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Carolina Panthers
Last Season: 15-1
First in NFC South, lost to Broncos in Super Bowl 50
Preseason power ranking: 5
NFL MVP Cam Newton. Tight end Greg Olsen. Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Defensive tackle Kawann Short. Need more? The Panthers are loaded with Pro Bowlers at practically every position. The only real loss from last season's team that went 15-1 during the regular season and reached the Super Bowl is Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman. Continuity alone should make this a playoff team. Plus, Carolina added No. 1 wide receiver Benjamin to an offense that led the NFL in scoring last season. That no NFC South team has a defense strong enough to stop Carolina from a fourth straight division title makes this almost a no-brainer.
The easy answer here is the Panthers’ young secondary. Carolina appears ready to start two rookie cornerbacks -- second-round pick James Bradberry and third-round pick Darryl Worley. But Carolina has had a top-10 defense for four consecutive years with a makeshift secondary because the front seven is so strong. There's no reason to think that should change. Complacency also could be a factor, although coach Ron Rivera has preached against that since learning no team that lost in the Super Bowl returned the following year since the 1992-93 Bills. Barring a catastrophic injury to Newton, there's really no reason to suggest this team won't make the playoffs.
Panthers' percentage chance to win each game
Sept. 8 @ Denver: 42.8
Sept. 18 vs. San Francisco: 85.4
Sept. 25 vs. Minnesota: 71.8
Oct. 2 @ Atlanta: 57.7
Oct. 10 vs. Tampa Bay: 75.2
Oct. 16 @ New Orleans: 51.4
Oct. 30 vs. Arizona: 67.2
Nov. 6 @ Los Angeles: 48.1
Nov. 13 vs. Kansas City: 61.1
Nov. 17 vs. New Orleans: 74.4
Nov. 27 @ Oakland: 47.5
Dec. 4 @ Seattle: 36.7
Dec. 11 vs. San Diego: 76.9
Dec. 19 @ Washington: 56.9
Dec. 24 vs. Atlanta: 72.0
Jan. 1 @ Tampa Bay: 57.5
David Newton’s game-by-game predictions
Well, they do have the reigning league MVP, and he gets his best receiver, Benjamin, back after not having had him last year due to a knee injury. Newton has missed two games in five years, and backup Derek Anderson won them both. -- Dan Graziano
Outside linebacker Shaq Thompson. This was a tough call between Thompson and second-year wide receiver Devin Funchess, who appears ready to have a breakout year. But Thompson's all-around improvement will allow defensive coordinator Sean McDermott to be more creative and take even more pressure off the young secondary. This defense easily has the potential to be among the top three in the league as Thompson matures.
Funchess. He came into his own late last season, catching seven passes for 120 yards in the regular-season finale, and he has at times looked better than Kelvin Benjamin during the preseason. With defenses focused on Benjamin, tight end Greg Olsen and Newton, the 6-foot-4 Funchess should get plenty of opportunities. He can line up in the slot or outside, and he has the speed to burn opponents deep.
Rivera has become an expert at playing the "no respect/underdog" card. He can't do that any longer. Carolina has a big target on its back. Newton may have an even bigger target. But minus Norman, one easily can argue that this roster is better and deeper than a year ago. The Panthers might not go 15-1 in the regular season again, but it's hard to imagine anything less than 12-4.