Panthers-Broncos to meet in Super Bowl 50

As the 2015 NFL season nears its end, the table is set for Super Bowl 50. With less than two weeks to prepare ourselves for the big game on February 7, we take a look at the two teams who will be vying for the Lombardi Trophy and the very different roads they've journeyed to get there. While one team we had a feeling could be there since the start of the season (Denver), the other came out of nowhere and has been somewhat of a surprise (Carolina). But I'll start with the one team and one man who everyone in and around the game could possibly remember this Super Bowl by and that's the Denver Broncos and their fading star of a quarterback -- Peyton Manning. 

Just two years removed from their most recent Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl 48 which Bronco fans would rather forget took place as their team was dismantled, 43-8 by a dominant Seattle defense, this year's Denver team has been polar opposites of their 2013 selves. Making their way to the big game by way of their offense which was tops in the league and among the greatest in league history just two seasons ago, this year's Broncos team made their way back to the Super Bowl in a very different way, flipping the script if you will, by boasting the league's best defense. With future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning and the Denver offense taking a backseat, the 2015 Broncos are a team that has thrived and relied heavily on their defense. Mind you this is the same team that endured a rough patch that saw five consecutive weeks without scoring a single offensive touchdown and often looked better with Brock Osweiler in under center and Manning, one of the greatest to ever play the position, on the bench. While their offense has often been under fire and constantly questioned, the same can't be said for the defense, having allowed the fewest yards per game this season (283) and forcing the most sacks (52) under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. 

It's no wonder that this will be Manning's fourth Super Bowl appearance, (frankly, he should've reached this number a long time ago), as he gets set to take the field as the oldest quarterback to ever start a Super Bowl at age 39. And when he does take the field in what could possibly be the last game of his illustrious career, he'll become the first QB ever to make multiple Super Bowl appearances with multiple teams, while also becoming the first at his position to reach four Super Bowl's under four different head coaches. Manning is eclipsed by only Tom Brady and John Elway who have more Super Bowl appearances under their belts. But this game and story line shouldn't be all about Manning even though it most likely will be. The guy simply isn't the player he once was and while his team usually gets to the big game because of him, this year they've made it to the big game in spite of him. That's no knock on arguably the greatest regular season quarterback of all-time, but just further proof that father time waits for no man. 

But back to the Denver defense which won them the right to play in Super Bowl 50 with a dominant performance over the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC Championship's 20-18 win. Denver's D got to Brady four times for a sack and a heck of a lot more times with quarterback hits mostly provided by Von Miller who had a hell of a game recording 2.5 sacks of his own to go along with one of two Brady interceptions, the hits being the most Tom Terrific has ever suffered in his playoff career. If Manning hoists his second career Lombardi Trophy, one that should help him ride off into the sunset and make stepping away from the game of football a bit easier, it'll most likely be a result of another dominant performance by the defense and not by the potent offenses teams of Manning's Super Bowl past have been known for. 

Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers enter next Sunday's game red-hot and resembling a team of destiny. With a dominant regular season which many believed they could finish undefeated, the lone loss to the division rival Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 is the only blemish on Carolina's 2015 resume. But I was one of the few who believed the Panthers suffering a loss that would disrupt their push for a perfect season would do them more good than harm. And now that they know they could be beaten, they've given it their all and have refused to take their foot off the gas pedal. Well except for maybe that near collapse in the NFC Divisional round meeting where they nearly let Seattle march all the way back from a 31-point deficit in the second half. But Carolina rebounded by not letting a double-digit lead heading into the half of last Sunday's NFC title game get to their head or slip away as the NFC's second-best team in the Arizona Cardinals appeared to be no match for the now 17-1 Panthers who ran away with the 49-15 romp. 

