Super Bowl Betting; a Battle between Defenses

27

Jan 2016

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Super Bowl Betting; a Battle between Defenses

This year’s Super Bowl will be worth betting on, as the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos will be facing each other for the first time at the illustrious game. We have watched all season how both of these teams have relied on their amazing defenses to help them win games, and they will do so again in two weeks. The Broncos defense is number one in the league, with the Panthers defense set at number six, but the way they play is what will make the difference.

Broncos Unstoppable Pass Rush

Many didn’t think that they could beat the Patriots during the AFC Championship Game, yet it was done by pressuring Tom Brady, constantly. They sacked the quarterback four times, as well as hurried him to throw badly in many other situations. The one difference between the Patriots and Panther offense is that instead of having a five-man protection, the Panthers use a seven-man protection; as they are a run-oriented team. This could help mitigate any blitzes that the Broncos may do, but then again, they don’t need to blitz often.

The reason they don’t have to blitz often is thanks to these four players, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe. These are the ones responsible for all of the pressure upfront, and as the Panther offensive line isn’t as athletic, it could pose a problem. The seven-man coverage could give Cam Newton enough time in the pocket, but this gives the Broncos an even greater advantage. This strategy takes players away from defending the receivers, it will let the Denver man-to-man coverage be even greater.

Panthers All-Around Pressure

The Panthers defense has been proving themselves to be a force to be reckoned with. In their game against the Cardinals, they were amazing; helping hold the score to 49-15. The players mostly responsible for this great performance include, Charles Johnson, Kawann Short, Kurt Coleman, and Luke Kuechly.  Whether they were sacking the quarterback, forcing fumbles, or simply intercepting the passes, they all did a great job. As the Cardinals were also a mostly pass offense, it would be a preview to what could happen to the Broncos, as they rely on Peyton Manning.

The one downfall that the Panther defense could have is if they get complacent. In their game against the Seahawks, they managed to score 31-0 in the first half, yet they allowed them to score 24 straight points in a comeback effort; their offense failed to score during the second half as well. As most should know, Manning has a reputation as the comeback king, so if they give him any slack, he will take it.

Seeing these two great defenses go against each other will be worth betting on, as the Panthers meet the Broncos at the Super Bowl in two weeks.