GOOD SPORT: Panthers are strong but don’t count Broncos out
With the super bowl only a few days away, the hype couldn’t be higher. The Broncos will be squaring off against the Panthers in Super Bowl 50 (It really should be an L in Roman numerals, but it was too confusing).
Is all this hype justified? In recent years the super bowl has been plagued with issues…The seating incident in Dallas during Super Bowl XLV..The power outage in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVII…The blowout featuring the Seahawks beating the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII…the left shark incident during the halftime show of Super Bowl XLIX…the Janet Jackson controversy of Super Bowl XXXVIII…
Each super bowl in the last few years has been interesting for reasons other than the actual game. I’m more hyped for the crazy thing that happens this year than the actual matchup. Enough about the past, let’s talk about now.
It’s the wise but aging Peyton Manning against the energetic, young Cam Newton–both former Heisman winners, one still making a name for himself, one on his way to retirement. I honestly couldn’t care less about the super bowl, and I find the commercials more entertaining than the actual game most years. I have a feeling that this year won’t be much different. It could be a great game, but I have a feeling it might be a blow out.
The Panthers are 17-1 on the season, with the one loss coming in December against the Falcons. How they managed to lose to the 8-8 Falcons is a mystery to me. The Broncos are 14-4, not as good as the Panthers but still a very respectable record.
The Panthers have all the momentum going in. They are coming off a huge NFC championship win over the Cardinals where they put up 49 points. The Broncos, on the other hand, are limping their way into San Francisco, barely beating the Patriots 17-16 in the AFC championship game. The Patriots, in my opinion, were the better team.
The Panthers have a very explosive offense, and the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL. With that sort of matchup you would expect a close game, but if the Panthers find a few holes in the Broncos’ defense, expect them to put up a ton of points.
Newton brings an energy to the field that almost makes it seem like beating him is impossible. Manning just doesn’t have that kind of energy anymore. I hope the game is close and interesting, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Panthers demolish the Broncos.
As I said earlier, I don’t really care for football, especially now that baseball is starting. So take my opinion lightly, I just look at the numbers. I do enjoy cheering for the underdog, and the Broncos don’t like being underrated. In the 2015 season the Broncos went 5-0-1 as the underdog. So although the odds and momentum say the Panthers should win easily, don’t count the Broncos out.
