The NFL regular season will open with the Carolina Panthers on the road against the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, according to the Charlotte Observer.
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Carolina dropped its Super Bowl matchup with the Broncos in a 24-10 loss that saw a dejected Cam Newton bolt from the post-game interview session early.
The Panthers finished the regular season 15-1 before falling in the Super Bowl. Denver will have a significantly different outlook, with quarterbacks Peyton Manning (retired) and Brock Osweiler (Houston Texans) both out of town, and instead Mark Sanchez in the starting spot.