Though Carolina's defense is also stellar but isn't quite up to par with Denver's which could cause problems up the middle and get to the quarterback with the best of 'em, it does feature the balance you want in a team on both sides of the ball. With playmakers on defense such as linebackers Luke Keuchle and Thomas Davis (who suffered a broken arm on Sunday but is expected to play) as well as this year's most shutdown cornerback in Josh Norman, just to name a few, Carolina comes in having caused the most takeaways in the league with 39, 24 of which being interceptions which they led the league in. But even then, this Panthers team has been most known for their offensive scoring ability which is tops in the league and none other than their captain in quarterback Cam Newton. With Newton most likely to be named league MVP, an award his counterpart Peyton Manning has won a record five times, the former Heisman Trophy winner would like nothing more than to capture the first Lombardi Trophy in Carolina Panthers franchise history. 

What's most remarkable about Carolina's explosive offense and the year they've had, is they've managed to do it all without their best receiver as Kelvin Benjamin has been sidelined all season long with a torn ACL he suffered in training camp. With the second-year wide-out expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2016 regular season, Carolina's offense could very well be just as good if not better next year. But before we get ahead of ourselves, the match-up between quarterback's Newton and Manning is an intriguing one because of the 13-year age difference which will be the largest in Super Bowl history. Not to mention the very different playing styles both QB's posses. Through the air or on the ground, Newton can do it all as he showed in Sunday's win with a pair of rushing and passing touchdowns, whereas Sunday's AFC Championship saw the first rush for a first down by Manning all year -- a 12-yard dash which happened to be his longest playoff run since his rookie season. And then there's the fact that this'll be the first ever Super Bowl meeting between two quarterback's taken first overall in their respective Draft's (Manning in 1998 and Newton in 2011). 

By punching their ticket to the big game, Carolina is only the ninth team to enter the Super Bowl with one loss or fewer, joining only the 2007 Patriots to have done it in the last 30 years. It'll also be the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance, still seeking their first victory. As for Denver, it'll be their eighth appearance, tying the Patriots, Cowboys and Steelers for the most all-time, and a win would give them their third. For what it's worth, 10 of the last 11 Super Bowl winners have donned white uniforms. Coincidentally, Carolina's only other Super Bowl appearance was in 2004 and resulted in a loss to the Patriots while wearing their white uni's. This time around they've chosen to go with black, allowing Denver to go with the more popular white uniforms. Superstitious or not, it's something Bronco fans should be ecstatic about considering they won't be wearing the orange uni's that seem to be bad luck seeing as they were demolished in them two years ago and have gone 0-4 all-time in Super Bowl's while in orange. 

Prediction: Now for how I think the big game will play out. Super Bowl 50 will be the third consecutive Super Bowl in which both No. 1 seeds reach the big game, proving once again just how important home field advantage is come playoff time. And with this game being played on the neutral grounds of San Francisco at Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium, home of the 49ers, there'll be no home field advantage for either coach Ron Rivera or coach Gary Kubiak. As we've learned in the past and most notably the last time Denver made its trip to the Super Bowl, defense wins championships. With that said, all signs would point towards me taking the defensive-minded Broncos, right? Wrong! I'm not going to claim that the only reason the Broncos are Super Bowl-bound is because of a missed extra-point by the usually automatic Stephen Gostkowski, but the truth is that the missed PAT (ending a streak of 523 consecutive makes) changed the entire complexion of how coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots approached the game, having to go for that failed two-point conversion with just seconds remaining which sealed the Broncos' win and sent New England packing. 

I'll also give Peyton some credit for the two first half drives he led the Broncos offense on which resulted in touchdowns, but I'm afraid he'll be asked to put up a lot more points against a high octane offense like Carolina's. Something I don't think he'll be able to do as the opposing team's secondary will once again prove to be his kryptonite. Though I don't necessarily see Newton and the Carolina offense running amok quite like they have in each of the past two games as they'll have a much better defense in front of them come Super Bowl Sunday, I just don't see any offense exchanging punches with Carolina, and certainly not one led by the aging Peyton Manning and a run game that failed to get going until late against the Patriots. But that's not to say Denver doesn't stand a chance. If they can contain Newton and running back Jonathan Stewart on the ground like they did New England's ground attack and apply the same pressure to Newton that doomed Brady, they'll pull off the upset. With that said, it'll be intriguing to see how they approach a QB of Newton's caliber whom possesses arguably the most dangerous duel-threat ability in the game. Regardless, I'm taking Carolina who I think pulls off the 27-17 win with receiver and kick return specialist Teddy Ginn Jr. scoring a late touchdown to seal it for the Panthers' first-ever Super Bowl triumph.

