10 NFL teams doomed to be worse in 2016

Are the Carolina Panthers destined for an encore performance as one of the best teams in football, and one of the short-list teams that can realistically win Super Bowl LI in Houston next February? Without a doubt. Do we think they’ll replicate last year’s incredible 15-1 regular-season record? Not a chance.

Carolina’s 2016 slate of games isn’t especially difficult, but the Panthers did have the benefit of a super-soft schedule last season. Now that they have the bull’s eye squarely on their backs, it seems exceedingly unlikely that the Panthers will be able to steamroll their way through the meat of their schedule.

Quarterback Cam Newton could very well win back-to-back MVPs, why with an improved receiving corps highlighted by Kelvin Benjamin, who missed all of last season.

Carolina is still the runaway favorite to win its fourth straight NFC South title, and should — without hesitation — win at least one NFC playoff game. Where Carolina will fall back to earth, at least to some extent, is that their defense will face much stiffer competition this time around. All the while, teams like the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals — who are just as good, if not better, than the Panthers on paper — stand to have a great shot at snagging the conference’s two playoff byes.

Expect the Panthers to go 13-3 or 12-4 en route to a fourth-straight division title. Carolina should easily play in the NFC Divisional Round, even without a first-round bye. However, there isn’t a guarantee that the Panthers can get to the 2016 NFC Championship Game, let alone the Super Bowl. This is a great football team — no doubt about it. There are simply too many factors, from the schedule to the dreaded Super Bowl hangover, conspiring against them.

Next: 2. Houston Texans.