The 2016 Super Bowl teams are now known. Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos will meet Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 to be played in the San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday, February 7.
The Broncos are 3.5-point underdogs in the Super Bowl after beating the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Denver is here with Manning, who could be playing his final game. They're also here with arguably the NFL's best defense. The Broncos pass rush gave Tom Brady and the Patriots offense no shot on Sunday in Denver.
The Panthers are the favorites after hanging 49 on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night. They have lost one game all year and they are really, really good. Their defense is legit and filled with playmakers including Josh Norman who could win the NFL's defensive player of the year award. Offensively, Cam Newton is the likely MVP and seems to be playing on another level than anyone else right now.
I picked against the Broncos and Panthers in the AFC and NFC Championship games so clearly my predictions are not very good. For this game, I will be picking the Panthers. That's partially because the Chiefs are rivals with the Broncos and partially because I truly do believe the Panthers offense is dynamic enough to win this game. It's tough to account for Cam Newton on every play.
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2016
Time: 6:30 pm ET
Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
TV Channel: CBS
Online streaming: CBS Sports
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Phil Simms (color analyst), Tracy Wolfson and Evan Washburn (sideline reporters)
Odds: SB Nation Odds Page
Halftime show: Coldplay, featuring Beyonce and Bruno Mars
Referee: Clete Blakeman