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners hope to cash-in their Chips with Kelly hire

The search is over. Less than two weeks after the San Francisco 49ers played their last down of football during the 2015 regular season which ended in an overtime victory over the division rival Rams, the team that finished the year with an overall record of 5-11 is already expected to take on the makeup of an entirely different franchise come the start of next season. Hours after the Niners' season finale, first-year head coach Jim Tomsula was relieved of his head coaching duties after a disappointing one and done experiment which saw San Francisco finish in the cellar of arguably the league's toughest division -- the NFC West. In search of the next heir of the throne, 49ers team owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke searched high and low before making their new hire. With such candidates as Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter, former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and former head coach Mike Shanahan who made his way to the final cut, it was former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly who won the job over Shanahan to become the 20th head coach in 49ers franchise history.

Kelly, who broke out onto the NFL head coaching scene after a successful career at the collegiate level with the Oregon Ducks, jump-started his NFL career with back-to-back 10-6 seasons before a disappointing 2015 campaign that was cut short as he was let go by the Philadelphia Eagles the second to last week of the regular season. After making a handful of deals and personnel changes that backfired as well as reportedly losing the locker room as the season wore on, Philadelphia went 6-9 under Kelly this season before winning their final game without him as Philly posted a second-place finish in the NFC East behind Washington. In three seasons with the Eagles, Kelly boasted an overall record of 26-21 with one playoff appearance in 2013 when he became the first head coach in franchise history and only the second coach in league history to win a division title in his first year. Viewed by many as an offensive mastermind, Kelly gets a second chance less than a month after being fired by the Eagles and will be introduced by the 49ers during a press conference expected sometime next week. Speaking of second chances, the hiring of Kelly might also spawn a second chance for one Niner that's only a few seasons removed from bursting on the scene himself.

Being looked upon as the anti-Jim Tomsula, Kelly brings with him to the Bay Area, a very innovative offensive system which 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick appears to fit perfectly. Despite a pair of disappointing seasons after taking the league by storm in his first season and a half at the helm of the Niners quarterback position, the acquisition of Kelly should breathe life back into Kaepernick's career with the team after it appeared to be a foregone conclusion that his time with the organization had come to an end. Instead, San Francisco's QB situation heading into the 2016 season should be one of the most interesting considering it wasn't long ago that rumors swirled regarding a possible trade involving Kaepernick to the Eagles while Chip was still in Philly. The two can now work together on putting their past behind them in hopes of a more successful second act. Because at this point, if anyone can groom Kaepernick into being the duel-threat quarterback he was once known as and give the San Francisco offense the shot in the arm it so desperately needs, it's Chip, right?

As for my personal opinion, I believe Kelly used the team's current quarterback situation as a major selling-point and won over the hearts of Baalke and York over in the interview room by explaining to them that they already have a diamond in the rough in QB Colin Kaepernick, and one that would fit his system to a tee. Unlike in Philly, the 54-year old Kelly won't be given the keys to the kingdom. In other words, he won't have control over personnel decisions quite like he did with the Eagles. But that will allow him to focus strictly on coaching while also putting GM Trent Baalke on the hot seat who desperately needs the Kelly hire to work out for the 49ers or his days could be numbered. Kelly also has a few things of his own that he'll need to work on in his second rodeo including the relations he has with his players and the way he conducts things in the clubhouse, both of which were hot topics and areas of concern during his often criticized tenure with the Eagles. How things shape out in Kelly's first season in the Bay Area is anyone's guess at this point, but one thing that is certain is that April's NFL Draft should be an interesting one for the 49ers who own the 7th overall pick are in need of playmakers on both sides of the ball.

