super Bowl 50. The rematch was set for the league's opening Thursday game.
Carolina lost the Super Bowl 24-10 to Denver but were eager to defend their NFC Championship crown in the 2016 season.
The Panthers took a 17-7 lead into halftime with rushing and passing scores from Newton and seemed poised to start the season off right. Then Trevor Siemian and the Broncos orchestrated a comeback that put Denver up 21-17 in the fourth quarter.
Carolina added a field goal to pull within the point later in the quarter and were rewarded one last drive to take the win.
Newton pushed the Panthers into Broncos territory and as the game came down to a 50-yard field goal attempt by Graham Gano.
The kick sailed left and missed the uprights, leaving the Panthers empty in two straight games against the Broncos.
Carolina finished a disappointing 6-10 in 2016.
1995 - Panthers lose first game in overtime
Carolina's hopes of being the first expansion team to win its opening game ended with a nailbiting overtime loss to the Falcons.
The Panthers took a 10-0 lead with a touchdown pass from Frank Reich to Pete Metzelaars and a Kasay field goal. Atlanta tied things up at 13-13 heading into halftime and eventually took a 20-13 lead in the third quarter.
Reich orchestrated the first game-tying fourth quarter comeback in Panthers history with an electric 44-yard pass to Willie Green with under two minutes remaining.
The Panthers started with the ball in overtime and were near midfield when Reich fumbled and turned the ball over the Atlanta. The Falcons soon after made a field goal to take the 23-20 win.
Carolina finished with a respectable 7-9 record, the best record posted by an expansion team in its first year.
2011 - Cam Newton's record-setting day ends in a loss
Newton, the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, immediately took the league by storm with an immaculate performance in his first NFL start.
The electrifying quarterback threw set an NFL rookie record with 422 yards passing in his first game. Newton threw two touchdowns and rushed for a score as well. The only problem was the Panthers lost 28-21 to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Panthers carried a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter after a back-and-forth affair. But the Cardinals striked back with a touchdown pass and an 89-yard punt return to go up 28-21.
Carolina reached the Cardinals 2-yard-line on their last drive but failed to score.
The Panthers finished the 2011 season 6-10.
Panthers Week 1 records
Passing yards: Cam Newton - 422 yards vs Arizona (2011)
Completions: Cam Newton - 25 completions vs Los Angeles Rams (2019)
Rushing yards: Anthony Johnson - 134 yards vs Washington (2000)
Receptions: Christian McCaffrey - 10 receptions vs Rams (2019)
Receiving yards: Steve Smith Sr. - 178 yards vs Cardinals (2011)
Sacks: Mike Rucker (2003), Kevin Greene (1998), Lamar Lathon (1996) - 3 sacks
Biggest win: 29-6 vs Atlanta (1996)
Worst loss: 38-10 vs Philadelphia (2009)