Kiszla: Brandon Marshall’s national anthem kneel doesn’t matter if Broncos beat Panthers By Mark Kiszla Denver Post September 9, 2016 In Broncos Country, we hold these truths to be self-evident: It doesn’t matter if you stand for the national anthem, so long as you make a brave stand with the game on the line. In a rematch of Super Bowl 50, the Denver defense stone-walled Carolina in the fourth quarter, holding on Thursday night for a thrilling 21-20 victory in a stirring start to the 2016 NFL season. And that’s all that really counts, doesn’t it? So, around here, it won’t really matter that linebacker Brandon Marshall refused to stand for the “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to kickoff. We believe in a strong defense in Broncos Country. We believe in freedom of choice. We believe when Panthers quarterback Cam Newton plays against Denver, he might be the most valuable player of the rest of the league. But against the Broncos, he has no shot. Against Denver, Newton is nothing more than a reason for linebacker Von Miller and Broncos Country to do a happy dance. Yes, for the Broncos to escape, it required Carolina kicker Graham Gano to hook a 50-yard field goal attempt wide left with 9 seconds remaining the fourth quarter after Denver coach Gary Kubiak iced him with a timeout. But, hey, no sweat. Was there ever really a doubt? This was the 12th time since the start of the Super Bowl run a year ago that Denver won a game by less than a touchdown. Trevor Siemian won his debut as Denver’s starting quarterback. He made mistakes of inexperience, which resulted in two interceptions. But he also led the Broncos to a fourth-quarter comeback. Just like John Elway used to do. Siemian completed 18-of-26 passes for 178 yards. His quarterback rating was an unremarkable 69.1. But he did what Newton has been unable to do in two consecutive games against Denver. With the pressure on, the young quarterback found a way to win. “I trust the kid,” Kubiak said. Denver trailed by 10 points at halftime. But the defense shut down Newton and Siemian refused to be shaken by two interceptions. After converting on fourth down in the red zone, the Broncos finally took a 21-17 lead on a one-yard touchdown run by C.J. Anderson with nine minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. “That was our whole motto last season. We were winning close games. So it’s not like we’ve never played in a dogfight before,” said Anderson, who averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 20 rushes against the Panthers.

Strolling the stadium walk from the light rail station two hours before kickoff, I saw fans wearing Elway jerseys, Peyton Manning jerseys, even Cam Newton jerseys. There was not, however, a single Siemian jersey in sight. This town loves its quarterbacks. But that love is hard-earned and not easily won. During Pat Bowlen’s lengthy and glorious tenure as franchise owner, the Broncos’ record during home-openers was 28-4. The last quarterback to start the season in Denver with a loss was Kyle Orton, in 2011. Orton was benched within a month, lost in the hubbub of Tebowmania, never to be heard from again. During a pregame celebration that felt like a little slice of orange heaven, the Broncos flaunted their excellence by parading out the three Super Bowl trophies won by the franchise for 76,843 delirious fans to see. There was a shiny Lombardi for Terrell Davis, John Elway and Peyton Manning all to hoist. Good vibrations rocked the stadium. Then, nagging little details like the nation’s racial divide and Panthers bent on revenge crashed the party. During playing of the national anthem, as his teammates stood at attention, Brandon Marshall dropped to his right knee at the 30-yard line in front of the Denver bench. Now here’s the hard question, Denver fans: Is your primary allegiance to Broncos Country or the United States of America? If you condemned San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick for disrespecting the red, white and blue when he began kneeling during the anthem last month to protest oppression of minorities, do you despise Marshall now? Marshall and Kaepernick are football brothers, who played together and pledged the same fraternity at the University of Nevada. While Miller and cornerback Chris Harris Jr. are the stars of the NFL’s best defense, Marshall is the emotional fire in a unit whose intense passion is nearly as important to its success as wicked tackling and immense talent. “Brandon is a great kid,” Kubiak said. “He’s a leader of this team. And I believe in my players.” There will be complaints from flag-waving patriots that Marshall showed disrespect to the military by taking a knee during the anthem. There would be far more grousing in Broncos Country, however, if Marshall and the defense did not make a stand to beat Newton and the Panthers.

Defense’s big plays key Broncos victory in season opener vs. Panthers By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post September 9, 2016 Stars of the past were on display one last time before the new Broncos era began. Terrell Davis, John Elway and Peyton Manning, each with one of the Broncos’ three Lombardi Trophies in hand, trotted out as more than 76,000 joined them in celebration at Sports Authority Field on Thursday evening. It was a final look back before the Broncos forged ahead in their new era. With a new quarterback, Trevor Siemian, and new faces on both sides of the ball, the Broncos held off Carolina, 21-20, in the Super Bowl rematch at Sports Authority Field. The Panthers’ Graham Gano was wide left on a 50-yard field goal in the final seconds. Denver showed flashes of promise, familiar struggles and that same propensity for making big plays late that carried them to the finish line a season ago. Needing a stop in the final two minutes they forced Gano’s long field goal attempt, though penalties by Chris Harris and Darian Stewart allowed Carolina to edge closer to a potential game-winning kick. Siemian was steady in his debut, overcoming two interceptions to rally the Broncos from a 17-7 fourth quarter deficit. In the opening drive, he led Denver on a 48-yard march, spraying passes to three different receivers with C.J. Anderson helping out with an 18-yard run. But the drive was stopped short at Carolina’s 29-yard line, where rookie running back Devontae Booker fumbled on a second-and-5. Carolina promptly marched to a touchdown. It was the first blemish of the first quarter, but not the last. On the Broncos’ next drive, Siemian was sacked on second down and threw an interception on third down with the Broncos in field goal range. Two drives, two turnovers. And a 7-0 hole after a quarter of play. But Siemian’s response — something coach Gary Kubiak has stressed since the start of organized team activities — came early in the second quarter. Needing only two minutes and 36 seconds, Siemian guided the Broncos on an 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 28-yard run by rookie fullback Andy Janovich. The Broncos toyed with using a fullback briefly last season, but later scrapped it as the offense skewed more toward their quarterback’s strengths. Bringing one back this year was a priority for Kubiak and paid early dividends. But the early turnovers hurt, and a Carolina drive that capitalized on a Denver defensive penalty — 12 men on the field — in the second quarter added to the pain. In an 18-play, 89-yard drive, the Panthers

converted five of five third down attempts for a 14-7 lead. A late field goal in the second quarter made it 17-7 at the break. The Denver defense that had seven sacks and 13 hits on Cam Newton in Super Bowl 50 was not able to get sustained pressure on the Carolina quarterback until the fourth quarter. The Panthers had 210 yards at the half. The second half began with more of the same from the Broncos’ offense; moving the ball well only to turn it over inside the Panthers’ 30. Siemian’s pass for Emmanuel Sanders was underthrown, then picked off, making it three turnovers inside Carolina’s 30-yard line. But the big plays that stamped the Broncos’ Super Bowl run left their mark on the Broncos’ start to 2016. Siemian flipped a pass to Anderson for a 25-yard touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter to bring Denver within 17-14. Then Harris made a spectaculr diving pick of a Newton pass at the Carolina 38, setting up what proved to be the game-winning drive. Ten plays and 23 yards later, Anderson sneaked in the end zone for a one-yard, go-ahead score, making it 21-17. A deflected pass by cornerback Aqib Talib on a third-and-5, then two more sacks — one split between DeMarcus Ware and Todd Davis and another by Von Miller — preserved Denver’s one-point lead and Siemian’s place among elite company as only the sixth quarterback drafted by the Broncos to win in his debut. Siemian’s final line: 18-of-26 passing for 178 yards, one touchdown, two picks and a 69.1 rating. His defense’s line: Still very, very good. Some things of the past are worth keeping.

Broncos defense comes up clutch to earn hard fought victory over Panthers By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post September 9, 2016 When the bravado wore away, the Broncos’ defense was left looking around for answers in an early fight. Just as they did time and time again last season, they punched back and finally delivered the knockout blow. All week they talked about defying odds and doubters. It ate at them that they were home underdogs to a Carolina team they beat in the Super Bowl by two touchdowns. The defense seems to bathe in the disappointment of their doubters. So when 5-foot-10, 199-pound cornerback Chris Harris lined up man-to-man against the Panthers top receiver — 6-foot-5, 243 pound Kelvin Benjamin — he was right at home. He timed Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s slant pass perfectly and got a hand on it to bat it in the air. He then made the heady play to follow the ball and make a diving interception midway through the fourth quarter to turn the game around. “You play an incredible defense and there’s always a ‘yeah, but.’ For these guys, there’s the ‘you’ve only did it for one year at this level.’ That feeds you,” Broncos Ring of Fame safety John Lynch said earlier in the day. “What will drive this defense is those whispers that, ‘Yeah, you had a great year, but to be one of the great defenses they have to sustain it over a period and that takes incredible mental toughness and discipline.’ ” The game changed when Harris made the pick. Denver soon after took its first lead, 21-17, and was able to hold on in a 21-20 thriller. Getting the lead allowed the defense to put more pressure on Newton than they had all game, and overcome a disappointing first half. “We didn’t play a game that bad all of last year,” said safety T.J. Ward. “We made a bunch of errors.” But they did enough to pull the game out. Cornerback Aqib Talib, not be outdone by his fellow all-pro teammate, sifting through traffic on the following drive to notch a terrific pass breakup against receiver Devin Funchess on third-and-5 in the Broncos’ red zone. “We knew third down they started getting (Funchess) behind the tight end and optioning him out,” Talib said. “So I knew if I went inside he was going to break outside so I went inside at first then hurried up and got back outside and I was able to get my hands on it.” Carolina, trailing 21-17, had to settle for a field goal. With the Broncos’ offense turning the ball over three times, the turnovers and sacks didn’t come as plentiful for the defense as they did in the Super Bowl seven months ago. But the result was the same.

And with the game on the line, Panthers right tackle Mike Remmers was on an island against outside linebacker Von Miller. Just like the Super Bowl, Miller won, with a third down sack of Newton that halted another Carolina drive. “They did a good job of chipping and double-teaming me,” Miller said. “But we knew they couldn’t play a whole game like that and it eventually opened up for us and we were able to get back there.” The defense’s overaggressive nature almost got the best of them when an illegal contact call against Harris on fourth-and-21 kept the Panthers final drive alive. Carolina moved into field goal territory, but Graham Gano missed left from 50 yards. It was a completely different story in the first half when they were mired with penalties and struggles to get off the field. The worst of it was a 18-play, 89 yards drive that chewed up over nine minutes and ended in a Newton touchdown was uncharacteristic. After the game, Denver defenders were beating themselves up for their mistakes. But when it counted, in the second half, the Broncos held Carolina to three points and 123 yards. Once again they ran off the field cheering, while Newton had a towel wrapped around his head in defeat.

Broncos report card and game balls from Week 1 against the Panthers By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post September 9, 2016 Offense: C+ It was ugly for a while. Three turnovers inside the Panthers’ 30-yard line made it difficult for the Broncos to stay in the game. But a strong two touchdown performance by running back C.J. Anderson gave them enough in the end. Defense: A- Every time the Broncos needed a play, they made one. Chris Harris and Aqib Talib were dominant on the outside and in the second half their pass rushers feasted on Cam Newton. Special teams: C Riley Dixon was noticeably out played by Panthers three-time all-pro punter Andy Lee. The Panthers flipped field position several times in the punting game. Coaching: B Broncos coach Gary Kubiak made a bold call going for it on fourth down, when he was down three points on the goal line in the fourth quarter. A tough run from Anderson and a push from left tackle Russell Okung got the first down and eventually a touchdown. Defensive penalties were a problem. Game balls 1. Chris Harris made a huge interception to turn the game around and set up the Broncos’ go-ahead touchdown 2. C.J. Anderson rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. 3. Aqib Talib broke up a third-down pass to help hold the Panthers to a final field goal instead of a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Andy Janovich is 3rd Broncos rookie to score on first career rushing attempt By Nick Groke, Cameron Wolfe and Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post September 9, 2016 Andy Janovich was the smartest dummy on the field. The Broncos’ rookie fullback lined up as a lead blocker for three consecutive plays in the second quarter of the season opener at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. But just as the Carolina Panthers grew to expect his shoulder in their chests, Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian sneaked a quick hand-off to him. And Janovich raced 28 yards for a touchdown. It was his first NFL rush. He became only the third Broncos rookie to score on his first career rushing attempt, after fullback Kyle Johnson and quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt each did it in 2005. Janovich, a sixth-round pick from Nebraska, also became the first fullback to score a Broncos touchdown since Spencer Larson in 2010. Inactives. Receiver Bennie Fowler, offensive linemen Ty Sambrailo and Connor McGovern, defensive lineman Kyle Peko, quarterback Austin Davis, cornerback Lorenzo Doss and tight end Jeff Heuerman were inactive for Thursday’s game. Fowler was ruled out Wednesday with an elbow fracture he sustained in the preseason opener at Chicago. Sambrailo is working his way back from an elbow injury, and Heuerman has dealt with a string of injuries in camp, first his hamstring and now his ankle. Davis, who was signed Saturday after the Broncos released Mark Sanchez, worked out with quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp and practice squad receiver Kalif Raymond before kickoff. Davis continues to get acclimated to the team and coach Gary Kubiak’s playbook and, for now, is listed as the No. 3 quarterback behind Trevor Siemian and rookie Paxton Lynch. Injury scares. Receiver Jordan Norwood left the game at the end of the first quarter and was evaluated for a concussion. He returned in the second quarter after being cleared. Linebacker Brandon Marshall also was evaluated for a concussion, but he was cleared and returned to the game. New deal. Receiver Emmanuel Sanders on Wednesday agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract extension that runs through 2019. Thursday morning, before the Broncos’ opener in Denver, Sanders made it official, signing his new contract at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters with his son, Princeton, at his side and his Super Bowl ring on his left hand. Bonus for Okung. Broncos offensive tackle Russell Okung earned a $2 million roster bonus for playing Thursday. Per the stipulations of his contract, Okung had to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster and play at least one game to collect the bonus. Footnote: Demaryius Thomas (offense), DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller (defense) and Kayvon Webster (special teams) were selected as the Broncos’ game-day captains. Earlier in the week, Thomas, Ware and Webster were selected as the team’s 2016 captains.

Ty Sambrailo, Jeff Heuerman among Broncos’ inactives for NFL opener against Carolina Panthers at Mile High By Nick Groke Denver Post September 9, 2016 After weeks of playing through the preseason with worrisome injuries and hoping for health, especially on the offensive line, the Broncos on Thursday suited up a still-shorthanded complement of key players. Left tackle Ty Sambrailo will not be in uniform for Denver against the Carolina Panthers, leaving the Broncos short on the offensive line. Sambrailo recovered from a hyperextended elbow enough to practice this week, but will not play behind starter Russell Okung. Tight end Jeff Heuerman (ankle) will also not suit up. He missed three preseason games and the Broncos were hopeful he might return for the opener. But starter Virgil Green and veteran John Phillips will fill the tight end roles alone. Center James Ferentz, who suffered a knee injury, will play Thursday. He is healthy enough to help spell Matt Paradis, if necessary. Paradis, though, played every offensive snap for the Broncos last season. Most importantly, but without surprise, Broncos linebacker DeMarcus Ware is healthy enough to suit up. A collection of back injuries forced Ware to slow-play through the preseason with limited involvement. But Denver’s leading sack leader last season finally reached “94 percent” — his joke about being healthy, matching his jersey number. The Broncos, though, will be without third receiver Bennie Fowler, who suffered an elbow injury in the first preseason game at Chicago. Denver coach Gary Kubiak ruled him out Wednesday. Jordan Taylor will step into Fowler’s reserve role behind wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Also inactive for the Broncos: No. 3 QB Austin Davis, CB Lorenzo Doss, LG Connor McGovern and NT Kyle Peko. The Broncos are 15-1 in their past 16 home-openers and 28 of their past 32. And their matchup with Carolina marks just the second time in NFL history that the two Super Bowl teams from the previous season meet in Week 1. Thursday’s prime-time TV game will air on NBC with Al Michaels on play-by-play, Cris Collinsworth on color commentary and Michele Tafoya as in-game reporter.

Cam Newton on loss to Broncos: “We came in and had opportunities to put them away and we didn’t” By Mike Chambers Denver Post September 9, 2016 Carolina quarterback Cam Newton looked nothing like the Super Bowl quarterback who struggled against the Broncos early Thursday evening. At least in the first half, when he led the Panthers to a 17-7 lead, seven more points than Carolina scored in the Super Bowl, and twice as many third-down conversions. Newton’s six first-half rushing attempts were by design, unlike the six rushes he had in the Super Bowl when he was running for cover when chased out of the pocket. But the second half was more like a repeat of the Super Bowl, as the Broncos harassed Newton into mistakes and errant throws, leading to a game-changing interception in Denver’s 21-20 victory. “I feel (horrible). I just don’t like to lose,” Newton said. “I know you guys are anticipating so much and, you know, I’m just trying my best to keep it together. I knew that this was going to happen, especially from the media standpoint, you know ‘How will Cam react to the media?’ The truth of the matter is, the Denver Broncos are the defending champs for a reason. We came in and had opportunities to put them away and we didn’t.” Newton finished 18 of 33 for 194 yards passing and 54 yards rushing on 11 attempts. Unlike in the first half, he couldn’t avoid Denver’s pass rush, which delivered huge blows throughout the fourth quarter, twice leading to doubt as to whether Newton would return to the game. A couple of the hits appeared to be helmet-to-helmet blows. “People just get away with more stuff (against Newton),” said linebacker Thomas Davis. “It’s a part of the game. We’ve talked about it ad nauseum. It doesn’t matter, they ain’t going to change it. Just got to line up and got to play. That’s it.” Davis felt Denver’s defense got away with hits on Newton that should have been flagged. “Do you see them calling it?” he asked. “That’s what I mean by getting away with it. Early in the game, a guy takes two or three steps and they didn’t call a penalty. It doesn’t matter. It didn’t cost us the game.” In the first half Newton avoided being sacked and kept making plays under pressure — none more impressive than his dump-off pass to tight end Greg Olsen on a third-and-10 in which he somehow avoided blitzing Denver safety T.J. Ward. That play gained 13 yards to the Broncos’ 22-yard line and, four plays later, Newton scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to cap a 18-play, 89-yard drive that chewed up 11:59 of the clock and gave Carolina a 14-7 lead. The Panthers were 6-of-7 on third downs in the first half Thursday night. In the Super Bowl, they were 3-of-15.

