The 2016 NFL schedule won’t be announced for at least two more months, but at least one part of the 256-game slate is set in stone: The Broncos will be hosting the regular season opener on Thursday, Sept. 8. That’s one of their many rewards for winning Super Bowl 50, as the defending champs always get to kick off the next year in front of their home fans and a national TV audience.
Now, one question remains: Who will be Denver’s opponent that night? Some unlucky team is going to have to visit Sports Authority Field, never an easy task, and take on the best team in the league.
Who is going to draw that unenviable assignment? Well, here are the top 10 candidates:
8. Atlanta Falcons
After a nice start to the 2015 season, the Falcons fell apart, finishing the season at 8-8. While Matt Ryan and Julio Jones certainly provide some star power, Atlanta just isn’t a good enough team or big enough draw to land the primetime spot.
7. San Diego Chargers
Only two teams – Cleveland and Tennessee – were worse than the Chargers last year. As a result, San Diego will be playing a lot of games this year with the likes of Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots on the call; they won’t sniff Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth.
6. Houston Texans
The Texans were a surprising playoff team in 2015, capturing an AFC South crown that no one seemed to want, so that gets them in the conversation. The presence of the league’s best defensive player, J.J. Watt, would also draw some attention from non-diehard fans.
5. Oakland Raiders
Given that the Raiders got jobbed by the league in the battle for Los Angeles, it’d be cruel to throw them to the wolves in their season opener; but there’s never been any love lost between the NFL and the Davis family. So the AFC West rivals could be a night-one match-up.
4. Indianapolis Colts
If Peyton Manning is no longer on the Broncos, this game loses a lot of its luster; the No. 1 storyline is now gone. Instead, it’s replaced by Andrew Luck trying to bounce back from injury against the team that ended his 2015 season by beating the heck out of him. Ugly.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
If the Broncos reign atop the AFC West is going to end after five straight titles, the most likely team to knock them off their perch is the Chiefs. After all, Kansas City was one of the final four teams in the conference in 2015. That makes this semi-intriguing.
2. New England Patriots
A rematch of the AFC Championship Game is always a good way to kick off the season. And the Broncos and Patriots are two of the NFL’s marquee franchises. That said, not being able to bill this as another Brady-Manning showdown diminishes the match-up a bit.
1. Carolina Panthers
It almost seems like a forgone conclusion that a rematch of Super Bowl 50 will kick off the 2016 season. The defending champs. The reigning MVP. The best team from each conference. Two favorites to win the title again this year. What’s not to like about this headliner?