SuperBowl Fifty

The Panthers are 4 point favourite over the Broncos. I think there's value in that line, so will be making an early bet on it. Whose offering lines on the safety again this year?

To avoid conflicting with another site, more the game itself:

The Broncos have a good defence, and a QB who seems to be ready to give it one last shake of the dice. He wasn't hurried enough in the Pats game, and he was willing to move much more than expected. Payton sees the game better than any other QB, even if physically he's not as good as he once was. Whereas Cam Newton may never be as good as Peyton, physically he's in his prime, and with his supporting cast of RBs and physical wide receivers, their offence is looks like it's just got the sheer physicality to win any game. The Broncos defence is going to have to keep the Panthers of the field, and let Peyton run the game.

The Broncos defence has that ability, for sure. The Cards secondary couldn't, as they couldn't deal with someone like Cam running at them (nor the moves of players like Ted Ginn Jr, whose been a second-tier player for most of his career). It's a game of defence... the defence that allows the opposition to play it's game will lose. I can see Peyton already planning how to dink and dunk his team down the field in small chunks. And the Panthers planning to take big gains at a time to score fast, and try to get it into a track meet.

My best guesses. Probably terrible.

Against the spread I marginally like Carolina. I think the total of 45 is right on. Reasons in this post.

If forced to a specific prediction: Denver 17 -- Carolina 24

Quote: Wizard

If forced to a specific prediction: Denver 17 -- Carolina 24

But will the officials be encouraged to favor Denver?

Think of the headlines: "Manning retires after winning SUPER BOWL 50"

That's more exciting than "Panthers Win!"

Seriously, I think Manning will go all out. He's won a ring, and the only way he'll wind out of the HOF is if some hitherto unknown scandal centered on him breaks, or the world ends. But he could accomplish the following, in decreasing order of importance:

Tie his brother for NFL titles won.

Become the first starting QB to win Super Bowls for two different teams.

Win the 50th Super Bowl (which in Latin is designated "L")


The first and second he could do next year, if he's able to play (BIG EFFING IF). The last is a one-time opportunity, which granted matters only a little. I doubt many people now could say offhand which QBs won SBs X, XX, XXX and XL (well, X and XL are easy for me).