Wednesday NFL preview: Panthers, Broncos preparing game plans

[Denver Native (Carol)]

T
hirty teams have finished their seasons, and there's only one game remaining: Super Bowl 50. David Newton and Jeff Legwold look ahead to what Wednesday has in store for the Panthers and Broncos.

Carolina Panthers

Storyline to watch: Coach Ron Rivera is trying to keep this week as normal as possible, going with the same schedule he would have used had the Panthers been playing on Sunday. The plan is to install the entire Denver game plan this week -- when there are fewer distractions -- and fine tune it next week.

Injuries to monitor: Don't look for outside linebacker Thomas Davis to practice after undergoing surgery on Monday to repair a broken right forearm. But look to see if he at least works on the side. Also look to see if a week off brought defensive end Jared Allen closer to returning from a foot injury.

Stat of the day: Cam Newton's 12 rushing touchdowns (regular season and playoffs). That's what Denver will have to start preparing for when they face Newton, whom cornerback Aqib Talib called the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL. The Broncos didn't allow a rushing touchdown to a quarterback this season, primarily because they didn't face a true running quarterback. -- David Newton

Denver Broncos

rest - plus video
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/32for32x160127/carolina-panthers-denver-broncos-preparing-game-plans-super-bowl-50-wednesday-nfl-preview

[underrated29]

I dont know how we score on these guys. I really hope that Kubiak comes up with a tremendous game plan. I also really hope we dont get blown out. I suspect that the defense will get us some turnovers. We must turn those into touchdowns!

[SR]

I dont know how we score on these guys. I really hope that Kubiak comes up with a tremendous game plan. I also really hope we dont get blown out. I suspect that the defense will get us some turnovers. We must turn those into touchdowns!

I assume that in a game where the offense needs to be aggressive Kubiak will frustrate all of us with the most conservative, vanilla offensive game plan imaginable.

[underrated29]

I assume that in a game where the offense needs to be aggressive Kubiak will frustrate all of us with the most conservative, vanilla offensive game plan imaginable.

That is what I am afraid of.

I know he will have some sort of trick play in there. I know he will, but man we really need to drive the football and score at least 3 tds on offense. If the defense wants to add a few themselves I will be fine with that. Im pretty nervous about this game. I was not about the pats* or steelers.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I dont know how we score on these guys. I really hope that Kubiak comes up with a tremendous game plan. I also really hope we dont get blown out. I suspect that the defense will get us some turnovers. We must turn those into touchdowns!

I think NE and KC have D's that are just as good. The key will be to not turn the ball over and get pressure on Cam with 3-4 guys.

[Valar Morghulis]

I think kuechly sits back and picks peypey at least twice

[Denver Native (Carol)]

I think NE and KC have D's that are just as good. The key will be to not turn the ball over and get pressure on Cam with 3-4 guys.

Agree. Some of the sports people said that the Broncos defense will have a spy on Cam, and one suggested it would probably be Brandon. Also, this morning I checked Carolina's schedule, and they did not play one of the tougher schedules, based on the division they are in.

[Ravage!!!]

I don't think we attack Cam like we did Brady. Brady beats you with his brain and accuracy.... Cam beats you with his mobility. He's not nearly as accurate as Brady, but will KILL you with his legs. Our rush HAS to be to put pressure, but to NOT let him get outside. Keep him in the pocket, MAKE him beat our dbs with his arm and accuracy. We stand a much better chance against that.

As far as OUR offense goes.... like all year long, its going to suck. We are going to rely/need the defense to get us some turnovers in good field position in order to really stand a chance.

[underrated29]

I don't think we attack Cam like we did Brady. Brady beats you with his brain and accuracy.... Cam beats you with his mobility. He's not nearly as accurate as Brady, but will KILL you with his legs. Our rush HAS to be to put pressure, but to NOT let him get outside. Keep him in the pocket, MAKE him beat our dbs with his arm and accuracy. We stand a much better chance against that.

As far as OUR offense goes.... like all year long, its going to suck. We are going to rely/need the defense to get us some turnovers in good field position in order to really stand a chance.

Agreed.
Like most I am not worried about our D against their Offense. We will shut it down. I just dont have any clue how we score against these guys. Their defense is really good and is just a few notches below ours.

[SR]

That is what I am afraid of. I know he will have some sort of trick play in there. I know he will, but man we really need to drive the football and score at least 3 tds on offense. If the defense wants to add a few themselves I will be fine with that. Im pretty nervous about this game. I was not about the pats* or steelers.

What I'm not ok with, and it's been a pattern this season, is Kubiak sitting on a one score lead. His play calling lacks any kind of killer instinct and I think it comes from fear of turning the ball over. Playing scared is playing to lose IMO. That's my single biggest gripe with this offensive staff/system/play calling. Get up by at least a couple scores so you force the other team to abandon the run which allows the pass rushers to pin their ears back and force the QB in to making bad decisions which equates to turnovers. Don't get comfortable with a seven point lead; not against the Panthers.