But, in the fourth quarter Newton was unable to rally his team after Denver took a 21-17 lead. Carolina moved into field goal position to cut the margin to 21-20. Then, after a three-and-out by Denver, Newton had one last chance for a game-winning drive. Thanks to two Denver penalties the Panthers were in position for the game-winning field goal after a beautiful pass to the sideline from Newton to Ted Ginn Jr. for six yards left kicker Graham Gano with a 50-yard field goal attempt. He missed wide left after Broncos’ coach Gary Kubiak called time just prior to his first kick. Newton had 248 yards total offense. In the Super Bowl he was 18-of-41 passing for 265 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and two lost fumbles.

Peyton on a Thursday morning; game day looks a little different for Mr. Manning By Denver Post staff Denver Post September 9, 2016 Peyton Manning’s game-day morning was a little different for the first time in a few decades. While his former Denver Broncos teammates were holed up in meetings and final preparation for Thursday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers, Manning was hanging out as a retired guy this morning, taking in the NFL Kickoff festival in downtown. Building on his next career as a pitchman, Manning did some promotional work early out at Civic Center Park. The 18-year NFL veteran and two-time Super Bowl winner tested his skills at negotiating household chores at the “Peyton Manning Retirement Combine” set up at the kickoff festival. The DIRECTV booth lets fans run an obstacle course of chores, including laundry and mowing the yard. He is scheduled to join his team later at Mile High stadium for the team’s “Championship Celebration” during the pregame to honor the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 win over the Panthers. Fans have been encouraged to be in their seats by 6 p.m., and the ceremony is scheduled to start at 6:20 p.m. The NFL Kickoff runs until 6 p.m. at Civic Center, culminating with musical performances at 3 p.m. by OneRepublic and Dierks Bentley. OneRepublic also will perform at halftime Thursday night.

Broncos defeat Panthers, 21-20 behind Anderson, Siemian By Mike Klis KUSA September 9, 2016 There has only been one game played in this NFL season and already we know so much. Trevor Siemian is pretty good. Cam Newton is great. C.J. Anderson is a $6 million value. Peyton Manning, John Elway and Terrell Davis are retired but can still stir a sellout crowd. The Denver Broncos behind Siemian’s solid starting debut and Anderson’s nose for the end zone rallied to defeat Newton and the Carolina Panthers, 21-20, on a warm Thursday night to open the season at soon-to-be-renamed Sports Authority Field at Mile High. "It was fun, it was good to play a whole game,'' said Siemian, who completed 18 of 26 for 178 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his first "whole" game since his senior season at Northwestern in 2014. "I'm learning, too, still.'' The Broncos had to survive a 50-yard field goal attempt by Carolina’s Graham Gano, whose kick sailed wide left with 3 seconds remaining. Gano had made the 50-yard field goal a split second after Broncos coach Gary Kubiak called a time out. When Gano made his kick, he hit the right upright and it bounced in. After a high snap, he may have overcorrected when he missed left with the kick for keeps. "Our timeouts weren't doing us any good so I used one on them,'' Kubiak said. "We got very fortunate.'' "I just missed it,'' Gano said. "The timeout didn't affect me, it ever does. I missed the kick.'' The Broncos trailed, 17-7 entering the fourth quarter. Two Anderson touchdowns gave Denver the lead. Denver’s defense then had to overcome a questionable hands to the face penalty called on cornerback Chris Harris Jr. that turned a fourth-and-21 incompletion into a fresh set of downs for Netwon. "All I did was try to jam him -- I think he knocked my hand up and I probably grazed his mask when he knocked my hand up," Harris said. "I never grabbed his face mask.'' After reaching the Broncos’ 32, Gano came on for the make-or-break kick. He broke. "What do they call it? The ball don't lie,'' Harris said, laughing, referring to a basketball term when a player misses a free throw off a foul that perhaps shouldn't have been called. The first game of the 2016 NFL season was nothing like the final game of the 2015 season. The Broncos were down most of the game largely because they had committed three turnovers to none by the Panthers. In Super Bowl 50, Carolina was doomed by turnovers and were thwacked by the Broncos, 24-10.

But over the years, no matter how bad the Broncos have looked through three quarters, they always have a chance so long as the game is played at 5,280 feet above sea level and there is a fourth quarter left to play. "The Denver Broncos are the defending champions for a reason," Newton said. "We came in and had an opportunity to put them away and we didn't. Coach (Ron) Rivera always says, "When you play just good enough, you play just good enough to get beat, too.'' Anderson was the offensive hero. His first touchdown was a 25-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass from Siemian. It was the first touchdown pass of Siemian’s career. On the play, Carolina put on a ferocious rush. Once Siemian got it to Anderson, there was little question Carolina's defense was caught upfield. "I knew it was a big play if I could get it him,'' Siemian said. "I knew I was going to score when I saw (linebacker) Thomas Davis on the line and he blitzed,'' Anderson said. "That was the look we talked about all week. I don't want to toot my own horn but I think I'm a pretty good pass protector. I looked like I was pass blocking on him and I slipped him and caught the screen and D.T. (Demaryius Thomas) actually had the big block to seal it.'' Following an interception by Harris that gave his offense the ball at the Carolina 27, Siemian and Anderson combined to finish off the short-field drive. It was Anderson, with a little help from a push by left tackle Russell Okung and pull by fullback Andy Janovich, who converted a fourth down and half-yard situation at the Carolina 1 ½ yard line. Anderson later plunged in from the 1 yard line to give the Broncos their first lead with 9:30 remaining. Anderson finished with 139 yards from scrimmage -- 92 yards rushing on 20 carries and 47 yards receiving on four catches. In two previous seasons, Anderson started slow but was one of the league's best backs in the second half of each season. Miami tried to sign him away with a contract that will pay him $6 million this year and $3 million in 2017. The Broncos matched and Anderson is off quickly to earn it. Siemian played well for a guy who had never played an NFL game before. "He showed us a lot," said Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe. "I'm so proud of that guy.'' The evening began with the Broncos celebrating the Super Bowl 50 title to finish their 2015 season. First, Terrell Davis, MVP of Super Bowl XXXII, walked out with the Broncos’ first-ever Lombardi Trophy. Then John Elway, MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII and now the Broncos’ general manager, strutted out with the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy. And finally Von Miller, MVP of Super Bowl 50 but in the locker room during the pregame festivities, handed the newest Lombardi hardware to Manning. Dressed in his Bronco blue suit and orange tie, Manning walked the trophy out to thunderous applause.

It was a nice touch by Broncos’ public relations boss Patrick Smyth, who came up with the idea of the Super Bowl MVPs – and Manning. Not in the organizational plans was the decision of Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall to take a knee during the National Anthem. Marshall was supporting the stance of his former college teammate Colin Kaepernick. "The message is that I'm against social injustice,'' Marshall said. "I'm not against the military, the police or America at all. I'm against social injustice and I feel like this was the right thing to do. This was the right platform. this is our only platform to really be heard.'' The Broncos' statement on Marshall: “While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision.'' This was Manning’s team the previous four seasons, but now that he’s 40 and retired as a player (but keeping an incredibly busy schedule of speeches, appearances and commercials), Siemian is the new guy in charge. A seventh-round draft pick in 2015, Siemian spent his rookie season watching Manning and Brock Osweiler play the quarterback position. Siemian got his first chance Thursday before a nationally televised audience on NBC and 9News. The game started promising for Siemian as he showed adjustments in the pocket while completing 7 of his first 9 passes for 77 yards. On his first two possessions, Siemian moved the Broncos from their own 25 to the Carolina 29 the first time and 16 yard line the next. Both drives were halted by turnovers. Devontae Booker spoiled the first drive when he fumbled the ball away on his first NFL carry. On the second drive, Siemian took a 9-yard sack and then had a screen pass tipped by defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and intercepted by linebacker Thomas Davis. In between, Newton came through with a third-and-9 dart across the middle to Kelvin Benjamin for 17 yards. A 20-yard reverse run by Ted Ginn Jr. set up a 14-yard touchdown rope from Newton to Benjamin. The 6-foot-5 Benjamin was well-covered by the 5-foot-10 Harris but height has a way of getting a guy open. "I don't think I'll see a receiver that big the rest of the year,'' Harris said. "I'm glad I got it over with.'' Benjamin, by the way, didn’t play in Super Bowl 50. He suffered a torn ACL in a mid-August practice last year. Finally on their third drive, the Broncos’ offense were able to hang on to the ball. And they scored. As Bronco fans have seen the past two preseasons, Siemian is unflappable. He came right back after the disappointing end to the first two possessions by throwing a 15-yard completion to Emmanuel Sanders along the right sideline.

Anderson then took off on a 28-yard run around left end and into Carolina territory. After a Siemian scramble picked up 8 yards, the Broncos were facing third-and-1 at the 28. Carolina’s defense was geared up either for a handoff to Booker, who was lined up in the I formation, or a play-action pass. Siemian instead stuffed a handoff into fullback Andy Janovich, who bounced outside and ran into the clear. "When's the last time we ran a fullback dive in this offense?'' Siemian said. At about the 5 yard line, Janovich put both arms around the ball as added protection, but there was no need. "I thought for sure someone was coming,'' Janovich said. "I'm not the fastest guy in the world. I thought for sure someone was coming behind me trying to strip it.'' He rambled into the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown on his first NFL carry. "Very surprising,'' Janovich said. "I was just trying to get one yard. For it to bounce like that -- that's something people joke about but are never serious about.'' Newton, though, came back on the next series to patiently lead an 18-play, 89-yard drive that took 9 minutes and 15 seconds. The Panthers converted five third downs on the drive with none more impressive than Newton escaping a sack attempt by blitzing safety T.J. Ward and flipping a 13-yard completion to tight end Greg Olsen to the Broncos’ 22. "We were terrible today,'' Harris said of the Denver defense. "This wasn't our standard on third down. There was communication (problems) from the players, from the coaches. Everybody was scrambling. That's not how you want it.'' The Broncos' defense was twice flagged for having too many men on the field. Newton connected with Olsen again to set up first and goal from 4. When Newton ran it in for a touchdown, he set an NFL record. It was Newton’s 44th rushing touchdown, the most ever by an NFL quarterback. Steve Young held the record with 43, which he got in 169 games. Newton has only played in 79 games. He was under constant attack in this game, getting hit several times, but he still completed 18 of 33 for 194 yards with a touchdown pass and ran 11 times for 54 yards with another touchdown. He was also spotted flossing his teeth on the bench in the third quarter. "I was eating oranges at halftime,'' Newton explained. "Cam's a great quarterback," Harris said. "I love Cam. He's one of my favorite players. The way he ran the ball today, he played with swagger. I can definitely see the improvement he made from the Super Bowl. We might see him again.''

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall kneels during National Anthem By Allison Sylte KUSA September 9, 2016 Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall took a knee during the National Anthem before Thursday night’s season opener – joining Colin Kaepernick in a protest that has garnered national attention. Marshall had previously expressed support for Kaepernick during an interview with the Colorado Springs Gazette. He says his family and teammate Virgil Green were the only ones who knew about his plan to kneel. “The message is that I’m against social injustice,” Marshall told reporters after the game. “I’m not against the military, police or America at all. I’m against social injustice and I feel like this is the right thing to do. “I feel like this is the right platform. This is our only platform you know, to really be heard, and I feel a lot of times, people want us to just shut up and entertain them, shut up and play football.” Marshall and Kaepernick both attended the University of Nevada – Reno. Marshall says he knew that the protest would draw attention – but that didn’t stop him. “I knew what territory it came with, and I decided to do it,” Marshall said. “Some people did decide not to, but I did.” The Broncos issued the following statement on Marshall’s protest: “While we encourage members of the organization to stand during the Anthem, we understand, respect it’s a personal decision.” Marshall said he’s donating an “undisclosed” sum of money to programs for veterans and other charities. “Honestly, I’m a man of faith,” Marshall said, “so I prayed about it long and hard, and I feel like it was the right thing to do.”

Quarterback Trevor Siemian least of Broncos' worries in victory By Jeff Legwold ESPN September 9, 2016 For all of the furrowed brows and hand-wringing about what the Denver Broncos would do at quarterback and if Trevor Siemian was up to the task, turns out the 24-year-old was not the Broncos’ biggest worry after all. It doesn’t mean Siemian didn’t go through some nationally televised growing pains. But in the Super Bowl rematch, the kid made mistakes, bounced back and helped the Broncos to a 21-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night. Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds. The Panthers certainly found more creases in the first half against the Broncos' defense than they did at any point seven months ago in the Super Bowl. The result was a 17-7 lead at halftime with 210 yards of offense from the Panthers. But one of the reasons Broncos coach Gary Kubiak selected Siemian as the team’s quarterback was his composure after a mistake, his ability to stay within the game plan and be productive. He proved it again Thursday, this time on the biggest stage he has been on in his football life. Siemian's second interception of the game, a rather immature offering in the third quarter when he didn’t set his feet and underthrew an open Emmanuel Sanders, was the Broncos' third turnover. The Broncos followed with an ugly three-and-out, but then they found out a little something about their new quarterback. Siemian gathered himself, went 6-for-6 passing on the next possession, added an 11-yard scramble for a first down and closed the deal with a 25-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Anderson. Denver's offense scored again the next time it touched the ball -- converting a fourth-and-1 from the Panthers’ 2-yard line -- to get a 21-17 lead with 9 minutes, 26 seconds to play. It turned out to be just enough for the Broncos to open the season with yet another tip-of-the-fingernails victory. Overall, Kubiak kept his word about the whole thing. He said Siemian would be given some “freedom" to throw the ball in tight situations. And Siemian asked to run a full-blown game plan, not some bubble-wrapped affair that would protect him. Kubiak said, if the Broncos gave Siemian enough help, there was reason to believe the young quarterback could be successful, After all, Siemian has consistently impressed teammates with his demeanor and composure in a tension-filled competition to win the job in the first place. Kubiak and the Broncos also expected some mistakes; making a first career start against a defense like the Panthers' is a lot to ask of any quarterback. But the night was about confidence, from the moment the Broncos let Siemian throw on the first five plays of the game.

This is a team that won 11 games by seven or fewer points last season -- regular season and playoffs combined -- with a defensive formula and some resiliency when needed. While Siemian played just one snap in 2015, he showed he was paying attention the whole time.

Broncos show confidence in QB Trevor Siemian By Jeff Legwold ESPN September 9, 2016 He may have been the biggest unknown for most of the NFL-viewing nation, but the Denver Broncos showed plenty of confidence in new quarterback Trevor Siemian versus the Carolina Panthers in the first half of the league's regular-season opener Thursday night. Before Thursday, Siemian's regular-season resume consisted of a kneel-down play against the Pittsburgh Steelers last December. He finished the half 8-of-12 for 92 yards as the Panthers built a 17-7 lead. Siemian was picked off once in the first half when Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei batted a pass that was then intercepted by linebacker Thomas Davis. Denver coach Gary Kubiak had promised the Broncos would give Siemian freedom to play, and the team threw the ball on the first five snaps of the game. The Broncos took that first drive into Panthers territory, but rookie running back Devontae Booker fumbled to end the possession. The Panthers turned that turnover into a touchdown eight plays later for a 7-0 lead. Siemian's interception ended the Broncos' second possession, but they put together their scoring drive on the third. Siemian threw one pass, for a 15-yard completion, and the Broncos went the rest of the way with four running plays, finished off by fullback Andy Janovich's 28-yard touchdown run. During the past week, Kubiak promised that Siemian would not be bubble-wrapped in his first career start. "We have to give him freedom; we have to let him play," Kubiak said. "Trevor's a smart kid -- that's one of the reasons he's got himself in this position, because he's able to handle a lot." For all the hand-wringing about Siemian going into the game, it was the Broncos' defense that had issues in the opening half. The Panthers piled up 210 yards before halftime, including 99 rushing yards. The Panthers were also 6-of-7 on third downs, including five during their second-quarter touchdown drive.

Broncos' Trevor Siemian 'handled his end of the bargain' By Jeff Legwold ESPN September 9, 2016 In the end Trevor Siemian didn't throw for 180 yards in his first NFL start, he did throw two interceptions and it wasn't always a smooth ride on the learning curve. But the 24-year-old never lost his composure and showed why Broncos coach Gary Kubiak picked him as Peyton Manning's replacement in a tense 21-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers Thursday night. "Sure, there's butterflies every time you play,'' Siemian said. "I think something is wrong with you if you don't. I'm just super confident in the group of guys we have offensively. There are a lot of vets and a lot of great leadership in that group that I can lean on, and I'm just really confident in those guys.'' Siemian, whose NFL resume coming into the game had been just one regular-season play, a kneel down against the Pittsburgh Steelers last December, finished 18-of-26 passing for 178 yards with a touchdown and the two interceptions. But Siemian was also composed in big moments, putting together two touchdown drives in the second half as the Broncos became the first Super Bowl winner to trail by at least eight points in the next season's opener before coming back for the win. The Broncos rushed for 148 yards in the game and had a close-to-even split in the play-calling with Siemian's 26 pass attempts to go with their 29 rushing attempts. "I thought Trevor handled his end of the bargain well,'' Kubiak said. The Broncos opened the game with a case of nerves around their new quarterback - at least it appeared that way. They had taken their opening drive of the game to the Panthers' 29-yard line when rookie Devontae Booker fumbled. Siemian's first interception ended the Broncos' second drive of the game - at the Panthers' 25-yard line. On that play Siemian's throw was swatted by Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei before being intercepted by Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis. It all meant the Panthers had a 17-7 lead at halftime. Then Siemian was picked off again in the Broncos' first possession in the third quarter when, in the face of a blitz he couldn't step into the throw. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was open inside the Panthers' 10-yard line, but the pass was underthrown and intercepted by Panthers cornerback Bene Benwikere. But Kubiak said Siemian was never rattled after all of that. "Nah, he wasn't,'' Kubiak said. "And actually the second interception, it really wasn't his fault ... and in fairness to the kid we should have picked (the blitz) up and he should have been able to step and throw. We didn't get that done."

