NFL: 5 Reasons the Denver Broncos Will Beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50
The Denver Broncos are trying to win their third Super Bowl in franchise history, but standing in their way are the Carolina Panthers. This should be an all-time exciting game, but somebody has to lose, right? The Broncos could very well come out on top and send the Panthers home with a giant L.
Here are five reasons the Broncos will win Super Bowl 50.
1. Defense
"Defense wins championships" is the oldest saying in NFL history, and why shouldn't it be? This year's Broncos defenses was one of the greatest defensive units to ever play, statistically speaking. The Broncos ranked No. 1 in total yards allowed, passing yards allowed and third in rushing yards against. The Broncos racked up the most sacks during the regular season, and they had the third most interceptions. In other words, Wade Phillips' defense was pretty much perfect. This defense has no flaws whatsoever. Aqib Talib and Chris Harris create a great secondary while Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware produce havoc on quarterbacks.
2. Peyton's Destiny
Can Peyton Manning ride off into the sunset like his boss John Elway once did? Clearly Manning isn't the incredible quarterback he once was, but the fact of the matter is he is still Peyton Manning. Manning is protecting the ball, as he has not thrown a single interception since a November loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Manning may not have "torn apart" the New England Patriots secondary in the AFC Championship game, but he still had his way picking up key third downs over and over again. regardless of age, Manning still remains one of the best at the line of scrimmage. It's been a great year for Cam Newton, but he doesn't have Super Bowl experience like Manning does.
3. Wide Receivers
This is by far the biggest advantage for the Broncos over the Panthers. The Broncos have a solid receiving core whereas the Panthers wide outs are average at best. Demaryius Thomas is widely regarded as a top 10 receiver in the league, and Emmanuel Sanders is always a tough matchup because of his elite down the field speed. Josh Norman and the Panthers secondary will have their hands full on Sunday. The Panthers have a great tight end in Greg Olsen, but they can't match the wide receiver depth of the Broncos.
4. Emerging Run Game
This kind of coincides with the No. 3. When you have so many terrific wide receivers, it opens up the running game. The Broncos ranked a modest 17th in rushing yards this season, but many are still skeptical on whether or not their backs are reliable. The Broncos ground game has been improving lately, however. In eight of the last nine games the Broncos rushing attack has hit the 99-yard mark. In their final regular season game, against the San Diego Chargers, they had 210 rushing yards. The Broncos have to establish a run game to maintain balance on offense.
5. They Have to Win
This is it for the Broncos, especially Manning. This Super Bowl is pretty comparable to Super Bowl 47 with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens were the old team with one more chance at glory while the 49ers were the "up and comers." Well, here we are again. The Broncos have multiple veterans with experience, but the Panthers are trying to crash the party. This could be the final game for Manning with the Broncos before he hangs up the cleats. As for the Panthers, this young and dynamic squad will be around for quite some time. By far most of the pressure lies on the Broncos shoulders because the window is closing for them.
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