Super Bowl 50: 5 keys for the Carolina Panthers

3. Test the secondary

The Denver Broncos’ self-appointed “No Fly Zone” is indeed a beautiful thing to behold. Their passing defense is head and shoulders above the rest of the league, and it’s really not even close… The 2nd best defense against the pass, Seattle’s vaunted “Legion of Boom,” allowed nearly 200 more yards during the regular season than the Broncos did. That’s crazy impressive.

This is also, of course, the same defense that just made life miserable for perhaps the best quarterback of all time, battering Tom Brady into throwing two picks and a quarterback rating below 60 in a playoff game. So yeah, they’re really, really good.

They’re also a little beat up, though, and this is where Ron Rivera, Cam Newton, and the rest of the Panthers offense should be licking their chops. If there was an opportune moment to draw the Broncos, it might be now, as two of their starting safeties (T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart) suffered injuries in the AFC Championship Game. Both players have sworn they’ll be ready for the Super Bowl, but the question now becomes just how effective they’ll be if both are still a little gimpy.

Star cornerback Chris Harris Jr. also entered Conference Championship weekend a little worse for wear, and playing a full game against one of the better offenses in the NFL probably didn’t help his shoulder heal any faster. Newton would be wise to test all three players early on and see just how healthy that secondary really is – maybe there will be room for some passes to fly after all.

Next: 2. Keep Cam upright