At that point Siemian showed what likely won him the job in the first place, at least in addition to a power arm. It's his composure and ability to rebound from trouble. After his second interception and a rather ugly three-and-out that followed for the Broncos' offense, Siemian led two touchdown drives. The first of those scores came when Siemian stared down the Panthers pressure and tossed a screen pass to running back C.J. Anderson. Anderson took it 25 yards for a score that made it, 17-14. "There was pressure and I knew I had to get it to C.J., somehow, some way and it would be a big play,'' Siemian said. "He made a couple moves, had a heck of a run and got it in there ... I knew it was a big play if I could get it to him. Somehow, some way, get it to C.J. and he'll take care of it.'' "That was a great job,'' Kubiak said. " ... But Trevor really did an amazing job of pulling the rush in and getting the ball off ... Just a really good by the kind of handling the situation.'' Anderson scored on a 1-yard run to close out the Broncos' next possession and put the Broncos in position for the comeback win. "We've got a resilient team and you saw that tonight,'' Siemian said.

Defense-minded Broncos win as Panthers' kick misses at end By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press September 9, 2016 Cam Newton will get a few extra days to recover from his latest beating by Von Miller and crew. At least he won't have to seethe for seven months. Denver's dominant defense came up big against Newton again and the Broncos escaped with a 21-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers Thursday night when Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining. The Broncos collected three sacks and hit Newton eight more times, not counting the abuse he took on his 11 runs. "We wanted to make sure we got to him," safety T.J. Ward said. "Every time he ran we tried to put helmet and shoulder pads on him. If you're not going to slide we're going to put something on you. We saw him limping throughout the game so that running stuff, you can't do that all game." Three of the hits were of the helmet-to-helmet variety but none resulted in any penalty yardage. Miller hit him high when DeMarcus Ware was taking him down, linebacker Brandon Marshall hit him in the face just as he released a pass and safety Darian Stewart leveled him in the final minute, but because Newton was whistled for intentional grounding on the play, the penalties were offsetting. "It's not my job to question the officials," Newton said after finally emerging from the trainer's room. "I really like this officiating crew, so it wasn't something I know they did intentionally. But it's not fun getting hit in the head." A wobbled Newton appeared to have done just enough to get a measure of revenge for that bludgeoning in Super Bowl 50, when Miller stripped the ball and the Lombardi Trophy from his grasp. Newton put the Panthers on the cusp of victory with a 16-yard pass to Kelvin Benjamin at the Denver 37 in the closing seconds, and another short pass to Ted Ginn Jr. put Gano well within his range. Gano, whose practice kick hugged the right upright after Denver had called timeout, missed wide left moments later. "I was going to drill it, no doubt in my mind," Gano said. "But this happens. It's not going to define my season." Newton, the NFL's reigning MVP, was 18 of 33 for 194 yards, with one TD and one interception. Just as he did over and over in the Super Bowl, Miller made a big play late, sweeping past right tackle Mike Remmers and sacking Newton at the 2-minute warning. A penalty on fourth-and-21, however, kept

the Carolina drive alive until Newton retreated to the sideline when Gano came in for the potential game-winner. His miss only piled on the pain for Newton, who stayed on one knee in disbelief as the stadium rocked and Trevor Siemian trotted out for one victory formation snap and a win in his first NFL start. "We've got a heck of a team, a resilient team, I think you saw that tonight," said Peyton Manning's successor, who finished 18 of 26 for 178 yards with one TD, two interceptions and two sacks. The Panthers took a 17-7 led into the fourth quarter of the first Super Bowl rematch to start a season since 1970, but Siemian hit running back C.J. Anderson for a 25-yard touchdown on the next snap. Newton's next pass was intercepted by Harris at the Carolina 23. Ten plays later, Anderson bulled his way in from the 1 to give Denver its first lead at 21-17 with 9:26 remaining. After Gano's 36-yard field goal brought the Panthers to 21-20, Carolina forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at its 40 with 3:06 remaining. TAKE A KNEE: Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, a college teammate of Colin Kaepernick, kneeled during the playing of the national anthem. Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem during San Francisco's preseason games, explaining it was to protest racial oppression and police brutality in the United States. "I'm not against the military, I'm not against America," Marshall said. "I'm against social injustice." OLD TIMES: Manning made his first appearance at Mile High as a retiree, walking through the tunnel with the Lombardi Trophy. Manning said he spoke with Siemian on the eve of the game and told him he was in his corner. POACHING PANTHERS: Carolina led the league with 39 takeaways last season and had three in the opener, including two on Denver's first two drives. Shaq Thompson recovered rookie Devontae Booker's fumble at the Carolina 29 and Bene Benwikere intercepted Siemian's pass at the Panthers' 10. FIELD FLIP: Punter Andy Lee, who surrendered a Super Bowl-record 61-yard punt return to Jordan Norwood in February, pinned the Broncos back with a franchise-record 76-yard punt in the third quarter. His next punt traveled 61 yards. FULLBACK FUN: Rookie Andy Janovich was brought in to bore holes for Anderson, but he surprised the Panthers with a 28-yard TD run after Denver's first two drives ended in turnovers.

Trip to the dentist: Cam feels the pain in loss to Broncos By Eddie Pells Associated Press September 9, 2016 Cam Newton's latest encounter with the Broncos must've felt like another trip to the dentist. The Panthers quarterback added yet another move to his repertoire — he actually flossed his teeth on the sideline — but his rematch with the Broncos in Thursday night's season opener was a brutal affair that ended with a missed field goal and the same outcome as the last time these teams met. Newton led Carolina within range of the winning score, but Graham Gano's miss, wide left from 50 yards with 4 seconds left, gave Denver a win in the Super Bowl rematch, 21-20. After an opening half in which he debuted a new touchdown dance and looked to have set aside all the bad memories from last year's Super Bowl, Newton met, head-first, with Von Miller and a defense that has now punished him and made him look like something less than an MVP in Carolina's last two meaningful games. Newton ran for a touchdown and threw for another, but passed for only 16 more yards than Broncos newcomer Trevor Siemian. He remained in the trainer's room for nearly an hour after the game had ended after being sacked three times, and hit eight more, not counting the punishment he received on his 11 rushing attempts. Three of those hits were to his head, and Carolina didn't get one inch of penalty yardage out of them. "It's not my job to question the officials," Newton said. "I really like this officiating crew, so it wasn't something I know they did intentionally, but it's not fun getting hit in the head." He probably deserved better. One of the shots came from — who else? — Miller, who met him facemask-to-facemask early in the third quarter while DeMarcus Ware was dragging him down. The hit left Newton doubled over in pain on the sideline. He didn't miss a play, but after leading the Panthers to a 17-7 lead in the first half, he produced only a field goal after the collision, completing 7 of 15 passes for 83 yards. The last head-to-head blow came from Broncos safety Darian Stewart with 36 seconds left. It drew a flag and would've moved the Panthers into closer field goal range with a few plays left. But because Newton threw the ball away before the hit, he got called for intentional grounding and Carolina didn't get a yard. "I'm not going to pass on any judgment," coach Ron Rivera said when asked about the head hits. Newton still played well enough to win. He finished 18 for 33 with one touchdown running and another passing and moved the Panthers within field goal range twice in the fourth quarter. His 69.5 passer rating was 14 points higher than in the Super Bowl. For a while, at least, this game had the makings of fun.

One highlight: After his 2-yard run in the second quarter gave Newton the most rushing TDs (44) for a QB in NFL history, he stared down the southwest corner of the Broncos stadium and did a version of the hand jive before placing those hands on his hips then fake-tearing apart the center of his jersey, as if to reveal a big "S'' on his chest. Later, Twitter went crazy with vines and video of Newton flossing on the sideline. He said he'd been eating oranges at halftime. His mother would be proud. But he is now 0-1 for the season, after going 15-1 last year. Newton, now 27 and a dad — his son, Chosen, was born Christmas Eve — shouldn't face too many questions about his toughness the way he did after the Super Bowl when he didn't dive into a pile to go after a loose ball. He got ripped for wearing a hoodie into the postgame press conference that night, barely answering questions before leaving early. His appearance this time was more telling. "I feel (expletive), that's what I do feel," he said. "I just don't like to lose. I know you guys are anticipating so much, and I am trying my best to keep it together. But I knew that this was going to happen, especially from the media standpoint, 'How would Cam react to the media?' The truth of the matter is, the Denver Broncos are the defending champs for a reason."

Denver LB Brandon Marshall takes a knee during anthem By Associated Press staff Associated Press September 9, 2016 Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, a college teammate of Colin Kaepernick, took to a knee during the playing of the national anthem before Denver's season opener against Carolina. Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem during San Francisco's preseason games , explaining it was to protest racial oppression and police brutality in the United States. Marshall sounded a similar theme after Denver's 21-20 win. "I'm not against the military, I'm not against America," he said. "I'm against social injustice." Kaepernick's gesture opened a wide debate and put the microscope on a pregame tradition that has, for decades, been routine. Marshall was standing with his hand over his heart during the anthem before a preseason game on Aug. 20. He made no mention of his plans for Thursday's opener but shortly after the large American flag was unfurled, the fifth-year linebacker out of Nevada went to the end of a long row of Broncos and took a knee. Broncos Super Bowl MVP Von Miller said he supported Kaepernick, too. "I'm not going to kneel for the national anthem but I feel it should be a change. His actions really brought the topic, brought it into the conversation. I'm with Colin all the way."

Broncos will go with 2 QBs with zero pro passes By Austin Davis Associated Press September 9, 2016 By selecting recently acquired veteran Austin Davis as their third quarterback Thursday night, the Denver Broncos headed into the NFL kickoff against the Carolina Panthers with two QBs who had zero pass attempts as a pro. Trevor Siemian, whose only snap as a rookie last season, was a kneel-down, won the starting job last month and rookie Paxton Lynch is his backup. The Broncos deactivated wide receiver Bennie Fowler; cornerback Lorenzo Doss; guards Connor McGovern and Ty Sambrailo; tight end Jeff Heuerman; and nose tackle Kyle Peko for the game. The Panthers deactivated wide receivers Brenton Bersin and Damiere Byrd, safety Dean Marlowe, running back Cameron Artis-Payne, guard Tyler Larsen, linebacker Jared Norris and defensive end Lavar Edwards.

NFL season begins with same issues _ hits to the head By Pat Graham Associated Press September 9, 2016 The start of a new season rekindled some old — and troubling — issues for the NFL. Nobody could attest to that better than Cam Newton. The Carolina Panthers quarterback was victimized by helmet-to-helmet hits at least three times in a 21-20 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. Net result of those hits: Zero penalty yards. The Super Bowl rematch was every bit as good as promised — it came down to a last-second field goal attempt — but it was a brutal affair that put Newton, Broncos receiver Jordan Norwood and linebacker Brandon Marshall in evaluation for concussions. None were held out. "It's not fun getting hit in the head," said Newton, who threw for 194 yards, one interception and a touchdown. "But we didn't lose the game off that." At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Newton absorbs more punishment than the typical QB, in part because he runs the ball a fair amount. He took three sacks, eight more hits while trying to throw and also took some thumps after his 11 rushing attempts. Two of the most vicious hits had a direct impact on the game. The first came early in the third quarter, when DeMarcus Ware pulled Newton down and Von Miller hit him, facemask-to-facemask. No flag was thrown, but Newton was doubled over in pain after that drive. He went 7 for 15 the rest of the game after starting 11 for 18 and leading the Panthers to a 17-7 halftime lead. With under 40 seconds left, Broncos safety Darian Stewart went helmet-to-helmet with Newton. A flag was thrown but it was nullified because officials also called Newton for intentional grounding. "Still don't understand how that's possible to get intentional grounding when you get personal fouled," tight end Greg Olsen said. "We've just got to treat Cam like a quarterback. I know he's the biggest guy on the field, but he's still a quarterback." Had that roughing call stood, Carolina would've had the ball in field goal range with a few more plays to move closer. Instead, Graham Gano had a 50-yarder to win that he pushed wide left. Newton took the high road about the hits. Coach Ron Rivera said he'd wait to see the replays. Certainly, they'll be watching them in the NFL offices, as well. For a league concerned about head hits and concussions, this was a violent start to the season. Other things we learned as the Broncos rallied to beat the Panthers: SIEMIAN CAN PLAY: The Broncos were the first defending champion to come into the following season with a starting quarterback who hadn't thrown an NFL pass. Now, Trevor Siemian has thrown 26, and he

has his first win to show for it. Siemian was far from perfect — he threw a pair of interceptions and his 69.1 passer rating won't remind anyone of Peyton Manning in his prime. Then again, Manning wasn't in his prime when the Broncos won the Super Bowl last season. "We played in a lot of big games last year against a lot of great teams, so I tried to simulate that feeling as much as I could," Siemian said. "But no doubt, it's different when you get out there." RETURN OF THE FULLBACK: Turns out, the fullback position didn't go into complete extinction in the NFL. It's actually alive in Broncos coach Gary Kubiak's offense. Rookie Andy Janovich took a shallow handoff, went around the right end and sprinted 28 yards for a score in the second quarter. ROOKIE RISK: Punter Britton Colquitt was arguably the second-most valuable player for Denver in the Super Bowl, limiting the Panthers to 2 yards on three returns and twice pinning them inside their 20. But he wouldn't take a pay cut, so GM John Elway released him in favor of rookie Riley Dixon. The seventh-rounder from Syracuse had a 42-yard punt in the closing minutes, allowing Carolina it start its final drive on the Panthers' 40-yard line. RETURN OF BENJAMIN: The Panthers had one of their top threats back after receiver Kelvin Benjamin missed all last season with a torn ACL. He got involved early with a 14-yard TD catch from Newton. He finished with six catches for 91 yards. CAROLINA BLUE: The Panthers are 17-1 against the rest of the world since the start of last season and 0-2 against the Broncos. "Start thinking about the next one," said Rivera, whose team plays San Francisco on Sept. 18. "There are still 15 games left to play."

Clockwork Orange: 9 ticks left and Broncos win By Troy Renck KMGH September 9, 2016 Aqib Talib snapped his fingers. Virgil Green shook his head. Derek Wolfe hopped up and down. The Broncos sat at the mouth of the Southwest tunnel at 6:29 p.m. Thursday night, prepared to run out onto the field to what exactly? A light? An oncoming train? The defending champions began the season shrouded in uncertainty because of an unproven quarterback and a defense nobody seems to believe can produce another hit record. The doubt, fuel for these players, seemed justified. The Broncos trailed at half, and looked like a team in transition. The tunnel outside the locker room after halftime became a bridge of redemption in a 21-20 season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers. "It was Deja Vu, huh?" said Broncos president Joe Ellis. Carolina's Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field wide left with nine seconds remaining. Of course, he made the previous kick but not before the Broncos called a timeout. That kick sneaked inside the right upright. The next kick missed left. Overcompensate much? It was like last season – when Denver set an NFL record with 11 wins by seven points or less – never ended. "I wasn't worried. Winning is what we do," safety T.J. Ward insisted. "We never stop. Never underestimate the heart of a champion." It was easy to find it. It was caught in their collective windpipes. The Broncos staged a second half U-turn, only to sit with a nation watching as the outcome hung in the balance with 3:06 remaining. Last season featured the scoop and score, the pick six in Oakland and the Manning moment in the season finale, among others. Thursday was nearly remembered for 'The Call' against cornerback Chris Harris. It unfolded like this. Rookie Riley Dixon hit a 42-yard punt, leaving Carolina at the 40-yard line and staring at a one-point deficit. Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” rumbled through the stadium. False start tackle Ryan Kalil. Sack Todd Davis and DeMarcus Ware. Just as in February, Von Miller raced around the right edge, corralling quarterback Cam Newton. Suddenly, Super Bowl 50 had broken out. It was fourth-and-21 from the 29-yard line. Of course accompany controversey arrived on cue with the call against Harris for illegal use of hands against Kelvin Benjamin. Except he didn't use his hands or do anything illegal. "He grabbed me. I couldn't believe it," Harris said. "I was surprised." Offsetting fouls moments later – safety Darian Stewart roughing the passer and Newton’s intentional grounding – set up a final gasp for Carolina with 36 seconds left. Newton connected with Benjamin on a

21-yard completion to the 37-yard line. A short pass left Gano within his range. The Broncos iced him, and the Panthers left stone cold. "I feel (awful)," said Newton, who completed 18 of 34 passes for 194 yards, but just 7 of 16 in the second half. "I just hate losing." Of course the Broncos 15th win in their last 16 home openers was like eating nails. Always is with these Broncos. Nothing goes well or down easily. Down by 10 points against the reigning MVP is ill advised. The Broncos take pride in their characterization as grinders. They put up fists and fought with bloodied noses. The Broncos found themselves trailing 17-7 entering the fourth quarter. The sellout crowd, where only 172 tickets went unused, wanted a reason to go full throat. "There wasn't a lot of yelling going on at halftime. We were playing terrible, and we knew it," Harris said. "It wasn't us. We knew it wouldn't stay like that." The Broncos awoke, eliminating mistakes of sloppiness and inexperience. As the final quarter opened, quarterback Trevor Siemian (18 of 26, 178 yards, two picks) learned from his past. He threw an interception with a defender in his face in the first half. He patiently let a screen develop, dumping the ball off to C.J. Anderson. Anderson raced 25 yards for a touchdown, bullying through with help of downfield blocks by Matt Paradis and Demaryius Thomas. The score suddenly made sense: 17-14. At home. In altitude. This is what was supposed to happen, even if the path taken to the outcome was unsettling. "I've got to get a little taller. That's what I learned," joked Siemian, who had one tipped pass picked and another nearly intercepted. "Sure there were butterflies every time you play. I think something is wrong with you if you don't. I am just super confident in these guys we have offensively." The NFL’s top defense then dropped its fangs. On a roller coaster evening, Harris made an all-pro play. Beaten early by Benjamin for a touchdown, Harris worked through the hulking target on a slant. He tipped the ball and intercepted it. A late hit on Haris moved the ball to the Carolina 23-yard line where Denver’s offense lowered its shoulder. C.J. Anderson, the Broncos’ best player on this night, promised this season would be different. He reported at 218 pounds. He would be ready to bounce off tackles from jump. He proved his point, slamming his way into the end zone from a yard out to shove the Broncos’ ahead 21-17 with 9:26 remaining. "1-0. We just keep grinding," Anderson tweeted after rushing for 92 yards on 20 carries and scoring twice. "We don't care about the outside noise. We believe in us." They tested their fans' faith for several hours Thursday. Youth brings peril. For all of the wide-eyed excitement of Christmas morning, some presents boast little beyond the bow. The Broncos’ first two drives ended inside their opponent’s 30-yard line. To show it was not an aberration, Siemian made a poor decision, taking an unnecessary chance against a safety blitz, throwing an interception to Bene Benwikere at, you guessed it, the 30-yard line on the team’s first drive in the second half.

