Re-Watching 50

[iknowftbll]

I don't care what happens tomorrow. It won't be as good as this one.

Observation: I just reached the would be 24 yard pass to Cotchery that was ruled incomplete. Panthers fans cited this play repeatedly as proof they didn't get the calls in that game. This one is pretty close. Had it been ruled a catch on the field and the Broncos challenged it likely would have stood that way as well.

 

[iknowftbll]

Second observation: Talib's taunting penalty in the 1st QTR was BS. There was back and forth and either player or neither player could have been called.

 

[iknowftbll]

Third observation: The Broncos beat a damn good team. 15-1 speaks for itself, true enough. But watching this game refreshed my memory just how good they were. They were just not quite good enough for a Broncos team that would not be denied.

 

[randymon]

Another key observation....Denver provided the blue print to beating Cam and Carolina....make him throw. Obviously that worked well last year vs Panthers. Don't ever see Carolina winning SB ( anytime soon ) unless Cam improves accuracy and " football " IQ. PS.....that 15-1 season was helped drastically by a crappy division and many of the other opponents finished below or just above .500 on season. Both teams had exceptional defenses for sure.

 

[iknowftbll]

Watching that game again really brought back some pleasant memories. I recall in the Divisional Round the analysts were about 50-50 split between the Steelers and Broncos. Then it was a serious of outrageous blowouts predicted for the AFCCG: Patriots 42, Broncos 10. Stuff like than. Then it was an 8-2 or 9-1 ratio picking the Panthers and some pretty outrageous blowout predictions there, too. Hell, my own wife after watching the NFCCG looked at me and said, "I'm glad the Broncos made it again, but...this Panthers team looks unstoppable."

There were a few calls that benefitted the Broncos. The afore mentioned incompletion could have gone either way. That one went our way. The Talib jump on the missed FG was a legit gripe. But other than those two, I don't think Panthers fans have much of a case. While the game didn't open up to a 14 point game until late, it could easily have been an ass kicking if the crew had called holding on half the plays the Panthers held!

Such a satisfying win.

Heres to the Broncos making it to their 9th for LII!

 

[Duffman]

Never doubted them for a second

 

[iknowftbll]

It must suck to be a Panthers fan. You have your shot one year and get beat pretty good in the Super Bowl only to see your rival reach it the next year and face off against a team that also beat you in the Super Bowl. Maybe that Pats-Panthers game was far enough back the sting is gone.

 

[cdumler7]

Honestly I have no problem saying that Panthers team was more talented than ours. We had an incredible game plan for the defensive side to really get in the head of Cam early and often. They had not been punched in the mouth like that all season. Kind of reminds me of the 2012 season where the final 11 games of the season nobody was within 7 points of us the entire time and I wonder if that hurt us when we actually had a team keep a game close.

And then of course for Super Bowl 50 turnovers were huge. Any time it seemed like the Panthers were getting a bit of momentum next thing you know boom turnover. Just sucked the life right out of them.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Never doubted them for a second

Sarcasm?

 

[WalkerBoh]

Honestly I have no problem saying that Panthers team was more talented than ours. We had an incredible game plan for the defensive side to really get in the head of Cam early and often. They had not been punched in the mouth like that all season. Kind of reminds me of the 2012 season where the final 11 games of the season nobody was within 7 points of us the entire time and I wonder if that hurt us when we actually had a team keep a game close.

And then of course for Super Bowl 50 turnovers were huge. Any time it seemed like the Panthers were getting a bit of momentum next thing you know boom turnover. Just sucked the life right out of them.

I'd say our defense was definitely more talented then theirs, and I'd put our WR's above theirs too. Only places I see them as more talented that year are at QB, RB, and possibly o-line. If Manning were in his prime like Newton was, it would have been an epic blowout.

 

[cdumler7]

I'd say our defense was definitely more talented then theirs, and I'd put our WR's above theirs too. Only places I see them as more talented that year are at QB, RB, and possibly o-line. If Manning were in his prime like Newton was, it would have been an epic blowout.

I would argue they had more talent at ILB with Kuechley and Thomas helping man the middle of that defense over Marshall and Trevathan. I like both groups but I would give it to the Panthers in that spot. I would also give them as you said QB, RB, OL, and then also TE with Olson being a huge weapon.

