There's your case right there.
Besides that, analytical reasons include Denver having enough speed and skill on defense to be able to play man coverage on the outside against Carolina's bad WR core and use Miller to spy Newton to neutralize his legs.
Read somewhere today that teams with the #1 defense in the league are 9-2 all time in the SB.
On the other side of the ball, I think they can move the ball against Carolina's middle-of-the-pack pass D, simply based on Manning's guile alone. He looked pretty damn sharp in the 1H yesterday.
I have Carolina in a future and I still like Denver in this game, especially with 4.5 points. Loving all this public drooling over Carolina, going to give me some nice middling opps.
Peytons immobility maybe an issue...
This Panthers team is getting a lot of pressure and they aren't blitzing. IF Thomas Davis being out is a problem for Carolina. he makes Luke Kuechly. He's the best defensive player on this team. I'm worried about Dthomas ability, even with Norman on him. I'm worried about Sanders in the slot. Carolina DLine must win the battle or they will lose.
But Denvers defense matchs up well with anyone. Carolina is the top scoring team in the NFL, but not in the traditional sense. It's a play action offense that takes advantage of Cam's huge arm. But I love, love, love Denver's Corners. Denver can fall for the play action and not get burnt.
But the most important thing for Denver will be the run stopping ability. I think they will really slow down Carolina's offense, which says a lot. This Panthers offense is completely reliant on the running game. They run the ball the most in the NFL, and are dead last in % of pass plays. Shocking for the number 1 scoring team in the NFL.... This game absolutely boils down to Denver vs the Run
Carolina runs a lot of different schemes. It's a very complicated run offense, but the 2 weeks to prepare could take away all that advantage. Denvers defense allows 3.3 ypc, lowest in the NFL. Ugh, this is a major problem for my Panthers
Denver wins this game outright, unfortunately.
This Panthers team is getting a lot of pressure and they aren't blitzing. IF Thomas Davis being out is a problem for Carolina. he makes Luke Kuechly. He's the best defensive player on this team. I'm worried about Dthomas ability, even with Norman on him. I'm worried about Sanders in the slot. Carolina DLine must win the battle or they will lose.
But Denvers defense matchs up well with anyone. Carolina is the top scoring team in the NFL, but not in the traditional sense. It's a play action offense that takes advantage of Cam's huge arm. But I love, love, love Denver's Corners. Denver can fall for the play action and not get burnt.
But the most important thing for Denver will be the run stopping ability. I think they will really slow down Carolina's offense, which says a lot. This Panthers offense is completely reliant on the running game. They run the ball the most in the NFL, and are dead last in % of pass plays. Shocking for the number 1 scoring team in the NFL.... This game absolutely boils down to Denver vs the Run
Carolina runs a lot of different schemes. It's a very complicated run offense, but the 2 weeks to prepare could take away all that advantage. Denvers defense allows 3.3 ypc, lowest in the NFL. Ugh, this is a major problem for my Panthers
Denver wins this game outright, unfortunately.
We're thinking the same on this, hoping to see 5 or 6, but have a feeling this game closes at 4 on game day. Line should be around 3, 3.5 IMO.
Cam Newton's QB rating is 53 points lower under pressure. The average is 27. Newton beat up on bad teams and played bad against mediocre defenses.
Newton's average in the game, average team rating against.
Teams with a QB rating over 100:
TB 139.3, average against 102.3
TB 97.5, 102.3
NO 122.1, 116.2
NO 119.7, 116.2
Tenn 114.3, 101.1
Teams with an average QB rating under 93:
Hou 71.3, 83.4
Sea 65.6, 79.6
Phil 59.2, 92.8
Dallas 79.7, 94.2
Indy 76.8, 88
Newton hasn't played the top defenses:
KC 74.2
Den 77.7
Cinc 78.6
Jets 79.0
Newton's average in the game, average team rating against.
Teams with a QB rating over 100:
TB 139.3, average against 102.3
TB 97.5, 102.3
NO 122.1, 116.2
NO 119.7, 116.2
Tenn 114.3, 101.1
Teams with an average QB rating under 93:
Hou 71.3, 83.4
Sea 65.6, 79.6
Phil 59.2, 92.8
Dallas 79.7, 94.2
Indy 76.8, 88
Newton hasn't played the top defenses:
KC 74.2
Den 77.7
Cinc 78.6
Jets 79.0
Misinformation and all...
Well, to start, Thomas Davis isn't ruled "out"...
