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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Coach Ron Rivera says if the Carolina Panthers want to beat the Denver Broncos Thursday night theyll need to stay out of third-and-long situations.Thats something Cam Newton and company failed to do in a 24-10 loss to the Broncos in the Super Bowl seven months ago.Denvers top-ranked defense forced the Panthers into third-and-8 or longer on 12 separate occasions. That didnt bode well for the Panthers; those plays resulted in seven punts and two game-changing strip-sacks by MVP Von Miller leading to 14 Denver points -- the difference in the game.A big part of it is you have to have success on first and second down, Rivera said. We didnt have the success in the Super Bowl.The Broncos took full advantage, disguising coverages and sending extra pass rushers at Newton as part of their green dog blitz package.On Carolinas second possession, Miller beat right tackle Mike Remmers on the edge and ripped the ball away from Newton. Malik Jackson recovered in the end zone to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead.Carolina, which averaged a league-high 31.3 points per game during the regular season and 40 per game in the NFC playoffs, never could get in sync after that.Being in third-and-long is a difficult thing, whether they green dog you or blitz you straight up, Rivera said. Its tough to be successful.Newton said Sunday the Panthers have a great game plan this time around.While the league MVP wouldnt reveal the details, he confidently said the Panthers are locked and loaded for Thursday night, saying that this is a different season with different players.Were trying to get guys on the same page, Newton said. If we do that I believe well put ourselves in an unbelievable position to do what were capable of doing, and that is to win this football game.Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart, who was injured his foot early in the Super Bowl but did return, said the impetus is on the running game to gain more yards on first and second down.Its very pivotal, Stewart said. Third-and-8 or third-and-11 makes it tough on the coordinators, tough on quarterbacks and tough on the offensive line to really grasp the situation.Tight end Greg Olsen said that Panthers simply made too many mistakes in the last meeting -- whether it was missing a blocking assignment, not being in the right place on a route or dropping passes.Carolina also had a season-high four turnovers against Denver in the Super Bowl.Denver has a good defense and good defenses force you into bad plays, Olsen said. At the same time we did a lot of things that were uncharacteristic of ourselves. They were plays that we were accustomed to making. That day it all snowballed on us and we never really got much going.The Panthers offense expects to benefit from the return of Kelvin Benjamin, their top wide receiver in 2014 who missed all of last season with a torn ACL.Although hes only expected to play about 35 snaps while rounding into football shape, Benjamins 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame and physical brand of play could give the Denver secondary trouble.Carolinas smaller receivers struggled against Denvers physical secondary.On one play Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib dragged wide receiver Philly Brown down by his facemask after a reception, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Talib said after the game he did it on purpose.Brown, who was shocked to hear that, said he wont let the past affect his play in the season opener.Aqib Talib dont run my life. I dont walk around thinking about him 24/7, Brown said. Thats not what Im thinking about right now. Im more focused on getting the victory.When asked if Talib has ever tried to contact him to offer an apology, Brown replied, I will block him. He will never have my number.While Benjamins return gives the Panthers a physical presence at wide receiver, Miller said the Broncos defensive backs will once again be up to the challenge.Benjamin is like a safety blanket for Cam, Miller said. Hes a deep, really big receiver -- really talented, very fast and can jump. Luckily we have the best secondary in the National Football League. ... Im totally comfortable in the no-fly zones ability to play the pass this game.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Shaquille ONeal Cavaliers Jersey . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Alec Burks Cavaliers Jersey . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. https://www.thecavalierslockerroom.com/Cedi-Osman-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Terrell Brandon Cavaliers Jersey . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Kyle Korver Cavaliers Jersey . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- A year ago, Joey Logano came to Watkins Glen International hoping for a road course breakthrough to add to his resume. He departed with two trophies after a weekend sweep of the Xfinity and Sprint Cup races.Hes back at The Glen aiming for a repeat performance and started strong, winning Saturdays Xfinity Zippo 200 from the pole just as he did a year ago.Thats what weve come here to do. Wed better have the attitude that we can do that, or else we shouldnt be here, Logano said. Confidence is high. Im kind of mad I didnt get the Cup pole.Logano, who will start seventh Sunday in the Cup race, has finished seventh or better in four of his last five starts at Watkins Glen, and in his last two starts at NASCARs other road course in Sonoma he was fifth last year and third in June in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford.A player in last years Chase for the Sprint Cup championship until a run-in with Matt Kenseth at Martinsville derailed his title hopes, Logano is on pace to be a factor again when the postseason gets underway in September. On the season, he has one win, eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, and five of those top-fives have come in the past nine races. Only five races remain before the Chase begins.I dont think were far off. We had a little bit of a seesaw, said Logano, who led Mondays rain-shortened race at Pocono until he was caught up in a late crash. I think were starting to see some speed come back in our cars. We had just as many wins at this point last year. I dont feel like were behind. We can still go get six or seven wins before the year is out, I think. Weve got to peak at the right time.Like Kentucky, Watkins Glen International has a new racing surface after a repave in the offseason. Goodyear has brought a harder-compound tire, which has made grip elusive, but it doesnt wear down so fast. The 2.45-mile layout also features new concrete for the rumble strips that border the turns and run-off areas.Its not as different as you would think, Logano said. The tires a lot harder and you also have a rules change. The aero package is different. Its not oh-my-gosh different. Theres not much tire falloff. Its smooother.ddddddddddddSix Sprint Cup Series drivers -- Logano and Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Paul Menard, Kyle Larson, and Trevor Bayne -- entered the Zippo 200 to get more track time on the new surface. Keselowski also logged more than 70 laps in a Goodyear tire test in late July as he seeks that breakthrough Cup triumph at The Glen. He finished second three straight times from 2011-13, losing in late-race duels with Marcos Ambrose and Kyle Busch each time.Back at Watkins Glen for the final time are the top two road racers in NASCAR history -- Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Gordon, who came out of retirement and is driving his third race in the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports as Dale Earnhardt Jr. recovers from a concussion, will be making his 800th career start. He qualified 21st.Stewart, who has a record five wins at Watkins Glen, is one road victory behind Gordon. Stewarts eighth Cup road course win and first victory in three years came at Sonoma in June. He slammed leader Denny Hamlin into the wall on the final turn of the race to snatch the win, smoke spewing from his No. 14 Chevrolet as he crossed the finish line.Stewart, who will start third Sunday, had been mired in an 84-race losing streak dating to 2013. The 45-year-old three-time Cup champion, whos retiring at seasons end, has reverted to form, heating up in the dog days of summer. Stewart has four top-fives in the last six races and has scored the second-most points in the last seven to get firmly entrenched in the 16-driver field for NASCARs playoffs.Impressive stuff for a driver who missed the first eight races of the season after sustaining a vertebra fracture in an all-terrain-vehicle accident in late January.We will need to continue to build on what weve built up to this point, Stewart said. If I felt like we were a contender to win every race right now, then maybe I would want the Chase to begin now. But we need to gain a little bit before the Chase starts. We are going to make good use of the next five races. ' ' '