After going 15-1 in the regular season, there were plenty of football fans who expected the Carolina Panthers to struggle during the postseason. So far, the Panthers have breezed through the playoffs and will now face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl for the NFL Championship.
Carolina are playing incredibly well on both sides of the ball, which stands them in good stead to win the Super Bowl for the first time. They reached the showpiece event back in 2003 but fell short as the New England Patriots scraped victory courtesy of an Adam Vinatieri field goal.
Had it not been for a stout Broncos defensive display, the Panthers would have faced New England again but Tom Brady and co struggled to perform against a fired up Denver side. The Broncos reached the Super Bowl two seasons ago but were humiliated by the Seattle Seahawks. This season though, Peyton Manning will be looking for a second Super Bowl ring before hanging up his cleats.
For those looking to back Carolina, they are currently priced below evens and will head into the contest as favorites for victory. However, plenty of bookmakers, such as Coral, will be offering enhanced odds and promotions for new customers in the build-up to the event. In recent times, they’ve offered free bets and boosts to punters and they are likely to follow their rivals and do the same for the Super Bowl too.
If Cam Newton plays well, it’s almost impossible to imagine Carolina losing to Denver. The Broncos are a very good side but Cam Newton has had an MVP season and is steamrolling opponents right now. In the last two weeks, Carolina have made Seattle and Arizona – two very good defenses – look extremely ordinary and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Panthers run riot again.
On defense, they have playmakers all over the field – both upfront and in the secondary. Although linebacker Thomas Davis may be out injured, they still have plenty of talent and the likes of Luke Kuechly, Josh Norman and Kurt Coleman are all performing at the top of their game. Peyton Manning is an exceptional star and has enjoyed a fantastic career but he may struggle to cope with the speed of this Panthers defense.
With just two weeks until the Super Bowl, both franchises will have already started their preparations and will fancy their chances of success. In the meantime, punters can keep up with the latest news, odds and information in order to help them decide who to back. In terms of bookmakers, you can grab a free bet from Coral and the possibility of enhanced odds may just appeal to those who are unsure of which team they think will win.
It won’t be straightforward but Carolina have the tools to beat the Broncos. In fact, Carolina have the tools to destroy the Broncos but the Super Bowl very rarely throws up one-sided results. The Seattle demolition of Denver two years ago was a one-off and the Broncos defense is much better nowadays. If Manning plays at his very, very best, Denver stand a chance. However, it’s hard to see the Panthers passing up this golden opportunity to make history – especially with Newton in the form of his life.