New Blood vs Old Grit, Cam Newton vs Peyton Manning. That’s what this Super Bowl 50 will be: A drawn out battle between the two best teams in the NFL this year.
Ready to bet on NFL Football? Skybook offers the best football betting odds and live football betting lines. Register now to get huge bonuses on your deposit and win big betting on the NFL. Don't forget to come back to read our NFL matchups and Teams information to stay updated during the season.
Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos
- Time: Sunday, February 07, 2016 6:30 PM ET
- Place: Levi's Stadium
Betting on the Broncos
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: It’s not Manning’s show anymore. Not this year, not in this Super Bowl.
Manning wasn’t the deciding player in the defeat of the New England Patriots last Sunday, and, although he did show everyone watching that he is every ounce the grizzled veteran, he might be a weak link in Denver’s offense. He’ll do his part to be sure, but he’ll also be pressured into making mistakes which could be disastrous. Even if Manning did complete 17 or his 32 passes for 176 yards and two scores against the Patriots, and you should expect him to throw at least one passing touchdown against Carolina, it’s going to take more to topple the Panthers.
That job is going to likely fall on Denver’s defense. And, it’s going to take everything they’ve got. Regardless of whether they’re the top-ranked defense in the league, when facing Carolina’s offense, powered by Cam Newton, you’re trying to hold an umbrella against a hurricane.
That’s not to say they won’t earn their salt. The Broncos D did stop Brady and the Patriots, and who’s to say they won’t be able to meddle with Newton’s plans, but it’s going to be hard. The one thing that’s positive in this regards, is that they can count on most of the pressure to win being on Carolina. And, head coach Gary Kubiak is accustomed at being the underdogs; in fact, this could be to their advantage if you consider they’re 5-1 SU and 5-0-1 ATS over the last six games as underdogs. When player’s minds are focused on the basics and not up in the sky savoring victory, anything can happen. And so, Denver might win the game.
Betting on the Panthers
Carolina’s offense is impressive. Bar none, Cam Newton is the best quarterback out there. Even Denver corner Aqib Talib recognized that Newton is “probably the most dangerous [quarterback] in the NFL right now.
Having scored 500 points during the regular season and 80 more in their games against the Seahawks and the Cardinals, whom they pummeled in the NFC Championship game 49-15, the offense takes front and center and are licking their chops over crowning themselves as the Super Bowl 50 Champions.
And, they have the man to lead them to victory: Cam Newton. Newton is deadly in the air and through the ground, against the Cardinals he threw 335 yards and two touchdowns, including two rushing touchdowns. He’s clearly the X-factor in this game; the likely NFL MVP took passing game to another level this year, and he can confidently stay in the pocket regardless of the Broncos pressure. His ability to pull off big plays on the ground will be a new threat the Denver defense will have to watch out for.
But, the offense shouldn’t steal all the limelight. Nor does it. Because Carolina’s defense is right up there, though shadowed by all the attention that’s given to Newton and the offense. Disruptive players like Luke Kuechly can wreak havoc on opposing offenses and they’re more than likely going to have a big play which could sway the tide even further in favor of the Panthers. It’s also no secret that Manning is vulnerable right now and they’ll poke enough holes in the Broncos offensive line to push Manning to make mistakes, many of which could be critical.
Betting Trends
Heading into this game, the Panthers have covered three straight. They are also 19-1 SU in their last 20 games as favorites and have gone 8-1 ATS when they’ve been 4.5 points favorites. This should give Panthers bettors enough clues to where they should put their money on.
Meanwhile, the Broncos may have grown accustomed to playing the underdogs. They’ve gone 9-2 SU in their last 11 games after winning as a dog, which is something to consider for Broncos betting fans. But, perhaps the most important trend to keep in mind is that historically the favorite team has lost four straight Super Bowls both SU and ATS, covering only in three of the last 15. Can Carolina buck this trend?
Super Bowl Betting Line:
As Sunday’s NFC Championship game entered the third quarter, the early lines for Super Bowl 50 were posted with the Panthers being favored by 5.5 points and the total at 44.5.
This moved most of the early money and with the Panthers going on a scoring spree, the total moved to 45 and the line to 4.5 or 4 at most sportsbooks. Considering how the Panthers are playing, there’s still value at -4; Over / Under 45.
Free Pick: The Broncos have a better defense, that’s clear. But, can the defense win the Super Bowl? Some believe they can; but it’s unlikely given that its the Panthers who have the superior team: Offense and defense in general. Cam Newton will fire away and it’ll be his moment to shine. Come the final whistle and Newton will hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy and the MVP award.
Super Bowl Prop Bets:
You might already know that no other game has as many prop bets as the Super Bowl. And Super Bowl 50 won’t disappoint. Want to bet on the coin toss? Whether or not Kuechly will score the first touchdown? You can and all of these bets and more are waiting for you as soon as you log on to your account.
