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The NFL preseason is many things.

It’s a chance for guys to win jobs.

It’s a time for fans to hold their breath whenever a starter takes a hit.

It’s the return of actual football, even though it’s not, really.

Through their first 22 preseasons, the Panthers are 43-46 in games that don’t count, including an 10-6 record the past four years. But have the final scores helped foreshadow the results of the regular season?

You be the judge.

 

Panthers' Preseason Records

*playoff seasons in bold

Year	Record	Year	Record
1995	3-2	2006	4-0
1996	2-2	2007	1-3
1997	0-4	2008	2-2
1998	2-2	2009	0-4
1999	2-2	2010	1-3
2000	0-4	2011	1-3
2001	2-2	2012	2-2
2002	1-3	2013	3-1
2003	4-0	2014	2-2
2004	4-0	2015	3-1
2005	2-2	2016	2-2

A few things to note:

 

• The Panthers have finished with at least a .500 preseason record 15 times

 

• They’ve won at least two games before each of their seven playoff seasons

 

• They’ve never made the playoffs in the seven years they finished under .500

 

• Of the three times they've gone 4-0, they've made the playoffs in the 2003 season

 

• They've finished the preseason with the Steelers every year since 2002

 

• The Ron Rivera/Cam Newton era has featured a preseason opener pattern:
   
  • 2011 vs NYG – W, 20-10
  • 2012 vs HOU – L, 26-13
  • 2013 vs CHI – W, 24-17
  • 2014 vs BUF – L, 20-18
  • 2015 at BUF – W, 25-24
  • 2016 at BAL – L, 22-19