Preview: Carolina at Denver.....Etc,Etc.

[Greenbacks]

When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, September 8, 2016
Where: Sports Authority Field, Denver, Colorado

The 2016 season kicks off in earnest on Thursday with a rematch of Super Bowl 50, as the visiting Carolina Panthers look to exact revenge against the defending champion Denver Broncos. With future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning embracing retirement, second-year player Trevor Siemian won an impromptu quarterback competition with first-round pick Paxton Lynch and veteran Mark Sanchez to claim the starter's role for Denver in the season opener.

"Trevor is the guy," general manager John Elway said of Siemian, whose lone NFL action last season resulted in a kneel-down versus Pittsburgh. "We have a lot of confidence in Trevor and believe that he can do the job. It's Trevor's job, but he's not going to be looking over his shoulder." Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware headline a top-ranked defense that silenced Cam Newton (45 total TDs in 2015) both on and off the field in February, but the reigning league MVP was quick to speak out against the notion of Thursday's tilt serving as a Super Bowl rematch. "A lot of people want to make it a rematch. It's just our next opponent," said Newton, who was stripped of the ball on two occasions and sacked a Super Bowl high-tying seven times in a 24-10 decision in February.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Panthers -3. O/U: 41.5

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (2015: 15-1, first place in NFC South): Kelvin Benjamin was a spectator throughout the 2015 season after tearing his ACL, but the 6-foot-5 wide receiver will be on the field for the opener - albeit for approximately 35 snaps, according to the Charlotte Observer. "I think that's the best guess," coach Ron Rivera told the newspaper of Benjamin, who has been working on his conditioning. "If it is more, great. I'd be really excited about it. He's done some really good things and you see him getting back into stride and that's probably the best thing." Tight end Greg Olsen, veteran Ted Ginn (team-high 10 touchdowns) and promising second-year wideout Devin Funchess return in the passing game, while rugged Jonathan Stewart (club-best 989 rushing) will look to aid in the ground attack.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (2015: 12-4, first place in AFC West): Demaryius Thomas led the Broncos in receptions (105) and receiving yards (1.304) and tied Emmanuel Sanders in receiving touchdowns (six) last season, but was limited to just one catch for eight yards in the Super Bowl. Thomas will look for a better individual performance versus Carolina as he will likely be shadowed by rookie cornerbacks as opposed to Pro Bowler Josh Norman, who signed a five-year, $75 million deal with Washington in the offseason. Denver would love to get more out of its running game this season as C.J. Anderson (720 yards) struggled throughout the early stages before capping his tumultuous campaign with 90 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl 50.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Denver has emerged victorious in 15 of its last 16 home openers for a .938 winning percentage, tops in the NFL during that time.

2. Carolina LB Luke Kuechly had a club-best 10 tackles in Super Bowl 50 and had a team-leading 118 during the regular season.

3. Thursday's contest will mark the first time in NFL history that the season will open with teams that squared off in the Super Bowl.

 

[Greenbacks]

Just a little something on the game to start....I`ll add some tidbits leading up to game time.

Everyone have a great season.....Good luck!

 

[Lvtexholdm]

Good read and thanks for posting GB.

 

[Greenbacks]

Good read and thanks for posting GB.

Not a problem...It`s a little something.

Good luck!

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

What to watch for in Panthers-Broncos rematch.

The NFL regular season is finally upon us.
The greatest game on Earth begins the way it ended earlier this year, with a matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. Back in February, it was a swan song for Peyton Manning, an appreciation of Wade Phillips and living proof that defense wins championships no matter how loaded your offense might be.
A lot has changed since then. Manning is gone. So is his backup, Brock Osweiler. So is boisterous cornerback Josh Norman. The emotions remain high.

Here is what we're watching tonight:

1. Trevor Siemian and the real Broncos offense: Last year's offense in Denver was a tug of war between Peyton Manning's frantic shotgun spread and Gary Kubiak's rollout run-first scheme. They met in the middle with a Pistol-type version of the offense, but between Manning's alterations and a few quarterback changes due to injury, we were never able to see the first-year head coach's true vision. Enter Siemian, a surprise draft pick who spent his first year in Denver learning the nuances and this offseason outlasting Mark Sanchez and first-round pick Paxton Lynch in the preseason to win the job.
Siemian can take care of the ball and has a higher upside than the mistake-prone Sanchez. This is the best offense he'll likely ever have the chance to pilot, and he knows Kubiak won't be hesitant to make a change with a high-profile rookie on the bench. As they say, pressure creates diamonds, and Siemian's arrival onto the grand stage will be against the best front seven in football.

