Super Bowl 50 Prediction

It’s finally here. Super Bowl 50 has arrived, and the top seeds have made it to the biggest championship game in sports. My incredible run of post-season predictions continues into the Super Bowl, as I currently stand at 8-1-1 ATS and 9-1 straight up. Will my momentum carry me to the proper prediction, or am I due for a big, Super Bowl-sized miss? We’ll just have to wait until Sunday to find out.

Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos @ Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA

Sunday, February 7th, 6:30 PM ET (Current Line, Panthers -5.5)

The Broncos and the Panthers have taken very different paths to get here. Carolina has looked unbeatable all season, on their way to the NFC Championship, while Denver has looked lucky just to have made it this far. The Panthers have beaten some of the best teams in the NFL this season, taking down the Packers, Cardinals, and Seahawks (2x). The Broncos have also taken down their fair share of top competition, defeating the Vikings, Packers, Chiefs, Steelers, and Patriots (x2).  However, Denver has also experienced a few slip-ups along the way, falling to Oakland and Indianapolis. Of course, this was in the midst of Peyton's injury, which left the quarterback situation in Denver uncertain. Meanwhile, Carolina has had no issues at quarterback all season. Newton has been unreal all year, and will no doubt win the regular season MVP.

When the season began, it would have been hard to predict that Newton would be this good, especially after Kelvin Benjamin went down with a season-ending injury. Newton’s only reliable target was his tight end, Greg Olsen. However, he has made his thin wide receiver corps look great, on his way to transforming into one of the most accurate passers in the league. Ted Gin Jr.’s career has been revived. Some guy named Devin Funchess has made an impact. Jerricho Cotchery is relevant again. And Greg Olsen has looked like one of the best tight ends in the game. This is receiving by committee. Gin leads all wide receivers in receptions, tallying a mere 44 catches. Meanwhile, Olsen leads the team from the tight end spot, with 77 catches. Without a star at receiver, Newton has been forced to use all of his targets, and he has done it well. His arm looks amazing, which has allowed his mobility to be even more effective. Newton has quickly turned into the ultimate dual threat quarterback, the likes of which we have never seen before. As far as I can remember, McNair, McNabb, and Vick were the best to do it, but even they had deficiencies that Newton does not have. Newton, along with Russell WIlson are ushering in the new era of the mobile quarterback. Defenses are going to have to learn how to stop it, otherwise, Super Cam will continue to celebrate in opponents’ end zones.

 

So, how in the world are the Broncos going to have a chance against the Panthers? Von Miller and Demarcus Ware wreaked havoc on opponents’ backfields all seasons, but will they be able to have the same success against Carolina? Cam’s mobility will keep the pass rush honest, as a collapsed pocket is really just a great excuse for Cam to scramble. Similarly, with Ware and Miller coming hard around the edge, Denver won’t be able to defend the QB draw, which Carolina used so effectively against the Cardinals. On the other side of the ball, Peyton Manning will do his best to lead his offense down the field; however, Denver’s offense has looked incredibly feeble in the playoffs. Anderson and Hillman will have to carry the run game. The receivers will have to play mistake-free (no more drops). Meanwhile, Peyton will have to do his best to be a solid game manager by not turning the ball over against this vaunted Carolina defense. All things considered, it seems ridiculous to believe that the Broncos will have a chance at beating the Panthers in the Super Bowl. However, I was saying the same thing before I nobly (stupidly?) picked Denver to defeat New England in the AFC Championship game. Still, this time is different. The NFC is undoubtedly the superior conference. The Panthers are well-proven and on an unstoppable roll right now. Carolina is the best team in the football right now, but anything can happen in one game. Still, I don’t think Denver has a chance.

Prediction: The Carolina offense goes quiet in the first half, as they are only able to muster a single touchdown. However, that is good enough for a 13-0 lead going into halftime. Carolina adds a field goal and leads 16-0 heading into the fourth quarter. On the first drive of the fourth quarter, Peyton hits Sanders for a touchdown. On the ensuing Carolina possession, Jonathan Stewart fumbles and Von Miller returns it for a touchdown. Late in the fourth quarter, the Broncos take their first lead of the game, when McManus hits a 37 yard field goal. The Denver defense makes a stand on Carolina’s final possession, and Peyton and the Broncos get the win, 17-16.

As I was saying, what idiot would pick the Broncos to win this game? The Panthers look unbeatable. A Denver win would be absolutely shocking. You don’t have to be a sports analyst to know that Carolina should win this game. Still, they have to prove that they can do it on the game’s biggest stage. All will be decided on Sunday. Enjoy Super Bowl 50.