Panthers at Broncos: 3 things we learned

The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers kicked off the 2016 NFL regular season on Thursday, and here are three takeaways from the game.

The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers treated everyone to an incredible opening game on Thursday night, as the teams exchanged blows all night. The Panthers got out to a fast start, taking a 17-7 leading into halftime. However, the Broncos refused to go away, taking a four-point lead in the fourth quarter.

After a 36-yard field goal cut the lead to 21-20, the Panthers took control of the ball with a little over three minutes left in the game. The Denver defense stepped up once again, forcing a three-and-out.

A Panthers sack of Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian forced a three-and-out for Denver, giving the ball back to Carolina with a few minutes to go. Cam Newton led the offense within field goal range despite taking a number of hits, but Graham Gano’s missed 50-yarder secured Denver’s opening night victory.

1. Kelvin Benjamin changes everything on offense

Cam Newton is a freak at quarterback, possessing linebacker size to go along with a rocket for a right arm. Last season, Newton had to play the whole season without his top option at wide receiver, as Kelvin Benjamin blew out his knee in the preseason. Benjamin is back in 2016, and his return changes everything for the Panthers offense.

Benjamin made his presence known right away on Thursday night, catching a 14-yard touchdown pass from Newton to open the scoring. Not only was he productive himself, but just being on the field opened up the middle for tight end Greg Olsen. Giving Newton options like Benjamin and Olsen on the field at the same time is going to be scary in 2016.

Newton took some tough shots on Thursday night, but as the offense continues to jell, he should be able to stay upright a bit more in 2016.

2. Trevor Siemian is going to be fine

Siemian was making his first start at quarterback in the NFL, and at times it was very obvious to see. However, he also showed incredible poise on Thursday night, leading his team back from an early deficit. He throws a really nice ball, and works the pocket very well. He made his fair share of mistakes, but they never seemed to rattle him.

It must be incredibly tough for a young quarterback to make his first NFL start, let alone against a defense like the Carolina Panthers. Siemian did have two interceptions, with one of them leading to a score, but he never seemed to keep his head down. If you were watching this team for the first time, you never would’ve guessed he was making his first start. Even Peyton Manning seemed to think he was doing a great job, and that is big praise.

Siemian is going to have his ups and downs this season, but he should not be looking over his shoulder. He may be a place-holder for Paxton Lynch, but he showed some intangibles that will land him another job if it does not work out in Denver.

3. Both defenses are legit

Make no mistake about it, these defenses are first-class. Had it not been for some turnovers putting them in difficult positions, the final score of this game could have been in the teens. Still, the hits being put on players were tough, and both defenses were flying around the field all night long.

For the Panthers, they did not seem to miss Josh Norman at all. Norman left for the Washington Redskins in the offseason, but the defense did not skip a beat. They were able to put Siemian in some tough situations, and looked like the real deal on Thursday night.

Next: 2016 NFL season: Epic season preview

The Broncos are going to put fear in the hearts of every team that plays them. They hit hard, and they are quick from sideline to sideline. They also don’t break, continuously putting pressure on every play. They held Newton to human stats once again on Thursday night, and look even stronger than they were last year.