Super Bowl 50 Betting News and Notes

Early Primer On Betting Super Bowl 50
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com

The Super Bowl 50 matchup is set. In the end, second best didn’t cut it. The team with the very best defense in the NFL this season – Denver – won a pair of tight home playoff games against banged up foes to return to the big game for the second time in three seasons. The Broncos are set to face the team with the very best quarterback in the NFL this season – Carolina, with Cam Newton behind center; a Panthers team that finished with the best record in the league.

The best quarterback vs. the best defense! We saw this two years ago, when Peyton Manning set records with his play, but Manning tailed off down the stretch and the Seattle Seahawks elite defense controlled the flow right from the get-go in the biggest Super Bowl Blowout of the 21st century.

The irony here, of course, is that two years ago, Denver was here due to Peyton Manning, and they lost the Super Bowl to the league’s best defensive team. Only two years later, Denver is here because THEY have the best defense in the NFL, facing off against an emerging yet elite dual threat quarterback. That defense didn’t perform well against Russell Wilson in the big game two years ago, but that Super Bowl losing defense wasn’t coached by Wade Phillips, nor did it have the same level of playmakers on all three units that this year’s version does.

The Broncos defense is every bit as good this year as Seattle’s defense was two years ago. Denver won three games this year when they trailed by at least two touchdowns because they repeatedly shut opposing teams down with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.

That fourth quarter defensive intensity was on full display in the win over New England. They stopped the Patriots on downs twice in the fourth quarter with the game on the line, then blew up the all-important two point conversion try after the Pats had finally punched in a late TD. The Patriots finished the game with a 4.4 yards per play average, exactly what Denver had allowed during the course of the regular season. The #2 defenses – Seattle and Carolina – were both at 4.9 yards per play; not even close to posting Denver’s elite defensive numbers.

While the betting markets have been reluctant to anoint Denver as a truly elite defensive squad, they’ve been even more reluctant to accept Carolina as an elite level offensive team. Yet the numbers don’t lie. This Panthers offense has hung 31+ on eight of their last nine opponents down the stretch of the regular season and here in the playoffs. In fact, they scored 27 or more points 15 times in their last 16 games, an offense that just hasn’t gotten the respect they deserve.

Greg Olson, Ted Ginn and Devin Funchess all averaged better than 14 yards per catch this season, taking advantage of Carolina’s aggressive downfield passing game. Second year pro Corey Brown was the hero in the win over the Cardinals, thanks to an 86 yard catch and run TD that blew the game open in the first quarter. RB Jonathan Stewart has averaged a full five yards per carry on his 38 rushing attempts in the postseason, against a pair of rock solid stop units.

But make no mistake about it – the Panthers are here, now, because of elite level quarterback play more than any other factor. Cam Newton finished the season with only ten interceptions and a 99.4 QB rating, but even that doesn’t tell the true story, because it doesn’t factor in his scrambling ability as the team’s second leading rusher with ten touchdowns on the ground. And even those stats don’t tell the story of Newton’s leadership abilities, proven since his tenure at Auburn when he ‘came out of nowhere’ to lead the Tigers to an undefeated season and a national title, handing the added pressure and the media blitz effectively throughout the entire process.

Last year’s Super Bowl was priced as a pick ‘em right through kickoff at many books. Prior to that, the underdog had covered six of the previous seven Super Bowls, winning five of those in outright fashion. Green Bay over Pittsburgh is the only Super Bowl favorite to win and cover since the Colts beat the Bears following the 2006 campaign. In fact, since the Ravens Super Bowl win over the Giants following the 2000 campaign, underdogs are 10-3 in the Super Bowl ATS (not counting last year’s pick ‘em priced contest).

When it comes to the pointspread for the Super Bowl, it’s the same story, year after year. Bettors remember what they last saw and react accordingly. The lookahead lines for the potential Super Bowl matchups after Denver knocked off New England in the first game on Sunday had the Broncos in the +2.5 or +3 range as an underdog – no higher and no lower – in a matchup against either Carolina or Arizona in the Super Bowl. These were global marketplace lines, not unique to any one or two sportsbooks.

Then Carolina blew out Arizona and all hell broke loose on Sunday Night. The Panthers -2.5’s were snapped up in an instant. So were the -3’s. Pinnacle opened offshore with a Carolina -3.5 and many books copied that number. But that wasn’t a ‘keeper’ pointspread either as the Sunday Night flow of Carolina money continued.

The Westgate Superbook then posted an off market number, hanging the Panthers as -5.5 point favorites. At the time, no other major book was higher than -4, and the prevailing market number was still -3.5. It was a rather prescient move, as the markets continued to slide towards the Carolina side. While that -5.5 at the Westgate was bet down to -4 almost immediately, the market as a whole was shifting to -4. On Monday morning, most of those -4’s had become -4.5’s.

So, we essentially saw a 1.5 or 2 point line move off the key number of +/-3 as the NFC Championship Game was turning into a rout and the Super Bowl matchup was certain. For all the talk about ‘season long stats’ and ‘advanced defensive metrics’, the end result is that big money bettors have initially fallen in love with Carolina – finally – after disrespecting the Panthers for extended stretches this season.

This initial betting market love for Carolina in the Super Bowl has come despite the fact that the defense wins championships mantra hasn’t changed in the modern NFL. Perhaps it’s a measure of disrespect for the Broncos coaching staff in a big game. Let’s not forget that both Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips were unceremoniously fired following a miserable 2013 season with the Texans, a 2-14 campaign as head coach and defensive coordinator. Talk about redemption! We’ll have to wait two more weeks to see if that Kubiak/Phillips coaching duo will get their full measure of redemption with a Super Bowl victory.

Super Bowl Line Watch
By Art Aronson

Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers (-4)

Denver’s game plan for the Super Bowl is simple: knock Cam Newton silly by sending him to the ground 20 or more times. What, wrong game? The Broncos are likely to find a completely different opponent from the wounded group of wildebeests that the New England Patriots imitated on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.

