Breakdown: The NFL loves creating storylines, and a rematch of Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos in a Sept. 8 prime-time Thursday night opener in Denver is just that. Regardless of the outcome, the Panthers won't feel better about the 24-10 loss in the title game. But at least they get the opportunity to prove outside linebacker Von Miller (Super Bowl MVP, 2.5 sacks) can be blocked. Maybe the league also will schedule joint postgame press conferences so quarterback Cam Newton can redeem himself. The overall schedule is intriguing with rematches against all three teams (Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, too) Carolina faced in the playoffs and a franchise-record five prime-time games. That's the price of success. That makes it hard to imagine another 14-0 start like a year ago, but then nobody imagined that.

Most intriguing game: It would be easy to say the opener at Denver simply because it's a Super Bowl rematch. But want a measuring stick to how good the Panthers will be? Look no further than a Dec. 4 Sunday night game at Seattle -- the top dog in the NFC for two years before Carolina came along in 2015. This will be the fifth consecutive year the Panthers have played Seattle after facing the Seahawks three times in the previous 15 seasons. Last year's game at Seattle, a 27-23 come-from-behind victory in Week 5, was a catalyst for Carolina's 15-1 regular season. A 31-24 victory over the Seahawks in January propelled the Panthers to the NFC title game. Seattle should be strong again, so this game could go a long way toward home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs if both teams live up to their preseason billing.

Prime-time Panthers: Coach Ron Rivera talks about being relevant. Well, the Panthers are relevant with a franchise-record five prime-time games. This not only is an indication of how good the reigning NFC champions are expected to be, but an indication of how much the league wants reigning league MVP Cam Newton in the national spotlight. It begins with a Thursday night Super Bowl 50 rematch at Denver (Sept. 8), continues with a Monday night game against Tampa Bay (Oct. 10), a Thursday night game against New Orleans (Nov. 17), a Sunday night game at Seattle (Dec. 4) and a Monday night game at Washington (Dec. 19). The good news is there are no back-to-back prime-time games as there were a year ago. The bad news is three of them are on the road. The surprise is the Oct. 30 game against Arizona, a rematch of the NFC Championship Game, isn't on prime time. But it is the next best thing with a 4:25 p.m. kickoff. That's relevant.

Strength of schedule: 12th, .512

Panthers Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)

• Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 8, at Denver, 8:30 p.m.

• Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 18, San Francisco, 1 p.m.

• Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 25, Minnesota, 1 p.m.

• Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 2, at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

• Week 5: Monday, Oct. 10, Tampa Bay, 8:30 p.m.

• Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 16, at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

• Week 7: BYE

• Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 30, Arizona, 4:25 p.m.

• Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 6, at Los Angeles, 4:05 p.m.

• Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 13, Kansas City, 1 p.m.

• Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 17, New Orleans, 8:25 p.m.

• Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 27, at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

• Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 4, at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.

• Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 11, San Diego, 1 p.m.

• Week 15: Monday, Dec. 19, at Washington, 8:30 p.m.

• Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 24, Atlanta, 1 p.m.

• Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 1, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.