Cody and Bryn Swartz preview the upcoming Super Bowl 50 matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, and give their take on Cam, Peyton, the defenses, and what will likely happen.
Whose legacy will be affected more by this game, Cam Newton’s or Peyton Manning’s?
Cody: Quarterbacks are judged by their rings, so this is probably a bigger legacy game for Peyton Manning than Cam Newton. Even the biggest Tom Brady supporters have to admit that Manning is at least a top-5 quarterback of all-time, and winning a Super Bowl here – and then walking out on top – would be a storybook ending for The Sheriff. Realistically, this game shouldn’t affect Manning’s legacy. He’s thrown more touchdown passes than any other quarterback ever, won five league MVPs, and literally changed the way the position was played pre-snap. Ironically, he’s been a season-long liability for the AFC Champion Denver Broncos, which is what happens when players are pushing 40 years old and have had four neck surgeries. How Manning fares in this game should have no bearing on his lifetime legacy. I believe he’s the greatest player in league history, but if he ‘only’ has one ring, it will be difficult for others to put him ahead of guys like Brady and Joe Montana.
Bryn: Definitely Peyton Manning. He’s considered to be a top-three quarterback in history by almost everybody, and number one by some. But the big black mark on his resume is obviously his one Super Bowl ring. I’m more of a fan of judging a player by his body of work demonstrated throughout his entire career, but we live in a society where the number of rings on a quarterback’s finger is the first thing evaluators will use. As for Cam Newton, there’s no shame in an MVP performance in the regular season that ends in a Super Bowl loss, especially at the young age of 26. He’ll have many more opportunities to win a championship. Peyton will not.
Is Cam Newton the best player in the world?
Cody: Right now, you could make a strong case that Cam Newton is the NFL’s best player. He’s soon to be the league MVP and his team is favored to win the Super Bowl. Cam is already at 50 total touchdowns in a 2015 season that saw him mature into that bonafide franchise quarterback the Carolina Panthers knew he could be. He’s a one-man wrecking crew and should be even better when Kelvin Benjamin returns in 2016. Realistically, I still think I’d give the slightest edge to Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, with Russell Wilson right in the mix, while non-QBs like J.J. Watt, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and Rob Gronkowski are all top-5 worthy players.
Bryn: He’s playing at a level I never expected him to reach. He was the best quarterback in the NFL during the regular season. He’ll win the league’s MVP award and he has probably the highest shot of any player to win Super Bowl MVP. But he’s not the best player. If every position was treated equally, I actually don’t even think he’d be the best player on his own team, with Luke Kuechly earning that distinction. A select few like Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald are just slightly better. And to be fair, even though Cam was the best QB in the NFL for THIS season, I’d rank him below Brady, Rodgers and Wilson if I needed to win one game tomorrow.
Where does Peyton Manning rank among the best QBs of all-time?
Cody: In my opinion, Peyton Manning is not only the best QB ever; he’s the best player in league history. Obviously, I’m not old enough to have seen many of the all-time greats – Sammy Baugh, Johnny Unitas, even Joe Montana and Jerry Rice – but looking at the numbers and the awards he’s won, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Manning is the best ever. I would put Manning first, Tom Brady second, and then probably Montana, Unitas, and Dan Marino to round out the top five.
Bryn: I have Peyton Manning second, just behind Tom Brady. I think it’s close. Incredibly close. You want to argue Manning, fine. But I’ll go with Brady for the simple fact that I think he has a higher floor than Manning. As terrific as Manning is, he can have performances like the 2004 AFC divisional round against New England or the 2013 Super Bowl against Seattle where he’s completely shut down on every level. That doesn’t happen to Brady, who beat the same Seahawks team with some dramatic fourth quarter touchdowns in the next year’s Super Bowl. Brady plays for a head coach who specifically designs his team to basically hinder his quarterback in every way possible, on the ground, through the air and on the offensive line. Yet Brady still produces, game after game, year after year. Manning, on the other hand, has always played for teams willing to do whatever it takes for him to succeed. He might as well be the general manager in addition to serving as the quarterback. And finally, I think Brady lasts for several more elite seasons, giving him 18, 19, maybe even 20 for his career. Manning, in his 18th season, is completely finished. Manning holds the major passing records now, but it may not be that way in a few seasons.
