3 reasons why the Panthers will win Super Bowl 50

The Carolina Panthers will enter Sunday's matchup with the Denver Broncos in search of their first Super Bowl title in franchise history - the perfect end to an incredible 2015 season.

After running through the NFC playoff picture with relative ease, here's a look at three reasons why Carolina will get it done on football's biggest stage.

Cam Newton

Assessing the Panthers' biggest advantages without referencing the NFL's soon-to-be MVP just wouldn't be right.

In a league driven by the play of star quarterbacks, high-stakes matchups such as the Super Bowl will most often come down to which team has the more capable player under center.

Anything can happen in a one-game scenario, and the future Hall of Famer on the opposite sideline could have one last magical performance in the tank, but recent history suggests that the matchup between Newton and Manning really isn't even close.

Newton, to say the least, is changing the way the game is played. The vaunted Broncos' defense will have a better chance than any when it comes to slowing him down, but it won't matter all that much if he plays at the level he did against similarly strong Cardinals and Seahawks teams.

There simply may not be a recipe for matching up with a quarterback capable of dominating his opponents in every phase of the offensive game.

Defensive advantage

The Broncos have managed to overcome some underwhelming play from Peyton Manning en route to consecutive playoff wins, but this is far and away the best defensive unit they've played all season.

Carolina's four-man defensive front has excelled both against the run and in getting to the quarterback, and that should only continue against a Broncos offensive line that's struggled in both areas.

The difference-makers in this matchup, however - as they seem to be on a weekly basis - will be star linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis.

Kuechly and Davis, easily two of the NFL's top coverage linebackers, have the ability to nullify the Broncos' underneath passing game. Such a result would force Manning out of his newfound comfort zone, requiring him to make the type of downfield throws he no longer completes with any sort of consistency.

That's where an opportunistic secondary, which appropriately nicknamed itself the "Thieves," can get in on the action and potentially come away with some game-changing turnovers.

After the Panthers had their way with two offenses far more dynamic than that of the Broncos, don't be surprised if this is their most commanding defensive performance of the postseason.

Strong running game

Teams that rely exclusively on the pass, much like the New England Patriots did in the AFC title game, are bound to have difficulty moving the ball against Denver. An impressive cornerback trio can stick with any group of receivers, while Von Miller and co. provide the ideal complement with a dominant pass rush up front.

Carolina's offensive strength, though, despite the continued progression of Newton as a pure passer, remains the running game

Staying dedicated to the rushing attack will give the Panthers a foundation for moving the chains throughout this game. At the very least, picking up some tough yards on early downs can both put the Broncos' pass rush on its heels and give the offense some favorable down-and-distance situations when it eventually comes time to air it out.

But Carolina's running game has the potential to do far more than the bare minimum. Where this unit takes its game to another level is with its wide-ranging concepts.

Whether its minor differences in traditional running plays, or forcing the defense to account for Newton on the backside of an option read, the possibilities are endless.

Look for the Panthers to use their imposing ground game as a means of wearing down the Broncos' top-ranked defense from the outset.