CAROLINA PANTHERS
|
GENERAL
|
DENVER BRONCOS
|
Ron Rivera (5/5)
|
Head Coach (Yrs Exp/Yrs w/
Tm)
|
Gary Kubiak (9/1)
|
NFC
|
Conference
|
AFC
|
South
|
Division
|
West
|
15-1
|
Record
|
12-4
|
1
|
Conference Rank
|
1
|
1995 (21)
|
First Season (Season #)
|
1960 (56)
|
2
|
# Super Bowl Appearance
|
8
|
0
|
Championships Won
|
2
|
N/A
|
Last Super Bowl Win
(Season)
|
XXXIII (1998)
|
XXXVIII (2003)
|
Last Super Bowl Appearance
(Season)
|
XLVIII (2013)
|
The Broncos are now in a four-way tie for most appearances in the Super Bowl with eight (joining the Cowboys, Steelers and Patriots in the process). Coincidentally, the Broncos will once again be facing a team making the Super Bowl for the second time without a win to show for it. Also coincidentally, like the 2013 Seahawks before them, the 2015 Panthers are significantly better than their last Super Bowl team.
The Panthers are the fourth team to ever make the Super Bowl after winning at least 15 games in the regular season. 15+ win teams are 2-1 in the Super Bowl, the one loss being the Patriots' failed bid for 19-0 in Super Bowl XLII.
This is the first time each coach has made the Super Bowl, which is the first time that's happened since the Harbaugh Bros each made it to Super Bowl XLVII. Gary Kubiak backed up John Elway in the Broncos' three Super Bowl losses in the 80s, while he won two-straight championships as the Broncos' offensive coordinator in the late 90s. All told, Kubiak has been involved with every Broncos Super Bowl appearance in some form or fashion except for two.
Ron Rivera also has experience in the Super Bowl. He was a linebacker on the 1985 Chicago Bears and was also defensive coordinator of the 2006 Bears which lost Super Bowl XLI. Fittingly, 30 years after the '85 Bears, a Bears alum is coaching a 15-1 NFC team in the Super Bowl.
Finally, this is the third-straight year the two top-ranked teams in both conferences are facing off in the Super Bowl. That hasn't happened since the NFL formally adopted proper playoff seeding in 1975.
Now with all that out of the way, let's take a gander at both teams' respective offenses.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
|
OFFENSE PER GAME
|
DENVER BRONCOS
|
366.94 (11)
|
Total Offense (Rk)
|
355.50 (16)
|
224.31 (24)
|
Passing Yards For (Rk)
|
248.13 (14)
|
142.63 (2)
|
Rushing Yards For (Rk)
|
107.38 (17)
|
2.19 (T3)
|
Passing Touchdowns For
(Rk)
|
1.19 (28)
|
1.19 (T1)
|
Rushing Touchdowns For
(Rk)
|
0.81 (T12)
|
31.25 (1)
|
Points Scored (Rk)
|
22.19 (19)
|
1.19 (T8)
|
Turnovers Allowed (Rk)
|
1.94 (T29)
|
2.06 (T11)
|
Sacks Allowed (Rk)
|
2.44 (20)
|
22.31 (4)
|
First Downs Gained (Rk)
|
19.63 (19)
|
Yeah, these aren't the 2013 Broncos. They float at around average in pretty much every category. Though I am surprised that they're ranked as high as they are in passing yards, considering Peyton Manning's poor play in the regular season.
The Panthers, meanwhile, can score like mother bears and in a variety of ways. This is the most potent scoring offense in team history, and they also take good care of the ball while protecting Cam Newton at a decent rate.
The Broncos turn the ball over nearly twice a game, so, as always, the turnover battle will likely be key to either team's success.
Onto defense.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
|
DEFENSE PER GAME
|
DENVER BRONCOS
|
322.94 (6)
|
Total Defense (Rk)
|
283.13 (1)
|
234.50 (11)
|
Passing Yards Allowed (Rk)
|
199.56 (1)
|
88.44 (4)
|
Rushing Yards Allowed (Rk)
|
83.56 (3)
|
1.31 (T7)
|
Passing Touchdowns Allowed
(Rk)
|
1.19 (T3)
|
0.69 (T17)
|
Rushing Touchdowns Allowed
(Rk)
|
0.63 (T10)
|
19.25 (6)
|
Points Allowed (Rk)
|
18.50 (4)
|
2.44 (1)
|
Turnovers Caused (Rk)
|
1.69 (T8)
|
2.75 (6)
|
Sacks (Rk)
|
3.25 (1)
|
18.63 (6)
|
First Downs Allowed (Rk)
|
18.06 (5)
|
These are two great, evenly-matched defenses. The Broncos have the edge over the Panthers in every category except turnovers (intrigue piqued). The Panthers allow about 35 more passing yards on average than the Broncos, but, given how Manning has looked this year, that probably won't be much of an issue (watch, now Peyton Manning will throw for 400 yards).
I'm really curious to see how Cam Newton holds up against the Broncos defense. He hasn't faced a defense this great all season and the Broncos are the best pass-rushing team in the NFL. Something has to give.
Finally, let's look at special teams.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
|
SPECIAL TEAMS/GAME
|
DENVER BRONCOS
|
2.25 (T7)
|
Field Goals Attempted (Rk)
|
2.19 (9)
|
1.88 (T6)
|
Field Goals Made (Rk)
|
1.88 (T6)
|
83.3 (T19)
|
Field Goal Percentage (Rk)
|
85.7 (T14)
|
4.38 (T10)
|
Punt Attempts (Rk)
|
5.31 (T25)
|
1.63 (T2)
|
Field Goal Attempts
Against (Rk)
|
2.00 (21)
|
1.25 (T2)
|
Field Goals Allowed (Rk)
|
1.56 (T13)
|
76.9 (T3)
|
Opp. Field Goal Percentage
(Rk)
|
78.1 (6)
|
4.88 (T13)
|
Punts Against (Rk)
|
5.75 (2)
|
17.63 (19)
|
Punt Return Yards For (Rk)
|
17.69 (18)
|
25.44 (32)
|
Kick Return Yards For (Rk)
|
36.75 (26)
|
18.00 (18)
|
Punt Return Yards Allowed
(Rk)
|
15.44 (13)
|
56.56 (20)
|
Kick Return Yards Allowed
(Rk)
|
31.75 (T3)
|
Nothing really leaps out except for the Broncos forcing teams to punt nearly six times a game (duh, their defense is good). The key here may be the Broncos' great kick return coverage, which was one of the best units in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Panthers had the worst kick return unit in the league this season.
The field goal defensive unit is an interesting thing to look at for the Panthers, but that often adds up to luck as much as it does to actual skill at preventing field goals. Still, given the ways both teams are set up on defense, a made field goal could mean the game.
***
And now, the prediction. While I have no idea how Cam Newton will play, I'm still more confident he'll play better than Peyton Manning. Manning's biggest trump card is that this is likely his final game, and the Broncos will be playing extra hard for him (and for DeMarcus Ware, who's playing in his first Super Bowl after a long career).
That emotional wild card could make things interesting, and I expect the game will be close. But I'll say the Carolina Panthers will beat the Denver Broncos by about a field goal.
All stats and info found on pro-football-reference.com.
