— Amazing what a Super Bowl run can do for a team's relevance. The NFL gave the Panthers a team-record five games in primetime: Two Thursday nights, two Monday nights and a Sunday night. The Cam Newton effect doesn't hurt, either. In 2004, the Panthers had just two primetime games following their first Super Bowl appearance.

 

— NBC will have plenty of storylines to play up ahead of the first ever Thursday night opener featuring a Super Bowl rematch. Of course, considering Denver's quarterback situation, rematch may not be the best word for it. Yeah, Peyton Manning finished last year on fumes, but right now, these look like the Broncos' most realistic starting options: Mark Sanchez, Colin Kaepernick or a soon-to-be-drafted rookie.

 

— After a late bye (Week 12) in 2014 and an early one (Week 5) last year, this season's (Week 7) appears to be in a better place. Of the Panthers' first six opponents, only two (Broncos, Vikings) had winning records in 2015. That means a solid start — think no worse than 4-2 heading into the bye — would be a good idea.

 

— The schedule makers did the Panthers a couple of favors.

1.) They have their bye before hosting the Cardinals in an NFC Championship rematch.

2.) The Panthers don't have to travel at the back end of their two short weeks. Like most teams, they have just four days before a Thursday night game, but after the Chiefs visit in Week 10, it's the Saints that have to come to Charlotte for TNF. And, sure, because of the league's Saturday-heavy schedule in Week 16, it'd be better if Week 15 was a Sunday game instead of a Monday night date in Washington, but at least the Panthers will be home for their Christmas Eve meeting with Atlanta.

 

— The Panthers follow their first short week — those four days between the Chiefs and Saints games — with a trip West. But it's not like they'll have to rush. They have 10 days before they visit the Raiders in Week 12, and the Panthers will likely stay out there for their Sunday night game the following week in Seattle. If they went round-trip for all their away games, the Panthers would shatter their team record for most miles traveled in a season. There's a decent chance they'll do that even if they hang out West for a couple of weeks.

 

— Weather could be a factor in December. Primetime games at Seattle and Washington look fun now, but they could feel awfully cold then.

 

— There's some danger spots in the schedule, but you can find that stuff every year. The truth is, we have no clue how it's truly going to play out. Remember how brutal that Seahawks-Eagles-Colts-Packers gauntlet was supposed to be last year? For what it's worth, the combined records of Carolina's opponents this year is 131-125, the 12th-easiest — or 21st-toughest — strength of schedule ... for now.

 

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