Five reasons the Carolina Panthers will win Super Bowl 50

1) Greg Olsen

When Kelvin Benjamin went down with a season-ending knee injury in the preseason many wondered if the Panthers offense had enough in the receiving corps to overcome his loss. Well, all Greg Olsen did was step into an even larger role as Cam Newton’s favorite target all season long.

Olsen is the ultimate safety blanket for Newton. Not only does he run some of Cam’s favorite routes, but he also has the ability to bail him out on poor throws with his outstanding pair of hands. He gives Newton a huge catch radius that he can throw the ball into. For a quarterback that isn’t always super-accurate, that’s a huge advantage.

Every Super Bowl winner also seems to have an amazing human interest story and Olsen is that story for the Panthers. Only a few years ago his young son, T.J., was fighting for his life due to a severe congenital heart defect. The Olsen family persevered and T.J. won that medical battle. His courage is a source of inspiration for his father and the rest of his Panther teammates.

Newton is the face of the franchise, but Greg Olsen might be the Panthers’ heartbeat. His emotional and physical contributions throughout the playoffs will help Carolina break their Super Bowl drought.