Peyton Manning will try to cap his career with one more Super Bowl win while Cam Newton attempts to bloom his ambitious, brash and swagger-ingested career with his first Super Bowl victory.
Welcome to Super Bowl 50.
The top two defenses in the National Football League are measuring up against each other with the Carolina Panthers forcing the most turnovers in the league while the Denver Broncos had the third most touchdowns off of turnovers this season.
Star linebacker and former Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly boosts Carolina’s defense.
Kuechly does everything for the Panthers. He has three interceptions, returned for touchdowns this year including two in the last two weeks. It also features loud and talented cover cornerback Josh Norman, who had four interceptions and two touchdowns in the first four games.
Finally, 11-year veteran Thomas Davis is a stud next to Kuechly.
Davis earned his first ever Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods this year, as he has been a stabilizing force for the Panthers for over the past decade.
Denver’s defense has star power as well as dominant edge rusher Von Miller.
Miller is fresh off of another All-Pro selection and his finest game as he posted 2.5 sacks and an interception against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Miller combines with all-time great DeMarcus Ware to bookend a pair of fantastic edge rushers. Shutdown corner backs Aquib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby and former Pro Bowl safety TJ Ward help stabilize the back line for them.
This game will probably come down to which quarterback makes more offensive plays seeing as the defenses are pretty equal.
Manning has the advantage in weapons as he has two 1,000-yard receivers, which includes one of the best receivers in the NFL in Demaryius Thomas.
Newton has one 1,000-yard receiver and that was his tight end Greg Olsen. Newton will lean on his legs and Jonathan Stewart’s legs as well.
The two of them combined for over 1,500 yards on the ground. Manning will have to lean on a pair of running backs; Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson also combined for over 1,500 yards rushing between them.
I think Newton and the Panthers will make a few more plays than Manning and the Broncos.
Panthers 24 Broncos 17