Chip Kelly on landing the job in SF: "As one of the most historic franchises in the National Football League, I realize the high standards and expectations that this position demands and I embrace the challenges ahead."

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners bookend 2015 Season with a Win

Entering Sunday's 2015 regular season finale, a few things were on the line for the San Francisco 49ers and their long-time rivals the St. Louis Rams. A win for the 49ers would mean they would avoid their worst finish since 2005 when the franchise finished with a record of 4-12. As for the Rams who could be playing football in southern California as early as next season while relocating from St. Louis to Los Angeles, a win would make it four straight victories in what's been a disappointing year for Jeff Fisher and company.

After being blown out, 27-6 in the first meeting between bitter foes, the 49ers kept it close and took a 7-3 lead after QB Blaine Gabbert connected with Anquan Boldin who broke free of a tackle and trotted into the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. Getting his second start in as many weeks at running back for the Niners was DuJuan Harris who had himself an all around nice game. Harris broke off a big gain in the second quarter that went for 48-yards and set up the first of Phil Dawson's four field goals on the afternoon. Leading 10-3, the Rams would quickly respond with scores on each of their next three drives. A pair of Greg Zuerlein field goals and a Tre Mason touchdown run from 4-yards out would put St. Louis ahead. Gabbert had a pass batted in the air and intercepted for a 42-yard return which set up the Rams' lone touchdown just two plays later. Trailing 16-10 at halftime, the 49ers would keep the Rams scoreless in the second half. 

After inching closer with a field goal in the third, San Francisco tied it up with another in the fourth as the game was sent to overtime with both teams knotted up at 16. With San Francisco failing to score on the opening possession during overtime, St. Louis appeared to be on their way to a fourth consecutive victory as Zuerlein stepped up with a chance to win it with a 48-yard field goal. But after missing wide right from 52-yards earlier in the game, the day would go from bad to worse for Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein who had the potential game-winner blocked by second-year corner Dontae Johnson. The block would keep the Niners alive and give them one final chance to finish the season on top. With under five minutes to go, Gabbert completed a pass to receiver Quinton Patton who broke a tackle and nearly took it to the house before being stopped short of the end zone. The 33-yard reception would be all Phil Dawson needed in what could be his final game as a Niner, as he split the uprights one for the game-winning 23-yard field goal which led to hugs and high-fives all around. Gabbert threw for a career-high 354 yards and a touchdown, with 86 of those yards going to DuJuan Harris who led all receivers. The free-agent-to-be and journeyman who was signed to five different teams this season, rushed for a game-high 67 yards on 16 carries.

Unfortunately, one Niner would walk off the field a winner but would leave the stadium jobless. Despite the 19-16 overtime win, Niners head coach Jim Tomsula was relieved of his head coaching duties just hours after the game. In his only season at the helm, San Francisco finished 5-11 under the rookie head coach who spent a total of nine seasons with the organization, serving as the team's defensive-line coach. With the 49ers head coaching vacancy now the main focus of the offseason, who they nab next is anyone's guess at this point. But that hasn't stopped some of the early candidates from surfacing with such names as Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan, Hue Jackson and Adam Gase leading the pack, as well as the recently fired Chip Kelly who on Sunday was bounced from Philly after three seasons. As for some positive news, linebacker NaVorro Bowman added another nine tackles on Sunday to add to his league-leading 154 tackles and was named to the Pro Bowl. It might not be the last we hear of Bowman's name this year, however, as he's a prime candidate to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award after missing the entire 2014 season following his major knee injury suffered in the NFC title game two seasons ago.

2016 Preview - With the 2015 regular season in the books, the regular season opponents for 2016 have been announced as the 49ers will host the following: Saints, Buccaneers, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks. Meanwhile, they'll hit the road to face the following: Falcons, Panthers, Bills, Bears, Dolphins, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks. As for April's Draft, the 49ers sit in the top 10, owning the no. 7 pick.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest