Carolina Panthers football finally returns as the team travels to The Windy City in order to face the resurgent Chicago Bears. Both franchises have to be ready for the opening of preseason play, knowing the regular season awaits just around the corner even though each ended their previous campaign on opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Panthers lost seven straight before managing to bookend their season with wins thanks to a victory over divisional rival New Orleans. While the outcome served as a boost into the offseason, it failed to remove the stain of falling out of playoff contention after starting 6-2 and looking like a lock for the postseason.