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During Super Bowl week, while we were going crazy for the Denver Broncos, television executives were negotiating which networks will lay claim to the more marquee matchups for the 2016-17 NFL regular season. Along with the Broncos, the New England Patriots are also a hot commodity for the ratings bean counters.
CBS appears particularly hungry for their turn to air the seemingly annual Broncos-Patriots matchup, since NBC got a piece of that action last season on Sunday Night Football. That will put the Panthers-Broncos game the more likely of the two to get the opening day slot according to sources close to the situation.
Frankly, I'd prefer the Carolina Panthers come to Denver in Week 1 as a loss there would sting less come December and January than a conference loss to the Patriots. Plus, most teams need a month of regular season work before they are truly to form for the grueling regular season, which is another reason I'd prefer to see the Patriots come to Denver later in the season.
Either way, the Broncos look poised to receive a rematch against one of the two teams they put a defensive beatdown on in the playoffs. You would have to think they'll both be hungry for some redemption.