Super Bowl 50: Tale of the Tape

Super Bowl 50 pits the NFL's top-ranked defense against the top-scoring offense, so perhaps we'll finally get an answer to that old immovable object versus unstoppable force cliche.

Probably not, though, because it's never that simple. Super Bowls can be won and lost in many ways, including a crucial play on special teams, a key injury, or an exploitable mismatch between specific players.

Let's examine how the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers stack up position by position.

Coaches

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak expertly maneuvered what could have been a messy situation with Peyton Manning's benching and subsequent reinsertion as starter, and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' scheme was masterful all season long. Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, however, is the likely Coach of the Year winner and both of the Panthers' coordinators are arguably deserving of head coaching gigs. Slight edge to the Panthers.

Advantage: Panthers

Quarterbacks

The advantage here lies decidedly on the Panthers' side. Cam Newton is perhaps the greatest athlete ever to play quarterback and Peyton Manning's body is being held together by bits of tape and glue. A lot will be written about how this game is a battle between Manning's brain and Newton's brawn; between Manning's big-game experience and Newton's raw and still not entirely tapped athleticism. That's a severe mischaracterization. The reality is Newton is an emerging pre-snap wizard. His audible calls and varied snap counts give defenses fits. At this stage in their careers, there's little Manning can do that Newton can't do better.

Advantage: Panthers

Running Backs

Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson give the Broncos a decent one-two punch, but Jonathan Stewart is more talented than either Broncos runner and has out-rushed both of them in the divisional and conference championship rounds. Mile Tolbert gives the Panthers a unique weapon for use in short-yardage situations.

Advantage: Panthers

Wide Receivers

There may be no bigger mismatch between position groups than this. The Panthers must be commended for advancing this far with perhaps the worst wideout corps in recent memory. Ted Ginn Jr., Corey Brown, and Devin Funchess have been getting it done, but their success is largely attributable to how well Newton is playing. For the Broncos, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders have struggled a little in recent weeks, but each remains among the NFL's elite pass catchers. Whether Peyton Manning can get them the ball is the question.

Advantage: Broncos

Tight Ends

Greg Olsen had an All-Pro season and Vernon Davis, whom the Broncos traded for during the season, can't manage to get off the bench and steal snaps from journeyman Owen Daniels.

Advantage: Panthers

Offensive Line

It's difficult to explain how the Panthers' offensive line has been so good. On paper, the unit looks like one of the weakest in the NFL. But games aren't played on paper and all season long the Panthers' blockers have kept Newton upright and opened holes in the running game. Both offensive lines could struggle to slow down two of the NFL's best pass-rushing groups, but the Panthers have the better overall unit.

Advantage: Panthers

Defensive Line

The Broncos are excellent along their 3-4 line, with Sylvester Williams and Malik Jackson stuffing the run and Derek Wolfe emerging as a poor man's J.J. Watt, but the Panthers are equally impressive thanks in large part to the elite interior play provided by Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. This one's too close to call.

Advantage: Tie

Linebackers

If Thomas Davis were fully healthy, this would likely be a win for the Panthers. Davis and Luke Kuechly form the best linebacking pair the NFL has seen in years. But Davis will attempt to play through a broken arm and it's difficult to imagine him not being at least somewhat limited in the game. On the other side of the ball, Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware are coming off a dominating performance in the AFC title game in which they combined for 3.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and 18 total pressures.

Advantage: Broncos

Cornerbacks

Josh Norman is the best cornerback in this game, but the Panthers' depth falls off a cliff after him thanks to several key injuries. Cortland Finnegan and Robert McClain, who play opposite Norman, were out of football until signing in late November. Conversely, the Broncos are three-deep with playmaking cornerbacks Aqib Talib, Chris Harris, and Bradley Roby. This one's not even close.

Advantage: Broncos

Safeties

The Broncos are banged up at safety, but starters T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart are expected to play. If so, they hold a narrow edge over the Panthers' veteran duo of Roman Harper and Kurt Coleman - two former castoffs who have greatly overachieved this season.

Advantage: Broncos

Special Teams

Both teams use a starting wideout to return punts, with Emmanuel Sanders filling the role for the Broncos and Ginn for the Panthers. Ginn gets the edge here thanks to his seven career combined punt- and kick-return touchdowns. Panthers placekicker Graham Gano missed three extra points in the regular season and had a longest kick of only 52 yards, 5 yards shorter than Brandon McManus' longest.

Advantage: Tie

Totals

• Panthers: 5
• Broncos: 4
• Tie: 2

If our accounting here proves accurate, Super Bowl 50 should be a tight contest that could be decided by one of the few distinct positional advantages held by each team.