I'm not saying they were heads above us talent wise I'm just saying I do think overall they were a more talented team. That doesn't mean talent alone wins you a game though. As we saw our talent matched up well with theirs. I would also say though our early success really took the Panthers completely out of their game plan. They were used to just running over people early and often in games and then just coasting to victory. Starting down 10-0 very quickly in the game all of a sudden just switched everything mindset wise of what they had to do and they didn't know how to respond. Like I said they are used to being the team that punches teams in the mouth and the first time they get punched in the mouth early in a game they crumbled.

 

[iknowftbll]

Honestly I have no problem saying that Panthers team was more talented than ours. We had an incredible game plan for the defensive side to really get in the head of Cam early and often. They had not been punched in the mouth like that all season. Kind of reminds me of the 2012 season where the final 11 games of the season nobody was within 7 points of us the entire time and I wonder if that hurt us when we actually had a team keep a game close.

And then of course for Super Bowl 50 turnovers were huge. Any time it seemed like the Panthers were getting a bit of momentum next thing you know boom turnover. Just sucked the life right out of them.

This is something I've noticed about the teams the Broncos have played in the Super Bowl. The Broncos never get the "ho-hum" also rans. The Pats have gotten a few of those, even losing to two Giants teams that were not considered all that impressive going in. Their win over the Rams was impressive, but their wins over the Panthers and Eagles...hey a win is a win, but let's not pretend they faced the most stout competition in SB history there.

The Broncos can claim this though. In the 8 Super Bowls the Broncos have played in, they have not once faced a team whose regular season record was worse than theirs:

XII: Broncos 12-2, Cowboys 13-1
XXI: Broncos 11-5, Giants 14-2
XXII: Broncos 10-4-1, Redskins 11-4
XXIV: Broncos 11-5, 49ers 14-2
XXXII: Broncos 12-4, Packers 13-3
XXXIII: Broncos 14-2, Falcons 14-2
XLVIII: Broncos 13-3, Seahawks 13-3
50: Broncos 12-4, Panthers 15-1

The Broncos tend to draw the top team of the NFC, not just the team that got hot at the right time. This is what makes their wins so special to me. The Packers were heavily favored as were the Panthers. The Broncos were favored in XXXIII and did what they needed to do. XLVIII was bad coaching plain and simple. Missing Wolfe, Miller, and CHJ certainly didn't help but the defense was playing at a decent level the last couple weeks of regular season and in the playoffs. That year the planets were just aligned and everything went in Seattle's favor. The Broncos have not had that luxury in the Super Bowl, ever.

So while a 3-5 record is a bit dubious, given it places the Broncos out there alone with the most SB losses, look at the games themselves. Even the "least" impressive of the Broncos 3 wins is against a team that went 14-2! By comparison the Pats have beat the Rams (11-5 vs 14-2, so very impressive) the Panthers (14-2 vs 11-5), the Eagles (14-2 vs 13-3 in a year the NFC sent TWO 8-8 teams to the playoffs. 13-3 is 13-3, so there's that. Then there's the the more qualitative angle that considers how strong or weak the NFC was that season), and the Seahawks (12-4 vs 12-4, and with the Seahawks vying for a repeat this is a very impressive win). And let's not forget those two Pats losses to the Giants (16-0 vs 10-6 and 13-3 vs 9-7). Those weren't epic collapses by the Patriots. The planets didn't align for the Giants. Those were two dogfights.

Yes, just comparing regular season records is a simplistic analysis. But W-L is really the single most important stat of the season, is it not? I agree with CD: from top to bottom that Panthers team last year was the more talented team. That's part of why so few people were picking the Broncos. That's also part of why that dominant win was so satisfying.

 

[randymon]

Carolina's soft schedule and division helped that OFFENSE a ton. Their Defense was extremely legit.

 

[Malibu]

Another key observation....Denver provided the blue print to beating Cam and Carolina....make him throw. Obviously that worked well last year vs Panthers. Don't ever see Carolina winning SB ( anytime soon ) unless Cam improves accuracy and " football " IQ. PS.....that 15-1 season was helped drastically by a crappy division and many of the other opponents finished below or just above .500 on season. Both teams had exceptional defenses for sure.

Ive said Cam was an average QB throwing the ball at best when I saw him in college. Nothing has changed and he won the MVP due to his running stats and TD's running the ball. He never was accurate in the pocket and still can't read a defense. Peace.

 

[Mondo Jay]

I am also re-watching 50.