You could spend a day and a half of your time and 90% of your savings betting on the most random props for the Super Bowl. $50 bucks on what Stephen Curry will wear to the game? You can bet it. $1,000 on a safety being the first score of the game? You can get nice odds on that bet, and it would have won you some cash the last time Peyton Manning was in the Super Bowl. It goes on and on. Still, most of the money that Vegas takes in on the Super Bowl is on the game itself. Currently, the Carolina Panthers are favored by six points at most of the major sports books.
I don’t know a single person who is rich because they bet the Super Bowl correctly every year. Someone might exist, but I haven’t met him/her. ProPlayer Insiders doesn’t endorse gambling, but we love to have fun. Kicking around the PPI headquarters the last couple of days a few of us decided to put our picks on paper. Who is going to win this game? Why? What is the score going to be? Seven of PPI’s best answer these questions below. Tread carefully, and use this information at your own risk.
I would like to say that Super Bowl 50 will be all about defense, but how can I do that while Cam Newton and Peyton Manning are playing in the game? The Denver Broncos led the NFL in quarterback sacks (52) and the Carolina Panthers led the NFL in interceptions (24). These two stats become extremely fascinating when you factor in Cam Newton’s scrambling abilities, and Peyton Manning’s zero interceptions through two playoff games this year.
If the Carolina Panthers can create just one turnover, it’s over. But if the Broncos #1 rated defense can get to Cam Newton, Denver does have a fighting chance. Most of the world is picking the Panthers. As much as I would love to see the greatest quarterback of all time ride off into the sunset as a winner, I have to agree with the world here.
Panthers 27 Broncos 24
The Carolina Panthers versus the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. If you were to say these would be the final two teams standing when the training camp started, most individuals would laugh at you.
But here we are and it’s going to be a great game.
The Panthers are going to win for two reasons, Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly.
Newton led the dynamic Carolina Panthers offense, with a bunch of no-name wide receivers, compiling 35 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns in the regular season.
Newton has continued his surge so far in the playoffs with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, as well as an average quarterback rating of 113.4 in the playoffs. He has been unstoppable.
Kuechly has led the Panthers shut down defense, which has allowed only 39 points in the playoffs against the offenses of the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. The Panthers intercepted Russell Wilson twice and sacked him five times and then steamrolled Carson Palmer picking him off four times and sacking him three.
How will a 39-year old Peyton Manning be able to escape and overcome Newton, Kuechly and crew?
Panthers 34 Broncos 21
Both defenses will score a touchdown. Broncos via fumble recovery and Carolina with a pick-six. Peyton Manning will have a hard time finding open receivers and Broncos will have to rely on the running game, dump off passes and long field goals to reward their defense for the way they’ve confused the Panthers offense. However in the end, Cam Newton will put together a drive for the ages to tie the bow on an amazing season.
Panthers 23 Broncos 20
The NFC Champs are on a roll but the Panthers have yet to face a defense playing at a level like the Broncos. The Broncos defense finished first in the league in total defense allowing 25.5 points per game (that number drops to 22.2 is you factor in post season play) and a league low 199.6 passing yards per game. During the regular season Denver only allowed on average 83.6 rushing yards per game.
That’s pretty darn impressive. Peyton Manning’s skill set may have declined but he doesn’t have to carry this team as its defense has already been there and done that in the regular season.
The Panthers may not have seen a defense like Denver’s yet but it has yet to face an offense or a quarterback like Cameron Newton. During the regular season, Carolina led the league in scoring points per game with an average of 31.2. They were 11th in the league with an average of 366.9 total yards per game and Newton himself was tied at 2nd in the league in total touchdowns with 35. However, the stat that stands out the most is that he was second in the league, behind Arizona’s Carson Palmer (43%) who the Panther annihilated in the conference championship game, in first down percentage at 39.4.
Carolina might not have seen a defense like Denver’s but they haven’t seen anything like Newton. This is the matchup to watch and what will determine this game. How will the Broncos choose to defense Newton? That remains to be seen but the key to winning this game for them is stopping him.
Panthers 28 Broncos 21
Super Bowl 50 is a dream matchup. The Panthers have the number one offense and the Broncos have the number one defense. The last time we had a matchup like this, it didn’t go the way people had envisioned it.
In Super Bowl XLVIII, the No.1 ranked defense of the Seattle Seahawks destroyed the No.1 offense of the Denver Broncos 43-8. Super Bowl 50 should be a little different.
Carolina has pretty much had their way with every opponent they’ve faced with the exception of the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. While the Panthers have faced some good teams this season, the Broncos will be the best defense the team has seen this year.
Expect the Broncos to force Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to beat him from the pocket. While Newton can do that, he is less effective in the pocket.
Denver will be movivated to send Peyton Manning off on a story book ending. While the talk has been about his arm strength, Peyton has one more trick up his sleeve.
Broncos 28 Panthers 24
I am a huge New Orleans Saints fan. My team has played in one Super Bowl, XLIV. Outside of that glorious February day in 2010, I have had to find creative ways to figure out who to root for on Super Bowl Sunday. I have enjoyed rooting against the St. Louis Rams a few times. I got to root against the Atlanta Falcons that one time that John Elway crushed their dreams. I remember cheering for the Buffalo Bills all four times because I wanted my beloved city to be a championship one. I rooted for Peyton to beat the Chicago Bears, for the New England Patriots to go undefeated (The ’72 Dolphins are obnoxious), and several times I just rooted for the last football game of the season to be a good one.
This year is easy. I will be cheering against Cam Newton and the Panthers. It isn’t complicated, I hate Cam Newton and the Panthers because they beat my favorite team. It’s as simple as that. It isn’t about race, dancing, dabbing, or anything else. I never cheer for a rival and Sunday won’t be any different.
Sunday will be the sixth anniversary of Super Bowl XLIV. New Orleans is famous for voodoo and on the anniversary of the cities greatest day the Broncos are going to need some voodoo magic to beat the Panthers. I try to find their weakness. I try to find a way to give the Broncos the edge. I just can’t find it. The Panthers are a great team. Newton is a machine. I think if the Broncos and Panthers played 10 times the Panthers would win eight of them. I hope Sunday is one of the other times.
Peyton Manning has been a great ambassador to the NFL. He deserves the Hollywood ending that his boss John Elway got. His last rodeo should be a winning one. My head is telling me Panthers but my heart is beating Broncos. Sunday, Hollywood and voodoo will be the best tag team since the New Age Outlaws and pin the Panthers 1-2-3.
Broncos 19 Panthers 13
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