THE Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos are set to lock horns at Levi’s Stadium in California to determine who will loft the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl 50.
The Panthers blew the Cardinals away last week in a brutal display of football in the NFC Championship game. The 49-15 score line was reflective of just how dominant Carolina was in its first ever NFC Championship win.
The win ensured that the Panthers will visit the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
The Denver Broncos progressed through to the Super Bowl after recording a dramatic 20-18 win over the New England Patriots.
The Broncos were outsiders going into the match, but their brilliant defence starved Patriots quarterback Tom Brady of breathing room and were able to hold on for the tight victory.
There are many different permutations going into the big dance, including injuries and retirements all potentially in the equation.
Early Super Bowl 50 odds have the Carolina Panthers as raging favourites to win their first ever franchise title.
Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au
Peyton Manning’s Superbowl 50 likely to be his last game ever
Superbowl 50 could be the curtain call on one of the most decorated veterans in the NFL.
Reports suggesting Peyton Manning will retire after the match have surfaced after television microphones picked up a post-game conversation with the veteran quarterback and the New England head coach Bill Belichick.
Manning reportedly told Belichick after the Bronco’s dramatic 20-18 win in Colorado last week that this will be his ‘last rodeo’, further fuelling speculation that Manning’s Superbowl 50 appearance will be his last one in an NFL uniform.
Thomas Davis determined not to miss Superbowl 50
Thomas Davis has suffered significant injuries in the past, but the Carolina linebacker is refusing to rule himself out of Superbowl 50.
The man said to be ‘the heart and soul of the Panthers’ defence’ was unstoppable in the first half against Arizona, but left the field in the second quarter after hurting his arm in an awkward tackle.
Scans in the locker room later revealed that Davis had a broken arm.
“I knew something was wrong but didn’t really know what was going on,” Davis said.
But at the same time, it was, ‘Let’s find out what we got to do. If I’m able to play, let’s do it. If not, let everybody know so the next man up can get in here to play the game.’”
With the NFL Pro Bowl this weekend Davis will have an additional week to get himself prepared for the big game.
The man himself has no doubts as to his availability come Super Bowl Sunday.
“I’m not missing the Super Bowl. You better believe that.”
Panthers’ coach Ron Rivera set to call on his own big game experience
After losing just one game in the regular season on their way to Super Bowl 50 you could be forgiven for thinking the Panthers have done this all before.
However, this will be the first time many of the Panthers players have progressed through to this stage in the NFL season.
Luckily, they their head coach Ron Rivera knows a thing or two about Super Bowls.
Rivera won Super Bowl XX with the Bears as a linebacker, and as a coach he was part of the team that took Chicago through to Super Bowl XLI – which they lost coincidentally to Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis.
When firing up his troops to take the field on Super Bowl Sunday, Rivera will draw on experience from that fateful day in ’85 – the year hall of famer Mike Ditka lead his Bears to victory.
“One of the things that coach Ditka emphasized to us was that we had to enjoy the moment,” Rivera said.
“The moment doesn’t come very often. It’s hard, it’s hard to get to where we are right now. And so he wanted us to enjoy the moment.
Rivera expressed the need to keep normality in their schedules ahead of what will be the biggest day in the careers of many of the Panthers’ players.
“I think the biggest thing, too, is do what you’ve done, don’t change. Some of my experiences in coaching, you get to certain situations like the playoffs, sometimes there’s a little bit of — I won’t say panic, but a little self doubt. ‘Did I do enough? Should I do more? Should I change this?’
“I told our coordinators this morning: We’re going to do what we do, we’re going to stick to what got us to where we are today.
“We’ll emphasize that with the players in making sure that we keep our personality.”
