Carolina Panthers’ 2016 NFL schedule released
By John Buhler
The Carolina Panthers will look to navigate a slightly difficult 2016 NFL season schedule with the hopes of getting back to the Super Bowl again this year.
The 2015 Carolina Panthers went 15-1 en route to their second-ever trip to the Super Bowl, ultimately coming up short of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy thanks to a dominant Denver Broncos defense.
For the Panthers to get back to the Super Bowl, Carolina will have to navigate a slightly difficult 2016 NFL schedule. Carolina draws its annual six games against its NFC South rivals in the Atlanta Falcons, the New Orleans Saints, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, each home and away.
In the NFC divisional rotation, the Panthers will have to play the NFC West in its entirety. Carolina draws the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers at home this year, while the Panthers will have to play the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks on the road.
Out of the AFC, the Panthers will have to play the AFC West in its entirety. Carolina draws the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers at home, while the Panthers will face Super Bowl 50 nemesis Denver and the Oakland Raiders on the road.
To round out the Panthers’ 2016 NFL season schedule, Carolina will have to play the 2015 NFC East and 2015 NFC North Division winners, as the Panthers won the NFC South for the third year in a row in 2015. Carolina will get to host the Minnesota Vikings at home in 2016, but will have to play the Washington Redskins on the road this upcoming.
Given that the Panthers draw two tough divisions in the NFC South’s rotation, won their division in 2015, and play in a highly competitive division to begin with, the Panthers will play the 12th hardest schedule in 2016. Carolina’s 2016 opponents went a combined 131-125 in 2015 for a .512 winning percentage.
The Panthers don’t have an incredibly easy draw in 2016 to repeat as NFC Champions, but do expect Carolina to be a playoff team in the NFC for the fourth straight season as the runaway favorite to win the NFC South again this fall.
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