These type of mistakes represent Google Maps directions off a cliff. At halftime, the Broncos had three 12-men-on the field penalties, two turnovers and no sacks. The Broncos came out throwing in the first quarter. Not punches. Passes. Siemian settled in and settled down. He went 3-for-5 for 28 yards on the opening drive before a crowd that looked like a screaming peeled orange. A fumble provided a brief buzzkill as rookie running back Devontae Booker learned the NFL is not the Pac-12. Linebacker Luke Kuechly wrestled the ball from the former Utah star as Carolina’s Shaq Thompson pounced on it at the 29-yard line. "We knew we were going to have our hands full and that it was going to come down to the wire," Siemian said. The Panthers capitalized on the mistakes, showing versatility and protection lacking in the Super Bowl. Newton looked like the reigning MVP, willing to step forward in the pocket. He targeted Benjamin, a tight end disguised as a receiver. He converted on third-and-9 at the 47-yard line, then sliced in front of Harris for a 14-yard touchdown. It was a jarring sight, Harris in the end zone, holding his hands in the air in puzzlement. In these moments a year ago, the Broncos wobbled, regained their balance and swung a crowbar into the opponent’s shins. This wasn’t last year. Peyton Manning was in the NBC booth. Siemian marched the Broncos nine plays, raising the volume of the crowd, which featured only 172 unused tickets. It proved a tease. On the 10th play Siemian was sacked, and on the 11th he carelessly tossed a pass toward defensive lineman Star Lotuelei. He tipped the ball, and Thomas Davis intercepted it. It proved simply a script to make the ending more dramatic. "That's how we are built," said Von Miller, whose team finished with three sacks. "It's not about one player. It's about a whole team finding a way to get it done."

Wolfe on Panthers' O-Line: 'They were targeting' By Troy Renck KMGH September 9, 2016 Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe prides himself on playing until the whistle. He prides himself on finishing plays. But what transpired Thursday was illegal not fundamental football, he asserted. Talking exclusively with Denver7, Wolfe accused the Panthers' offensive line of crossing the line. He singled out Panthers guard Trai Turner. "He was absolutely targeting me. That's how he is," Wolfe said. "He should be fined. Write that." Turner received a penalty for taunting on the Panthers' first touchdown. "He should have had three more. He should have been ejected," Wolfe said. Wolfe left the game with a sprained ankle and stiff neck. He was facemasked and hurt his leg when pushed into a pile, he said. "I love good hard football. But hitting guys after the play, then if we respond the ref gets on me?" Wolfe said. "If the league cares about player safety, they need to look at the film and see what was going on. They were targeting." In addition to Turner's taunting foul, Ryan Kalil received a facemask call on Wolfe in the third quarter, and Andrew Norwell was flagged for unneccessary roughness for a hit on Chris Harris after an interception. Book'em Jano Andy Janovich answers to multiple nicknames, including "Jano" and "Hammerhead." He likes to hit. Has since he was an eighth-grader. The fullback came up huge in his NFL debut. He delivered a key block on a C.J. Anderson's 28-yard run then scored moments later on his own 28-yard gallop. He's the first Broncos fullback to hit paydirt for the Broncos since Spencer Larsen caught a 3-yard pass from Tim Tebow on Nov. 14, 2010. Footnotes The Broncos allowed an 18-play scoring drive. They never allowed a drive that long last season. The problem? Carolina was 7-for-7 on third downs in the first half. They went 2-for-8 in the second half. The Broncos' pressure finally produced after halftime. Denver finished with three sacks after posting zero in the first 30 minutes. ... There was a lot of talk after the game about Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, specifically on why was he able to stay in the game after Darian Stewart's big hit in the fourth quarter. Newton, who completed 7 of 16 passes in the second half, was hit hard near his helmet at least twice during the game. The league has spotters to help identify players who were possibly concussed. But Newton never missed a play, which is likely to draw scrutiny over the next few days. Newton said he didn't believe the Broncos were targeting his head. ... Linebacker Brandon Marshall and receiver Jordan

Norwood cleared the concussion protocol and returned to the game. Corey Nelson and Jordan Taylor played in their absence. ... Marshall took a knee during the national anthem in a show of solidarity with college teammate Colin Kaepernick. He said after the game he plans to continue kneeling. The team was unaware Marshall would not stand for the anthem. ... With 1.5 sacks on Thursday, DeMarcus Ware moved into ninth place all time. Ware did not play in the preseason, but exceeded the 30 plays scheduled for his debut. "I told them I could. We went over it. I feel great," Ware said.

Broncos' Brandon Marshall kneels during national anthem By Mark Belcher KMGH September 9, 2016 Like it or not, the Broncos are now part of a national conversation on boycotting the national anthem. Brandon Marshall took a knee during the patriotic moment Thursday evening during the season opener against the Carolina Panthers. Typically, players stand at attention during the Star Spangled Banner, however behind San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, several have begun taking a stand against what they call "racial injustice." Kaepernick began boycotting the national anthem by sitting on the bench, saying he won't stand ''to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people." He's found pockets of support among other athletes who share his view, and he's also found it in Broncos' Marshall, a linebacker on the team. Marshall, who attended University of Nevada, Reno, and joined the same fraternity as Kaepernick, did not go as far as sitting on the Broncos bench, but he did take a knee during the anthem. "I'm not against the military. I'm not against police or America. I'm just against social injustice," Marshall said after the season opener was over. "I prayed about this long and hard and decided this is what I wanted to do." Troy Renck ✔ @TroyRenck #Broncos Brandon Marshall said he will continue to not stand during national anthem. #DENvsCAR 10:56 PM - 8 Sep 2016 That may not make Marshall's coach Gary Kubiak happy. Kubiak, when asked about the national movement, defended the tradition. “My dad taught me two things that I believe in strongly,” Kubiak said. “He told me to believe in my values and those types of things in life and obviously I believe in our country and the national anthem very strongly. But at the same time, he taught me to respect other people’s beliefs and values, so I do that.” The Broncos released a statement to Denver7 Broncos insider Troy Renck soon after the game began. “While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision.”

Broncos batter Cam Newton, but did helmet hits cross line? By Tom Pelissero USA Today September 9, 2016 The Denver Broncos talked all week about being physical. And players said they could tell as the season-opening Super Bowl 50 rematch went on Thursday night that the hits were adding up on Carolina Panthers star quarterback Cam Newton. “I could in the second half, yeah,” Broncos safety Darian Stewart told USA TODAY Sports after the defending champs rallied for a 21-20 triumph. “With two minutes left, man, and that rush get on him, you could tell then. I think that’s our moment.” Now, there’s a difference being physical and being reckless. Some of the hits the reigning NFL MVP took — including at least four apparent helmet-to-helmet shots — were over the line, even though referee Gene Steratore and his crew threw only one flag. That call was offset by intentional grounding in the final minute against Newton, who got utterly blasted on the side of the chin by Stewart, yet rose and completed two passes to get the Panthers in range for the winning field-goal attempt Graham Gano missed wide left from 50 yards. Newton said he didn’t feel he was being targeted and dodged a question about whether he received fair and adequate protection from Steratore’s crew. “It’s not my job to question the officials,” Newton said. “I really like this officiating crew. So, it wasn’t something that I know they did intentionally. But it’s not fun getting hit in the head.” That’s far softer than Newton’s criticism last September of referee Ed Hochuli, whom Newton accused of saying the now 27-year-old quarterback is “not old enough to get that call” for roughing the passer after a hit. (Hochuli denied it.) Newton wouldn’t say why he bit his tongue Thursday, but emphasized he knew people were going to be scrutinizing his interaction with the media after an infamous, abbreviated session with reporters following the Super Bowl. Newton was later than usual to the podium because he was receiving treatment, according to the Panthers. Asked if he felt any differently than after a normal loss, Newton said: “I feel s----y. That’s what I do feel. I just don’t like to lose. I know you guys are anticipating so much, and I’m trying my best to keep it together.” There were no signs the Panthers’ medical staff evaluated Newton after the hit from Stewart or the ATC spotter intervened. Newton was asked “a couple questions, but nothing too serious” after the game, though he said there was too much going through his head to remember what the questions were. All of which will trigger some questions from the league and players’ union, which jointly announced in July potential discipline for teams violating concussion protocol.

Stewart insisted his brutal blow wasn’t intended as a shot to Newton’s head and said he’d appeal any fine. “I thought I (led) with the shoulder,” Stewart said. “But he’d been running the whole game, so I was unsure if he was a passer or if he was going to run. I just took the shot, man.” Right or wrong, the pounding the Broncos planned and delivered had an effect – not just the apparent headshots from Jared Crick, Brandon Marshall, Von Miller and Stewart, but consecutive, legal hits from Shaquil Barrett and DeMarcus Ware midway through the third quarter than had Newton talking to doctors and grabbing his right lower leg on the bench. After running for 36 yards and a touchdown on six carries (mostly designed) on the way to a 17-7 halftime lead, Newton had just 18 yards on five carries in the second. He was also was less effective passing, completing just 7 of 16 passes for 83 yards with an interception after halftime. “We wanted to make sure it got to him, so every time he ran, we tried to put a helmet or shoulder pads on him,” said the Broncos’ other starting safety, T.J. Ward. “If he’s not going to slide, then we’re really going to put something on you. We’ve seen him limp throughout the game. So, that run stuff — you can’t do that all game with your quarterback.” The run threat with Newton is a big part of what makes the Panthers’ offense go, though. As usual, coordinator Mike Shula turned loose his 6-foot-5, 245-pound tank Thursday on plays no other QB would run: inside draws, seal-the-edge plays near the goal line, etc. Veteran tight end Greg Olsen called Steratore a great ref, but echoed other Panthers teammates when he said: “We’ve got to treat Cam like a quarterback. I know he’s the biggest guy on the field, but he’s still a quarterback.” An undoubtedly sore quarterback after the game, though Newton went out of his way to say repeatedly the officiating was no excuse for the Panthers’ offense going limp as their small bit of revenge slipped away. “I try to warn the refs every time I do get hit in the head. But if the flag is not called, then it’s OK,” Newton said. “We just have to find ways to move the ball and not stay so stagnant for so long periods of time.”

Broncos' Brandon Marshall after kneeling: 'I'm not against the police or America' By USA Today Sports staff USA Today September 9, 2016 After joining San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in protest Thursday night, Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall said his decision to kneel during the national anthem was solely meant to be an expression against social injustices. "I'm not against the military," Marshall said after the Broncos' 21-20 win against the Carolina Panthers. "I'm not against the police or America. I'm against social injustice." Marshall said the move was an of solidarity with Kaepernick, his fraternity brother and teammate at the University of Nevada. Kaepernick began his protests in preseason games to bring attention to "racism and police brutality." Marshall added he would continue not to stand during the national anthem before games, and that he would donate an undisclosed amount to charities supporting his cause. Kaepernick has pledged $1 million to groups combating social inequality. Broncos coach Gary Kubiak voiced his support for Marshall after the game. "Brandon is a great kid," Kubiak told reporters. "He is a leader of this team. I believe in my players." The Broncos added in a statement: "While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision." Marshall becomes the latest player to follow Kaepernick's lead in the protest. Last week, Kaepernick was joined by teammate Eric Reid and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane in kneeling during the final preseason games. The Seahawks are planning a pregame “demonstration of unity” that will “honor the country and flag,” wide receiver Doug Baldwin said in a tweet on Thursday. Seattle opens its regular season at home on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, while the 49ers host the Los Angeles Rams in the second game of a Monday night doubleheader. “I feel like this is the right platform," Marshall said. "This is our only platform you know, to really be heard, and I feel a lot of times, people want us to just shut up and entertain them, shut up and play football.”

Paige: Broncos give Elway reason to smile in opener By Woody Paige Colorado Springs Gazette September 9, 2016 It was the greatest victory by the Broncos...in seven months and one day. And moments after the triumphant return to football, the Broncos' master of all he sees, John Elway, emerged from his box and flashed a grin that could light up the night in Denver. Elway was the architect of one of the most famous drives in NFL history. On Thursday night he was a witness to one of the most infamous game-losing drives ever. The Carolina Panthers lost once again to the Broncos. They lost the closer on Feb. 7 and the opener on Sept. 8. Actually, Carolina kicker Graham Gano made a 50-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining. But, wait! Gary Kubiak had called a timeout just before Gano's kick. The game was frozen in time. Gano was just frozen. His second attempt, into a confusing wind at ground level blowing east to west, was wide left. Oh-no, Ga-no. Gag-yes. The blame can go to Gagno, but coach Ron Rivera, quarterback Cam Newton and all the Panthers certainly must share in the responsibility. They owned a 10-point lead at halftime, had gotten three turnovers off two interceptions and a fumble recovery, and Rivera told NBC at halftime the Panthers weren't afraid of the Broncos. Be very afraid, Panthers. And after the third quarter, the Panthers were still up 17-7. But the Broncos scored two touchdowns in less than six minutes. The second was right after a Newton pick, and the tide, the worm and the NFL's first game of 2016 turned. Finally, though, it came down to a lousy punt by the Broncos' Riley Dixon that fell between the cracks because of the terrible field goal attempt by Gano.

In between, the Panthers got their last chance in a cozy situation at their 40-yard line with 3:06 remaining. All right, Cam. This is your time to shine. On fourth down, the Panthers were at their own 29-yard line. on an illegal-hands penalty on Chris Harris Jr., who had come up with the interception earlier. Then, there was a weird play on a second down when Newton was speared by safety Darian Stewart on a sack. But Newton was called for intentional grounding because he didn't get the ball past the line of scrimmage. How could he? The league has a loophole in its rules. The off-setting penalties were followed by a 16-yard completion. And the Panthers had moved to the Broncos' 37. Now they were in range. Newton got five more with a pass to Ted Ginn Jr. at the 0:09 mark. And Gano made and missed. Only the miss counted. The Broncos were the fortunate sons, reminiscent of several games of last year. But they also looked more like a team in the second half. In the first half the new quarterback, Trevor Siemian, who had been calm and cool and in control during the preseason, seemed cautious, conservative and not so much in command. Elway had told him in a conversation a few days ago to not let the mistakes worry him, to just continue to play his game. Sounded like advice Elway wanted when he was a rookie in 1983, when he struggled as a starter at the beginning of the season, and once lined up behind his guard to take a snap. The Broncos figured out a way to win, and not to lose. And that's all that will matter on a night that began with a celebration of the Super Bowl and ended with a celebration of a victory. Of the close game, Von Miller said: "That's just how we're built. It's not about one player or one group. It's a whole team effort, and that's how we got it done.'' When the offense needed help, the Broncos' defense, as it did in 2015, produced the turnover. "It's not about bailing out (the offense)," Miller said. "We just need to go make a play to put us in good field position to score." Gary Kubiak thought about all the mistakes the Broncos had to overcome and said the Broncos "survived." The NFL is about survival. And if the Broncos do continue to survive, they will prove me and most of the experts wrong. This is the way the Broncos ended last season, and this is the way the Broncos have begun this season. And while the Broncos keep on grinding, John Elway keeps on grinning.

Paul Klee: Broncos are good no matter who QB is By Paul Klee Colorado Springs Gazette September 9, 2016 It's not lucky anymore. This is simply what they do. The Broncos could leap from Union Station and land in a first-class Amtrak seat. But you can bet they checked the wind first and had a teammate down below to catch their fall. They'd bankrupt a blackjack table, but only after counting cards. They catch trophy trout on the first cast, but only because they tied the right fly. The Broncos beat the Panthers 21-20 late Thursday at Sports Authority Field. Maybe in the offseason the NFL awarded the Broncos an additional nine lives, perhaps as compensatory lives since Peyton Manning is gone. More likely, it's way past time the football world gave the Super Bowl champions what they earned. How about a little respect around here? Going 6-1 last season against the mighty Panthers, Patriots, Steelers, Packers and Bengals wasn't enough to peg the Broncos as favorites in their home opener. They were underdogs, in Las Vegas and in the eyes of NFL media. Which 2015 season were they watching? "We won because we continued to battle and battle and believe," coach Gary Kubiak said after Carolina kicker Graham Gano missed a 50-yarder wide to the left. The Broncos trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter. Trevor Siemian was the quarterback. Last season he was quarterback who was cast as Cam Newton on the Broncos scout team. If you win a game under that scenario — against a Panthers outfit that looks as big and bad as it did a year ago, if not bigger and bad-der — a lot of good things, not lucky things, had to happen. Start with Siemian. The Broncos did. How about the nerves on that guy? It was Siemian who led them back. First he did some dumb things, the low point being a floater that wouldn't even qualify as a duck. A dead duck, maybe. The Panthers intercepted the pass and the 76,671 folks sardined into Mile High groaned as one big, unhappy family. At that point, the preferred hashtag was #NeverTrevor. Later, it morphed into #ForeverTrevor. Siemian's first career completion went for 11 yards to Demaryius Thomas. His first career win will never be forgotten. Siemian finished 18 of 26 for 178 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His final quarterback rating was 69.1. Cam Newton's quarterback rating was 69.5.