[NightTerror218]

Denver has faced better defenses this year. KC, NE, and Cinci all had better. Pats there only beat them in forcing turnovers.

[Ravage!!!]

Denver has faced better defenses this year. KC, NE, and Cinci all had better. Pats there only beat them in forcing turnovers.

I don't believe these defenses were/are better. I think KCs defense was HIGHLY overrated because of the QBs they played. They didn't play any good ones until the playoffs, and Brady eat them up.

Cinci was very good, but we had the advantage of playing against a back-up QB..thus we didn't have the pressure of needing that "score." NE's wasn't as good as Cinci, but has a great defensive mind in Belicheck. However, the talent on the Panthers is better.

[tomjonesrocks]

I don't think we attack Cam like we did Brady. Brady beats you with his brain and accuracy.... Cam beats you with his mobility. He's not nearly as accurate as Brady, but will KILL you with his legs. Our rush HAS to be to put pressure, but to NOT let him get outside. Keep him in the pocket, MAKE him beat our dbs with his arm and accuracy. We stand a much better chance against that. As far as OUR offense goes.... like all year long, its going to suck. We are going to rely/need the defense to get us some turnovers in good field position in order to really stand a chance.

I haven't seen a TON of Carolina football but what I did see later this year Cam was extremely accurate. If he plays like he has been.

[SR]

NE was SECOND in the NFL in sacks behind Denver. Logan Ryan and Butler are a SOLID corner tandem. Their linebackers (Hightower, Mayo, Jones) are studs. New England has a helluva talented defense. People don't give that defense enough credit.

[Magnificent Seven]

The Broncos will practice at Stanford and stay at the Santa Clara Marriott, which is 1 1/2 miles from Levi’s Stadium. The Panthers will practice at San Jose State and stay at the San Jose downtown Marriott, a 9-mile drive to Levi’s Stadium.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article56679433.html#storylink=cpy


Woot! Stanford is rooting for Broncos!

[NightTerror218]

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article56679433.html#storylink=cpy

Woot! Stanford is rooting for Broncos!

Elway is just recruiting a future RB to the Broncos while he is there.

[Ravage!!!]

I haven't seen a TON of Carolina football but what I did see later this year Cam was extremely accurate. If he plays like he has been.

I wouldn't say extremely.

BUT.... he's not as accurate as Tom. If we are talking about making a QB player to his "weaker" attributes, between running and throwing, then I would absolutely choose to have him throw over run.

[Magnificent Seven]

Elway is just recruiting a future RB to the Broncos while he is there.

Christian McCaffrey!

[tomjonesrocks]

I wouldn't say extremely. BUT.... he's not as accurate as Tom. If we are talking about making a QB player to his "weaker" attributes, between running and throwing, then I would absolutely choose to have him throw over run.

JFE being JFE.

[NightTerror218]

Christian McCaffrey!

He is a huge broncos fans too. His bad may have a part in that.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

No thread started yet to put miscellaneous things in, so will put the following here.

Troy Renck ‏@TroyRenck 1h

Troy Renck Retweeted Jim Saccomano

It defines #broncos' toughness this season. No panic. Trust in each other

Jim Saccomano
‏@broncos_sacco

...The Broncos were 11-3 this year in games decided by seven points or less, most ever by a team in NFL history... #fb

Troy Renck ‏@TroyRenck 6h

#broncos return to practice Thursday. Following similar schedule to bye week following regular season finale

Troy Renck ‏@TroyRenck 6h

Had #Broncos practiced today, those would have been held out: Ward (ankle), Stewart (knee), Mathis (ankle), Vasquez (knee), Keo (quad)

Troy Renck Retweeted
Cj Anderson ‏@cjandersonb22 Jan 26

The year not done but pretty amazing that Kobe and Tom Brady told me something special this year words I'll never 4get

Jeff Legwold ‏@Jeff_Legwold 10h

For #Broncos fans who want to find out about the Carolina Panthers over the next two weeks should always check out @DNewtonespn

[Denver Native (Carol)]

video - http://www.denverbroncos.com/multimedia/videos/BroncosTruck_heading_to_Super_Bowl_50/74a71af3-e46e-4e8b-ac9f-e8db226fb19e


Broncos start travel to Super Bowl 50

DENVER, Colo. – Bailey’s Moving & Storage and the Denver Broncos have organized a social media campaign encouraging fan participation as the Denver Broncos move their equipment to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Bailey’s will transport all team equipment to Santa Clara using a Bailey’s Moving & Storage-owned tractor-trailer vehicle. This vehicle has been decaled and labeled with Denver Broncos signage and will begin loading at 8 a.m. MST on Wednesday at UCHealth Training Center, headquarters of the 2015 AFC Champion Denver Broncos.

Fans nationwide are encouraged to support the team by posting photos of the vehicle during the 1,200-mile journey to California using the hashtag #BroncosTruck.

