Patriots Could Open 2016 Season In Denver
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Denver Broncos are Super Bowl champs and will host the 2016 NFL opener.
We don't know whom Denver will be hosting when they raise their Super Bowl 50 banner, but there's a good chance it's the New England Patriots on the other side of the field.
The Patriots are scheduled to play in Denver next season, and no one would be surprised if the league ends up going with an AFC Championship rematch to kick off the new season. The Pats and Broncos have become one of the AFC's top rivals over the last three seasons, making it one of the more intriguing matchups for the NFL's Thursday night opener.
The Broncos also have the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers on their home schedule next season, and while the Chiefs and Texans were both playoff teams and a Super Bowl 50 rematch would be interesting, those matchups wouldn't bring the hype of another Pats-Broncos showdown (with or without Peyton Manning).
The Patriots would probably like to start next season anywhere but Denver. They've lost their last three trips to Sports Authority Field, including both visits during the 2015 season.