While Carolina’s plans are not yet completely formed, it is rumored that unlike the Patriots, the Panthers actually plan to include some offensive linemen on their active roster when the game takes place on Feb. 7 in Santa Clara, California.

Books moved fast to set the line Sunday night, and while four seemed to be the consensus number, savvy line shoppers could find the number a half-point lower or a half-point higher, depending on where they wanted to place their money. Early money was down on the Panthers by a wide margin, bettors obviously impressed by their dominating 49-15 victory over the Cardinals in which Carolina jumped out early and then played with Arizona the way a cat would play with a dead mouse.

Peyton Manning was as good as he had to be against the Patriots, but will that be good enough against a young, strong and “running against the wind” Panthers team that has the best player in the league, a real offensive line and momentum that 31 other teams can only dream about?

The Total (45)

So it comes down to this – Can the Broncos turn this into a field position game in which the teams give up first downs grudgingly? Or will the Panthers strike early like they did against both the Seahawks and Cardinals, put a few scores on the board in the early going and then dare Manning to start throwing the ball? Manning was as good as could be expected against a pretty good New England defense, but against Carolina he may be forced to do what may be impossible given his age and the wear and tear on his body – namely, bring his game to an even higher level. The Broncos sent Brady to the turf 20 times in the AFC title game. If Carolina has its act together early and can let its defensive linemen loose, it might be Manning’s turn in the barrel.

Super Bowl 50 - Panthers vs. Broncos
By Sportsbook.ag

CAROLINA PANTHERS (17-1) vs. DENVER BRONCOS (14-4)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Carolina -6, Total: 45.5

Cam Newton will be looking to cap off a magical season by leading the Panthers to a win over Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

The Panthers embarrassed the Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game, winning 49-15 as three-point home favorites. Carolina comes into the Super Bowl with three straight victories both SU and ATS. The team has been dominant on both sides of the ball, averaging 39.9 PPG and allowing just 16.3 PPG over the course of the winning streak.

The Broncos, meanwhile, defeated the Patriots 20-18 as three-point home underdogs in the AFC Championship Game. Denver has now won four straight games coming into this contest, but the team covered in just one of those victories.

The last time the Broncos faced the Panthers was Nov. 11, 2012, when Denver won 36-14 as a 3.5-point favorite in Carolina. There are plenty of trends that will need to be taken into consideration when looking into this game.

Working in Carolina’s favor is the fact that the team is 11-2 ATS when playing on a grass field this season and 17-3 ATS after three consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better since 1992.

Denver, meanwhile, is 17-4 ATS when playing with two weeks or more of rest since 1992 and 10-1 ATS in games played away from home on a grass field over the past three seasons. Another thing worth noting is that underdogs are 11-3 ATS in the past 14 Super Bowls.

The Panthers will be dealing with a number of injuries in this game, as S Roman Harper (Eye), LB Thomas Davis (Arm) and DE Jared Allen (Foot) are listed as questionable for this one. All of the players are likely going to take the field, but they may be less effective than usual.

For the Broncos, S Darian Stewart (Knee) and S T.J. Ward (Ankle) are listed as questionable for this one.

The Panthers have been dominant all season long and the team continued to roll with a 49-15 victory against the Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game. Carolina forced Arizona to turn the ball over seven times and the defense will be looking for more of the same against Denver in the Super Bowl.

Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks ever to play, but he has an extremely weak arm at this point in his career. Luke Kuechly will be somebody that Manning will really need to keep an eye on, as the linebacker has had a pick-six in back-to-back games.

The Panthers must also focus on stopping the run, though. Denver has leaned heavily on the rushing attack and Carolina’s fourth-ranked rushing defense will need to be ready to play in the biggest game of the year.

Offensively, this Panthers team will attack Denver in a number of different ways. Cam Newton must come through with a big game against the Broncos and it’s hard to imagine him not finding success. Newton threw for 335 yards with two touchdowns and just one interception against the Cardinals last game.

He also added 10 carries for 47 yards and two scores. The field opens up for all of the Panthers’ weapons when Newton is running the ball well and Carolina will definitely try to get him going on the ground in the first half of this game.

Jonathan Stewart will also help wear down the defense with some punishing runs up the middle. Stewart has rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries in two postseason games. He is looking as explosive as ever and will be leaned on heavily in this one.

Through the air, Newton will be targeting Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn Jr. often. Olsen has 12 catches for 190 yards and a score in the postseason and is Newton’s go-to option. He is capable of creating space for himself as well as any tight end in the league and Newton won’t hesitate to find him in this one. Ginn Jr., meanwhile, is a deep threat that Newton will be looking to take advantage of. He has blazing speed and will make the Broncos pay for any mistakes in coverage in the Super Bowl.

The Broncos had to go through Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game and their defense played an unbelievable game to secure the win for Denver. The league’s top-ranked defense forced Tom Brady to throw two interceptions in the game and also sacked the legendary quarterback four times. Denver was dialing up blitzes left and right and will need to find a way to get pressure on Cam Newton in the Super Bowl. Newton is an explosive player in a number of different ways and the Broncos absolutely must contain him.

Offensively, the Broncos could use a vintage performance from Peyton Manning. That is unlikely to happen, though, and the team would probably be equally as happy if Manning can just avoid turning the ball over in this one. He did just that against the Patriots last game, throwing for 176 yards with two touchdowns and no picks.

TE Owen Daniels was a big factor in the victory over New England, catching both of the touchdowns in that game. Manning will likely be looking to him often in this game as well. WR Demaryius Thomas could help Denver win by performing at a high level in this one. Thomas has struggled in the postseason, catching just six passes for 52 yards. He is one of the best receivers in the league and must make a bigger impact in this one.

