THOMAS O’CALLAGHAN
Staff Writer

Following a near perfect season at 15–1, the Carolina Panthers have aspirations of hoisting this year’s Lombardi Trophy, and they seem to be the most complete team that the National Football League (NFL) has to offer. The Panthers rank second in the league in rushing yards per game at 142.6, first in points per game at 31.3 and sixth in defensive points allowed per game at 19.3. Carolina has overcome almost every challenger brought to them, with the exception of the Dec. 27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. However, as the one-loss 2007 Patriots would tell you, near-perfection brings its own challenges.

In the situation of dominant teams steamrolling through the regular season, media often refer to a lack of “gut checks” or “character building.” This is no coincidence; playing with ease can be a blessing and a curse. Teams need challenging games to test their character so they know they are capable of rising to the occasion when facing challenges on the biggest stage, and it is possible that this dominant team could fall short of their goal. Despite this obstacle, they seem well-equipped to make a Super Bowl win probable.

ALEXANDER DIMISA
Contributing Writer

No quarterback has been to more Super Bowls than Peyton Manning in recent years. Since 2006, Manning has competed for the championship four times, and this is by far the best team that he has led. They have the number one defense, and experienced Super Bowl players in several key positions. While Manning has only come away with one Super Bowl ring, this season things are different, and everything is pointing to them taking home the Lombardi Trophy.

The Broncos have several X factors that will lead them to victory; the first of them is head coach Gary Kubiak. Kubiak has worked with several Super Bowl winning coaches, and using what he learned from them, he is 14–4 as the Broncos’ head coach and seems ready for his shot at the championship. The Broncos also have a defense that is able to stifle any quarterback, and change the pace of any game. On the other side of the ball, they have a multitude of players with playmaking ability, including Peyton Manning who is 38–10 as the Broncos’ starter. The Broncos have the experience, skill, and knowledge to beat the Carolina Panthers.

CONNOR MANNION
Staff Writer

A landmark Cinderella story is set to conclude at Super Bowl 50 with the Carolina Panthers coming out victorious against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. In their game against the Patriots, Denver brought an extremely strong defense that Carolina will need to prepare for in their match-up. However, there were a number of flaws in their offense that allowed the Patriots to nearly send the game into overtime. The Broncos have not been at their strongest this entire season and barely made it out of the American Football Conference Championship Game with a win.

This is also interesting, given comments that this may be Manning’s last shot at the ultimate title for American football. At the conclusion of the AFC game, Manning was overheard telling Patriots coach Bill Belichick that this would likely be his last AFC game. In contrast to the Broncos’ near-loss, the Panthers destroyed the Cardinals 49-15. While there is still a lingering question of Manning not performing as well as in his earlier years, there is no question of Cam Newton’s continued high level of performance, which will ultimately let the game fall in Carolina’s favor.

MOHDSHOBAIR HUSSAINI
Asst. Sports Editor

And the winner of this year’s Super Bowl will be…the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are driven by the talented quarterback Cam Newton, who can manage almost anything on the field. He owns the ninth-highest quarterback rating in the NFL, which is an indicator of his ability to dominate in many ways. Newton creates a nightmare for any opponent, with his ability to either pass for a gain or to do it all himself by rushing for yardage.

In week 15, when it looked like the Panthers’ winning streak may come to an end, Newton worked his way into Giants territory with less than two minutes to go to pull his team within field goal range. The field goal unit ended up sealing the victory. Moreover, the Panthers finished the regular season with the best record in the league (15–1), which is yet another reason why they are the team to beat. Having defeated both the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals this postseason, only one opponent remains: the Denver Broncos. These two teams have the top defensive efficiency ratings in the league (according to ESPN), which makes this Super Sunday matchup ever more exciting.

MATTHEW MCCARTHY
Sports Editor

For the fourth time in his career, Peyton Manning has led his team to the Super Bowl. For the second time, he will emerge victorious in the big game. Manning and the Broncos have recently hit their stride on the offensive side of the ball, while the defense continues to be the best that the NFL has to offer. During the 2015 regular season, the Broncos’ defense allowed the fewest yards in the league, while giving up the fourth fewest points. However, the defense isn’t the only facet of their game firing on all cylinders. Despite struggling during the regular season, the Broncos’ offense has picked up during the last two postseason games,

Furthermore, this Broncos team also has what will be the deciding factor in the contest: experience. Denver has made it to the playoffs every year since Peyton Manning joined the team in 2012 and has played in two of the last three conference championship games. They are a disciplined squad that knows what it takes to win a championship under immense pressure. The Broncos are prepared to look past the distractions that encompass the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl and leave San Francisco as Super Bowl 50 champions.

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