SPORTS
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 15
SBL
- k areem
webster
Entering the 2015-2016 NFL season, few expected
the Carolina Panthers to repeat as division champions, and no one foresaw the team getting 15 wins,
let alone making a trip to the Super Bowl. In the
summer, Kelvin Benjamin went down with a torn
knee. As the Panthers best receiver, this did not bode
well for their playoff chances.
At the same time, great teams find ways to win.
This is football. Injuries are inevitable. There
really are no excuses in this sport, unless your quarterback goes down.
Welcome to Super Bowl 50, also known as Super
Bowl L, in archaic roman numerals.
Are you ready for some football?!?!
The Panthers were a surprise team in 2013, winning 12 games and winning the NFC South. In 2014,
the Panthers repeated as division winners, but the
accolade was blemished by their sub .500 record and
the futility that stymied other teams. Midseason in
2015, however, it appeared as though the Panthers
would run the table. Again, this is football, and anything can happen. It is rarely predictable.
The Broncos were another story. This would be the
fourth campaign with Peyton Manning under centre.
A championship was expected when he signed in
Denver in 2012. Anything less would be a disappointment for a franchise that has not won since the
late 1990s. I’ve never minced words about the legacy
of Manning: he is an amazing quarterback. He will
live in football lore as one of the top two quarterbacks, but, his postseason track record is troubling.
He seems to come up short in the big games (see:
Super Bowl 44, Super Bowl 48, and his current 13-13
record). This will be the fourth Super Bowl which
Manning will participate in. He needs to win this
championship to cement the claim that he is the best
quarterback of all time. Another loss will only add to
the criticism and calls for him to hang up his cleats.
Notes: Do not be surprised if this is the last season
for DeMarcus Ware, Thomas Davis, and Charles
Tillman, regardless of the results. These players
have had trouble staying healthy and they are getting up there in age.
Prediction: Panthers win 26-17
Do not let this score be reflective of the divisional
round game between the Packers and Cardinals. For
football enthusiasts, it will a tense, but enjoyable display of sound defence between both teams. Expect
a lot of field goal attempts and short passes. Expect
some turnovers. For the casual observer who waits
until late January or early February to tune into football, they may find their attention span elsewhere
during certain segments.
Then again, there is always the halftime show,
right? This is usually