By Sean Simara @Sean_FootyMad @TLE_Sport
It’s the last stop of the NFL season on Sunday – Super Bowl 50 – as the Carolina Panthers go toe to toe with the Denver Broncos. I talked about storybook endings before and Peyton Manning has a chance to carry out such an ending in the Levi’s Stadium and go out on a high. I didn’t think he would get past Tom Brady in the Championship game and he proved me wrong. Cam Newton did prove me right in his Championship game with an emphatic blowout win.
To start, these are polar opposite quarterbacks: one is all about throwing the ball; he’s what you would call old school. The other is what I would call a modern day QB: he can run, pass, dive and sometimes even fly. This match-up has the soon to be regular season MVP (Newton), against the 5 time MVP (Manning). I, like many others in the NFL circle, feel that this will be Manning’s last ride and of course to close it on such a stage as the Super Bowl would be fitting for a man who has had an outstanding career. The Manning name is NFL royalty so it’s only right that the Broncos win surely!?
Denver Broncos have the best defensive line on paper. DeMarcus Ware, Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe have been phenomenal this year and let’s not forget Aqib Talib, one of the best cornerbacks in the game. They are a force and of course have played a huge part in the Broncos getting here. The last time Denver were in the Super Bowl they suffered a 43-8 defeat at the hands of Seattle Seahawks. Broncos General Manager John Elway re-grouped and rebuilt and two years later his dream can come true again. Peyton will have a key role to play. He was benched midway through the season, suffered injury, came back and finally finds himself here. This is the story we will hear the most but with the support he will have, does the other QB deserve it more after the season he has had?
Cam Newton has had a standout year, so is this his coronation ceremony? I have raved about him all year and he seems to have got better and better as the season went on. Carolina are the best scoring team in the NFL and with him at the helm this is no real shock. Cam has some very good tools around him: the likes of Jonathan Stewart, Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn Jr have all been fun to watch. The Panthers squad have even found the time to take team selfies on the sidelines during the fourth quarter, which some teams have found annoying to say the least. The Panthers have built their team around Newton so now it’s time to deliver in the big one.
I feel Carolina have it in them to perform a blowout win if they get on a roll early doors. At times they’re just a juggernaut that no team can stop. I have enjoyed watching them this year and any lucky kid behind one of the end zones on Sunday could find themselves with a Super Bowl football as a souvenir. Let’s just hope that they don’t run out of them.
The Panthers defence is no joke either. Watch out for linebacker Luke Kuechly who I think will have another huge game. If he’s able to get another pick six, I think we can talk about him in the same bracket as JJ Watt. The Panthers cornerback, Josh Norman is also going to have something to say – Josh always has something to say.
Another fun side note is that this is the first match-up of the number 1 overall picks going head to head in the Super Bowl. The 2011 drafts number 1 pick (Newton) & number 2 pick (Von Miller) also face each other on Sunday.
So who will be victorious? I’m going with the Carolina Panthers though. The triple threat of Newton, Mike Shula (Offensive Coordinator) & Ron Rivera (Head Coach) have worked wonders and they all seem to click. This has been Cam’s year and I have a feeling that he will deliver in San Francisco. I wouldn’t be shocked if they do get the blowout win, even though the Broncos’ defence are really good. I just think the Panthers have it in them to do it.
So it’s all set for Cam Newton to take it. All he just has to beat a legend. Who do you think will win Super Bowl 50? Let me know. And I hope you have enjoyed the posts throughout the season.
