The Denver Broncos survived three first-half turnovers and a late charge from NFL MVP Cam Newton to take down the Carolina Panthers during Thursday night’s season opener.
Here are five takeaways from Denver’s 21-20 win over Carolina:
1. Siemian eventually settled down
Trevor Siemian’s first ever NFL start was marred by two early interceptions, but the former seventh-round pick found his footing in the second half. He completed 10 of his 14 attempts after half time, including a 25-yard touchdown to running back C.J. Anderson that helped jump start Denver’s rally. Siemian probably would have completed the go-ahead score had Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy not made a great play on a ball intended for a wide open target in the end zone. Was Siemian perfect? Far from it, but he made some positive plays with both his arm and legs. He’ll now need to work hard on handling pressure to get better moving forward.
2. Kelvin’s return big for Cam
The Panthers record-setting offense got a big boost from the return of mammoth receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who looks like he’ll once again be a huge asset for Cam Newton. Pro Bowl cornerback Chris Harris was no match for the 6’5″ receiver on Newton’s lone touchdown pass, which saw Benjamin use his impressive frame to box out Harris and make the contested catch in the end zone. He finished with six catches for a game-high 91 yards and a score. Despite missing all of 2015 with a torn ACL, Benjamin looked more than ready to produce another huge season.
3. Broncos lean on C.J.
The Broncos never went away from running back C.J. Anderson, who carried 20 times for 92 yards and caught four passes for 47 yards (139 total yards). He scored both of Denver’s touchdowns in the second half, including the game-winning score on a 1-yard touchdown plunge on third-and-goal in the fourth quarter. He was all but gifted a touchdown earlier in the half when Siemian hit Anderson on a perfectly executed screen pass. The Broncos figure to ride Anderson in 2016, especially with so many questions left at quarterback. He proved he can carry the load against a top defense on Thursday night.
4. Turnovers still change games
Hello, captain obvious. All three of Denver’s first-half turnovers (one fumble, two interceptions) came with the Broncos at or inside Carolina’s 30-yard line, which took away three golden scoring opportunities and allowed the Panthers to take a 17-7 lead into half time. Carolina returned the favor in the second half, with Newton’s fourth quarter interception setting up Denver’s go-ahead touchdown. Momentum is a tricky thing to identify and quantify, but there’s no greater momentum changer in the NFL than a turnover. The Broncos’ win was another perfect example of that long standing fact.
5. Missed helmet-to-helmet calls, and no concussion protocol?
Thursday night wasn’t exactly a showcase of the NFL’s new policies regarding head injuries. Officials missed several helmet-to-helmet hits on Newton, and the one they got right—which came on Carolina’s final drive—didn’t result in Newton entering the league’s on-field concussion protocol, despite the quarterback taking a direct and violent strike from Broncos safety Darian Stewart. NFL refs are human, and not all illegal hits will be caught. But there’s no excusing Newton not being evaluated for a concussion after he was face down on the turf following Stewart’s hit. Apparently, there’s no need for evaluation of a potential brain injury if the player is a star and the moment is a big one.
