AP Photo/Julio Cortez
When the Carolina Panthers battle the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has a chance to become the second player after Marcus Allen to win the Heisman Trophy, college football national title, MVP, and the Super Bowl. All that stands in his way is Denver’s dominant top-ranked defense. Though Carolina is 4-0 this season against top-five defenses, top-ranked defenses are 9-2 in Super Bowls.
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will try to ride off into the sunset with a Super Bowl victory like John Elway did, but the windy conditions in San Francisco may cause some problems for The Sheriff. For all the deserved hype that Carolina’s top-ranked offense has received, their defense has been undervalued. And Manning must avoid throwing interceptions that have haunted him throughout the season. If Manning turns the ball over, this will be a repeat of the Broncos-Seahawks Super Bowl matchup in which Seattle thrashed Denver.
The Broncos defense will have to contain Newton, but the key may be how well Denver’s defense can stifle Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, Newton’s top target. Something tells me, though, that the game may well rest on whether Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn, a “feast or famine” player, catches—or drops—a wide-open deep ball from Newton.
Another interesting note: Denver is 5-0 in games Clete Blakeman (today’s referee) referees. As ESPN pointed out, the Broncos had been 6-0 in games in which Ed Hochuli was the referee and made it 7-0 after their AFC title game victory over the Patriots.
I’m not betting against Newton, though. He always is at his best when the klieg lights are the brightest.
Stay with Breitbart News for live updates/commentary throughout the game.
Kevin Scholla: Gotta love Peyton Manning pumping up Budweiser in Coors country!
Von Miller wins the MVP. Much deserved.
Tony Lee: Great moment: Elway says “this one’s for Pat.” Bowlen famously said “this one’s for John” after Denver’s Super Bowl XXXII win. Bowlen, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, was not well enough to make the trip to San Francisco for the Super Bowl.
Kevin Scholla: Enjoy the post game, but get the clicker ready so you can flip the channel before Stephen Colbert infects your TV.
Kevin Scholla: Von Miller should be MVP. I just love when defensive players get that prestigious honor.
Tony Lee: I think the worst thing that happened to the Panthers was thrashing Arizona in the title game. Give Denver’s defense all the credit that it deserves. But Carolina’s game plan on offense was predictable and terrible. Carolina’s defense gave the Panthers every chance to win the game, but Carolina’s offense seemed liked it had been preparing for Tampa Bay and not Denver. I think the Panthers underestimated how good Denver’s corners are and Denver’s speed on defense. Newton wilted on the grand stage and his not diving to retrieve his fumble will haunt him–and hurt his image–for a long time.
Final: Denver 24, Carolina 10
Manning becomes the first NFL quarterback to get 200 wins (playoffs and regular season). The Sheriff doesn’t answer when asked if this was his final game. He says he wants to kiss his wife and kids and hug his family. Manning says he’s going to drink “a lot of Budweiser tonight” and “say a little prayer and thank the Man upstairs” for the great opportunity.
Kevin Scholla: Classy move by Josh Norman giving Peyton Manning a little Mile High Salute. Two super players.
Kevin Scholla: Jim Nantz has a new baby?! Who is he, Billy Joel???
Dan Flynn: Out of left field: I wonder if Peyton Manning buys a piece of the Tennessee Titans (he lives in Chattanooga) and/or joins their front office.
Kevin Scholla: Does Gary Kubiak go down as the Super Bowl winning head coach that had the least impact on his team’s fate? This is Wade Phillips all the way.
Tony Lee: Denver’s defense benefited from two key fumbles in the playoffs. They may not have reached the Super Bowl had Pittsburgh’s Fitzgerald Toussaint not fumbled as the Steelers were looking like they were about to put the game away in the divisional game. I think Tolbert’s fumble tonight really changed the momentum of the game.
John Pudner: Peyton Manning missed having the fewest yards passing in Super Bowl History by 22 yards (141 to 119 for Roger Staubach vs. Miami). And he won by being smart and realizing he needed to manage this one and let his defense win.
Cole Muzio: Von Miller HAS to get the MVP nod, right?
Dan Flynn: Cam Newton looks like the goat for not jumping on his fumble. Ron Rivera talked about not holding Newton back as a runner in the last game of the season. It turns out that Cam Newton held Cam Newton back. He’s not going to live down that reluctance to recover his own fumble anytime soon.
Denver 24, Carolina 10.
C.J. Anderson plunges into the end zone as Denver turns the turnover into points. Broncos convert the two-point conversion. Manning two minutes riding off into the sunset with a Super Bowl win like Elway. Fantastic story for the NFL.
Dan Flynn: Thirteen punts, six turnovers, and one offensive touchdown–a year after arguably the greatest Super Bowl in history the Broncos and Panthers play in a largely forgettable contest. Lots of impressive defensive performances on both sides of the ball. But too much sloppy play on offense. The Cam Newton fumble, and hesitation to recover it, puts the exclamation point on the kind of game this has been.
