Scotty's Super Bowl Squad - The Carolina Panthers

Who will win the Super Bowl this year is the question and one saying always comes to mind, ‘Defense wins Championships’.  Although the offense always gets all of the hype, if for one game or one drive the defense can provide a stop, it could be the difference in winning and losing the game.  The NFC by far has the best defenses in the league and that is what leads me to my choice of the Carolina Panthers.  Although they are not a flashy team, they have a fantastic defense that forced over forty turnovers this year.  Consistently is the name of the game with the Panthers who only lost two games by over ten points.  With only three of the NFC playoff teams being pass heavy, a sixth ranked pass defense should be more than adequate to stop them.  Along with having the number two ranked run defense in the league, they seem to have all bases covered.

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Now their offense is not one of the best in the league, but with a very low ranked passing game with Cam Newton at the helm, and it does not have to be.  Running the ball and controlling the clock will be the difference in most of the playoff games this year and there should be no shame in that.  With Cam Newton’s versatility, DeAngelo Williams speed and Mike Tolbert’s short yardage expertise, the backfield of the Panthers could be very dangerous for any defense to face off against.  With a mediocre passing attack, it should not be overlooked as veterans Greg Olsen, Steve Smith and Ted Ginn will be the main targets on the corners, but not to forget about Domenik Hixon who has shown up late in the season. Nursing a hamstring all season, he may be ready to break out in the playoffs with another spectacular catch like the one he had on the Giants game winning drive a few years ago.

With the defense in place and an offense that could just end up exploding this post season, the Panthers are a very dangerous team and that is why I picked them for my Super Bowl team of 2014.  All of the main components of a championship team are there, although they have shown a little bit of a sign of it in the regular season, the playoffs is where the true champions come to play.

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