Siemian's sweet things outweighed his dumb things. One of the sweet things was when he dropped a perfect screen pass to C.J. Anderson, who earned his fancy new contract, and Anderson scored a 25-yard touchdown. Siemian wasn't done yet. Maybe his coolest thing — emphasis on cool, as in cool-headed — was the yard he didn't gain. On third down, Siemian skedaddled for a first down. But instead of reaching to the Carolina 10-yard-line — which would have given the Broncos first-and-goal from the 10, a shaky spot to be — he stepped out-of-bounds at the 11. Couple plays later, the Broncos got a first down at the 1. Couple plays after that, Anderson scored another touchdown, the game winner. Sweet move, kid. "That's the way he's been," Kubiak said of Siemian. "I've sat down with a lot of quarterbacks the night before games. This kid, he's exceptional." How long will Siemian hold off first-round pick Paxton Lynch? That's a question for later. Considering the magnitude of the Super Bowl 50 rematch and how Siemian handled the burn against one of the NFL's nastiest defenses, he fits right into this resilient mix for now. On a prime-time stage fit for the NFL MVP, the quarterback making his first career start turned himself into the story. "We've got a resilient team," Siemian said. "I think you saw that alike." Let it be known Von Miller still owns Newton. Miller just put him on layaway for three quarters. Miller's sack of Newton, his first big play of the game, turned Mile High into one of his favorite things - a dance party. Of Denver's previous 16 wins, 12 came by a touchdown or less. This one was like a lot of the other ones, dangerous to fingernails and shaky heart conditions. But whether their quarterback is Brock Osweiler or Manning or Siemian, the proper referendum must arrive at some point. They're not lucky. They're good.

David Ramsey: Magnificent defense leads Broncos in opener By David Ramsey Colorado Springs Gazette September 9, 2016 This isn't luck. This is how a magnificent defense wins football games. Dominance is not the Broncos' thing. Drama is. Thursday's 21-20 victory over the Panthers continued an entertaining, if life-threatening for fans, trend. On most weekends, the Broncos take the Front Range on a dramatic journey into the final minutes. And, somehow, they win. "I'm proud of them," coach Gary Kubiak said. 'We won because we continued to believe and believe, but at the same time we made so many mistakes." Kubiak is right. The Broncos, as a team, barely deserved to defeat the Panthers on Thursday night. They trailed for almost the entire night. They were saved from defeat only by the (extremely) inaccurate foot of placekicker Graham Gano. But the defense soared once again as a stingy collection of sinister talent. If Chris Harris is not flagged for a phantom hands-to-the-face call with 1:54 left, the Broncos and several million fans would have started celebrating 10 minutes earlier. A year ago, the Broncos opened the season by barely defeating the Ravens. For an instant, Baltimore's Crockett Gillmore had the game-winning touchdown in his hands. The Broncos were victorious in 2015's first game, but did not in any way resemble a Super Bowl contender. The win over the Ravens started a trend. The Broncos seldom dazzled on offense, but were rescued by a violent and wise defense. The Broncos won 11 games by seven points or less. They reigned as Super Bowl champs, even though they almost never dominated. For most of Thursday night, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton looked ready to claim revenge. He pushed the Panthers to a 17-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. He often resembled Tim Tebow, sprinting out of the pocket for big gains. The defense-first formula that worked last season seemed busted. Newton looked ready to win his rematch with Von Miller and the Broncos. He was landing all the big punches. But the Broncos, as is usual, gained might as the game deepened. When Newton trotted on the field with 3:06 left, he had a first down at his own 40 and a chance to erase a one-point lead. Newton is the most powerful offensive force in the game, and he had an abundance of incentive to lead a final-minute comeback.

He only needed to gain 30 yards to set up a field goal. Three plays later, Newton faced a 4th and 21 from his own 29. His Panthers were doomed. He had been devoured, once again, by Bronco defenders. Then came the rescue from the officials. Harris was whistled for an extremely brief nudge to the facemask of Kelvin Benjamin. Across the Front Range, hundreds of thousands of fans were bellowing, with strong reason, about injustice. The Panthers' snail-like march continued. With 9 seconds left, they had traveled 23 yards in 12 plays. Carolina did not deserve a chance to win this game. The call on Harris seemed to have finally ended the Broncos' epic string of good fortune. But Gano missed, and it wasn't even close. The temptation is to criticize these Broncos. Youthful quarterback Trevor Siemian often resembled the broken-down version of Peyton Manning. The Broncos offense looked aimless and broken for three quarters. But this is how these Broncos win. C.J. Anderson, the hero of the fourth quarter, shrugged. He knows questions will be following these Broncos after this sluggish win. "It's not like we never played in a dogfight before," he said. Frequent dogfights are ahead. Expect the Broncos to win most of them.

Gano misses wide left, Broncos survive Panthers' final flurry: 10 takeaways By Sean Wagner-McGough CBSSports.com September 9, 2016 The Broncos overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit against the Panthers to deny reigning MVP Cam Newton some sweet revenge. Instead of revenge, the Panthers depart Denver knowing full well they blew a winnable game against the team that left them broken and bruised after Super Bowl 50. In the first game of the 2016 NFL season, the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos knocked off the Panthers, 21-20, despite three costly turnovers that nearly sunk them. A wild final drive from the Panthers ended up coming down to Gary Kubiak's decision to ice Carolina kicker Graham Gano, who pulled a potential game-winning 50-yard field goal wide of the uprights. The game also included an injury to Newton's leg -- and repeated, questionable, and mostly uncalled shots to his head -- as well as C.J. Anderson turning into the fantasy player of his owners' dreams and Kelvin Benjamin's triumphant return. In the end, the Broncos survived opening night despite trotting out a quarterback with zero career passes to his name, riding on the back of Anderson and the Broncos defense -- and a little luck -- to win the Super Bowl rematch. But those few paragraphs alone can hardly capture the madness that went down in Denver on Thursday night. Here are nine more takeaways: A wacky final drive Gano made his first game-winning try from 50 yards, squeezing the football through the right upright. But Kubiak called timeout a second before the Panthers snapped the football, so Gano was forced to kick again. He missed the one that mattered, pulling the kick wide left. He should've never even have gotten the chance. With just over three minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers regained possession of the ball down by a point. They didn't get off to a hot start, committing a false start and allowing a sack on first down. On third-and-15 with 2:15 left, Von Miller sacked Newton for a loss of 6 yards. Facing a fourth-and-21 after the two-minute warning, the game appeared to be lost. Stupidity extended Carolina's life, when the Broncos' Chris Harris was flagged for illegal hands to the face, which resulted in an automatic first down at the Panthers' 34-yard line. The Panthers returned the stupidity, calling their final timeout before a third down because they broke the huddle too slowly. They did, at least, gain the necessary yards to prolong the game.

Stupidity, again, followed. This time, with Newton in their sights and with nowhere to throw, Broncos defenders targeted Newton's head, walloping him as he tossed the football away. They were flagged for roughing the passer, but the penalty was negated because Newton's floater failed to reach the line of scrimmage. Two teams that played into February a year ago hardly looked like composed contenders. Eventually, Newton drove the Panthers into field-goal range in the final seconds. But Gano couldn't convert on the chance to send the Panthers home with a win. C.J. Anderson fuels a comeback Entering the final frame, the Panthers held a 10-point lead over a Broncos team that featured the first-ever quarterback with zero career passes to start a season opener for a defending Super Bowl champion. The Broncos, a team built around running the football and playing defense, needed to make up ground in a hurry. And that's what they did. The Panthers could not hold that lead. Rather, they couldn't slow down Anderson. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Trevor Siemian dropped back to pass and Anderson picked up a pass rusher. Suddenly, Anderson, along with a few members of the offensive line, stopped blocking. The Panthers' defensive line surged forward toward Siemian while Anderson drifted ahead into space. Siemian, with a defender in his face, floated a simple screen pass into Anderson's arms.

Anderson did the rest. NFL ✔ @NFL Just dump it off to C.J. Anderson. He's got this... TO. THE. HOUSE. 🙌🙌 #Kickoff2016 #Broncos 8:55 PM - 8 Sep 2016 Less than five minutes later, Anderson was back it. After the Broncos defense picked off Newton in Panthers territory, the offense faced a fourth-and-1 from the 2-yard line. The Broncos called on Anderson, again. With some help from left tackle Russell Okung and fullback Andy Janovich, Anderson pushed through the line and fought through contact, mounting a second surge to pick up the necessary yardage. Three plays later, on third-and-goal, Anderson gave the Broncos a four-point lead with his second touchdown. Anderson finished with 92 rushing yards on 20 carries and added four catches for 47 yards. Broncos' defense starts slow In the Super Bowl, the Broncos, led by MVP Von Miller, sacked Newton six times and hit him 13 times. They also forced two fumbles, both of which Newton lost.

That pass rush was nonexistent for much of Thursday night. For the most part, Panthers right tackle Mike Remmers held his own, preventing Miller from creating chaos in the backfield. As NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth pointed out, the depth of Newton's dropbacks in the shotgun weren't as significant as they were in February. Instead of using a three-step drop, Newton took a single step, meaning Miller couldn't simply run past Remmers to get to Newton. He had go to the inside or bull-rush Remmers into Newton. Pressure up the middle would've helped the Broncos counter Newton's shorter drops, but the Broncos couldn't push back the Panthers' line. Malik Jackson, who cashed in big-time with the Jaguars this offseason, would've helped. But as the game wore on, the Broncos defense began making plays. They began hitting Newton. In the third quarter, Newton hobbled off the field and trainers gathered to check on his right leg. He never missed a snap, but he continued to take shots down the stretch. Along with Anderson, Denver's defense spurred the comeback. After Anderson's touchdown catch cut the deficit to three points, Harris stole a reception from Benjamin by popping the ball high into the Denver air. Benjamin had no clue where the deflected pass went, but Harris did. He dove for the ball and secured a game-changing pick. The defense would have to stop the Panthers offense on two more drives. It did exactly that. First, the Broncos held the Panthers to a field goal, which protected the Broncos' slim lead. For that, they can thank Aqib Talib for enforcing Denver's no-fly zone. After the Broncos offense failed to muster a first down, the defense came back onto the field to finish off the Panthers. Two poor decisions let the Panthers hang around, but those penalties didn't come back to bite the Broncos. In all, the Broncos' defense sacked Newton three times and landed eight quarterback hits. Cam Newton looked like the MVP for a half Cam Newton was still super -- for a half, at least. His first touchdown, a bullet to Kelvin Benjamin in the first quarter, showed off his cannon for an arm. Later, he showed off his athleticism and awareness. On the Panthers' second touchdown-scoring drive of the game, they faced a third-and-10 at the Broncos' 35-yard line. The Broncos sent pressure and nearly got to Newton, but Newton spoiled that pressure by escaping the pocket and lofting a touch pass to Greg Olsen for a first down. Three plays later, he connected with Olsen again, which pushed the ball to the 4-yard line. Then, the reigning MVP capped an 18-play, 89-yard drive with his first touchdown run of the season on a power sweep to the right.

After, Newton immediately turned to look for the football, because he set a couple of records by scoring that touchdown. He passed Steve Young for the most career rushing touchdowns (44) by a quarterback and set the record for the most career games (32) with at least one touchdown through the air and another on the ground. He struggled in the second half, though. As a result, his final stat line was less than impressive. He completed 18 of 33 passes for 194 yards -- an ugly 5.9 yards per attempt. With his touchdown and interception, his passer rating came out as 69.5. He added 54 yards on the ground. Shots to Cam Newton's head Considering how many head shots Newton suffered during the game -- lots -- it's worth wondering if Newton suffered from a head injury at some point during the game. According to The Charlotte Observer's Joe Person, a Panthers' PR official said after the game that Newton was receiving treatment, which is why his press conference was delayed. When the press conference finally began, Newton expressed an opinion that most quarterbacks -- and human beings -- would agree with: Getting hit in the head isn't fun. Jonathan Jones ✔ @jjones9 Cam: It's not my job to question the officials. I like this officiating crew...it's not fun getting hit in the head 10:53 PM - 8 Sep 2016 Jonathan Jones ✔ @jjones9 Cam: I try to warn the refs every time I do get in the head, but if the flag is not called then it's OK 10:54 PM - 8 Sep 2016 "I feel sh---y," Newton said. "I just don't like to lose." Why didn't the officials stop the game and force Newton to undergo a concussion test? Where were the concussion spotters? Joe Person ✔ @josephperson Tried to talk to ref Gene Steratore RE why no one stopped to have Cam Newton checked after last hit. Steratore referred me to league office. Broncos' turnovers doom efficient drives On Siemian's first-ever NFL pass, he turned to the left to fire a quick screen to Demaryius Thomas. Only, a Panthers' defender stood between Siemian and his receiver. Showing more poise than, well, Mark Sanchez probably would've, Siemian pumped to get the defender into the air. Then, he threw a sidearm pass around the defender. Thomas picked up 11 yards. Gary Kubiak ended up calling four more passes to begin the Broncos' opening drive. And Siemian looked -- dare I say -- adequate, completing three of his first five passes. Then rookie running Devontae Booker entered the game to take his first-ever NFL carry. He fumbled, the Panthers recovered, and marched down the field for the first touchdown of the season.

On the Broncos' second drive of the game, they -- again -- journeyed into Panthers territory. Again, a turnover doomed their drive. On third-and-long, Kubiak called for another screen to make a field-goal try easier on Brandon McManus. Unlike the first screen of the day, Siemian didn't pump fake to free up a throwing lane. This time, his pass was tipped by Star Lotulelei and intercepted by Thomas Davis. The recipe continued in the second half. After the Broncos defense stopped the Panthers' first drive of the third quarter, the Broncos offense marched down the field again. On first down at Carolina's 30-yard line, Siemian made another mistake, floating a gimme pick to Bene Benwikere. The Panthers scored only seven points directly off those turnovers, but that's hardly the point. The point is, the Broncos offense -- helmed by Trevor frickin' Siemian -- looked effective at times against the Panthers from the get-go. Outside of three sloppy plays, the Broncos moved the football effectively. Anderson ran the ball with power and showed off some newfound quickness, using quick cuts to repeatedly burn the Panthers defense. Turning the ball over is the one thing the Broncos offense can't do if the champs want to head back to the postseason. That's what they did Thursday night, though. According to Pro Football Reference, the Broncos had five drives last year that journeyed to their opponents' 30-yard line and ended with a giveaway. They had three of those drives against the Panthers -- nearly four considering Siemian was inches away from being picked on the Broncos' winning, fourth-quarter drive. Trevor Siemian doesn't look like the answer Siemian ended up going 18 of 26 for 178 yards, one touchdown, two costly picks, and a 69.1 passer rating. In other words, he looked like Trevor Siemian. How long until rookie Paxton Lynch is ready? The Broncos will always be a tough out with that defense of theirs, but Siemian isn't their answer -- at least based off his first start. Kelvin Benjamin's triumphant return Benjamin missed all of the 2015 season with a torn ACL. Entering this game, Benjamin was supposedly on a limited snap count. The injury took place last August, so Benjamin is 13 months removed from tearing up his knee. Even though expectations weren't high for Benjamin in his first game since his rookie season, which included 1,000 yards, he came out firing. On the Panthers' first offensive series of the game, Newton targeted Benjamin on two occasions. The first pass granted the Panthers a fresh set of downs on third-and-9. The second handed the Panthers an early 7-0 lead. On second down from Denver's 14-yard line, Newton found Benjamin in the middle of the end zone and Benjamin used his massive frame to win the jump ball.

That was Benjamin's first touchdown since Dec. 7, 2014. Meet Andy Janovich After two turnovers, the Broncos finally finished a drive in the second quarter to knot the score at 7. But it wasn't Siemian who notched his first-ever touchdown or Anderson who scored the Broncos' first points. It was fullback Andy Janovich. NFL ✔ @NFL Just give it to the FULLBACK! He's gone! Andy Janovich's 1st NFL carry? 27-yard TD run! #Kickoff2016 #Broncos 7:22 PM - 8 Sep 2016 Who? The slowest back at the combine. Dane Brugler @dpbrugler Andy Janovich had the slowest 40-yard dash (4.81) among all RBs and FBs at the 2016 NFL Combine. Was just fast enough on that TD run. 7:27 PM - 8 Sep 2016 According to NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano, fullbacks have scored the first rushing touchdown of the season for three consecutive years. What's next? The Broncos will play host to the Colts two Sundays from now while the Panthers return to Carolina to play the 49ers.