The most important thing for the Broncos offense, however, is the running game. C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman will need to make some plays in this game, as Manning no longer has the arm to defeat his opponents through the air. If they can take some pressure off of Manning and the passing game then the Broncos could pull off the upset in Super Bowl 50.

Vegas Wiseguy Report: Super Bowl Props
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com

When I talk with casual fans in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, they tend to be interested in my opinion about who is going to win the big game. But when I’m talking with bettors, not fans, the topic inevitably turns towards ‘props’; where sports betting and fantasy sports collide.

Props (short for ‘proposition wagers’) have been on the Las Vegas betting boards for thirty years. It all began when the juggernaut 1985 Chicago Bears were facing the Patriots in Super Bowl 20. Legendary Vegas oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro was a very creative bookmaker at the Mirage (at the time), looking for ways to increase their betting handle. Vaccaro posted odds on whether 350 pound defensive lineman William ‘Refrigerator’ Perry would score a touchdown in the big game. Vaccaro certainly didn’t think it was likely, offering attractive underdog odds for those who wanted to bet on The Fridge would hit paydirt in the end zone.

Vaccaro’s unique offering attracted all kinds of attention both from bettors and from media types. It also accomplished his goal of increasing betting handle, with money pouring in on the ‘Yes, Fridge will score a TD’ side of the prop at big (but quickly declining) plus price odds. From a short term, bottom line standpoint, the first prop bet in Vegas history was a disaster for the books. Fridge famously did score a TD, stealing a goalline carry away from Hall of Famer Walter Payton in the process. Vaccaro: “We lost our ass on that bet. But we won in the long run.”

That was the beginning of the deluge of prop bets for the Super Bowl, the forerunner of Over/Under yardage numbers for QB’s, RB’s and WR’s that are now widely available for every Sunday, Monday and Thursday Night Football game during the regular season. But Super Bowl prop betting didn’t get to the next level until Jay Kornegay took over as the sportsbook director at the Imperial Palace.

I’m being kind when I call the late 90’s Imperial Palace a ‘dump’, an aging center Strip property right in the middle of an area that was in the process of getting completely revitalized through a massive building boom. The worst parking garage in town flooded every time it rained. The Sportsbook itself was tucked away in a back corner on the third floor, requiring a ride on one of the longest, slowest escalators in the history of escalators to pay a visit.

But there was only one thing that kept the Imperial Palace or ‘IP’ (now ‘The Linq’ following a sale and a $230 million makeover that didn’t touch the parking garage) relevant for locals and sports bettors. That thing? The sportsbook, of course! By the mid to late 90’s, Kornegay was doing a number of fairly unique things to increase handle at his book. The IP would post the following week’s NFL pointspreads at halftime of the 1 PM (Pacific Time) games, something no one else in town was doing, beating the legendary Stardust Sportsbook (with the slogan ‘Where the Line Originates’) in the process.

When I first moved to Las Vegas in time for the 1998 football season, it was already well established that the IP was THE sportsbook for Super Bowl props; a venue that seemed intent on drawing sharp traffic away from the Stardust. My first Super Bowl in Vegas was John Elway’s last game; a Broncos win and cover over the Falcons in Super Bowl 33 that is also known as the ‘Eugene Robinson game’ after Robinson got arrested for soliciting a prostitute on the night before the game.

I watched that game with some buddies at the IP. We all had bets on Denver; there wasn’t much of a sweat there, with the exception of when Tim Dwight ran a kickoff back for a TD in the fourth quarter just to make things a little interesting, opening up a ‘backdoor cover’ possibility. The real excitement came from the props, not the actual game being played on the field.

At that point – in the late 90’s – Kornegay and his staff at the IP were well ahead of the rest of the world when it came to props. Here in Vegas, the vast majority of other sportsbooks were far too risk averse to offer the bevy of options that Kornegay had posted. You’d see some books in town copy the simple stuff – this is where the ‘tradition’ of Kornegay NOT offering printed sheets until a couple of days after the props were released began. The IP was at the forefront of the Super Bowl prop betting world, with everyone else trailing behind. Even the offshore books, which were proliferating wildly at the time, couldn’t match the depth and breadth of the IP Sportsbook’s Super Bowl proposition wagers.

When Kornegay moved over to the Hilton Superbook in 2004, which became the LVH Superbook, which became the Westgate Superbook, he brought the focus on Super Bowl props with him. Since that time, the Superbook has become the world leader for Super Bowl props. CG Technology (formerly Cantor) posts a significant array of proposition wagers to choose from as well. Just about every other sportsbook in town offers prop bets as well, although the vast majority of those betting menus aren’t nearly as deep.

The offshore world has gotten more heavily involved with their menu of prop bet offerings over the past decade as well. Those with access to the offshore numbers can take advantage of the handful of solid arbitrage opportunities as the global numbers are posted. When one book has Peyton Manning’s total passing yardage posted at 235.5 and another book has it at 246.5, savvy bettors take advantage with Under 246.5 yards bets or Over 233.5 yards bets; sometimes both (offering the possibility of a ‘middle’, cashing both sides of the wager).

The professional bettors here in Vegas do not go nuts betting the Super Bowl side and/or total. It’s just one game at the tail end of a long season; a game where both the pointspread and the total are priced right around where they should be. Many wiseguys will not have a wager on side or total when Super Bowl 50 kicks off.

But the prop betting menu is a different story entirely. When the Westgate Superbook posted their opening numbers last Thursday night, the line stretched all the way to the back of the book. There was at least a half hour wait to get a bet down, yet bettors waited patiently for their turn to fire away at the openers with $2000 limits. Guys who take this seriously can get half a million dollars into play without a hitch, in $1000 and $2000 increments. When the best bettors in the world go ‘all in’ betting these props for Super Bowl Sunday, recreational and casual bettors should take notice!

