DENVER, Sporting Alert – The 2016 NFL season kicks off on Thursday with a rematch of Super Bowl 50, as the Carolina Panthers seek to avenge the defeat against the defending champions Denver Broncos.
Denver Broncos v Carolina Panthers
When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, September 8, 2016
Where: Sports Authority Field, Denver, Colorado
Live Stream: NBCSN, NBC
SCORE UPDATES
FIRST QUARTER
CAR 7, DEN 0
TD 7:20
Cam Newton Pass for 14 Yrds, Kelvin Benjamin Pass From Cam Newton for 14 Yrds, Trai Turner 15 Yrd Pn Graham Gano Made Ex. Pt
SECOND QUARTER
CAR 7, DEN 7
TD 12:16
Andy Janovich 28 Yard Rush, B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Kreiter, Holder-R.Dixon. Penalty on CAR, Defensive Offside, declined.
CAR 14, DEN 7
TD 3:01
Cam Newton 2 Yard Rush, G.Gano extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Jansen, Holder-A.Lee.
CAR 17, DEN 7
FG 0:07
Graham Gano Made 44 Yrd Field Goal, Aqib Talib Penalty Declined
FOURTH QUARTER
CAR 17, DEN 14
TD 14:50
C.J. Anderson Pass From Trevor Siemian for 25 Yrds, B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Kreiter, Holder-R.Dixon.
CAR 21, DEN 14
TD 9:26
C.J. Anderson 1 Yard Rush, B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Kreiter, Holder-R.Dixon.
Thursday night’s battle will mark the first time in NFL history that the opening game of a new season is between teams that featured in the Super Bowl.
The season opening fixture will be played at Sports Authority Field in Colorado, with kickoff time at 8:30 PM ET and live coverage on NBC. Live streaming online will also be on the NBC Sports Network.
Denver starts the season without future Hall of Famer quarterback Peyton Manning, who retired after last season’s success, while his backup from last term, Brock Osweiler, was traded to the Houston Rockets.
This means there was a competition for the starting place at QB, which was won by 2015 seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian, after he edged out first-round pick Paxton Lynch and the experienced and already cut Mark Sanchez for the starter’s role for Denver in the opening game.
“Trevor is the guy,” Broncos General Manager John Elway said. “We have a lot of confidence in Trevor and believe that he can do the job.
Siemian’s lone NFL outing last season was a brief kneel-down in the 34-27 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the 24-year-old has done more than enough in preseason to convince coach Gary Kubiak that he’s ready to lead the offense.
“It’s Trevor’s job, but he’s not going to be looking over his shoulder,” Elway revealed. “He’s got a lot of support.”
Meanwhile, Cam Newton will lead the offense for the Panthers, who struggled to break down the Broncos’ defense in the championship game in February.
But while many are buzzing about the most recent Super Bowl rematch, Newton isn’t getting too carried away, claiming that it’s just another game.
“A lot of people want to make it a rematch. It’s just our next opponent,” said Newton, who won his first career most valuable player award last season.
Oddsmakers have listed the Panthers as 3-point favourites against the Broncos, while the game’s total currently sits at 41.5 points.
The last time the Broncos and Panthers met in Denver, the home side picked up a 24-10 victory.