Panthers-Broncos II is great, but Cam Newton's head deserves better By Bill Reiter CBSSports.com September 9, 2016 The football game that kicked off the 2016 NFL season was exceptional. But it was the head-to-head shots Cam Newton took, and what it says about the difficult balancing act between safety and competition, that turned the night into a failure. For fans. For the Panthers and their star quarterback. And for a game we all love -- and a money-making machine the league must find a way to protect from the very thing that makes it so compelling in the first place: that searing violence that, this time, unleashed itself on the league's reigning MVP. Time and again, Newton took helmet-to-helmet shots. There were certainly four, including a huge shot at the end of the game that left him down, dazed and confused. Was that illegal hit -- one offset by an accompanying intentional grounding call with just 37 seconds left in a one-point game -- part of the reason Denver won a 21-20 thriller? Perhaps. Perhaps not. From then on Newton seemed off in what could have been a winning drive, but it could just as well have been the same swarming Broncos defense that last season made them champions. And Carolina still had a chance to win. Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field goal that would have been the winner, and that was it, the Broncos swamping their home turf, celebrating at Carolina's expense yet again. Melded in all that excitement was another incredible performance by Newton, a night of ugly stats but quiet promise from Broncos novice and starting quarterback Trevor Siemian, and another reminder that John Elway might be as good in the front office as he was the huddle. But it all got overshadowed by the same ugliness that, more and more often, foists itself on everyone invested in the game of football -- the league, the fans, the players, the officials, you, me. There is a new concussion protocol in place, but if I told you I understood it after watching Newton stay in that game I would be lying or delusional. As I expect almost anyone would be, the league and its officiating crew included. Time and again, Newton took shots to his helmet that were not called. When that flag finally did fly as the game ground down to its final, crucial moments, the offsetting policy mocked the earlier moments. It was as if to say: Even when we protect you, Cam, we don't care enough to make it matter. And with Newton staying in as Mile High rocked and all of us held our breath and beheld the NFL at its tantalizing on-field best, it was hard not to wonder what, exactly, the point of a concussion policy is if

the game's most important player finds no protection in either the officiating or the protocol that should have pulled him. Newton was circumspect after the game. He arrived to his postgame news conference late, and he was polite, cautious and absolutely unwilling to give the media even a modicum of ammunition to revisit Super Bowl 50 and that postgame debacle. Asked if the referees failed to protect him, he said, "We all have jobs to do, including the refs, and we have to do our jobs better and win football games." Asked again if he was given fair and adequate treatment, Newton demurred: "It's not my job to question the officials. I really like this officiating crew. So it wasn't something I know they did intentionally. But it's not fun getting hit in the head. We didn't lose the game on that I know that for a fact." It was a strange conference, and impossible to sort out if that was true because Newton was furious with the loss, exceedingly careful with the press, cognizant that he should comport himself differently after his last postgame presser because he had learned from it, dazed by the violence inflicted on him on the field -- or a combination of all or several of these things. "I feel sh---y. That's how I feel," he said. "I just don't like to lose. I know you guys are anticipating so much. I'm trying my best to keep it together but I knew this was going to happen -- especially from the media standpoint, 'How's Cam going to react?' The truth of the matter is the Denver Broncos are the defending champs for a reason." Yes, but there's another truth, too, and it's this: The league failed Cam Newton on Thursday night. And so, too, did if fail a lot of us. The concussion epidemic is real and troubling. It is also true that violence and men crashing into other men is an intrinsic part of the game. So in the big fail that was Cam Newton's night, and the abuse he took, there is both blame and the tricky truth that there are no easy answers here. After praising the official who missed a call, Carolina tight end Greg Olsen spoke for a lot of people at Sports Authority Field at Mile High who afterward grappled with this recurring football problem. This time one inflicted on one of its brightest, most electric stars. "We've got to treat Cam like a quarterback," Olsen said. "I know he's the biggest guy on the field, but he's still a quarterback. We got one of them, but we didn't gain any yards off of it. It is what it is." That's exactly what Cam said when, yet again, he was pressed on whether he was let down by the protocols and officials meant to protect him and other players from helmet-to-helmet violence: "It is what it is," Newton said. "It's not going to make any difference now." It is what it is right now, true, but down the road those hits could have serious consequences -- for Cam Newton, for the game, and for all of us who have to figure out how to love the NFL without losing it in the long term to nights like this one.

Broncos' Brandon Marshall kneels during national anthem in NFL opener By John Breech CBSSports.com September 9, 2016 Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest seems to be slowly be gaining steam across the NFL. During the NFL opener on Thursday, Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall joined the cause by kneeling during the national anthem. The Broncos linebacker was the only player from either team who kneeled before the game. Also of note: Marshall was a teammate of Kaepernick's in college when both played at Nevada. The Broncos issued a statement after Marshall took a knee. "While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision," the Broncos said. Marshall is the third player in two weeks to join Kaepernick's cause. Seahawks defensive back Jeremy Lane and 49ers safety Eric Reid both kneeled during national anthem before they played in their final preseason game. After the game, Marshall clarified this reasoning for kneeling during the anthem. "I'm not against the military. I'm not against police or America. I'm just against social injustice," Marshall told reporters after the game, per to the Denver Post. "I prayed about this long and hard and decided this is what I wanted to do." Marshall said he didn't tell any other Broncos about his decision, other than tight end Virgil Green, and said he plans to keep kneeling going forward. He said he also plans to donate an undisclosed amount of money to causes benefiting veterans. "I looked at my phone and I already have a bunch of hate comments and this is why I'm doing this," Marshall said. When the rest of the NFL schedule kicks off this weekend, Marshall, Kaepernick, Lane and Reid could have some company in the protesting department. The Seahawks have hinted they plan on protesting as a team during their season opener against the Dolphins on Sunday. Kaepernick has made it clear that he's not going to stand for the national anthem until police brutality against minorities comes to an end. "There's a lot of things that need to change," Kaepernick said on Aug. 28. "One specifically? Police brutality. There's people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable. People are being given paid leave for killing people. That's not right. That's not right by anyone's standards."

He's 1-0, but Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian still has a lot to prove By Dieter Kurtenbach FOXSports.com September 9, 2016 Trevor Siemian is undefeated as an NFL quarterback. The former seventh-round draft pick out of Northwestern, whose senior season saw him throw for seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions, led the defending Denver Broncos to an impressive 21-20 win over the Carolina Panthers in a rematch of Super Bowl 50 on Thursday night, opening the 2016 NFL season. Siemian performed admirably, considering the stage and his level of experience — he had taken only one regular-season snap in the NFL, a kneel down, before Thursday’s game — as he completed 18 of 26 attempts for 178 yards. He threw for a touchdown but also two interceptions. The Broncos didn’t win the game because of Siemian — thank the Denver defense, poor Carolina clock management, a dazed Cam Newton, and a missed field goal with four seconds left for that victory — but you could argue that he didn’t put Denver in a position to lose, either. Siemian was shaky late. Siemian’s inexperience was on full display in the fourth quarter, when, after he dumped the ball to C.J. Anderson for a 25-yard touchdown “pass”, he went 1-for-4 for a total of six yards. He missed open receivers that could have won put the game away earlier... Cian Fahey ✔ @Cianaf Siemian missed a touchdown on third down. 9:35 PM - 8 Sep 2016 …and failed to do the little things that only coaches seem to notice. Matt Bowen ✔ @MattBowen41 Late safety rotation on the blitz...Ball has to come out. That's on the QB. https://twitter.com/mcsingh85/status/774087982873649152 … 9:33 PM - 8 Sep 2016 It was the 24-year-old’s first start, though — cut him some slack, right? Well, Siemian showed off his quick release and tremendous accuracy on short passes, and many will give him credit for doing that against Carolina’s defense, which was one of the best in the NFL last year. But that was last year, and if we’re talking about the Carolina front seven, it still deserves praise. Despite a great game from Denver's improved offensive line, there was pressure on the pass rush, and Siemian handled that well for most of the game. But the Panthers' inexperienced and mediocre-at-best secondary was wildly susceptible to big plays Thursday — big plays Siemian didn't show that he had the

arm strength to make. He didn't complete a pass of more than 20 yards downfield Thursday and the tape will show that the Broncos left points on the field with their quarterback play. Better defenses will be able to funnel the Denver passing offense outside by stacking nine men in the middle of the field — daring Siemian to throw outside the numbers on the field. Can he make those throws — the ones that are requisite for an NFL quarterback? We know Paxton Lynch can — the kid has arm talent for days. Siemian will grow with time on the field, but Thursday showed that he will have to adjust to keep his starting job. At the same time, NFL defenses are going to adjust to him now that he has game tape. Which do you think will adapt faster?

Watch the Broncos pull off this ridiculous interception against Cam Newton By Nunzio Ingrassia FOXSports.com September 9, 2016 Cam Newton appeared to be in total control Thursday night, throwing for a touchdown and running for another to help the Panthers to a narrow lead over the Broncos in the season opener. Then the Broncos defense got the better of the reigning MVP. On second-and-4 with 14:17 left in the game, Newton dropped back and threw a slant pass to Kelvin Benjamin. Broncos corner Chris Harris Jr. stepped in front of Benjamin, tipped the ball high into the air and turned around to make a spectacular diving catch, handing Newton his first interception of the season. The play wasn't as much of a mistake by Newton as it was a great individual play by Harris. Broncos fans are used to seeing the two-time Pro Bowler come up with some big plays, but this effort was something special. But despite his heroics early in the fourth, Harris almost was the goat in crunch time. With two minutes left in the game and the Panthers facing a fourth-and-21, Harris was called for an illegal-hands-to-the-face penalty that gave Carolina an automatic first down. Though the Panthers drove into field-goal range, Graham Gano missed a 50-yard attempt with nine seconds left, sealing the Broncos’ 21-20 win.

Broncos fullback Andy Janovich scores team's first TD of the year By Nunzio Ingrassia FOXSports.com September 9, 2016 Even the most diehard Denver Broncos fan probably had to do a double-take after hearing who scored the team's first touchdown of the 2016 season. On third-and-1 in the second quarter, the Broncos decided to give fullback Andy Janovich his first career carry with the hopes of extending the drive. Janovich did more than that, rushing past the Panthers defense for a 28-yard touchdown as Denver evened the score Thursday night. The Broncos drafted Janovich in the sixth round out of Nebraska this year, and the move already is paying dividends. Janovich carried the ball just 42 times last year with the Cornhuskers, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns. Maybe he will become the defending champs' secret weapon.

Broncos' Brandon Marshall takes a knee during national anthem By Nunzio Ingrassia FOXSports.com September 9, 2016 Add Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall to the list of athletes taking a knee during singing of the anthem before Thursday night's regular-season opener between the Broncos and Carolina Panthers. “While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision,” the Broncos said in a statement shortly after Marshall's knee. Marshall joins college teammate and 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in a stand against social injustice that appears to be spreading in the world of sports. San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, Seahawks defensive back Jeremy Lane and women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe have also refused to stand during the anthem. Marshall appeared to be the only player from both teams to take a knee. “I’m not against the military, I’m not against the police or America,” Marshall said after the game. “I’m against social injustice.” Kaepernick made headlines in the preseason when he was seen sitting during the anthem. He said he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." Kaepernick has said he will donate the first $1 million he earns this season to groups that address social inequality. The 49ers on Thursday pledged to donate $1 million to two such groups.

For at least one night, John Elway's big bet on the calm, steady Trevor Siemian paid off By Greg Bishop Sports Illustrated September 9, 2016 Trevor Siemian strolled through the Broncos' locker room late Thursday, clad in a blue blazer, his gait decidedly unlike that of a quarterback who had faced one of football’s best front sevens in his first-ever NFL start. His face was unmarked, his demeanor unruffled. He looked like he had just finished his taxes, not picked up his first NFL win. By then, Siemian had completed 18 of his 26 passes against the Panthers, thrown one touchdown and two interceptions, amassed 178 passing yards, engineered a 21–20 comeback victory in his team's Super Bowl 50 rematch against the Panthers (with a lot of help from C.J. Anderson), and been lauded by his teammates. Thirty minutes later, after his press conference, he settled into a far corner of the locker room, away from all the commotion. He praised the general manager who believed in him, John Elway, the coach who put him in the right positions, Gary Kubiak, the offensive line that protected him, the running backs who carried the offense downfield, the crowd for its roar…he glorified everyone except himself. “I played alright,” he told SI.com as teammates exited around him. “Some butterflies. First week.” Now is the right time to mention that Siemian had taken one NFL snap before Thursday, a kneel-down last December against Pittsburgh. He had torn the ACL in his left knee two years ago at Northwestern and considered a career in commercial real estate. And while nobody confused 2015 Peyton Manning with first-ballot-Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning, Siemian was still replacing a legend on Thursday night. “I felt real confident in the guys I have around me,” he said afterward, sipping a lime Gatorade. “We didn’t play our best game tonight. But this was a good step.” And, as far as games go, his Thursday night experience was a healthy one, which can't be said for what was happening to Panthers quarterback Cam Newton while Siemian stood on the sidelines. The Broncos defense hit Newton early, hard, often, and, frankly, what appeared to be four times in the head. It’s possible that Denver smacked Newton harder than they did in their Super Bowl 50 triumph last February. After one hit, he appeared to favor his right knee. After another, a helmet-to-helmet spear from safety Darian Stewart that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty in the fourth quarter, Newton fell on both knees and struggled to get up, but he never came out of the game. (Stewart later said the contact was unintentional, as he might be expected to say.) Somehow, Newton kept playing, kept coming at the Broncos, kept taking all that punishment while flags for many of those aforementioned hits did not come. The officials’ performance should be under review by the league office; it wasn’t a good look. It’s on those officials to protect players even as strong and sturdy as Newton has always been. Panthers tight end Greg Olsen wasn’t wrong when he said referees should treat Newton “more like a quarterback.” Newton described the game as physical and said the Panthers didn’t lose because of the hits he took and added that there “was nothing serious postgame” in regard to concussion protocol. Again, he

proved his mettle. But so did the Broncos' defense and their second-year, first-time-starting quarterback. As Siemian plowed through his first official post-game news conference—highlight: he learned he needed “to be taller” after so many of his passes were tipped, or batted at the line—Broncos pass-rusher Von Miller pulled on a diamond-chain that looked more like a jump rope. He said he expected Siemian to be as calm as he appeared on Thursday, even after his second interception, a bad, short throw under duress in the third quarter. Miller said Siemian made all the throws in training camp to earn the trust of his teammates. But more than that, Miller said he trusted Elway, the same GM he cropped out of an Instagram photo at the Broncos’ White House Super Bowl celebration. (That six-year, $114.5 million contract mended fences.) “John Elway is the man,” Miller told SI.com. “You might not always agree with everything he does, but he’s going to win. Today, Mr. Elway looked like a genius. Especially with Trevor.” Prescient is more like it. Elway didn’t stop Manning from retiring this off-season. He let Brock Osweiler walk to Houston when the price became too steep. He didn’t trade for Colin Kaepernick. He signed and cut Mark Sanchez. And he made the Broncos, the same team for which he won two Super Bowls as a quarterback, the first champion since the Ravens in 2001 to start the next season with a new signal caller—former Northwestern quarterback Trevor freaking Siemian. Elway bet on his defense and its coordinator Wade Phillips, who turned up the aggression in the second-half on Thursday, relying on similar schemes, cornerback Chris Harris said, that the Broncos used against the Panthers in the Super Bowl. Elway bet on Miller, who had a key sack of Newton in the fourth quarter. (Denver finished with three sacks overall.) But Elway’s biggest bet of all was on Siemian, a quarterback who threw more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (seven) in his senior season at Northwestern. The argument before the season went something like this: either Siemian would sink the Broncos because he didn’t have Manning’s astute ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage, or he couldn’t play any worse than Manning, who threw 17 interceptions compared to nine touchdowns in the 2015 regular season. For one night, anyway, Elway’s bets paid off, although the narrative would be different if Graham Gano had made his 50-yard field-goal attempt with four seconds remaining. The Broncos are used to this kind of victory, though. They won 11 football games last year by seven points or fewer. As Joe Ellis, their CEO, made his way through the locker room, he said, simply, “Picked up where we left off.” As Siemian dressed at his locker, Ellis stopped by to congratulate him on his first win. He shook Siemian’s hand. “Yeah,” Siemian said in his favored monotone, “that was fun.” It didn’t necessarily sound that way. One of Siemian’s backups, Austin Davis, shouted from two lockers over. “Cam who?” Davis laughed. “Good stuff, Trevor,” he said. “Good stuff.” As Siemian stood later in the corner of the locker room he remained as unmoved by the win as he was by his interceptions, the Panthers’ lead, or the magnitude of his first NFL start. Should the Broncos

manage another playoff run with Siemian under center, that’s exactly what they need—a calm, steady presence. Siemian was asked what John’s faith in him had meant. “You mean Mr. Elway?” he said. Pause. Um, yeah. “I think,” Siemian said, “he knows what he’s doing.”

‘Gonna Be a Lot of Hate’ By Robert Klemko MMQB September 9, 2016 Brandon Marshall went to his locker Thursday night after a stunning and improbable Broncos victory and picked up his phone. The official tally: 143 unread text messages. About four hours earlier Marshall had chosen to kneel for the national anthem, following in the footsteps of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, his teammate Eric Reid and Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane, and now Marshall’s phone was a ringing, pinging disaster. A Broncos media relations staffer pulled him aside after the game to warn him: “Don’t even look at your Twitter mentions. There’s gonna be a lot of hate.” There are now four black men who have deemed racial inequality in the United States grounds to protest an NFL tradition that has been become synonymous with the game itself. Across the league, flags stretching the width of the field are unfurled by dozens of grateful volunteers, and players are filmed and broadcast staring wistfully into the distance. Marshall’s former teammate, Knowshon Moreno, became the very image of NFL patriotism when he shed massive raindrop tears during the anthem before a 2013 game. Moreno talked about the privilege of playing pro football in his explanation. “Excited to play this game,” he said in 2013. “Excited to be a part of this team, definitely blessed and privileged to be able to play this game.” On Thursday, Marshall doubled down on what Kaepernick, his former teammate at Nevada, has asserted since his initial preseason protest—that the opportunity to play in the NFL is not an excuse to forsake one’s conscience, but rather an obligation to maximize one’s voice. “I prayed long and hard about it and I felt it was the right thing to do,” Marshall told The MMQB after the game. “It is what it is; I’m standing up for what I believe in. I know my family will support me. “I’m not against the police. I’m not against the military. I’m not against America. I’m against social injustice. This movement is something special. People are going to bash me on social media but at the end of the day I’m going to go home and sleep peacefully knowing what I did was right. I will not lose any sleep.” Marshall only told a small circle of people he’d been considering following in Kaepernick’s footsteps. The Broncos didn’t know; not his teammates nor the coaching staff. His mother and sister, in attendance for the season opener, had no idea. Marshall would tell the throng of 20 or so media members waiting at his locker that he was still unsure as he walked onto the field for the anthem. When the time came, there was Marshall, beside teammates Jared Crick and Billy Winn, knee in the dirt with an arm resting on his thigh. Marshall’s mother and sister in the stands began receiving rapid phone calls and texts and were as surprised as anybody. Marshall consulted only with his cousin, Ennis, and close friend Jacob Wallace, who is safety T.J. Ward’s cousin. They warned him: Be ready for the backlash. Have your talking points ready. “They said, ‘you might lose endorsements,’” Marshall says. “I’m ready for that.”