NFL Betting: Defensive Points Against
Sportspic.com

No question defense rules the NFL and of more interest it also rules the point spread. Defenses perform more consistently than do offenses and should be afforded the greatest weight when handicapping pro football. To that end, the focus is defense and an oft overlook statistic 'Defensive Points Allowed Per 100 Yards' of real estate surrendered. Why you wonder, well this particular stat measures how hard a team makes its opponents work to get points translating to the team with the best 'Defensive Points Allowed Per 100 Yards' of real estate is the team that makes the fewest mistakes, executes best and wins the battle of field position.

The above in mind let's take a deeper dive into stats to see who has the best chance off walking off with the 'W' but more importantly with the $$$ in 'Super Bowl 50''

Broncos have allowed an average 292.3 yards per game, 18.3 points giving the squad a YTD 'Defensive Points Allowed Per 100 Yards' ratio of 6.23. Meanwhile, Panthers come in surrendering 325.6 yards per game, 19.3 PPG for a 'Defensive Points Allowed Per 100 Yards' rating of 5.88

Hard to believe, but the numbers suggest Panthers are a shade better with fewer mistakes on defense, execute better thus harder for opponents to score against them.

Now that we have a handle on what to expect defensively let's add each teams offensive yardage to the mix completing the model.

Broncos manage 347.7 yards per game so assuming everything plays to form expect Broncos to score 17-20 points (347.7/100=3.5 * Panthers DP100 Rating 5.88 = 20.6). Conversely, Panthers gains 370.1 yards per game and once again assuming both play to form Panthers should score 21-24 points (370.1/100=3.7 * Broncos DP100 Rating 6.23 = 24.2).

Panthers opened at -4.0 and have moved to as high as 5.5 - 6.0 at some locales

Remember, this is just one model that can be utilized with other handicapping tools.

Fifty betting notes you need to know before Super Bowl 50
By Joe Fortenbaugh
Covers.com

Super Bowl 50 will feature a plethora of first-time occurrences, from the first Super Bowl matchup between quarterbacks who were drafted first overall (Peyton Manning in 1998 vs. Cam Newton in 2011), to the first time the No. 1 overall pick from a draft (Cam Newton, 2011) will square-off against the No. 2 overall selection from the same draft (Von Miller, 2011) in professional football’s ultimate encounter.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Covers has in store for you, as the following 50 need-to-know sports betting notes for Super Bowl 50 should put you firmly on the right track toward beating your bookie one final time this football season.

Enjoy, best of luck and enjoy the game.

All prop bets courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook unless otherwise noted.

1. Super Bowl 50 will be played in Santa Clara, California at the open-air venue known as Levi’s Stadium, which features a natural playing surface comprised of Tifway II Bermuda grass and Perennial Ryegrass.

In outdoor games played on a natural grass surface this season, the Carolina Panthers went 13-0 SU and 11-2 ATS (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS on the road), while the Denver Broncos went 13-3 SU and 8-7-1 ATS (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS on the road).

2. As it pertains to the Super Bowl coin toss, it is imperative to make one fact abundantly clear: no amount of research, trends or statistical data will give you an edge when it comes to selecting the winning result. This is an independent event with only two possible outcomes, so your chances of winning are exactly 50 percent. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun…

3. In the 49 previous Super Bowls, the coin toss has landed on “Heads” 24 times and “Tails” 25 times. Five of the last seven coin tosses have come up “Heads,” but “Tails” has been the outcome in each of the last two Super Bowls.

In addition, the NFC has won a staggering 16 of the last 18 Super Bowl coin tosses. Finally, of the 49 Super Bowl coin toss winners, 24 have gone on to win the game, with four of the last six coin toss winners eventually emerging as Super Bowl champions.

4. Peyton Manning-led Super Bowl teams are 0-3 when it comes to the coin toss.

5. The team to record the first score in the Super Bowl has gone on to win 33 times (33-16, 67.3%), which includes each of the last five Super Bowls. PROP: Will the team that scores first win the game: YES -180, NO +160.

6. Weather update: Sunday’s forecast for kickoff in Santa Clara is currently calling for temperatures with a high of 73 degrees and a low of 50 degrees. There is currently a zero percent chance of precipitation with the humidity expected to hover around 61 percent and winds out of the north-northwest at 8 miles per hour.

7. Of the 50 quarterbacks to start the last 25 Super Bowls, not one recorded a lower regular season passer rating than the 67.9 Peyton Manning posted in 2015.

In addition, only one of the last 25 Super Bowls (Patriots vs. Giants in Super Bowl XLII) featured a greater disparity in regular season passer ratings between the two starting quarterbacks than Sunday’s Super Bowl 50 (Newton: 99.4, Manning: 67.9).

8. Super Bowl 50 will pit the offense that made the most trips inside the red zone during the regular season (Carolina, 63) against the defense that allowed the fewest trips inside the red zone during the regular season (Denver, 37).

The good news for the Panthers is that if they can make it inside the Broncos’ 20-yard line, there’s a reasonable chance that Carolina will turn those opportunities into touchdowns, as Denver’s opponents found the end zone 59.5 percent of the time this season after entering the red zone (13th-most in NFL).

9. The Carolina Panthers are 9-4 ATS over their last 13 playoff games, while the Denver Broncos are 2-5-1 ATS over their last eight postseason contests.

10. With eight years and 123 games of NFL experience under his belt, Clete Blakeman was named as the head official for Super Bowl 50 last week. Blakeman served as a field judge from 2008-2009 before earning a promotion to head official in 2010, a role he currently serves to this day.

In games officiated by Blakeman, the Denver Broncos are 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS, the most recent of which was a 47-14 throttling of the Oakland Raiders back in 2014. On the flip side, the Carolina Panthers are 2-2 SU and 2-2 ATS in games officiated by Blakeman, the most recent of which was a 24-17 win and cover over Houston on September 20.

11. In 2015, home teams went 8-8 SU in games officiated by Blakeman, while favorites went 8-7-1 ATS. As for the total, Blakeman’s crew was on the field for eight Overs and eight Unders in 16 games this season. Of those 16 aforementioned matchups, an average of 46.1 points per game was scored, with nine of those 16 contests featuring more than 45 total points.

12. NFL officiating crews threw an average of 13.7 penalty flags per game in 2015, with Blakeman’s crew throwing an average of 14.0 penalty flags per contest.

13. Teams that have ranked first in total defense during the regular season are 9-2 SU when playing in the Super Bowl. However, the Seattle Seahawks ranked first in total defense last season and lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. The Denver Broncos ranked first in the NFL in total defense this past season, surrendering an average of just 283.1 total yards per game.

14. Of the 49 Super Bowls played prior to Sunday’s showdown in Santa Clara, not one has gone into overtime. The price on whether or not Super Bowl 50 will go into overtime is currently listed at YES +550, NO -800.

15. PROP: Total first half points scored by the Carolina Panthers: 13.0 (Over: Even, Under: -120). Through 18 showdowns this season, the Panthers are averaging 17.8 points per game during the first half, with a plus-10 turnover differential.

In addition, the Panthers scored 13 or more points during the first half in 12 of 18 games this season, which includes 10 of the last 11 contests. The Broncos surrendered 13 or more points during the first half in six of 18 games this season. Through their last seven matchups, the Broncos have surrendered an average of just 7.8 points per game during the first half.

16. The underdog is a highly profitable 14-5-1 ATS over the last 20 Super Bowls. That’s good news for Denver fans, as the Broncos opened the week as 6-point underdogs for Super Bowl 50.

17. Sunday will mark Cam Newton’s first Super Bowl appearance, while Peyton Manning will be under center for his fourth Super Bowl. Quarterbacks making their Super Bowl debut have won four consecutive matchups over signal-callers with previous Super Bowl experience.

Manning won in his Super Bowl debut back in 2007 against Rex Grossman and the Chicago Bears, but lost to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (2010) and Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks (2014), both of whom were making their Super Bowl debuts.

18. The Over (currently listed at 45) is 4-0 in Carolina’s last four playoff games, while the Under is 5-1 in Denver’s last six postseason contests. In addition, the Over is 20-7-1 in Carolina’s last 28 games against teams with a winning record, while the Under is 5-2 in Denver’s last seven matchups against opponents with a winning record.

19. PROP: Total made third-down conversions by the Carolina Panthers (conversion by penalty does NOT count): 5.5 (Over: -120, Under: Even). Carolina converted an average of 5.6 third downs per game in 18 contests this season, which includes six or more third down conversions in five of the team’s last six outings. Conversely, the Broncos permitted an average of 4.6 third down conversions through 18 games this season, with opponents converting five or fewer third downs in seven of the club’s last 10 contests.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars signal-caller Blake Bortles was the only NFL quarterback to throw more interceptions (18) during the 2015 regular season than Peyton Manning (17), despite the fact that Manning appeared in just 10 games. However, Manning has yet to throw an interception through 69 playoff passing attempts, which is notable because the Denver quarterback has never made it through a postseason that features more than one game without throwing at least one interception. PROP: Will Peyton Manning throw an interception: YES -220, NO: +190.

21. Through 18 total games, the Denver Broncos are averaging 5.5 punts per contest while the Carolina Panthers are averaging 4.3 punts per outing. Take note that the Broncos have punted the ball five or more times in four of the team’s last five outings, while the Panthers have punted the ball three or fewer times in three of the club’s last four matchups. The current Over/Under for total punts in Super Bowl 50 is 10.0 (-110 both ways).

22. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals by 34 points in the NFC Championship game on January 24 and in the process became just the sixth team since the merger to win a conference championship game by 30 or more points. Of the previous five clubs to win a conference title game by 30 or more points, only two went on to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy (1991 Washington Redskins and 2014 New England Patriots).

23. The Denver defense led the NFL in sacks during the regular season, with 52 (3.25 per game) and have since added seven more to that total through two playoff games. Cam Newton was sacked a total of 33 times during the regular season (12th-most in NFL) and was brought down while attempting a pass twice more during the postseason. In addition, Newton was sacked three or more times in a game just four times in 18 contests this season. PROP: Total number of quarterback sacks recorded by the Denver defense: 2.5 (Over: +150, Under: -170).

24. PROP: Will there be a safety scored in Super Bowl 50: YES +550, NO -800. Nine safeties have been scored in the NFL’s previous 49 Super Bowls. However, four safeties have been scored since 2009, with a safety occurring in each Super Bowl from 2013-2015 before that streak was snapped last February.

25. For those of you predicting a Carolina blowout that rivals what the Seahawks did to Manning’s Broncos two years ago, you may be interested in wagering on an alternative pointspread. At the moment, you can play Carolina -14.5 at +350, Carolina -17.5 at +475 and Carolina -21.5 at +600.

However, be advised that only four of Carolina’s 17 wins this season came by more than 21 points, with nine of those 17 victories coming by 11 or more points. Take note that Denver lost just one game by more than seven points this season (29-13 vs. Kansas City in Week 10).

26. Of the 13 successful field goal attempts that occurred over the last five Super Bowls, none came from a distance of greater than 38 yards. You have to go back to February of 2010 to find an instance of a successful Super Bowl field goal attempt of greater than 40 yards, when Saints kicker Garrett Hartley connected from 47, 46 and 44 yards in New Orleans’ 31-17 win over Indianapolis.

PROP: Longest made field goal in Super Bowl 50: 45.5 yards (-110 both ways). Carolina kicker Graham Gano went 15/20 from outside of 40 yards in 2015 while Denver kicker Brandon McManus went 10/15 from 40 yards or longer during the regular season.

27. PROP: Total field goals made by both teams: 3.5 (Over: +105, Under: -125): The last five Super Bowls have featured an average of just 2.6 made field goals per game. Denver kicker Brandon McManus is averaging 2.05 field goals made per game through 18 contests this season, while Carolina kicker Graham Gano is averaging 1.83 field goals made per game through 18 outings this season.

The Broncos surrendered an average of just 1.6 made field goals per game during the 2015 regular season, while the Panthers permitted an average of only 1.3 made field goals per game this year.

28. The Denver Broncos allowed an average of just 3.3 yards per rushing attempt during the 2015 regular season (first in NFL), but Sunday’s matchup with Cam Newton will provide a unique challenge for a variety of reasons. For starters, the Denver defense faced just 21 designed quarterback rushing attempts through 18 total contests, but 14 of those were kneel-downs and two were mishandled snaps or handoffs.

Conversely, Newton recorded 124 designed rushing attempts through 18 games this season, good for an average of 6.8 designed rushing attempts per matchup. So you can’t help but ask yourself how Wade Phillips’ defense will react to something it hasn’t faced all season.

29. Speaking of Newton’s ability to create positive yardage with his legs, the Carolina quarterback notched 28 scrambles this season, which resulted in a total of 211 rushing yards (7.5 yds/scramble) and two touchdowns.

Defending the scramble has been a weak spot for the otherwise stalwart Denver defense, as only three NFL teams permitted more yards per scramble this past season than the Broncos. Of the 22 quarterback scrambles the Broncos were tasked with defending in 2015, 12 went for 10 or more yards.

30. Cam Newton rushing props include: Cam Newton’s first rushing attempt: 6.5 yards (Over: Even, Under: -120), Total rushing yards by Cam Newton: 37.5 (-110 both ways), Longest rush by Cam Newton: 12.5 yards (-110 both ways).

31. PROP: Which team will accrue more penalty yardage: Denver (-145) vs. Carolina (+125). During the 2015 regular season, the Broncos ranked eighth in the NFL in penalty yardage (1,063 yards) while the Panthers ranked 19th (887 yards). However, Denver has notched 51 or fewer penalty yards in seven of its last eight matchups, while Carolina has not recorded more than 45 penalty yards in any of its last four showdowns.

32. 2015 marked just the seventh time in NFL history that a team (Carolina) won exactly 15 games during the regular season. Of the previous six franchises to win exactly 15 games during the regular season, only the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and 1985 Chicago Bears went on to win the Super Bowl.

33. The Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos tied for 10th in the National Football League during the 2015 regular season in big-play touchdowns (touchdowns of 20 or more yards) with 11. Only three playoff teams recorded a higher total than the Panthers and Broncos this season (Seattle with 19, Arizona with 15, Green Bay with 13).

34. Will Super Bowl 50 score at least the fourth-highest Nielsen Household Television Rating in Super Bowl history? That’s what you have to ask yourself if you want to beat the following prop currently being offered at Sportsbook.ag: Over/Under Nielsen Household Television Rating for Super Bowl L: 48.5 (Over: -115, Under: -125).

Of the previous 49 Super Bowls, only three (Seattle vs. New England in 2015 with a 49.7, Washington vs. Miami in 1983 with a 48.6 and San Francisco vs. Cincinnati in 1982 with a 49.1) went over the 48.5 total currently on the board. Here’s a breakdown of the Nielsen Ratings for the last five Super Bowls:

Seattle vs. New England in 2015: 49.7
Seattle vs. Denver in 2014: 46.4
Baltimore vs. San Francisco in 2013: 47.1
New York Giants vs. New England in 2012: 47.1
Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011: 46.0

35. Fun fact: This Sunday will mark Denver’s eighth trip to the Super Bowl since the franchise joined the American Football League in 1970. Did you know that seven of those eight Super Bowls will have featured a Broncos starting quarterback who was originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts (John Elway: 5, Peyton Manning: 2)?

36. Each of the last five Super Bowls has featured a first score that was not a field goal (three touchdowns, two safeties). However, in the five years prior to that stretch, the first score of the Super Bowl was a field goal four times. PROP: First score of the game will be: Touchdown (-150), Any other score (+130).

37. When it comes to the all-important turnover battle, the regular season edge definitely resided with the Carolina Panthers, who finished the season plus-20 in turnover differential (first in NFL), while the Denver Broncos ranked 19th in the league in turnover differential (-4). Of the 12 teams that qualified for the postseason, no club recorded a worse turnover differential during the 2015 regular season than the Denver Broncos.

38. During the Super Bowl’s 49-year history, only six games (12.2%) have been decided by exactly three points. However, five of those matchups have taken place since 2002 when Tom Brady and the New England Patriots defeated Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI. PROP: Will the Super Bowl be decided by exactly three points: YES +375, NO -450.

39. Coming from someone who lives in the city of San Francisco, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that it infuriates Bay Area residents to no end that this is being considered a “San Francisco Super Bowl,” even though the actual game is taking place an hour south in the city of Santa Clara.

PROP (courtesy of Bovada.LV): How many times will the Golden Gate Bridge be shown during the broadcast: 0.5 (Over: -300, Under: +200). A steep price to pay, but I personally guarantee that the “Over” cashes in this situation, if only to piss off the fine people of this great city one more time.

40. Including the 2015 postseason, the Carolina Panthers have rushed for 100 or more yards in 31 consecutive contests, which is the third-longest streak since the 1970 merger. Through 18 games this season, the Denver defense has permitted an opponent to run for 100 or more yards just seven times.

41. PROP: Will the Denver Broncos score in all four quarters (Overtime does NOT count): YES +300, NO -360. The Broncos scored in all four quarters in just five of 18 total games this season, while the Carolina Panthers allowed the opposition to score in all four quarters just four times in 18 matchups in 2015.

