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Super Bowl 50 analyst predictions: Panthers or Broncos in Santa Clara?

Will the Carolina Panthers win their first-ever Super Bowl? Or will Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos earn the franchise's third Lombardi Trophy? Who will steal the spotlight? Which moment will be talked about in years to come? Our analysts give their predictions of Super Bowl 50.

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> The 
Panthers' interior defensive line will dominate the line of scrimmage and get after 
Peyton Manning. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Luke Kuechly 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Kawann Short will collect two sacks and force a fumble ... in the first half. 

Carolina Panthers 24, Denver Broncos 20

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> The 
Panthers run out to an early start and cruise behind a ball-hawking defense that makes life miserable for 
Peyton Manning in his final game. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Luke Kuechly 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Jonathan Stewart rushes for 150 yards due to the special attention the 
Broncos pay to 
Cam Newton. The 
Panthers wear out the 
Broncos with a variety of zone-read plays that allow Stewart to crease the defense down the middle on the way to a spectacular performance. 

Carolina Panthers 24, Denver Broncos 17

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> Denver's inability to run the ball costs them the game. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> Carolina pass-catcher 
Ted Ginn Jr. steals the show with more big plays than the 
Broncos' wide receivers. 

Carolina Panthers 18, Denver Broncos 16

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> Carolina will move the ball early, but Denver's defense will force field goals instead of touchdowns, keeping 
Peyton Manning in the game. In the end, however, 
Cam Newton will engineer the game-winning drive. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> The 
Denver Broncos' defense will stymie the 
Panthers' rushing attack, holding 
Jonathan Stewart and the rest of the Carolina ground attack to their first sub-100 rushing game in 31 contests. 

Carolina Panthers 24, Denver Broncos 21

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> I'd like Peyton to win his second championship, but I think 
Cam Newton and Co. are too good right now. They are proving everybody wrong. Matchup-wise, Carolina's defense has the upper hand against the 
Broncos' offense, and Peyton hasn't been that hot. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Luke Kuechly 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> Denver kicker 
Brandon McManus is going to keep the 
Broncos in the game, making a number of clutch field goals. 

Carolina Panthers 28, Denver Broncos 24

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> I've gone back and forth all week about who will win this game. The 
Panthers are more of a complete team, and if they get into a shootout, the defense and Cam will be able to pull through and lead the 
Panthers to victory. My fear for Denver is if they get into a shootout, does Peyton have enough in the tank to win the game? I'm not sure he does. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Luke Kuechly 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Cam Newton rushes for 150 yards and throws for 350 yards. 

Carolina Panthers 23, Denver Broncos 16

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> In a game featuring two high-profile quarterbacks, the defense for both teams come to play. Carolina forces 
Peyton Manning into his first pick of the playoffs. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Luke Kuechly 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> Kuechly racks up 10 tackles and keeps his postseason interception streak alive. 

Denver Broncos 42, Carolina Panthers 28

<strong>Why the Broncos will win:</strong> The 
Broncos haven't turned the ball over lately, and that's key. Carolina takes a lot of chances and is going against a Denver defense that has a really good front seven and a secondary that can cover. As long as 
Peyton Manning doesn't turn the ball over, the 
Broncos will win. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
T.J. Ward 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> The 
Carolina Panthers don't rush for 100 yards, ending their 31-game streak of doing so. 

Carolina Panthers 30, Denver Broncos 21

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> The interior three of the 
Panthers' offensive line ( 
Ryan Kalil, 
Trai Turner and 
Andrew Norwell) and their defensive line may be underrated, but they carry the day for Carolina, despite an excellent effort from 
Broncos QB 
Peyton Manning. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> The field of Levi's Stadium, which 
has been an issue in the two-year-old venue's young life, will shock everyone by holding up well. Yes, this current field 
was recently installed just for this game, but the field has been re-installed, re-sodded, 
<em>re-everythinged</em> prior to this latest -- and likely most fevered -- incarnation. My prediction is that this one will hold up, and the field will be a non-factor despite the scrutiny given to it in pregame discussions. 

Carolina Panthers 34, Denver Broncos 13

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> The 
Panthers enter the conversation among the best teams of the 
Super Bowl era after 
<em>another</em> high-profile blowout of a league superpower. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> Newton has a hand in every 
Panthers touchdown passing and rushing. 

Denver Broncos 23, Carolina Panthers 20

<strong>Why the Broncos will win:</strong> The 
Broncos will win because of two reasons. The defense, particularly 
Chris Harris Jr., has been phenomenal. The 
Panthers' defense will stop the run, and it will all fall on the shaky yet incredible arm of 
Peyton Manning. He's going to get it done. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Von Miller 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> Manning will be literally carried off the field. 

Carolina Panthers 34, Denver Broncos 17

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> It's going to be a defensive battle. For me, it's a wash, defensively; the only game-changer you can't account for is 
Cam Newton. Because he's in the 
Super Bowl, he's going to be the champion and 
Super Bowl MVP. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> There will be three miscellaneous touchdowns by the 
Panthers. They will score two on defense and one on special teams. 

Carolina Panthers 30, Denver Broncos 17

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> Carolina's versatile running game will be too difficult to stop, even for the vaunted 
Broncos defense. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Kawann Short will record 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the game, exposing a weak 
Broncos offensive line. 

Carolina Panthers 20, Denver Broncos 14 (OT)

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> I think this game, as all games do, will come down to quarterbacks, and as great as 
Peyton Manning once was, the torch has been passed. 
Cam Newton simply makes big plays for Carolina, and I see him making the game-winning play in overtime, perhaps in the form of a big run. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Panthers left tackle 
Michael Oher will help keep 
DeMarcus Ware sackless. 

Carolina Panthers 26, Denver Broncos 20

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> Carolina will bottle the run enough to force the 
Broncos out of the run game, forcing punts and winning field position. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> The first score of the game comes on defense! 

Carolina Panthers 41, Denver Broncos 29

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> Carolina scores twice in the first eight minutes of the game and rolls from there. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Shaq Thompson 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> Denver will miss an extra point in the first quarter. 

Carolina Panthers 27, Denver Broncos 17

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> The 
Panthers' offense is so hard to defend because with 
Cam Newton and the run game, there are so many different facets that it's hard to simulate that for your defense. They are doing so many different things that it paralyzes the defense. Carolina is so physical and it reminds me of the 
Seahawks, who also beat Denver on this same stage two years ago. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Ted Ginn Jr. will have two touchdowns. 

Carolina Panthers 27, Denver Broncos 20

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> At the end of the day, the 
Panthers' run game is what's going to get them through. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Ted Ginn Jr. will have two touchdowns. 

Carolina Panthers 31, Denver Broncos 10

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> If anybody has watched the last two games for both teams, I don't know how anybody could pick the 
Broncos to win this game. If both teams play equally well, the 
Broncos will lose. There is always a chance they could win because of injuries, defensive scores and other factors, but I don't see that happening. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Cam Newton will throw for 300 yards and rush for 100. 

Carolina Panthers 27, Denver Broncos 14

<strong>Why the Panthers will win:</strong> The 
Panthers play with a physical mentality and are tough on both sides of the ball. There are a lot of underdogs on that team because people thought they didn't have a big name starting off, so they play with a chip on their shoulder. The camaraderie that team has and the way 
Cam Newton has led, it feels like they are destined to win it. 
<strong>MVP:</strong> 
Cam Newton 
<strong>Bold prediction:</strong> 
Ted Ginn Jr. will have a profound impact on this game because there is hardly any attention on him.