Tony Lee: Miller likely ices the game by knocking the ball out of Newton’s hand. T.J. Ward recovers the fumble. Is Newton hurt? He doesn’t even dive after the fumble
Cole Muzio: Our ranking of the top 25 recruits featured 11 defensive linemen. Though QBs will always get the hype, today’s Super Bowl is a perfect illustration of what you can do if your DL dominates the line of scrimmage
Tony Lee: Denver is betting that Carolina can’t score a touchdown on its defense by running on the third-and-nine play. Panthers get the ball back with 4:51 left.
Kevin Scholla: So fun to watch Josh Norman. One of the very few DBs who can still excel and dominate in a league that stacks all the rules against the secondary.
Dan Leberfeld: Von Miller is a free agent after this season. Love to be his agent. What a tremendous talent.
John Pudner: “Pressure” by David Bowie at the commercial cutaway perfect. Carolina defense under pressure – cannot give up a score of any kind. Manning under pressure – he cannot turn it over again. This is why they are paid the big bucks.
Kevin Scholla: Greg Olsen must get more involved if you’re Carolina. Still plenty of time for a Newton to Olsen scoring play and a 17-16 squeaker.
Denver 16, Carolina 10
Gano hits a 39-yard field goal as the Panthers pull to within one score. It’s amazing that the Panthers still have a chance to win with all of their mistakes/turnovers.
Dan Flynn: Kony Ealy playing the game of his life. Strip sack of Manning his third sack of game. Should Carolina come back, look for Ealy for MVP.
Dan Leberfeld: Peyton Manning used to put teams on his back and lead them to great heights. With Denver this year, he’s along for the ride. He’s a game-manager. And that is okay, along as you win.
Kevin Scholla: Back in the old days when men ran the NFL, a player slapping the ball out of someone’s hand in a meaningful game would be told ‘Cut it out’. He wouldn’t be penalized. Get a perspective, for Johnny Sample’s sake!
Tony Lee: Kony Ealy having the game of his life, he causes a critical Manning fumble to give Carolina some life. Panthers with the ball at midfield and face a must-score drive.
Kevin Scholla: The only time two coaches were carried off the field after a Super Bowl was 30 years ago when the Bears carried both Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan off following Super Bowl XX. If things don’t change here, Denver may want to carry off Kubiak and Phillips. Kubiak is optional. Bum’s son is the story.
John Pudner: Peyton Manning passed for 280 yards in the 43-8 loss to Seattle. Through three quarters he has 123 yards passing through three quarters – but knows he may just need to avoid turnovers for the win. A crazy punt return and defensive touchdown give him the lead.
Third Quarter: Denver 16, Carolina 7
Cole Muzio: Two Missouri defensive ends were drafted in 2014. Media and left-wing darling Michael Sam will likely never play a snap in the NFL. The man who generated much less conversation, Kony Ealy, has been one of the best players on the field today for the Panthers. Two sacks for the second year defender.
Kevin Scholla: Phil Simms, the man who refuses to say ‘Redskins’, says Newton threw the ball ‘too hard’ to Ginn. Come on! That catch has to be made.
John Pudner: Ted Ginn’s speed (one of very few to crack a 4.3 in the 40) resulted in three big plays in third quarter. But the wrap on his hands came back again as Cam’s throw went right through them for an interception to stop another drive. Pressure growing on Carolina.
Tony Lee: After completing a deep pass to Philly Brown, Denver gets the ball back as Carolina was driving deep in Denver territory. Denver intercepts Newton when Ginn can’t hold onto Newton’s pass (if it hits your hands, you have to catch it). T.J. Ward, who picked off the pass, fumbles while returning the pick, but Denver’s Trevathan recovers. Cole’s right. The ball is not bouncing Carolina’s way tonight. Huge defensive series, to say the least, for Carolina here.
Denver 16, Carolina 7:
Broncos again fail to score in the red zone. They settle for a field goal but are now up two scores. Denver’s offense still has not scored a touchdown.
Perhaps because the Patriots aren’t playing, Donald Trump thinks the Super Bowl has been “very boring.” He thinks politics is much more exciting:
Cole Muzio: Football is a game of bounces. So far, the ball is bouncing the Broncos way. The clang off the goal post is emblematic of the game thus far.
Tony Lee: Carolina has a chance to cut the lead to three on its opening drive of the second half, but Gano hits the upright on his 44-yard field goal attempt. Another wasted opportunity by Carolina to put points on the board.
Kevin Scholla: Lady Gaga was tremendous! Thank you for honoring our country in a powerful, respectful way. I will think of you often to try to erase that halftime train wreck from my mind.
