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Carolina Panthers: 2016 Opponents Released

By John Woodcock

Oct 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera (left) and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll shake hands after a game at CenturyLink Field. The Panthers won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera (left) and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll shake hands after a game at CenturyLink Field. The Panthers won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Carolina Panthers will face off against the NFC West and AFC West next year as part of the 2016 Schedule.

The Carolina Panthers got their list of 2016 opponents last night as the NFL released the home and away opponents of the entire league. The Panthers schedule was something of a sticking point for critics this year. The Panthers’ 15-1 record was full of teams from the NFC East and AFC South, two divisions that suffered from injuries and bad play. Both of those divisions leave the stage.

Naturally any Panthers schedule begins with its NFC South brethren. The Panthers will be welcoming and visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints.

None of the teams made the playoffs with the Panthers. The Saints will have to decide what to do with Brees’ cap number this off season. The Falcons scored most of their wins outside the division, only spiking the Panthers’ punch once for a divisional win. The Buccaneers showed some improvement as Jameis Winston got more comfortable at the quarterback position, and you would think that would carry over.

The next part of the Panthers schedule would be the two divisions that the NFL cycles through. Next year the NFC South is due to play the Wests, the NFC West and the AFC West. These two divisions produced four playoff teams this year and each will play the Panthers next year.

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Of the NFC West teams, the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers will make the trip to Bank of America Stadium. A Cardinals game would have brought a lot of interest this year and should still be a good game next year if both teams are at full strength. The 49ers will be on their third coach in three years and an unknown.

This means that the Panthers will be going out to Seattle again next year to visit the 12th man again. Business with Seattle might not even be settled this year, since if they beat Minnesota this weekend they have to play the Panthers in Charlotte the next week. St. Louis brings another old rival back on the schedule and possibly the last time the Panthers play in the Edward Jones Dome.

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On the AFC West side, Kansas City and San Diego will be coming to town. The Chiefs are a playoff team this year and were one Denver loss away from being divisional champs. They would likely have Jamal Charles back for next year’s game. San Diego would bring Philip Rivers back to Charlotte for likely the last time.

The Panthers would have to make trips out to Oakland and Denver. I say Oakland, it may well be Los Angeles based on speculation. The young improving Raiders have gotten some excitement, but the big matchup will be at Mile High against the Broncos, who somehow snagged home field away from the Patriots this year.

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The final legs of the Panthers schedule would be divisional tilts against Washington and Minnesota, the two other champs from this season. The Vikings come to Charlotte while the Panthers go to DC.

So that is hype for next year’s games. The Panthers still have this year and play on January 17 against the Seahawks, Packers, or Redskins based on Wild Card weekend.

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