Super Bowl L 2016: Predicting Box Score, Fantasy Stats for Panthers vs. Broncos

Super Bowl 50 has no shortage of big-time stars on both sides of the ball, which means both the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos have several potential routes to victory Sunday.

Many viewers watching Super Bowl 50 will have a rooting interest due to being a fan of the teams involved, but other aspects such as Super Bowl squares promise to play a role as well.

Beyond that, fantasy games and prop bets involving the performances of certain players will be followed closely, which adds yet another wrinkle to the proceedings.

Ahead of the NFL's biggest game of the year, here is a rundown of predictions for how the contest will play out, including the projected score and potential fantasy stats for the players involved.

Where: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California

When: Sunday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Watch: CBS

Predicted Box Score

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	T
Panthers	0	3	7	10	20
Broncos	7	3	6	7	23

Predicted Panthers Stats

Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT
Cam Newton	21/38	242	6.4	1	2
Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Jonathan Stewart	15	57	3.8	0	14
Cam Newton	10	35	3.5	0	12
Ted Ginn Jr.	1	10	10.0	0	10
Mike Tolbert	2	2	1.0	1	1
Fozzy Whitaker	1	0	0.0	0	0
Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Greg Olsen	6	87	14.5	1	24
Ted Ginn Jr.	4	52	13.0	0	30
Corey Brown	3	38	12.7	0	15
Jerricho Cotchery	3	23	11.5	0	10
Devin Funchess	2	18	9.0	0	12
Jonathan Stewart	1	10	10.0	0	10
Ed Dickson	1	9	9.0	0	9
Mike Tolbert	1	5	5.0	0	5

It is no secret that Carolina's offense begins and ends with quarterback Cam Newton. By virtue of throwing for 3,837 yards, rushing for 636 more and scoring 45 total touchdowns during the regular season, he was named MVP Saturday night.

According to ESPN's Trey Wingo, he has a chance to join an exclusive club if he wins the Super Bowl MVP award Sunday as well:

Newton has added 546 total yards, five touchdowns and just one pick in two playoff games thus far, but he will go up against his toughest test yet in the form of Denver's defense.

The Broncos sacked New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady four times in the AFC Championship Game, and with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware pressing off the edge along with Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson applying pressure inside, Newton could be under siege for much of the contest.

Perhaps the biggest key to neutralizing that threat is utilizing tight end Greg Olsen effectively in the passing game.

Olsen led the Panthers during the regular season with 77 catches for 1,104 yards and added seven touchdowns.

He is especially strong when it comes to making plays down the field, which is something he has done better than any player in NFL history this season, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Olsen's dominant play has carried over to the playoffs with 12 grabs, 190 yards and one touchdown in two contests, making him the top tight end of the postseason, according to Pro Football Focus:

Running the ball is also something that could tilt the scale in Carolina's favor, but Denver ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards allowed during the regular season, and it is surrendering just 64.5 yards per game on the ground in the playoffs.

It figures to be tough sledding for running back Jonathan Stewart and Co., and that could force Newton into making some uncharacteristic mistakes on football's biggest stage.

Predicted Broncos Stats

Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT
Peyton Manning	21/30	268	8.9	2	0
Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
C.J. Anderson	18	75	4.2	0	21
Ronnie Hillman	12	42	3.5	0	11
Emmanuel Sanders	1	8	8.0	0	8
Peyton Manning	1	1	1.0	0	1
Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Emmanuel Sanders	7	117	16.7	0	48
Demaryius Thomas	5	78	15.6	1	40
Owen Daniels	2	24	12.0	0	15
C.J. Anderson	2	15	7.5	0	9
Cody Latimer	1	12	12.0	0	12
Ronnie Hillman	1	7	7.0	0	7
Vernon Davis	1	7	7.0	0	7
Andre Caldwell	1	5	5.0	0	5
Virgil Green	1	3	3.0	1	3

It can be argued that Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback of all time, but due to injuries and diminishing skills, the 2015 season has been his worst from a statistical perspective.

He still managed to make it all the way to the Super Bowl, however, and he has every reason to empty the tank in what could be his final game.

Manning hasn't said one way or the other if Super Bowl 50 will be his swan song, but he told Patriots head coach Bill Belichick after the AFC Championship Game that it may be his "last rodeo," according to ESPN.com.

In addition to that, Broncos president Joe Ellis revealed that the 39-year-old veteran got a bit choked up when addressing the team Saturday along with Ware, per ESPN.com:

"Both were very emotional and near tears," Ellis told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio. "Peyton told a few jokes to lighten the mood, but then he got very emotional [when talking about what the game meant to him]. ... The room was silent. It was a very emotional gathering."

The Panthers have lost just one game all season, and they have mowed down some of the best signal-callers the league has to offer, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Carolina leads all playoff teams with six interceptions, which is somewhat disconcerting for Broncos fans since Manning threw 17 picks in just 10 regular-season games.

He has protected the ball during the playoffs thus far, however, and he was just a couple barely missed throws away from having four or more touchdowns in the AFC Championship Game rather than two.

Look for Manning to rely most heavily on speedy, crafty wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in the passing game since Demaryius Thomas figures to get shadowed by Panthers All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman.

Much of the pressure can be taken off Manning's shoulders if the defense continues to dominate and the running back duo of C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman produces.

That is a formula that worked well for Hall of Fame quarterback and current Broncos president John Elway near the end of his career, as running back Terrell Davis carried much of the offensive load.

Davis discussed the importance of doing so and likened it to Manning's current situation in an NFL.com article:

"

It was important for me to help (Elway) win because I knew what he'd gone through—losing three previous Super Bowls—and we, at the time, had the best team he'd probably ever been on. We had a great opportunity, and it was definitely in the back of our minds. I'm sure something similar could be said of this year's Denver team, which is angling to give Peyton Manning his second Super Bowl win in his 18th season. That was a major motivator to win. Fortunately, we helped John capture back-to-back rings in his final two seasons.

"

Repeating what Davis accomplished won't be easy since the Panthers are allowing just 69 rushing yards per game during the playoffs due to the trio of defensive tackles Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei and linebacker Luke Kuechly up the middle.

The contrasting styles of Anderson and Hillman tend to keep opposing defenses off-balance, though, and head coach Gary Kubiak will undoubtedly look to feature them heavily.

If they have some success, then things will open up for Manning, and he'll have an opportunity to take MVP honors in what could be his final game.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.