The Gridiron Gang

Much like Christmas or Star Wars movies for the next few years, the Super Bowl is an annual spectacle that sports and non-sports fans can both appreciate. From the competitive action to the highly entertaining halftime shows, millions of people across the world will be tuning in on Sunday, Feb. 7. There’s a lot to know going into this year’s game, but I gotchu fam. Allow me to educate you on what is going to happen at Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers.

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is no stranger to the big dance. After winning with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 against the Chicago Bears and another appearance in 2009 against the New Orleans Saints, Manning brought the Broncos to the Super Bowl in 2014. Despite being his 4th time in the Super Bowl, Manning only has one ring to show for it. Regarded as one of the best Quarterbacks of all time, Manning hopes to cement his legacy with another ring before possibly retiring. With a relatively healthy offence, there’s no doubt that Peyton will put up a big game. Expect large offensive numbers from the elite signal caller.

And in the red corner, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is new to this whole shindig. This is the first Super Bowl for the five-year veteran of the league. Known for his mobility and awesome dances, the Panthers will rely heavily on Newton to carry the team to victory. With their best receiver Kelvin Benjamin on the shelf for the entire season, Newton has made due excellently with what he was given, leading the Panthers to the best record in the regular season. Newton is definitely the upcoming face of this league, with a future brighter than his own smile (which is a gorgeous smile btw). Look for Newton to run, jump, throw and dab all over the field come Sunday.

Dollars over Cents for the defense

Both team’s defenses are nothing to be overlooked in this matchup. During the regular season, the Broncos were the best defense in the league in terms of yards allowed per game, with the Panthers following closely behind at sixth. Both teams excelled at stopping the run, with the Broncos and Panthers sitting third and fourth respectively in term of fewest rushing yards per game. This statistic slightly favours the Broncos, as the Panthers are quite reliant on the run game. Between Newton scrambling out of various option plays and Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Stewart getting more than 18.6 carries per game (good for third in the league in that category), the Panthers use the run game as a very vital part of their offense, with the second most rushing yards per game during the regular season. This will definitely be the defining match up of the game, as both teams will look to stop what the other team does best.

Final Prediction

With much speculation of this being Manning’s last year in the league, winning a Super Bowl would be the perfect ride off into the sunset moment for the first ballot Hall of Famer. This matchup is probably the most evenly matched I’ve seen in years, and I honestly have no idea what’s going to happen on the 7th. Despite all of this, my gut tells me that Manning’s retirement will be spoiled by this up and coming Panthers team. I expect a massive game out of Cam Newton, just because his mobility at the quarterback position is a powerful force that the Broncos just can’t match. I expect the Carolina Panthers to win their first ever Super Bowl this year.

FINAL SCORE

Panthers 24 Broncos 17