42. The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award has been given to a quarterback 27 times (55.1%), an offensive player 39 times (79.6%), a defensive player nine times (18.4%) and a kick returner/punt returner one time (2%). Your top-five favorites to win the Super Bowl 50 MVP Award are:

Cam Newton: 5/7
Peyton Manning: 7/2
Jonathan Stewart: 15/1
Greg Olsen: 18/1
C.J. Anderson: 20/1

43. PROP: Total solo and assisted tackles by Von Miller (Sacks do NOT count): 3.0 (-110 both ways). Eliminate Miller’s sack total and the Denver pass rusher is averaging just 1.6 tackles per game this season, with all but one of 18 contests resulting in three or fewer tackles.

44. Key to the game: Third down conversions. The Carolina Panthers ranked seventh in the NFL in third down conversions during the regular season at 42.4 percent, while the Denver Broncos ranked 25th at 35.3 percent. Defensively, the Panthers ranked 13th in the NFL at 37.9 percent, while the Broncos ranked seventh at 35.2 percent.

45. If the current spread of Carolina -6 holds until kickoff, Super Bowl 50 will mark the eighth consecutive year in which professional football’s championship showdown featured a closing line of -7 or less. In addition, take note that 13 of the last 14 Super Bowls have featured a pointspread of -7 or less.

46. Lady Gaga will sing the National Anthem for Super Bowl 50, with the Over/Under set at 2 minutes and 20 seconds. While there’s currently no information available as to how long the six-time Grammy Award winner will take to perform the Anthem, history has shown us that credible intelligence regarding the performer’s rehearsal will leak sometime prior to kickoff. As of now, here’s a rundown of the last 10 Super Bowl National Anthem performances, which saw the “Under” cash six times:

Super Bowl 40: Aaron Neville & Aretha Franklin at 2:08
Super Bowl 41: Billy Joel at 1:30
Super Bowl 42: Jordin Sparks at 1:54
Super Bowl 43: Jennifer Hudson at 2:10
Super Bowl 44: Carrie Underwood at 1:47
Super Bowl 45: Christina Aguilera at 1:54
Super Bowl 46: Kelly Clarkson at 1:34
Super Bowl 47: Alicia Keys at 2:35
Super Bowl 48: Renee Fleming at 1:54
Super Bowl 49: Idina Menzel at 2:04

47. Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart averaged 18.6 rushing attempts and 78.5 rushing yards per game through 15 total outings in 2015, which equates to a total of 4.2 yards per rushing attempt. On the flip side, Denver’s defense surrendered an average of just 3.3 rushing yards per attempt this past season, which ranked first in the NFL. PROP: Total rushing yards by Jonathan Stewart: 66.5 (-110 both ways).

48. Only one team in Super Bowl history has scored more than 14 points during the first quarter, which took place in 2014 when the Seattle Seahawks outscored the Denver Broncos 16-0 during the first quarter of what turned out to be a 43-8 annihilation in Super Bowl XLVIII.

49. PROP: Total solo and assisted tackles by Luke Kuechly (Sacks do NOT count): 8.5 (-110 both ways). The three-time Pro Bowler averaged 9.1 tackles per game this season and has notched eight or more tackles in five straight contests and nine or more tackles in three of his last five outings. In addition, Kuechly is currently listed at 25/1 to win the Super Bowl 50 Most Valuable Player Award.

50. Through 49 Super Bowls, no team has ever been held scoreless and no field goal kicker has ever converted an attempt from 55 yards or longer.

50 Super Betting Angles
VegasInsider.com

Before you start your handicapping the matchup and prop bets, you might want to check out 50 angles that our Editorial staff have uncovered for this year's Super Bowl.

1- Super Bowl 50 will be the first pro football finale that features two former #1 NFL draft picks squaring off.

2 – In the last 10 Super Bowls, the NFC has only been favored 2 times and they’ve gone 1-1 in those games with San Francisco losing and Green Bay winning, by just five points. Going back 20 years, the NFC is 4-2 SU but 1-3-2 ATS in the role as a favorite.

3- There have been three NFL players that have won a Super Bowl as a head coach and as a player – Mike Ditka, Tom Flores, Tony Dungy. Carolina head coach Ron Rivera would be the fourth since he was part of Chicago’s victory in 1985.

4 – Denver has been installed as an underdog four times this season and it’s gone 3-1 straight up and 4-0 against the spread. The lone loss came in Week 15 when it lost to Pittsburgh 34-27 but covered as a 7 ½-point underdog.

5 – The Broncos own a 2-5 record in the Super Bowl and holds the record for the most setbacks in the finale with five.

6 – Denver has registered six non-offensive touchdowns this season, four of them coming via interceptions. Carolina has accounted for six “pick-six” scores from its defense and has seven total non-offensive scores.

7 – Prior to this matchup, there have been seven Super Bowls since 2001 that featured head coaches meeting in the finale with no SB experience. The AFC has gone 5-2 during this span.

8 – The Broncos have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games when playing with a week of rest and that includes two wins this season – Week 8 vs. Green Bay (29-10) and the Divisional Playoffs against Pittsburgh (23-17). The ‘under’ has produced a 7-3 mark in these games.

9 – In 18 games, the Panthers have held nine of their opponents to 17 points or less.

10 – Denver has won 10 straight road games played in California, divided equally against the Raiders and Chargers. More importantly, the Broncos have covered all 10 while the ‘under’ has gone 7-3.

11- The Broncos have seen the ‘under’ go 11-6-1 this season, which includes a perfect 2-0 mark in the playoffs.

12 – This will be the 12th Super Bowl played in California and the first since 2003. Favorites have gone 7-4 both SU and ATS in these games and the ‘over’ is 9-1.

13 – Carolina has gone 13-6-1 versus the AFC since 2011 with Cam Newton under center. They only faced the Broncos once and Denver captured a 36-14 victory in the 2012 regular season.

14- Cam Newton has averaged 8.5 carries per game this season, with 14 rushes being the most this season which came in Week 1 at Jacksonville.

15 – Prop bettors should note that Carolina QB Cam Newton has been held under 21 completions in 15 of his 18 games this season.

