If you want to drive yourself crazy, you should pore over the Denver Broncos’ and Carolina Panthers’ defensive statistics and try to decide which team has the better unit going into Super Bowl 50.
But we did it for you instead.
The thing is, you have to almost look past the statistics when it comes to comparing the Broncos’ D against the Panthers’ because they’re that close. You can have a look for yourself, if you don’t believe us.
Passing:
| Completion percentage | Yards per game | Touchdowns | Interceptions | First down percentage | Sacks | |
| Broncos | 60.0 | 199.6 | 19 | 14 | 28.3 | 52 |
| Panthers | 60.0 | 234.5 | 21 | 24 | 30.5 | 44 |
Rushing:
| Yards per game | Touchdowns | First down percentage | Forced fumbles | |
| Broncos | 83.6 | 10 | 19.9 | 4 |
| Panthers | 88.4 | 11 | 20.3 | 9 |
Based on those very basic numbers, you might put your money on the Broncos for their pass defense. Denver finished the regular season with the best passing defense in the NFL and the third-best rushing defense compared to Carolina’s 11th- and fourth-place units, respectively. But that would completely ignore what kind of a team the Panthers are.
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton can run, and for that reason, he doesn’t pass the ball as much as other teams do. Carolina had the sixth fewest passing attempts (501) in the league in 2015 but had the most rushing attempts (526). The Broncos’ pass defense likely won’t be tested as much because of the Panthers’ run-heavy offense.
But despite that, the Broncos still look sharper in this matchup. Because their pass defense is so good, Pro Bowl cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. should have no problem shutting down the likes of Carolina wideouts Ted Ginn, Jr., Devin Funchess and Philly Brown. Tight end Greg Olsen might cause some problems, but Denver has the manpower to handle them, even with free safety Darian Stewart playing on a sprained knee.
So, basically, Super Bowl 50 likely will come down to which team can stop the run better, and that’s where it gets tough.
Broncos running backs C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman are good, but they’re not Newton or Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart. However, they get a boost in the fact that Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis will be playing with a broken arm, if he even plays at all. That injury likely could be what sets these two units apart.
Denver also has the edge when it comes to turnovers. The Panthers have more interceptions, but the Broncos’ make theirs count. Carolina scored four touchdowns with 301 yards on 24 interceptions, but the Broncos needed just 14 to gain 321 yards and four touchdowns of their own. When Denver’s defense is able to take the ball away, it often becomes deadly. The Panthers also could have a hard time taking the ball from Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning while he has wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders and tight end Owen Daniels going up against a Carolina secondary whose one real star is cornerback Josh Norman.
Newton will have his work cut out for him when he has to face the Broncos come Sunday. Of course, there’s always a possibility that playoff Peyton Manning will show up and make Carolina’s defense look like the 1985 Chicago Bears. But either way, you can be assured that Manning’s elite defense will be there to bail him out, win or lose.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
