Yahoo Sports' picks for Broncos vs. Panthers in Super Bowl 50

The Carolina Panthers have a golden opportunity in Super Bowl 50.
Carolina has never won a Super Bowl before. They came close, in Super Bowl XXXVIII, but the New England Patriots broke their hearts with a field goal as time expired. The Panthers haven't been back.

The Panthers are finally back in the Super Bowl, they're 17-1 and they're heavily favored to win the first championship in franchise history. The Denver Broncos will have something to say about that. We've seen big Super Bowl upsets before, and the Broncos come in with the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL and a legendary quarterback in Peyton Manning who wants to win his second Super Bowl (and perhaps retire on the highest note possible).

 

Our panel of writers predicted what they think will happen in Super Bowl 50:

 

ERIC EDHOLM

Panthers 39, Broncos 18
MVP: Cam Newton

 

I'm aware that the Broncos don't typically let teams score this many points, but the Panthers find ways to score without needing the offensive yards to match. It's the offense, defense and special teams all working together that has been the formula all season. But one clear statistic in the Panthers favor heavily is the turnover differential: They're plus-28 in 18 games this season, and the Broncos are minus-2 even with some recent improvement. Another one: The Panthers' scoring differential (plus-233) dwarfs that of the Broncos (plus-68). The Panthers will harass Peyton Manning in his final game (yup), and Cam Newton will play a dynamic game. And why such an odd score, one that never has happened in a game before? Super Bowl scores often are weird like that.

ERIC ADELSON

Panthers 27, Broncos 17
MVP: Jonathan Stewart

The game hinges on whether Denver can keep Cam Newton in the pocket. I believe they will succeed ... and still lose.

 

CHARLES ROBINSON

Panthers 24, Broncos 20
MVP: Cam Newton

The Broncos need to do three things to win: Keep Peyton Manning from being touched, run the ball with some authority and make it through the game without a turnover. That's a tall order against this Carolina defense. On the flip side, Cam Newton has the ability to move and avoid the Denver rush, while making the Broncos pay for being overly aggressive. Newton and the Carolina defense win those battles, and win a close game.

BEN ROHRBACH

Panthers 27, Broncos 13
MVP: Cam Newton

 

Both teams feature great defenses. But the Panthers have Cam Newton, who can do just about anything. And the Broncos have Peyton Manning, who can no longer. That chasm's worth two touchdowns, partly because I'm pretty sure Superman has jurisdiction over the sheriff.

 

KEVIN KADUK

Panthers 21, Broncos 16
MVP: Cam Newton

History has shown us you can do worse than pick the Broncos to lose the Super Bowl. But even if their record in the big game was reversed, I'd still be picking the Panthers. Denver's defense is title-worthy but the same can be said for the Panthers' defense. Especially considering they're going against a Denver offense that has struggled to produce all year. While Peyton riding off into the sunset with a Lombardi Trophy would've made for a great story, seeing Cam Newton officially claim his place atop the NFL with an 18-1 team will also make for a great headline.

 

DAN WETZEL

Broncos 17, Panthers 14
MVP: Von Miller

I talked myself into it. Or I let Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib and the other guys talk me into it. They sound confident. Maybe I just want a good game and two weeks ago I thought it would be a Carolina blowout, the Cam Newton domination tour continuing, the first of his many Super Bowl triumphs. However, it's hard to score in the Super Bowl, Denver's D will get to Cam (multiple sacks) and they'll produce a touchdown somehow. So why the heck not? Plus, if Denver somehow wins they can't say NO ONE PICKED US (they'll say this anyway).

 

JAY BUSBEE

 

Panthers 21, Broncos 17
MVP: Cam Newton

 

You look at who has to play at their best versus who has to play to their expected level in this game, and you see that both sides of the ball for Denver have to play absolutely out of their minds: the defense to get turnovers and scores, the offense to be a basic functioning unit for four straight quarters. Contrast that with the Panthers, fully operational and dominant from any angle on the field, and there's no comparison. Carolina starts strong, holds the lead even against a late Denver run, and cruises to the franchise's first title. Yes, Carolina will win the Super Bowl and still get no respect because they make it look so easy.

 

SHALISE MANZA YOUNG

Panthers 34, Broncos 20
MVP: Cam Newton

 

The NFC was the stronger conference this year, and given how easily the Panthers dispatched the Cardinals — a team with an MVP-candidate quarterback, strong skill players and a top-five defense — they should fare well against the Broncos. Cam Newton has been a force this season, both on and off the field, and has seemingly gotten better with each week, having more and more fun in the process.

 

FRANK SCHWAB

Panthers 17, Broncos 16
MVP: Luke Kuechly

 

I’ve tried talking myself into the Broncos. Elite defenses often do quite well in the Super Bowl. But I just couldn’t do it. I think Denver’s defense keeps it close (and covers the 4.5-point spread on the Yahoo Pro Football Pick'em to give me an even .500 record for the season), I think they’ll give Cam Newton some problems, but in the end I don’t think the Broncos can score enough. I don’t think this will be a pretty Super Bowl but it will be close. Kuechly, and not Newton, will be the biggest difference maker, disrupting the Broncos’ running game and picking off Manning at least once.