Why the Broncos will win Super Bowl 50

The Denver Broncos may be entering Super Bowl 50 as underdogs, but that does not mean they should be underestimated.

From veteran quarterback Peyton Manning to fifth-year linebacker Von Miller, there are a number of reasons on both sides of the ball to suggest Denver can win the franchise's third championship after losing heavily to the Seattle Seahawks two years earlier in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Denver's indisputable advantage is its dominating defense.

The Broncos led the NFL in total defense and pass defense and their 52 sacks during the regular season were an NFL high. The Broncos also ranked third in rush defense and fourth in points allowed (18.3). Denver limited its opponents to 283.1 yards per game and forced 27 turnovers. Miller led the team with 11 sacks, and four more players registered at least five sacks this season.

Despite having the number-one defense in the league, the Broncos face a new and unfamiliar challenge in Panthers dual-threat quarterback Cam Newton. Newton rushed 153 times for 686 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season, and six of those scores were recorded against teams ranked in the top 10 in total defense.

The most rushing attempts a quarterback had against Denver's stout defense this season was six by the Indianapolis Colts' Andrew Luck and Kansas City Chiefs' Alex Smith, who rushed for 34 and 33 yards respectively. The Broncos lost both games.

Opposite a fierce defense is an adaptable Broncos offense that simply refuses to quit.

The Broncos would not have made it to Super Bowl 50 if it was not for their versatile quarterbacks.

Despite being one of the most balanced teams in the league, Denver were not immune to injuries this season and found out first-hand just how important a reliable backup quarterback can be when Brock Osweiler was forced into the starting role after Manning went out with a foot injury.

After spending six weeks on the sidelines battling a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, Manning made an impressive return when he entered the Broncos' regular-season finale against the San Diego Chargers and helped lead the team to victory.

Denver got by during his absence with a little help from Osweiler, who went 5-2 as a starter in place of Manning and played a critical role in earning the top seed in the AFC and securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with crucial comeback wins over the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals.

On the ground, Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson are a force to be reckoned with, as the rushers combined for 1,583 yards and 12 touchdowns. Overall, the Broncos are 10-1 when the team rushes for at least 100 yards and 11-0 when Anderson gets at least 11 carries.

By perfecting their running game, the backfield Broncos will help take some pressure off Manning.

That in turn would allow him to find the team's top targets via the pass, wide receivers Demaryius Thomas (105 for 1,304 yards and six TDs) and Emmanuel Sanders (76 for 1,135, six TDs) and tight end Owen Daniels (46 for 517, five TDs).

In what could be Manning's final game amid swirling retirement rumours, Newton will lead an explosive Panthers offense against the powerful pass rush of the Broncos as the number-one scoring offense prepares to square off against the number-one defense for just the second time in Super Bowl history.

No doubt Newton is a singular talent, but if the Broncos defense can rattle the quarterback in his first time on the biggest stage, it could give Denver an opportunity. A balanced Broncos offense supplemented by turnovers forced by the defense - particularly early on - is the recipe for Broncos success in Super Bowl 50.