With Super Bowl 50 only days away, the 2015-16 NFL season is finally coming to a close. This year has been an interesting one, to say the least, considering the unfortunate amount of arrests, domestic violence cases, Tony Romo’s inescapable injuries, the ironic love affair between Johnny Football and drama in Cleveland, the firing of Tom Coughlin, and, of course, the infamous Tom Brady vs. Roger Goodell saga. Every one of these scenarios may still seem utterly ridiculous and unbelievable but it is finally time to leave them in the past, at least for now.
Thankfully all of that nonsense is old news and the new topic of conversation is predicting the Super Bowl winner. The hype around this year’s future Lombardi Trophy winner surrounds both Cam Newton and Peyton Manning, each the quarterback for their respective team. These two superstars have a lot on their shoulders and are expected to perform to their fullest potential. As we all know, as do the players, the Super Bowl is all or nothing and only one team will come out on top. We sports fans know it is nearly impossible to predict professional sports and it takes tremendous luck to end up being the winner in our fantasy leagues or correctly choosing the winner of a game before it even begins. Regardless of the outcome, and all of the bets we make with friends, a great game is expected on February 7th and although this may contradict the improbability of correctly predicting the winner of a sporting event, there is one team that stands out as the clear frontrunner and probable winner for obvious reasons.
The Carolina Panthers.
What makes the Panthers so special? Well, they have one weapon that the Broncos do not. A scoring machine that has an unnatural affection for the end zone. An indestructible force that has absolutely no off-button. An individual who promotes flawless team chemistry. Who, or what, is this man, being or machine?
Cam Newton. Cam Newton and once again, Cam Newton.
This young quarterback is the epitome of the Panther’s success. There have been no signs of slowing down and that is going to end up being a major obstacle for the Broncos to overcome. This game is going to not only come down to quarterback performance, but both offenses will be going against two of the best defenses in the entire league. With dynamic players on both sides of the field at all times, it will be interesting to see how Cam and Peyton perform with their own electrifying weapons like the Panthers' Greg Olsen, Ted Ginn Jr., Jonathan Stewart, and the Broncos' Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and C.J Anderson. Going up against guys like Von Miller and Demarcus Ware will be just as intimidating as facing Josh Norman and Luke Kuechly. These quarterbacks have done the impossible against the opposition before and there is no reason for why that flair should stop now, even if Peyton’s dance moves are not up to par with Cam’s.
Unfortunately, as we have all heard, this may be Peyton Manning’s “last rodeo.” As much as I would love to see Peyton get another ring before his likely retirement, I just do not see that happening. Cam Newton and his Panthers are just too good and show no willingness for defeat. It would not be the most ideal swan song for the future Hall-of-Famer but at least we will be able to see him coming out healthy at the end of his very long, rewarding, career. As fans, it will be unfortunate that this pending loss may be the last we ever see of Peyton Manning on the football field. On the bright side, the departure of this football god does not mean it is a time for mourning. The exit of one introduces another. Granted Cam Newton stays healthy and level-headed throughout a promising looking career, we may have quite the show in store for us in the future, but first, we have a Super Bowl to watch! Good luck to both teams and may the better of the two win, which will be the Carolina Panthers.
