Super Bowl 50: Carolina Panthers’ strengths and weaknesses
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The spoils at Super Bowl 50 will go to the Panthers according to the Ladbrokes odds bods, who make Cam Newton and co 4/9 favourites on the money line.
Standing between the Carolina big cats and a maiden bagging of the Vince Lombardi trophy is the Denver Broncos, a franchise whose eight showpiece appearances cannot be bested.
They are one of four outfits to feature in eight Super Bowl battles, alongside the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With five defeats, however, the Broncos – 2/1 to win this weekend – hold the unwanted record for most losses in the game that decides who claims gridiron’s greatest accolade.
More misery is in store in Santa Clara if the game plays out as the bookies predict, but if they can exploit these Panthers strengths and weaknesses accordingly, an unanticipated victory isn’t out of the question.
In this article here we pinpointed where Denver are at their best and worst, now it’s Carolina’s turn to get under the microscope.
Strengths
Equipped with a cannon arm, infrared accuracy, lightning speed and Sally Gunnell’s hurdling ability, quarterback Newton is equally capable of running a TD as he is passing one.
In addition to their all-star QB, the Panthers have what is universally regarded as the finest linebacking unit in the business.
Carolina lifer Thomas Davis is the old head in the pack, but on-song Luke Kuechly outshone him, statistically, in the postseason.
With 19 tackles, only three positional peers have taken down more foes in the playoffs, though none can match his pair of interceptions, brace of TDs or solitary possession recovery.
Weaknesses
The biggest chink in the Panthers’ jet-black armour is at wide receiver.
Tight end Greg Olsen was their only squad member to surpass the 1000-receiving yard threshold across the regular season, despite the fact Carolina averaged an NFL-high 31.2 points per game.
In the playoffs, leading wide men Corey Brown and Ted Ginn made just five 1st downs between them (a figure Denver’s Emmanuel Sanders (nine) beat by himself).
Ginn was their only player to make the top-30 TD scorers over the regular season too.
Nullifying the Panthers’ running game will inevitably be where the Broncos win or lose the match.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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