Who is more important to their team, Greg Olsen or Demaryius Thomas?
Cody: Because of Carolina’s shortage of quality receivers, Greg Olsen gets the nod over Demaryius Thomas. Olsen quietly put together an 1,100-yard season, and he may be the NFL’s best tight end outside of Gronk. He’s been Cam’s go-to security blanket, and Denver will need to shut him down to win this game.
Bryn: Definitely Greg Olsen. If I’m starting a team, I’ll take Demaryius Thomas, but Olsen is literally the only receiving weapon for Cam Newton. Take him away and I’m not sure even Cam Newton could continue to succeed at a high level. As terrific as Thomas has been throughout his entire career, he had a down year on every level. Take him away from the game and it would affect the gambling spread a lot less than if Olsen was removed from Carolina.
Which team has the better front seven on defense?
Cody: These are two legitimate All-Pro front sevens, and both offensive lines will have to bring their A game. They run different defenses – Denver has a 3-4 and Carolina has a 4-3, and the Panthers are also dealing with Thomas Davis’ injury, as the veteran is attempting to play through a broken arm. Because of Davis’ limitations, I’ll give the edge to the Broncos. DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller are as fine a pass-rushing combination as there is, but if that’s not enough, they’re flanked up front by a devastating duo of Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe. Brandon Marshall is a terrific inside linebacker, Shaq Barrett is an emerging pass-rusher, and Danny Trevathan is a force as well. There’s not a weak spot on this Denver front seven, and Cam Newton will likely be flushed from the pocket on the majority of dropbacks.
Bryn: Both units are terrific, and among the best in the game, but Denver’s front-seven is better than Carolina’s. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware are unstoppable off the edge, and players like Mailk Jackson and Derek Wolfe have emerged as legitimate forces. The Panthers have Luke Kuechly, easily the best linebacker in the NFL, but veteran Thomas Davis will be seriously limited by a broken forearm. The Panthers are lack an elite pass-rusher, although it’s in a state of irony that they won 15 regular season games and reached the Super Bowl the year after they released Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy.
Give me one matchup you’re most excited for.
Cody: I love offensive lines, and there’s a pretty solid trenches matchup here in Evan Mathis vs. Kawann Short. Mathis, a four-year Philadelphia Eagle and All-Pro, was a standout performer in his first year in Denver after being unceremoniously released by Chip Kelly last offseason. Mathis won’t have it easy with Short, a 2015 breakout player who registered 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries as a 4-3 defensive tackle. That’s ridiculous production, and with the immobile Peyton Manning under center for Denver, it places more pressure on Mathis to protect his quarterback.
Bryn: I cannot wait to see Von Miller chase down Cam Newton. It’s not even a question of whether Miller will get the best of Panthers offensive tackles Michael Oher and Mike Remmers. He will. The big question is whether Miller can stop Newton, who will be spending a significant portion of the game on the run, whether intentionally or unintentionally. In the AFC championship game, Miller turned in one of the best games of his career, recording 2.5 sacks and an interception, and constantly harrassing Tom Brady all game. If he can do the same to Newton on the game’s biggest stage, it’ll go a long way towards Denver pulling off the upset victory.
Who’s the best defensive player in this game?
Cody: You could pick from a handful of players – Von Miller, Josh Norman, Luke Kuechly, Kawann Short, DeMarcus Ware, Chris Harris, Jr. (when healthy), but I think it comes down to either Miller or Kuechly. You can’t go wrong with either one. Each broke into the league in a big way, winning AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Kuechly followed it up with a Defensive Player of the Year award. Miller hasn’t won that award, but he’s still amassed 60 sacks, 17 forced fumbles, and four Pro Bowl selections in five seasons. He’s been a force this postseason, picking up 2.5 sacks and an interception in two games. Kuechly has been no slouch either; remarkably, he’s taken back an interception for a touchdown in each of Carolina’s two playoff games. I’ll give Kuechly the slightest edge over Miller, but after J.J. Watt, these are the two best defensive players in the game.
