Carolina Panthers

Ron Rivera Irritated by Short Week

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Ron Rivera not pleased with an opening road game and only a week to prepare for his defending NFC Champions…

For only the second time in NFL history, the previous years’ Super Bowl opponents will meet in the first week of the regular season. The Carolina Panthers and coach Ron Rivera open up the NFL season against the Denver Broncos, on the road, in just two days.

Coach Rivera is not a fan of traveling, especially on Thursday, three days prior to the rest of the league. “I think it’s been 20-something years that the Super Bowl rematch, that people like to call it, is going to happen. Defending NFC champs, it would have been nice to open the season at home, but it didn’t happen that way.”

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) has his pass knocked down by Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller (58) during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl 50 at Levi

On Sunday, the organization was in what Rivera referred to as a “mad scramble” to get their practice squad organized, waiver claims, and everyone on the field for practice. Playing on Thursday meant the Panthers practiced on Sunday, instead of having the luxury to complete the necessary paperwork during an off day.

The fast and furious pace left one player in particular, defensive end Lavar Edwards, getting notified via Twitter of the Panthers’ waiver claim. Edwards reported on Monday and with only three practices prior to the opener may be inactive on Thursday.

With league preseason finales last Thursday, Rivera and the Panthers have three less days to prepare than every other NFL team, excluding their opponent. “We only have a week [to prepare] where other teams will have 10 days that you kind of need to have,” Rivera said. “It was a mad scramble trying to put your roster together and get your practice squad out there.”

Media outlets and fans have dubbed the game a ‘Super Bowl Rematch’, but neither quarterback Cam Newton or coach Rivera will recognize the title. “A lot of people want to make it a rematch. It’s not a rematch,” Newton said via the Associated Press. “It’s just our next opponent.” When asked if beating the Broncos would take the sting out of losing the Super Bowl, Newton simply shook his head.

“No,” he said. “We’d just be 1-0.”