The Carolina Panthers are coming in Super Bowl 50 as the heavy favorites over the Denver Broncos, but that doesn't mean a victory is a sure thing next Sunday.
The Panthers have a high scoring offense and a great defense, but the Broncos have a great chance to win this game despite all the betting tilting towards Carolina. Peyton Manning is not the quarterback he once was, but he showed through the playoffs that he can do enough to get things done for Denver. The Broncos have the top rated defense in the league and the key to winning the Super Bowl will be to shut down the Carolina offense.
Cam Newton is on a tear this season and should end up winning the MVP, but the Broncos defense has some top notch players and could knock Newton out of his comfort zone. Von Miller has established himself as one of the best defensive players in the league, while DeMarcus Ware, Derek Wolfe and Aqib Talib have helped the unit be one of the most dominant in football.
If the defense can hold the Panthers to around 20-26 points, the Broncos could put themselves in position to win. Manning likely will not put up numbers like he used to a few years ago, but he has players like Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas and Owen Daniels that can help stretch the field and give the Broncos the chance to win.
The last time a team came into the Super Bowl as heavy favorites it was the Broncos over the Seattle Seahawks and that ended up as a dominating win for Seattle. While these teams are a bit different than that matchup, one should beware of the heavy favorite, even if it looks like the Panthers will dominate. If the Broncos do pull out the game, Peyton Manning could decide to hang up his cleats and leave the game as a champion, just like his boss John Elway did.
Prediction: Broncos win 30-24, Peyton Manning wins MVP and retires
