Super Bowl 50 Spotlight: The NFC Champion Carolina Panthers

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

When it comes to the 2015 season for the Carolina Panthers, it's been about one thing, gaining respect. This is a squad that has not been taken seriously around the NFL, a trend that has continued this year regardless of their success. But whether or not you're a Panthers fan, credit is due where credit is due. Their 15-1 record was the best in the league as they blew out opponents and dominated the NFC this year and here is what we can expect from the Carolina Panthers tomorrow when they take the field for Super Bowl 50.

STRENGTHS
Let's call it like it is, the Carolina Panthers are a powerhouse team on all sides of the ball. They have a stifling defense that loves to create turnovers on a regular basis courtesy of their strong pass rush and stout secondary and once the defense has done its damage, the offense goes to work to finish the job. Their power running attack wears down opposing defenses with little effort and that is only enhanced by the strong play of their quarterback Cam Newton. He may not be the most accurate passer in the league, but he will make big plays with his big arm down the field, or surprise you on the ground with his legs. Expect to see plenty of this three pronged attack on offense to try and confuse the Denver D and expect the Carolina defense to attack Peyton Manning all day long.

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WEAKNESSES
Despite how strong this team is when they take the field, there are flaws that Denver can exploit. For starters, they have yet to face a solid defense thanks to their soft schedule and the Denver D is the best in the league. Why does that matter? Because the one team that beat them this season put forth a blueprint that no one else chose to follow. Disrupt the Carolina offense and attack Cam directly...and suddenly they're a totally different team on the field. If Denver can get into Cam's head and stop the run, this powerhouse offense will be left scrambling for answers. 

KEYS TO SUPER BOWL 50
If Carolina wants to hoist the Lombardi trophy, there's one key thing they have to do...they have to shut down the Denver Broncos defense and that's easier said than done. This is a resilient and battle tested team they are going against, which means the Panthers have to do two key things. First, they can't score at will like they are used to doing. They need long and sustained drives to wear down the Broncos and at the same time, they have to completely neutralize Denver's run game and disrupt Peyton Manning and his receiving corps. If they can do those two things, Denver's defense will be vulnerable and the Panthers can claim their first Super Bowl Championship.

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