In addition, a fan contest has also been launched allowing participants to guess the weight of the equipment loaded in the trailer being towed behind the truck.
The three closest guesses to the exact weight will receive the following prizes:

rest - http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-primesport/Broncos-start-travel-to-Super-Bowl-50/b25aef53-1397-47d6-bbf4-b3e8c0650182

[Joel]

I assume that in a game where the offense needs to be aggressive Kubiak will frustrate all of us with the most conservative, vanilla offensive game plan imaginable.
Carolina led the league in turnover differential this season, and forced 7 in the NFCCG alone: That only got them 14 pts, but completely stopped Arizona from scoring more than 15 by ANY means. The turning point might've been when Arizona finally got its first score, cutting the lead to 17-7, then forced a three-and-out that would've given them the momentum and the ball at midfield, only to have Patrick Peterson fumble away the chance to rally.

Play aggressive offense against a D like THAT, with a line like OURS, and you get a rerun of our LAST SB. No, thanks.

Let the #1 D key on Cam (statistically, he's LITERALLY >70% of their offense) and play smart offense: Take EVERY shot that's there, but NEVER FORCE anything.

Speaking of which, I dispute that we never faced a "true running QB:" We played Alex Smith and Rapistburger TWICE EACH (the latter in the playoffs,) bruised Lucks organs so badly he missed half the season, and our biggest win of the year was against Rodgers. Not to mention that most of this D was around when we played Seattle last year, last preseason, and in the SB and preseason before that, and Indy twice last year and again the year before that.

2013 was probably the last time we faced a running QB with a LINE as good as Cams, but it's not like this is unfamiliar territory. Why must everyone who finds a running QB who's even a DECENT passer act like they've reinvented the wheel? Cam's no more a unique unprecedented league-changer than Wilson or Luck were. Where were these guys in the era of Randall Cunningham, Steve Young and... what's his name; went to Stanford and 5 Super Bowls...?

[Joel]

Agree. Some of the sports people said that the Broncos defense will have a spy on Cam, and one suggested it would probably be Brandon. Also, this morning I checked Carolina's schedule, and they did not play one of the tougher schedules, based on the division they are in.
Been looking at that; I said all year NE* must've had the easiest defending "champ" schedule ever, and we might be the only thing between them and a perfect season, but the main reason was that they got to play EACH conferences WORST division. But, of course, an NFC division lucked into playing half its schedule against the NFCE and AFCS, too, and guess which one? Hint: Its champion enjoyed half a dozen more games against the Bucs, flame out Falcons and vestiges of Brees.

Sure, Carolina controlled most of its games and only lost one, while we only blew out ONE opponent, only won by double digits one other time, and played nailbiters in all our other wins, including THREE in OT. HOWEVER: We played nearly HALF our schedule—7 games—against playoff teams (KC, Minny, GB, NE, KC again, Pitt and Cincy) while Carolina faced four (Seattle, GB, Washington and Houston, and the last two were only default playoff teams.) Some were surprisingly close, too:

They led Houston by a single TD at the start of the 4th at home, which was their victory margin after the teams traded final TDs.
They beat a bad Saints team by just 5 on the road, and it would've been closer if NO had made a final 2 PAT to get within a FG.
They beat Seattle on the road (never easy,) but only by 4, and that was when the two-time NFC Champs looked so bad many doubted they'd make the playoffs.
They led Indy by 17 with 7:04 left, but blew that lead AT HOME and needed a pair of OT FGs to hang on for the win.
They trailed that bad Saints team 31-27 at the start of the road rematchs 4th qtr, but traded them a TD for 2 to sneak out with a 41-38 last minute win.
They led a BAD Giants team 35-7 at the end of the 3rd on the road, but let them storm back like Seattle in the playoffs to tie before Carolinas walkoff FG won it.

That last one evidently took literally everything they had, down to the final second, because their next game (on the road against a weak Falcons team) was their ONLY loss of the season. Those games might be the "blueprint," both to learn how to exploit a young brash teams tendency to leave early with big leads (as they've done THREE TIMES, once in the playoffs) and how a bad Atlanta team won (Hint: They only committed one turnover, and forced one in return, while holding Cam to 176 passing and 46 rushing yards, with the longest run being 18 yds.)

I still think we're rightly underdogs, but everyone who watched all our games knows that if we'd played them like THAT we probably wouldn't have won ten, let alone a dozen. We really took "kicking and screaming" to heart, and walk the "all 48 players" walk, which may be the best possible "blueprint" for beating a team with a ton of talent AND overconfidence. Hopefully they've not QUITE learned that repeated lesson yet.

[Joel]

Christian McCaffrey!
That's a helluva tough call: Eddie Macs kid, or Barrys? I can haz both plz? :tongue:

[Valar Morghulis]

That's a helluva tough call: Eddie Macs kid, or Barrys? I can haz both plz? :tongue:

I think Barry left Stafford

[Joel]

I think Barry left Stafford
This gives you an idea of how much attention I pay the SECAA: I had to find that out from a Brit. ;)