Super Bowl 50 is set with the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos and those teams will face off on Sunday, February 7 from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Panthers come into the game as the heavy favorites over the Broncos based on the betting odds in Las Vegas after Carolina dominated the Cardinals in the NFC title game. The Broncos come in after winning over the Patriots in the AFC title game and this is the second chance for Peyton Manning to win a Super Bowl with Denver. The last time the Broncos were in the Super Bowl, the Seahawks dominated the team and won 43-8 and now Manning is hoping to put that way in the past with a championship win here in California.
The Broncos have their work cut out for them with the Panthers, as Carolina showed that they have a dominant offense and defense against the Cardinals. The Broncos have the best rated defense in the league, but the Panthers come in with the highest scoring offense and that matchup could be the one that decides the Super Bowl. Cam Newton has had an MVP season for the Panthers and he will be the main focal point for Carolina on the offensive side of the ball.
Newton accounted for 45 touchdowns during the regular season and led his team to a 14-0 record before the Panthers lost a game. Newton is the front-runner for the MVP award and he can cap off his fantastic season with a Super Bowl victory next week. The matchup has the top teams from each conference meeting up for the third straight season after the Seahawks and Patriots played the game last year.
According to ESPN.com, this is the first time that quarterbacks that were taken number one overall in the draft will face off against each other. Manning is coming in looking for his second Super Bowl title, while Newton is making his first appearance in the game. Newton and Manning have very different styles when it comes to playing quarterback and that adds some intrigue to the game. Newton is a physical freak and has the ability to run through pass rushers, while Manning is a classic dropbacks quarterback and at his age, he is not much of a scrambler.
Both teams have strong defensive units and players on each side should make an impact, with Von Miller and Luke Kuechly being the top names from each unit. Miller had a great game in the AFC title round with multiple sacks and an interception, while Kuechly comes in after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Cardinals.
The schedule for the Super Bowl has the game starting at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS and the broadcast will be handled by Phil Simms and Jim Nantz. Coldplay will headline the halftime show and appearances are expected from Beyoncé and Bruno Mars.