Bryn: It’s Luke Kuechly just edging out Von Miller. Apologies go to cornerbacks Josh Norman and Chris Harris, arguably the two best in the game this season. The reason Kuechly gets the edge over Miller is because he brings so much to the table that isn’t common in a linebacker. His coverage ability is second to none. He can chase down ballcarriers or receivers sideline to sideline. He’s returned an interception for a touchdown in consecutive games. He finds a way to make an impact play almost every game. Miller, arguably the second-best pure pass-rusher in the NFL behind JJ Watt, isn’t quite as well-rounded or versatile as Kuechly.
Predict an unsung hero.
Cody: Ted Ginn, Jr. will play a big factor in this year’s Super Bowl. He’s been a disappointment at wide receiver for the bulk of his career – considering Miami spent a top-10 pick on him awhile ago – but he and Cam Newton have a special connection. In two seasons with the Carolina Panthers (Ginn played with Carolina back in 2013), Ginn has caught 15 total touchdown passes. In his other seven NFL seasons, he’s combined for six touchdown receptions. Ginn can score in many different ways. Last week, he took a handoff 22 yards for a touchdown, and he has seven return scores in his career. Watch Ginn catch a touchdown from Newton and become the first player in Super Bowl history (surprised it’s never happened?) to take a punt back for a score.
Bryn: I’ve got to go with Kurt Coleman. He’s the best player on either team that nobody talks about. After watching the first five seasons of his career in Philadelphia, it’s mind-boggling what has happened to him in Carolina. He’s turned into one of the best playmakers in the NFL, recording seven interceptions during the regular season and two more in the conference championship game victory. You can intercept three or four passes with some luck involved. You can’t luck into nine interceptions in 18 games. I think Coleman picks off Manning in this game, giving him double-digit picks for the year.
Predict the game flow and outcome.
Cody: I think the Carolina Panthers are going to control the flow of this game early and they’ll cruise to an easy victory. It’s a QB league, and it’s difficult for me to think that a Denver team – with arguably the league’s worst QB for most of 2015 – can make plays against this caliber of a Carolina defense. Meanwhile, the Panthers, led by Cam Newton, are matchup-proof. It doesn’t seem to matter who they play. They beat up on the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. They absolutely embarrassed the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game. Those were two popular Super Bowl champion picks. I think Cam rushes in an early touchdown, throws for another, Ted Ginn takes one to the house, the Panthers add a defensive score, and when it’s all done, Carolina wins this by about a 40-21 score. It won’t be a storybook ending for Peyton Manning, but he’s had arguably the greatest career of any player in NFL history. This shouldn’t affect his legacy.
Bryn: It’s hard to see Carolina losing this game. They’re clearly the better team. They scored 500 points, the most in the NFL. Their point differential, +192, is the best in the NFL. Their defense doesn’t receive as much hype as Denver’s, but it’s almost as good. When Cam is making plays with his arms and legs and this defense is forcing turnovers, they’re completely unbeatable. Their trend this season has been huge early leads. If they go up by 10 or 14 early, it’s over. There’s no way Peyton Manning, at this stage of his career, leads a comeback. I don’t think they take a big lead though. I hear a lot of “43-8” talk and I think this Broncos defense is too good to allow that to happen. I think this will be a lower-scoring game than people think, with Carolina winning somewhere along the lines of 20-13 or 23-16, and Peyton Manning throwing an interception with about five minutes left to realistically end any threat of Denver pulling out a victory. For the first time in their 21-year franchise history, the Carolina Panthers will be Super Bowl champions.
