Finishing with the NFL's best record didn't mean inheriting one of the league's toughest schedules. At least, that's how it looks seven months before a new year kicks off.
According to John Breech of CBS Sports, the Carolina Panthers will follow up their 15-1 season with the 12th-toughest strength of schedule in 2016.
It's easy to determine strength of schedule: Combine the 2015 records of a team's 16 opponents, including two games against each divisional opponent.
It's not as easy to determine if any of it means anything.
For example, the Panthers went into last season with the sixth-easiest schedule, one that wound up as the easiest. The Cowboys, meanwhile, started with the ninth-easiest schedule but finished with the fifth hardest.
So make of all this what you will.
The Panthers' 2016 opponents went 131-125 last year for a winning percentage of .512. The home and away schedules are nearly similar, with each featuring three playoff teams.
HOME: Atlanta (8-8), New Orleans (7-9), Tampa Bay (6-10), Arizona (13-3), San Francisco (5-11), Kansas City (11-5), San Diego (4-12), Minnesota (11-5)
Combined record = 66-63
AWAY: Atlanta (8-8), New Orleans (7-9), Tampa Bay (6-10), Los Angeles (7-9), Seattle (10-6), Denver (12-4), Oakland (7-9), Washington (9-7)
Combined record = 66-62
The biggest challenge on the schedule may be miles more so than an opponent. The NFC South was already matched up with the NFC West and AFC West, and when St. Louis moved to L.A., the Panthers added a third West Coast trip, the most they've had in a single season.
As for the rest of the NFC South, their schedules all land inside the top-5 toughest. Of course, that's largely a product of facing a 15-1 team twice.
2016 NFL Strength of Schedule
t1. San Francisco: 142-114, .555
t1. Atlanta: 142-114, .555
3. Los Angeles: 141-115, .551
4. New Orleans: 140-116, .547
t5. Seattle: 139-117, .543
t-5. Tampa Bay: 139-117, .543
t7. Arizona: 136-120, .531
t7. NY Jets: 136-120, .531
9. New England: 134-122, .523
10. Buffalo: 133-123, .520
11. Miami: 132-124, .516
12. Carolina: 131-125, .512
13. San Diego: 130-126, .508
14. Denver: 129-127, .504
15. Oakland: 128-128, .500
16. Kansas City: 127-129, .496
17. Washington: 126-130, .492
18. Minnesota: 125-131, .488
t19. Houston: 124-132, .484
t19. Baltimore: 124-132, .484
21. Cleveland: 123-133, .480
22. Indianapolis: 122-134, .477
t23. Pittsburgh: 121-135, .473
t23. Tennessee: 121-135, .473
t23. Jacksonville: 121-135, .473
26. Philadelphia: 120-136, .469
t27. Cincinnati: 119-137, .465
t27. Detroit: 119-137, .465
t27. Dallas: 119-137, .465
t30. Chicago: 118-138, .461
t30. NY Giants: 118-138, .461
32. Green Bay: 117-139, .457