The 2026 NFL schedule is officially out as the league revealed every game on Thursday night. While we are still months away from the start of the season, the early predictions are coming in. 

For the Carolina Panthers, they are set to face a tough challenge early on as they will host the Chicago Bears in Week 1. It will be a battle of division champions from 2025 and two former No. 1 picks at quarterback in Bryce Young and Caleb Williams. 

While the Panthers will have the home game, Chicago is a good team and one that could take an even bigger jump in Ben Johnson's second year. 

But could an upset be on the horizon?

ESPN has revealed its early bold predictions following the schedule release for each NFL team and for the Panthers, well they think they have a legit shot in Week 1. 

ESPN's Marc Raimondi made his bold prediction clear for the Panthers early on in the season:

The Panthers will beat the Bears for the first time since 2014, validating the trade that landed Carolina the 2023 No. 1 pick that ended up being quarterback Bryce Young. In Week 1, Young will outplay his counterpart Caleb Williams, whom the Bears drafted No. 1 overall in 2024 with the pick the Panthers traded to them.

As it stands now, the Bears are -2.5-point favorites on the early line. Now, things can change but that's not a terrible line at all. It shows that the oddsmakers think the Panthers can keep it close until the end. 

What is interesting about Raimondi's point is that he believes the win will help justify the Panthers trade with the Bears to go get Bryce Young a few years back. That would be important as well as Young is facing an important season of his own.

Getting off to a good start in any season is key. The Panthers can set the tone early in terms of getting a win at home and showing the NFC they are improved this season right away.