2. The poise of Cam Newton: The Super Bowl gave us a troubling glimpse of what Newton is like when he's rattled: long, erratic passes, forced throws and a general dimming of his inner spark. Watching Newton for a majority of the season last year was a privilege. When everything is rolling for Newton, he plays some of the most incredible, artful football in the league and the Panthers' offense looks next to unstoppable. Add in some pressure and the parameters change just as they do for any quarterback staring down a relentless pass rush. So which quarterback will we see tonight? Newton has the chance to pick up where the NFC Championship Game left off, or he has the burden of wearing the Super Bowl loss for another week.

3. Denver's offensive line against Kony Ealy, Kawann Short, Star Lotulelei and Charles Johnson: If Denver's "replacement level quarterback" experiment is going to work, they are going to need a banner performance from their offensive line when everyone in the league already knows what's coming. Tackle Russell Okung was added to the mix, but Ryan Clady is with the Jets and Evan Mathis now plays for the Cardinals. It will be a difficult band of veterans to replicate, especially against a young Panthers defensive line that is getting better by the day.

4. The reintroduction of Kelvin Benjamin: The Panthers' dynamic receiver missed all of last season with a torn ACL. His snap count over the first few weeks of this season will be the subject of much debate if the team continues to ease him back into action. Panthers fans this season remind us a bit of Giants fans last year, envisioning the combination of Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham as if injury, time and circumstance have no effect. The hesitations can be had for Benjamin, Devin Funchess and Greg Olsen. On paper, it is a trio we would freely stack up against any in football, but Carolina is starting with a clean slate in 2016.

5. The (latest) finger-wagging by Dave Gettleman: The Panthers' general manager has scolded us in the past for not believing him. Gettleman took a lot of heat for allowing Norman to walk away from the Panthers and into a lucrative pact with Washington this summer, placing faith in a system that produced one of the league's toughest defenses a year ago. Now, he's trying to replicate success with rookie second-round pick James Bradberry, rookie third-round pick Daryl Worley and Bene' Benwikere. Some football people will argue that this is cost-cutting genius, and that a front seven with this much talent leads to success -- not the other way around. Still, a very good general manager in Washington snapped up Norman without a moment's hesitation. Who is right? We could find out soon.

 

[Greenbacks]

THE RULES YOU NEED TO KNOW.

1-The new rule that places the ball at the 25-yard line (up from the 20) following a touchback should be a help for offenses, which last year scored touchdowns on 20.8 percent of the drives that started on the 25, compared to just 17.9 percent of drives that started on the 20. But coaches have threatened to unleash short, high kicks to try to pin opponents deep in their own territory, which would thwart the NFL's intent to reduce the number of kickoff returns. This is a one-year experiment, so the results will be important.

2-Keep your fingers crossed for your preferred hothead, and remember that Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and new Redskins cornerback Josh Norman -- who sparked fireworks when Norman was with the Panthers last season -- will now face each other in the NFC East twice a year. The NFL's ejection rule calls for a player hit with two penalties from a short list of unsportsmanlike conduct infractions -- including throwing a punch or kicking an opponent, taunting and using abusive language -- to be ejected immediately. The hope, officials say, is this acts as a deterrent and ejections will be rare. One note: The league monitors social media, among other forms of communication, and will inform officiating crews before games of comments by players that could lead to on-field outbursts.

3-In an attempt to eliminate administrative gaffes, games officials will be in greater contact with the officiating command center in New York, a rule that was first put in place for last year's postseason after a mistake-riddled regular season. That means, the league hopes, more consultation -- and fewer errors -- on penalty enforcement, clock management and down-and-distance issues and fewer Monday-morning explanations for what went wrong.

 

[indiana]

GB/2.........appreciate the info...........continue your winning ways tonight (Wed B/ball, nicely done).............indy

 

[Greenbacks]

The Broncos are the only team that Cam Newton has played twice in his career and he's yet to beat, including playoffs. Also? The only SB champ to lose the season opener at home since it became the kickoff game in 2004? The Giants to Dallas in 2012. The only other SB champ to lose week one? The Ravens.. who lost playing IN Denver to start 2013.

 

[Greenbacks]

Good Morning Broncos Country!

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

A Perfect Day For Football.

 

[Greenbacks]

Thursday night marks the sixth time a defending champion has started a different QB in Week 1. It happened twice in Baltimore. The Colts started Earl Morrall in 1971, and the Ravens went with Elvis Grbac in 2001.

 

[Greenbacks]

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has arrived at Denver's Sports Authority Field and everyone wants a photo. Not wearing a hat but a hat box is here.

 

[memphis]

lets get it on praying for a good game not on it

memphy

 

[Greenbacks]

Cam Newton is 0-2 against DEN (including playoffs) & has been sacked 13 times. In SB50, he was sacked 6x & hit 11x.

 

[Greenbacks]

At William Hill's Nevada sportsbook, 75 percent of the bets and 57 percent of the money is on the Panthers tonight. Carolina is a 3-point road favorite over Denver

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Greenbacks]