Marshall also received a text from Kaepernick after the game. “Congrats,” it read. “Give me a call.” Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, two of the most prominent African Americans in pro football media, did not discuss the protest during NBC’s halftime program. Harrison, of course, apologized last week for saying Kaepernick is “not black” and thus unable to understand discrimination against black men. Marshall wanted to make clear in his post-game comments that he had arrived at the conclusion he should join the protest only recently, and that the gesture was not connected to the anniversary of 9/11. He plans to donate part of his $2.5 million salary in 2016 to charities that support veterans returned from combat. “I respect the troops,” Marshall says. “They fight for our rights to sit or stand, to protest and demonstrate peacefully. I honestly feel like this will spark some conversation and hopefully some change.” Though Kaepernick and Marshall are close friends, Marshall said he hadn’t yet talked to Kaepernick about the protest. His decision was driven in part by personal experience. This summer, Marshall said he was dining with friends at a restaurant within Miami’s Bayside Marketplace, an enclave of restaurants and stores near downtown. Diners heard gunshots outside and ducked under tables out of fear. Police entered the restaurant minutes later and asked patrons to leave. “I start walking to the exit I know,” Marshall says. “And there’s a lady in street clothes telling me to go a certain way, but I went my way. She starts yelling, Stop him! I’m walking and the police come, and I turn around and about five of them rush me. They grab me and they’re trying to wrestle me and take me to the ground. I’m standing my ground because I didn’t do anything; not fighting, but not laying down. “A cop pulls his Taser out, they push me up against the wall and they handcuff me and they were going to take me in for resisting arrest but they eventually let me go. So they’re looking for a suspect, and some lady yells at me, and that’s enough to tackle me?” Growing up in Las Vegas, Marshall rattled off instances of what he believed was racial profiling. In college he’d been pulled over while wearing a hoodie and grilled about his destination. (He says the officer never mentioned any infraction). In high school, Marshall’s older brother was pulled over while Marshall was sleeping in the passenger seat. The police insisted the groggy and confused Marshall must be high and requested to search their vehicle. His mother had profiling stories of her own, which she imparted to her children as a warning. “I reminded them that they’re black men,” Barbara Marshall said Thursday night, “and it’s going to be harder for them to succeed… and I told them over and over again to be careful.” The hate arrived with every ping of Marshall’s phone in an empty locker room beginning at about 6:30 p.m. mountain time. When Marshall took a blow to the head and went through the concussion protocol in the first half, his detractors celebrated in his mentions. “So many people have trouble understanding and empathizing,” Marshall said. “I saw somebody say ‘Go back to where you’re from.’ I’m from Vegas. It’s hate and it’s exactly what we talk about. People celebrating a possible concussion are proving my point.”

Marshall was eventually cleared to return to action, and he finished the game with six tackles as the Broncos held on for a one-point win when Panthers kicker Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field goal wide left. After Marshall showered, dressed, gave interviews and greeted his family in the tunnel that leads to the player parking lot at Mile High, coach Gary Kubiak’s white pickup truck pulled slowly through the corridor and stopped beside Marshall. The coach, who declined post-game to share his feelings about the protest, leaned across the middle console and said, “I want to talk to you tomorrow.” Marshall nodded agreement. Marshall figures they’ll have a conversation about what comes next, and he’s ready for that. But first he’ll get a good night’s sleep and wake up and read every text message, along with most of his Twitter mentions, no matter how cruel. “You can’t hide from it,” he said.

Cam Newton takes pounding in Panthers' loss to Broncos By Judy Battista NFL.com September 9, 2016 The hits to Cam Newton came one after the other, to his lower legs, to his chest, to his head. The Denver Broncos could not sack him in the first half, but they hit him nonetheless, and when the Broncos' own first-half confusion finally ebbed in the second, they unleashed the same torrent that buried the Panthers in the Super Bowl. On Thursday night, it brought the Broncos back from a 10-point halftime deficit for a 21-20 victory in the season opener. The battering of Newton, which included what appeared to be multiple hits to his head that did not draw penalties but is likely to draw fines in several days, is nothing new. Not surprisingly, it upset the Panthers. Tight end Greg Olsen pleaded a familiar refrain -- treat Newton like a quarterback, despite his looming size. Newton, whose news conference was delayed as he received treatment, said he did not feel like he was being targeted, and he did not blame officials for missing hits on him. More critically, it is fair to wonder why Newton was not removed from the game and examined by a doctor after he took another hit that appeared to be to his helmet during the Panthers' final drive. But he was not, and by remaining in the game, he managed to drive the Panthers into field-goal range. Graham Gano missed the 50-yarder that would have won it, but in the failed drive's wake were left questions about how well the NFL's ever-evolving efforts to identify players with head injuries are working. Newton said he was asked some questions after the game to see if he should be in the concussion protocol, but he was not placed in it. He said he tried to tell officials every time he was hit in the head. "I think it was a very physical game and we all have jobs to do," Newton said. "We have to do our job better. It is not my job to question the officials. "I really like this officiating crew. It was a very physical game on both sides." In the other locker room, of course, there was only jubilation over a defense that can wreak havoc at will. The Broncos turned what looked like a certain loss into a victory. The night began with Peyton Manning making one final appearance for the Denver Broncos, taking a ceremonial handoff of the Lombardi Trophy from Von Miller and holding it aloft for the roaring mass of orange arrayed before him. Manning's valedictory walk up the tunnel, in coat and tie, only underscored the transition the Broncos had embarked on this offseason. Manning's moment may be over and Trevor Siemian's hold on the starting job might be tenuous after an up-and-down performance that included one touchdown pass, two interceptions and two sacks. But the defense remains a force capable of overcoming offensive foibles and even its own confusion. In the first half, as the Panthers rolled to a 17-7 lead, the Broncos seemed to have suffered a greater loss of personnel than even Manning -- the departures of Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan -- as hole after hole opened up and the Panthers racked up 220 yards, including 95 yards rushing.

But safety T.J. Ward said there was something else at play. "I think we didn't play as bad a game as we played today all of last year," he said. "We made a bunch of errors. The first half was kind of hectic, the substitutions weren't coming in right, the defenses weren't coming in, we weren't communicating it right. It was just a lot of confusion the first half. We played not good at all." Ward attributed the confusion to having some new players on defense. But the attitude of the defense was the same as it was in the Super Bowl -- get to Newton and put hits on him as often as possible, whether he was in the pocket or out. Newton was not sacked at all in the first half, but he was brought down three times in the second and that does not even include all of the other hits that accrued. "We wanted to make sure it got to him, so every time he ran, we wanted to put a helmet or shoulder pad on him, and if he's not going to slide, then we're really going to put something on you," Ward said. "We've seen him limping throughout the game. That running stuff, you can't do that all game with your quarterback." The problem is that the especially worrisome hits did not come because Newton did not slide. They came when Newton was clearly a quarterback and not a runner. But Ward's point remains valid. Newton takes more hits than almost any quarterback in the league, and whether he can continue to take them, remain in games and be effective has to be a concern for the Panthers after just one week. In all, Newton had 11 runs for 54 yards and one touchdown. The two-yard touchdown run was the 44th touchdown run of his career, breaking Steve Young's record for most by a quarterback. Newton is just 27. It is breathtaking to watch him run. It is sobering to see the beating he takes. "They have an advantage with Cam," Ward said. "He's the quarterback and you can't account for that on defense. They have one more blocker when he runs the ball. If you're going to run your quarterback, you're going to have to take the repercussions that come with it. That's potentially getting him hurt or you see him get hit a couple times today. I'm sure they don't want to start the season off like that." They were not the only ones.

The Denver Broncos' Defense Is Here To Stay By Josh Benjamin Forbes September 9, 2016 Those who thought the Denver Broncos would struggle in 2016 were forced to eat some humble pie earlier this evening when the defending Super Bowl champions opened the season with a 21-20 win over the Carolina Panthers in a Super Bowl 50 rematch. The star of the game was not second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian but rather the defense that ranked best in the NFL in 2015. Granted, Denver’s win tonight was more because Panthers kicker Graham Gano missed a potential game-winning attempt from 50-yards out and not due to a dominant defensive showing, but the defense still put on a show and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ signature hard-hitting approach was in full force. Reigning MVP Cam Newton was limited to 194 passing yards and looked to be dealing with various injuries for much of the second half. He also took more than his fair share of bumps while being sacked three times. Long story short, Broncos fans, that championship defense is here to stay. It doesn’t matter that defensive tackle Malik Jackson left to sign a $90 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. 2013 first-round pick Sylvester Williams WMB +2.67% held his own as an anchor in the middle despite registering one tackle. Linebacker Danny Trevathan signed with the Chicago Bears for $24.5 million? No problem. Super Bowl MVP Von Miller made the most of his new $114.5 million extension and had three tackles with a sack. The rest of the Broncos’ linebackers combined for 16 tackles and a pair of sacks with former undrafted free agent Todd Davis leading with seven tackles. It doesn’t even matter that the Broncos gave up 333 total yards and let the Panthers convert 9 of 15 third down attempts. It isn’t a problem that Siemian struggled in his first career NFL start and was content to let running back C.J. Anderson be the star of the offense. The fact that the team’s defense stayed committed to its aggressive philosophy and its offense came through when needed is a fantastic sign. After all, this is the same team that won a Super Bowl with a barely-functioning Peyton Manning last season, so who’s to say that lightning can’t strike twice with Siemian under center? Even though this is just one game, one thing is clear. The Denver Broncos’ defense isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Broncos issue statement regarding Brandon Marshall’s decision to kneel By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 As of Wednesday, neither the Panthers nor the Broncos expected any of their players to not stand during the national anthem. On Thursday, Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall opted to kneel. “While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision,” the Broncos said in a statement. Because there is neither a rule requiring players to stand nor a Collective Bargaining Agreement provision permitting discipline to be imposed on that basis, the Broncos can take no action against Marshall. As a practical matter, players could be released or traded based on the gesture, as long as there’s no paper trial of comments suggesting that the team based the decision on anything other than football. Marshall, a key member of the team’s defense, likely won’t be traded or released, for football reasons or otherwise. The coaching staff and players undoubtedly will be asked about the gesture after the game; one interesting angle will be whether coach Gary Kubiak knew it was coming.

Broncos’ Derek Wolfe wants Trai Turner fined after injuring neck against Panthers By Curtis Crabtree Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe injured his neck in Thursday night’s NFL season opener against the Carolina Panthers. And he’s not happy about it. Wolfe told Troy Renck of Denver 7 News that he believes Panthers offensive linemen Trai Turner should be fined and the whole Panthers front was taking questionable shots at Denver defensive linemen. “Their offensive linemen were targeting. No. 70 should be fined. Write that,” Wolfe said. “If they care about player safety they will watch what’s happening along the line. They were targeting (us). Just play hard.” Panthers quarterback Cam Newton took some major blows from Denver defenders as well during the game, though he said afterward that he didn’t believe he was being targeted by Broncos’ players. Wolfe left the game in the second half and was listed as questionable to return. He was ultimately able to get back on the field. Turner was called for a taunting penalty early in the game that brought him within one personal foul call of being the first player ejected under the newly adopted league policy. Whether Wolfe’s comments will force an additional look into the play that left Wolfe ailing remains to be seen.

Thursday Night wrap-up: Broncos bludgeon Cam Newton to win opener By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 Cam Newton took plenty of shots after the Super Bowl — for not diving on a loose ball, for not having an MVP-type game, for not talking afterward. But Thursday night, the shots he took were strictly from the Broncos, and some of them were even legal. The Broncos again got plenty of hits on the reigning MVP in the 21-20 win in the regular season opener, echoing the result of Super Bowl 50 if not the style. Newton took a savage beating over the course of the night, but still had his team in position to win, as Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field goal which would have won it. The Panthers quarterback took a number of helmet-to-helmet hits, including three during the third quarter alone. Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall can probably look forward to a letter from the league asking for a donation for his, since he launched himself. The fourth obvious one, on safety Darian Stewart, was nullified late by an intentional grounding call. The Broncos were able to win a title by roughing Newton up in Santa Clara, and he was clearly struggling in the second half as the punishment added up. How he finished a game is a testament to his toughness, though he might be paying the price for this one for weeks. Here are five more things we learned during the opening night Thursday edition of Sunday Night Football: 1. It’s too early to pull the plug on the Trevor Siemian experiment, of course. (Right?) But the former Northwestern quarterback looked overmatched at moments of his first professional start. Granted, having to make that start against Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis and one of the best defenses in football doesn’t help. But there were a number of ill-advised throws that made you wonder how many he’d actually get. The Broncos survived a physically deficient Peyton Manning last year, but Manning was also mentally alert enough to not throw certain passes (like the floater in the face of a blitz that was picked off in the third quarter). If Siemian becomes more careful with the ball, he can hang around and keep the job for a while, at least until first-rounder Paxton Lynch is ready. He was better as the game went on, and as Gary Kubiak’s hand-picked starter, he’s going to get chances to keep the job. 2. The Panthers were willing to play their young cornerbacks off the ball, for a few reasons.

One, they’re playing a pair of rookies after letting Josh Norman go to Washington after they rescinded the franchise tag. They used second and third-round picks on corners, and surrounded them with a collection of spare parts and journeymen (such as former fifth-round Bene Benwikere). But that’s kind of what Norman was, a former fifth-round pick who needed three years to become trustworthy. The Panthers knew there was a risk of the kids being overwhelmed if they tried to cover Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders alone, so they didn’t put them in those positions. And Benwikere came up with a third-quarter interception (timing his jump nicely to grab a blitz-hurried pass), the kind of contribution he’s going to need to make as the de facto leader at the position. 3. If there was an underrated aspect to the Panthers’ loss in the Super Bowl, it was the early injury to running back Jonathan Stewart which kept him from playing a big role. He finished that game with 12 carries for 29 yards. Thursday, he had 15 carries for 59 yards, and was available throughout. Not having Stewart available in the Super Bowl made Newton the best rushing threat they had, and took away the threat of the read option. It also put the ball in Mike Tolbert’s hands more often, and the veteran fullback had a rare fumble., Stewart has never been the most durable back in the league, but he’s explosive and physical, and when he’s in the game, it makes a huge difference in Newton’s ability to be “just a quarterback.” 4. The Broncos have a huge home field advantage, and the noise contributed to the Panthers burning timeouts in both halves. That led to some unorthodox/sloppy decisions by the Panthers throughout the game. They’re not the cleanest team in the league in terms of clock management, but Ron Rivera’s not Andy Reid either. 5. Panthers guard Trai Turner was flagged for taunting after the first touchdown of the game, for a not-over-the-top move. He hopped up and down behind Broncos cornerback Chris Harris, an unnecessary but not menacing move. It’s only notable because it was the first such penalty called this season, which would have resulted in an ejection if repeated. If the first victim of that new rule has one as thin as that one, coaches and players alike are going to howl.

Broncos take the lead back after crazy goal-line stand By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 It’s not quite like the Super Bowl, but the Broncos are in the same spot on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. They just reclaimed a 21-17 lead over the Panthers with an impressive (also ridiculous) 10-play, 23-yard touchdown drive. It required numerous timeouts, a challenge that gave the Panthers a glimmer of hope, and ultimately a C.J. Anderson touchdown from a yard out. The drive was set up by a diving interception by cornerback Chris Harris, giving the Broncos field position. From there, they struggled, however, as the Panthers had a number of brilliant individual defensive plays. The leaping tip to prevent a touchdown by Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy was foremost among them, but the Broncos eventually broke through. The Panthers got a reversal of a spot on review, but coach Ron Rivera would have lost two timeouts if it hadn’t been reviewed, after using one to give himself more time to decide whether to challenge. It’s setting up a dramatic finish, which is more than these two could say in Super Bowl 50.

Broncos take the lead back after crazy goal-line stand By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 If you thought Trevor Siemian was an unknown quarterback, the Broncos just tied the game with a real unknown. It’s not just that you’ve never heard of Andy Janovich, but he plays a position they didn’t use last year. The rookie fullback just took his first NFL carry for a 28-yard touchdown, seemingly confusing a Panthers defense that wasn’t expecting it. And why would they? The Broncos didn’t use a fullback last year when Peyton Manning was quarterbacking, but this gets back to the roots of the offense Gary Kubiak wants to run. Janovich, a sixth-round pick from Nebraska, carried 42 times for 265 yards his senior year (6.3 yards per attempt). They’ve already nicknamed him “Hammerhead,” and he figures to be an immediate cult favorite there.

