The Denver Broncos defence looked amazing in their 20–18 victory over the vaunted New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was under siege all game as the Denver pass rush eviscerated the Patriots offensive line and wreaked havoc all game. What was so impressive is that the Broncos managed to get pressure with a basic four-man rush, rarely sending more than five as they infrequently employed blitz packages.
The Broncos defence was dominant this season, and was the number one overall defense in the NFL. The unit features devastating pass rushers in Demarcus Ware and Von Miller, outstanding linebackers in Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan, and a brash elite Cornerback in Aqib Talib. Some commentators have been so bold as to call the Broncos the best defence of all time. For me, that distinction will always go to the 1985 Chicago Bears. That being said, a dominant Broncos defensive performance in this Super Bowl would give me pause in this debate.
The Denver offence did enough to get the win in the AFC Championship game under the leadership of 39-year-old quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning is a shadow of his former self and posted the worst statistical year of his career. The low point was a mid-November loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, wherein Manning completed five of 20 passes for 35 yards and four interceptions. He then was deactivated from the lineup to treat various physical ailments he had tried to battle through.
In Manning’s place, unproven backup Brock Osweiler stepped up and did an admirable job putting the Broncos in position to clinch number-one seed and home field advantage in AFC playoffs if they were able to win their last game of the season against the San Diego Chargers.
The San Diego game represented the first game of Peyton Manning’s career where he was active and not in the starting lineup. As the game unfolded the Broncos offence sputtered as Osweiler was undone by several dropped passes by the Broncos receiving corps.
Manning is a shadow of his former self and posted the worst statistical year of his career
At halftime Head Coach Gary Kubiak — a former Broncos quarterback himself — elected to put Peyton Manning back in the lineup. The savvy veteran guided the Broncos to victory with solid but not spectacular play. The Broncos seemed to execute better under Manning and his veteran leadership. His ability to check into the right plays and protections at the line of scrimmage contributed to the team’s success despite the noticeable decline of his arm strength.
Super Bowl 50 will be Peyton Manning’s fourth Super Bowl. He is 1–3, his past trip having been with the Broncos two years ago. In that game, the Seahawks romped 43–8 after taking a commanding 22–0 halftime lead.
Facing the Broncos and their vaunted defence are the upstart Carolina Panthers. If you bet on the Panthers winning the Super Bowl this preseason, you are a lucky person, because you are one game away from cashing in on 50-to-1 odds in some sports books.
The Panthers went 15–1 this season, defeating a very strong Seahawks team in the Divisional Round and crushing an outstanding Arizona Cardinals team 49–15 in the NFC Championship. The Panthers were written off in the pre-season when their 2014 number one draft pick and top receiver Kelvin Benjamin went down with a season-ending injury. However, the Panthers did not skip a beat on offence and put up staggering stats led by the new Michael Jordan of the NFL: Cam Newton.
I cannot come up with another comparison to Newton in the sport of football because he is such a unique player. This six-foot-five, 248 pound quarterback has the speed of a running back and strength of a linebacker. He also has outstanding arm strength, pocket presence, touch and a mind for the game. Sorry, Russell Wilson, but the league has never seen anyone with his unique skill set. In just one season as a starter in NCAA football, Newton led Auburn University to a National Championship and won the prestigious Heisman Trophy along the way.
Should the Panthers win the Super Bowl, Newton would become the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl, the National Championship, and the Heisman. He will most likely win this year’s NFL MVP as well. At 26 years old in his fifth NFL season, Newton posted staggering numbers passing for 3837 yards with 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Newton’s weapons include skilled tight end Greg Olsen, talented running back Jonathan Stewart, and undersized journeyman Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn, the latter of whom scored two electrifying touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game.
Like the Broncos, the Panthers have a ferocious defence. Their leader is the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Luke Kuechly. Supporting Kuechly is linebacker Thomas Davis, who will be playing in the Super Bowl with a broken forearm, and trash-talking cornerback Josh Norman. Norman made headlines earlier in the season for his extremely intense individual battle with Giants Superstar Odell Beckham Jr.
Should the Panthers win the Super Bowl, Newton would become the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl, the National Championship, and the Heisman.
While the Broncos’ defence is simply outstanding, Newton is even better.
The Panthers will jump out to an early lead which will cause Peyton Manning to press and commit mistakes. Early turnovers will spiral into more Panther opportunities which Newton will convert into touchdowns. Newton enjoys endzone celebrations and likes to fashion himself as Superman.
You will be seeing a lot of this on Super Bowl Sunday in a game which will be reminiscent of Seattle’s victory in Super Bowl 48. Get used to Cam Newton. You may be seeing this outstanding young player in many future Super Bowls.
For Manning, it may well be his final game. Unfortunately for him, it will be an inglorious ending to an otherwise outstanding career. In the first Super Bowl where two number one overall picks square off, I am going with the upstart over the grizzled veteran.
Prediction: Panthers 38, Broncos 13