Trevor Siemian’s first drive ends with a fumble, Panthers make them pay By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 Prior to tonight, Trevor Siemian’s only play was a kneel down to end a game. But the Broncos quarterback moved his team a bit, before a turnover ruined any early momentum they had built. Rookie Devontae Booker’s first NFL carry was fumbled, forced and recovered by Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson. Siemian had moved them 46 yards in eight plays, completing 3-of-5 passes for 28 yards. They weren’t going to take many chances with him early on against the Panthers defense, but he threw on the first five snaps, indicating some measure of trust. The Panthers went the other way the first time out, running on their first three snaps. They also spread it around to their big people, including a third-down conversion to receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who missed last year with a torn ACL. Later in the drive, Benjamin was welcomed back fully by catching a touchdown pass, giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

Elway wants Siemian to relax, “Just go out and play” By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk September 9, 2016 A General Manager usually doesn’t give one-on-one coaching to a starting quarterback, but the situation in Denver, where the G.M. is a Hall of Fame quarterback and the quarterback has never thrown a pass in the NFL, is unusual. So Broncos G.M. John Elway had a sit-down with quarterback Trevor Siemian. Sal Paolantonio of ESPN reports that Elway wanted Siemian to know that he should be relaxed and confident heading into the game. “Just go out and play,” Elway said. “Don’t worry about making mistakes. Don’t worry about turnovers. You’re going to make mistakes. But just bounce back.” Elway, of course, spent a first-round draft pick on quarterback Paxton Lynch, which strongly suggests that Elway doesn’t see Siemian as the long-term answer in Denver. Siemian has been told not to look over his shoulder, but the reality of the NFL is that a first-round quarterback is going to start eventually. For now, however, Elway and coach Gary Kubiak thinks Siemian gives them the best chance to win. And they want Siemian to know they’re confident in him, at least for tonight against the Panthers.

How the Broncos kept calm and carried on in their win over the Panthers By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com September 9, 2016 When the Broncos jogged back to the locker room at halftime Thursday trailing Carolina 17-7, the unease among the 76,671 onlookers -- most of whom were clad in orange -- was palpable. As the 10-point deficit lingered through the third quarter thanks in part to a interception, that discomfort turned to a smattering of boos after one three-and-out. But in the locker room at halftime and on the west sideline early in the second half, the mood was different. The Broncos didn't fret or fidget. Fingers weren't pointed. Paint didn't peel in the locker room at halftime. They opted to be cool, because that is their default setting. That is the tone Head Coach Gary Kubiak has set. It helped create three rallies from double-digit deficits and against playoff-bound teams last year. It worked again Thursday. "Kubs came in, told us exactly what we needed to hear," said defensive end Jared Crick, "and we went out there and won the football game in the second half." And in the 21-20 win over Carolina, no one stayed cooler than first-time starter Trevor Siemian, who admitted feeling "butterflies" but projected a calm, steely facade that remained in place even after two interceptions in the Carolina red zone that threatened to undermine any hopes of winning the season opener. When the team went into the locker room at halftime, it walked in with three drives that all advanced inside the Carolina 30-yard line in four possessions before a half-ending kneeldown -- and just seven points from a possible 21. The Broncos had met the enemy. But it wasn't the Panthers, who came into the game with 19 wins in their previous 20 regular-season contests. It was themselves -- and Siemian quickly reminded his teammates of that. Siemian's words sounded familiar to veterans -- because they sounded like they'd come from Peyton Manning. "It sounded like Peyton: 'Hey, man, we're moving the ball. We're just shooting ourselves in the foot.' That's something 18 would say," RB C.J. Anderson said. And after Siemian opened the second half with another strong drive that ended in a Bene Benwikere interception, he remained unfazed, reiterating his halftime point.

"He kept saying in the huddle, 'We're moving the ball. We're moving the ball. We're just shooting ourselves. It's not like they're stopping us. We're killing ourselves,'" Anderson said. "Which was true." Which also meant that if the Broncos could solve their own riddles, they could come back. But it also took the defense recovering from first-half issues of its own. The powerful defense looked disjointed at times. Tackles were missed. Carolina converted five consecutive third downs on an 18-play, 89 yard match that gobbled up 9:15 and consumed more plays than any drive allowed by the Broncos last season. Twice the Broncos were called for having 12 men on the field; a timeout prevented a third infraction. This was not what the defense knew it could be. "We played terrible. Third-down situations were terrible. Communication was terrible. And that's not how we play," said Chris Harris Jr. "Everybody was just messing up -- coaches, players," he added. "We weren't in sync in the first half." But as was the case on the offensive side of the locker room, the defense knew that solutions were in their hands. Just as there was no discord among the offense, the defense rested at halftime, secure in its belief that it could -- and would -- do better. "It wasn't a rip session anywhere," Crick said. "Guys were just [saying], 'You know what? We're not communicating.' That was the biggest problem. That was really the only problem. So let's slow it down, communicate, and then play football. "And we did that, offense and defense." The offense cleaned up its act, with two touchdown drives and no turnovers after Siemian's second interception. Carolina's first four drives of the second half ended in three punts and a Harris interception that set up Anderson's game-winning touchdown run. "We found a way to win a football game," Anderson said. The final act to preserve the win, a wide-left 50-yard field-goal attempt by Graham Gano, was beyond the Broncos' control. But the turnaround to reverse the course of the game and prevent the self-inflicted wounds was entirely in the Broncos' hands. They won despite their mistakes because they fixed them on the fly. To the players who returned from last year's championship, it's just the formula they've followed before. "It's not magic, man," Harris said. "We've got heart. We have more heart than other teams. It's plain and simple."

Three Keys Unlocked: Broncos 21, Panthers 20 By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com September 9, 2016 What does it say about the Broncos that they can lose the turnover battle, commit costly penalties and still defeat a team that came into Sports Authority Field at Mile High having won 19 of its last 20 regular-season games? When Graham Gano's 50-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left, it allowed the Broncos to escape with a 21-20 win over the Carolina Panthers that mixed equal parts grit, guile and good fortune. It was perhaps an attempt that should not have happened; a controversial penalty against Chris Harris Jr. kept the Panthers' potential game-winning drive alive, when he was called for illegal hands to the face in spite of Kelvin Benjamin appearing to grab Harris' face mask. But that moment would not have been possible without the defense overcome a shaky first half to contain Carolina after halftime, holding them to three points and racking up three sacks of Cam Newton during a second half that saw Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware mount more pressure with each passing series. "I think, shoot, Coach Wade just got aggressive," Harris said. "He said, 'Forget it, man, I'm just going to call everything aggressive,' and trust our DBs to play man. We kind of went back to our old play-calling from the Super Bowl." And in one of the most physical games in recent memory, the Broncos followed the model that got them their third world championship: Crank up the pressure on defense, and capitalize on offense. Harris' tip-drill-to-himself interception early in the fourth quarter set up what turned out to be C.J. Anderson's game-winning touchdown run, and when Gano's kick missed, the Broncos escaped with their fifth consecutive home win by seven points or fewer. "We're a dogfight team. We're relentless," Anderson said. "If we clean those mistakes, we'll put ourselves in position [to be] where we want to." A look back at how the three keys to the game turned out: 1. Use balance to defuse pressure Perhaps knowing that Carolina would try to stop the run first, the Broncos came out throwing, with Trevor Siemiandropping back to pass on the game's first five plays. Denver followed with a pair of C.J. Anderson runs for 13 and five yards, and the tone was set, although Devontae Booker's fumble on the next snap short-circuited what had been a promising first series for Siemian and the offense. Siemian was able to use the play-action and screen passes to defuse the Panthers' potent pass rush. His first professional touchdown pass came on a perfectly-executed screen pass to C.J. Anderson; he stood tall and lofted the pass to Anderson under a heavy rush from Thomas Davis, then saw Matt Paradis, Michael Schofield and Max Garcia provide a burly escort to the end zone.

For the game, the Broncos called 28 pass plays, 27 run plays and two half-ending kneeldowns. That is balance, to a tee. 2. Start by stopping the run After shutting down the Panthers early, the Broncos gave up some runs as the game progressed, but did allow the backbreaking long sprints that the Panthers pulled off throughout their 17-2 season. Late in the second quarter, Newton's runs of 9 and 12 yards set up the 44-yard Graham Gano field goal that extended the Panthers' lead to 17-7. But the Broncos held the Panthers to first downs on just eight of their 32 runs. While Carolina moved the chains on just 25 percent of their carries, the Broncos moved the sticks on 33 percent of their 27 non-kneeldown runs. 3. Protect the football The tone for the game appeared to be set when Devontae Booker entered on the first possession and immediately fumbled on his first professional carry, scuttling a promising drive at the Carolina 29-yard line. The Broncos were able to overcome that early giveaway -- and two subsequent Siemian interceptions that gave the Panthers a plus-two turnover margin. But the Broncos bucked the odds to win; Carolina came into Thursday with a 28-game undefeated streak when it won the takeaway battle, and a 19-game winning streak with a plus-2 margin or better. Meanwhile, the Broncos find ways to overcome their miscues. They are now 4-3 under Head Coach Gary Kubiak with a negative turnover differential. In that same time frame, the other 31 teams are 52-159 with a negative turnover margin.

DeMarcus Ware shines in return to action By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com September 9, 2016 Von Miller has a shiny, new contract. Shane Ray is the former first-round pick poised for a big year. Shaquil Barrett has earned the hype surrounding his name as an up-and-coming player. But don’t forget about DeMarcus Ware. There’s a reason the nine-time Pro Bowler had 134.5 sacks entering Thursday night’s game against the Panthers. And there’s a reason the four-time All Pro now ranks ninth in all-time sacks. On Thursday, he got a little closer to that mark. Despite missing all of organized team activities and training camp, Ware reminded the Broncos that he’s still got quite a bit left in the tank. “I felt good,” Ware said. “I’m glad I had this offseason to sort of rehabilitate myself and get my back right. Now, I was on a pitch count this game. Each game I’ll play a little bit more, and I look forward to it. I said I was trying to swing a home run every single time, and I guess it worked out." Ware earned another sack-and-a-half on Thursday, which brings him within 5.5 sacks of tying Michael Strahan for fifth place among the all-time leaders. But Ware’s sacks had bigger implications against the Panthers than his place in the history books. With the defense struggling against Cam Newton, Kelvin Benjamin and the rest of the potent Carolina offense, Ware helped turn the tide. With the Panthers up 10 points in the third quarter and holding the ball, the Broncos needed a big play. Ware delivered that in the shape of a sack that forced the Panthers off the field on third down. As he blew past Panthers left tackle Michael Oher, he bent so low that his chest was nearly parallel with the ground. Simply put, Newton didn’t have a chance, and Ware’s signature Hulk celebration made a return appearance to Sports Authority Field at Mile High. “Big plays like that, they jump the pass rush a lot.” Ware said. “And guys knowing that, hey, you know what, that was one sack we got. Then you taste that blood and you say: ‘Hey, let’s go out there. We’re able to get pressure on him. We’re figuring things out.’ And that second half, we got pressure on him.” The Broncos didn’t score on their next possession, but the tone of the game would change. Newton, who was looked at by the training staff following the play, would only run three more times the rest of the game. Before that hit, he took off seven times on either designed runs or scrambles. And with Newton in the pocket more, the defense took advantage.

“We got tired of their protection, honestly, man,” Ray said. “When you’ve got two blockers on you, it’s kind of hard to get to the quarterback. We started working a few things to try to open up some one-on-ones, get some hits on Cam and it worked out.” Two possessions later, those hits would lead to a game-altering play. Just moments after the Broncos cut the Panthers’ lead to three, Denver’s pressure would force an off-target Newton throw that ended up in cornerback Chris Harris Jr.’s hands off the deflection. “That’s how it is in this defense,” Bradley Roby said. “We can start off dead, but we just need one or two plays really to get us in it. D-Ware made the sack, Chris changed the game. That’s what we do. You never know who it’s going to come from on this defense.” Before looking at the tape, Head Coach Gary Kubiak wasn’t quite sure led to the pass-rushing success in the fourth quarter. “That’s a good question,” Kubiak said. “They were chipping us. They did some things that they didn’t do in the Super Bowl to try to slow down Von and DeMarcus. Obviously they did that. I don’t know. We picked it up in the second half, played a lot better and got off the field on third downs. I need to go look at it. I don’t want to go effort-wise. I think we’re always playing hard, but we just definitely played much better in the second half.” The shift seemed to begin and end with Ware, who repeatedly said in the lead up to this game that he was at “94 percent” after playing at only 70 percent in the Super Bowl. With the emergence of Miller – who tacked on the Broncos’ last of three sacks of the evening -- Ware’s play seemed to be a potential added bonus. If he came out in 2016 and compiled just a few sacks all year, the Broncos would have plenty of other options with their depth at outside linebackers. Instead, the 12-year veteran racked up a sack and a half in his first appearance. The lack of practice didn’t matter – on Thursday, Ware looked to be in his prime. “DeMarcus is legendary,” Miller said. “He’s definitely the G.O.A.T. You know he only had like a week of practice? He’s been rehabbing and trying to get right for all of training camp. Had a week of practice, [went] out there and had [1.5] sacks. Legendary.” Despite his quiet offseason, there’s no sign that Ware will be anything less than his former self. There will be more snaps coming soon, Kubiak said, but in just under 20 snaps on Thursday, he made his impact felt. To his teammates in the locker room, that’s no surprise. “That’s DeMarcus Ware, man,” Ray said. “That’s all that needs to be said about that.”

Son's tribute to father a reminder of passion for Broncos By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com September 9, 2016 The sun dipped below the front range of the Continental Divide, and most of the residents on a small cul-de-sac in Calhan were inside their homes. The business day was over and the neighborhood kids had returned from school. The quiet of rural Colorado smothered the block. In the twilight, though, the Ogans got to work. Chris and his niece, Kyra, hauled paint cans and brushes into the driveway and studied their unusual canvas. The garage door of his home wouldn’t stay white for long. With broad strokes of the brush, the Ogans added vibrant orange touches to the house. In the left corner, the orange became the mane of the Broncos’ logo. Below that, the fill of Denver’s old logo. Toward the center of the garage, the orange twisted into an ‘18’ and ‘7’. Chris added splashes of blue and black to the surface as he honored one of his father’s final wishes. Chris’ father, Dan, moved to Denver from Topeka, Kansas, as a child and quickly adopted the Broncos. The former state patrolman met his wife, Patty, when he worked in Glenwood Springs, and he quickly turned her into a Broncos fan, as well. In the late '90s, after the Broncos’ first two Super Bowl wins, the Ogans painted the garage door of their old home with a pair of Lombardi trophies. The painting seemed like a natural celebration of former quarterback John Elway’s accomplishments. So as Dan’s health declined in early 2016, Chris promised his father he would paint the new garage door with the Broncos’ spoils if Denver won Super Bowl 50. Chris and Kyra spent two-and-a-half weeks painting the garage door, and their neighbors made a habit of idling their cars in front of the first house on the cul-de-sac. “While we were doing it, a lot of people would stop and ask what we’re doing,” Patty said. “I don’t know if they thought we were crazy.” Not quite. One strip sack at a time, Von Miller and the Broncos fulfilled their end of the bargain. Chris and Kyra were simply doing their part. So along with the logos, Chris and Kyra painted out a large ‘50’ to go along with the Lombardi Trophy.

That coat of gold finished the job. §§§ Only a few minutes pass before Patty rises from her chair and strides over to the corner of the room. Six members of the Ogan family are sitting in the family room of their Calhan home. It’s early June – only a few weeks have gone by since Dan died on March 23. He lived long enough to witness the Broncos’ 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers and to see his son finish the garage door. Before he passed, Dan always spoke about sending a photo of the garage along to the Broncos. He never quite did, so Patty made sure to do so after his death. At most, she thought she might receive a letter in response. “I never expected this,” says Patty, of the Broncos’ decision to write about her husband’s devotion. “I think he would be tickled pink if he was here.” Patty’s five relatives look on and groan knowingly as she reaches down to grab an aged binder from a shelf. Here we go, Chris says. The album creaks open to reveal photo after photo of Elway in his playing days. Patty and Dan took hundreds of pictures during three or four trips to Broncos training camp in Greeley, Colorado, and they secured at least one Elway autograph. Those trips proved to be the closest and most consistent contact the Ogans would have with the Broncos. Dan made it to a night game against Seattle, and Patty accompanied her sons to another contest, but the training camp visits were the true opportunities to see Dan’s favorite players up close. For Dan, those moments might have been the pinnacle of his Broncos fandom. But then they won Super Bowl XXXII. Terrell Davis ran for three touchdowns, Elway converted perhaps the most-famous third down in Broncos history and Dan had his moment. “When we won the first Super Bowl,” Chris says, “it was heaven-sent for him. He was hugging, jumping up and down and screaming.” That initial viewing wouldn’t be the last time Dan watched Super Bowl XXXII in its entirety. To hear his family tell it, there were hardly times when either Super Bowl XXXII or XXXIII weren’t on the television. In the month that followed Super Bowl 50, Dan watched the full broadcast of the Broncos’ third world championship win more than 20 times. The Ogans say the replays of the first two Super Bowls far surpassed that number in the 17 years between world championship victories. Of course, the current iterations of the Broncos always held Dan’s attention, as well. He meticulously kept a log of all the shows he recorded, but the hundreds of pages could be boiled down to a single descriptor: “NFL Football.” As Dan got older and needed dialysis, he would lay in his bedroom as he recorded prime-time Broncos games. During treatment the next day, he would avoid all mentions of the final score. That often proved

difficult, given the leather Broncos jacket he would wear to treatment. But the illness wouldn’t keep Dan and his family from watching – whether live or on tape delay -- Denver play its way toward a Super Bowl 50 victory. “Oh yes, you didn’t miss a Broncos game,” Patty said. §§§ For a family that’s watched Broncos games for decades and celebrates birthdays and holidays with team memorabilia, the Broncos’ 2016 opener will feel abnormally bittersweet for the Ogans. Patty speaks for an hour on this June day about all facets of her husband’s life: his jobs, illnesses and devotion to Broncos. But when she’s asked about that opening game, she pauses for the first time. Her voice drips with emotion as she looks up. “It’s going to be different without him,” she says. The Sept. 8 matchup against Carolina will mark the first time the Ogans watch the Broncos without Dan’s yells echoing through the family room. So while Patty says they’ll continue to watch, kickoff could bring a tear or two. And should the Broncos roll through the 2016 season to a Super Bowl LI title, the Ogans will haul the paint cans back out to driveway. They’ll have another MVP’s number and another Lombardi Trophy to add to the mix. So Chris will grab a brush and begin again. Dan would’ve wanted it that way.