16 – The Carolina offense has been lights out this season but the defense has been just as good. The Panthers have surrendered 16.3 PPG in their last three games, and 19.3 PPG overall.

17 – Broncos QB Peyton Manning has tossed 17 interceptions this season, the most in his four years with Denver. Carolina led the league with 24 picks.

18 – Denver’s defense was one of the most consistent units this season, both home away. Denver surrendered 18.2 points per game at home and 18.5 PPG on the road.

19 – Since 2008, this will be just the 19th time that Peyton Manning has been installed as an underdog in a game. In the first 18 games, he’s 9-9 SU and 11-7 ATS.

20 – Bettors have seen underdogs cover the point-spread in 20 of the 49 Super Bowls and 13 of those clubs pulled off outright victories.

21 – Super Bowl teams that fail to score 21 points in the Super Bowl are 1-22 SU and 3-19-1 ATS. The lone winner that failed to eclipse the 21-point plateau was the N.Y. Giants, who recently beat the Patriots 17-14 in SBXLII.

22 – Since 2005, Peyton Manning has accounted for 22 rushes in the postseason and he’s only scored one touchdown.

23 – In the first 49 Super Bowls, 23 of them have been decided by 14 points or more.

24 – When Cam Newton scores a rushing touchdown, the Panthers have scored at least 24 points in eight of their nine games this season.

25 – In the first 25 Super Bowls, the favorites have gone 17-8 against the spread and the ‘under’ went 13-11 in those games. In the last 24, the underdogs have produced a 12-9-2 ATS mark with last year’s result not counting since the line was pick ‘em.

26 – Denver QB Peyton Manning has played in 26 postseason games and owns a 13-13 record.

27a - Super Bowl teams that have scored at least 27 points are 26-2 SU and 23-4-1 ATS. The two teams that failed to win were Carolina (29) in SBXXXVIII and San Francisco (31) in SBXLVII.

27b – Quarterbacks have captured the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award 27 times, which includes five of the last six years. Cam Newton (5/8) and Peyton Manning (3/1) are the top two betting choices for this year’s popular prop wager.

28 - How much of a drop-off has Denver’s offense had this season? In 2014, the team averaged 28.9 PPG comparted to 22.1 this season. To make you really notice Peyton’s regression, he averaged 30.4 PPG in his debut season in Denver and an eye-opening 36.4 PPG during the 2013 Super Bowl run.

29 - The Broncos have lost by an average margin of 29.6 points per game in their five Super Bowl setbacks, the largest deficit coming by 45 points to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIV.

30 – The Panthers were installed as road favorites seven times this season and they went 6-1 SU and 4-3 ATS while averaging 30 PPG.

31 - The highest point total scored by a losing team in a Super Bowl was 31, which happened twice. San Francisco dropped a 34-31 decision to Baltimore in SBXLVII (2013) and Dallas came up short to Pittsburgh 35-31 in SBXIII (1979).

32 – Carolina averaged 32.2 PPG this season, ranked first in the league. Was this surprising? It was certainly out of the ordinary considering the Panthers averaged 21.3 PPG in 2014 and 22.3 PPG two years ago.

33 – The Panthers led the league with an average of 33.6 rushing attempts per game and they also led the NFL with rushing first downs and rushing touchdowns.

34 – The Steelers dropped 34 points on the Broncos in Week 15, which was the most allowed by Denver this season. In that game, Pittsburgh scored 21 in the second-half and only managed to score 16 in the rematch game in the Divisional Playoff round.

35 – The most points ever scored in a quarter of a Super Bowl was 35 by the Redskins in their 42-10 victory over the Broncos in SBXXII.

36 – Since the NFC South was created in 2002, the division has sent three teams to the Super Bowl and they’ve averaged 36 PPG in the finale. They’ve gone 2-1, the lone loser being Carolina in SBXXXVIII to the Patriots, 32-29.

37 – Denver has kicked 37 field goals this season, seven of those 3-pointers coming in the postseason. Carolina has posted 33 field goals in 18 games.

38 – The last Super Bowl winner to score 38 points was in 1985 when San Francisco defeated Miami 38-16 in SBXIX, which was coincidentally the last finale that took place from Northern California (Stanford Stadium).

39 – Carolina racked up a league-high 39 takeaways (24 interceptions, 15 fumbles) this season and also led the league with a plus-20 turnover margin. Denver was minus-4 (31-27) in turnovers on the season.

40 – Cam Newton has attempted 40 or more passes in two games this season. The Panthers won those games, but both victories came on the road and by three points against the Saints and Giants.

41 – Denver’s passing offense had 41 plays this season for 20-plus yards and coincidentally the defense surrendered 41 plays of the same yardage to opponents. Carolina’s offense (53) and defense (53) also put up identical numbers, but they were a tad higher.

42 – Carolina had a net punting average of 42.7 yards per game this season, which was ranked fifth in the NFL. Just barely ahead of them was Denver, who had an average of 43.4 YPG. Carolina allowed two return touchdowns while the Broncos allowed one.

43 – The Panthers converted 43% of their third down conversions, which was ranked fifth in the NFL. Meanwhile, Denver was ranked 27th in the league with a 34% conversion rate.

44 – Carolina racked up 44 sacks in the regular season and it added to that number in the postseason with an additional eight in two games. Denver led the league with 59 sacks, seven of them coming in the playoffs.

45 – There have only been two Super Bowl totals listed at 45 and the ‘over/under’ went 1-1 in those games.

46 – Peyton Manning owns a 46-21 all-time record against NFC opponents, which includes a 13-4 record the last four seasons with Denver.

47 – The longest run by the Panthers this season was 47 yards, which came by quarterback Cam Newton. The Broncos have two players – Ronnie Hillman (72) and C.J. Anderson (48) – that have topped that number.

48 – There has only been one Super Bowl where the combined score has landed exactly on 48 points. This occurred in SBXLIV when the Saints defeated the Colts 31-17 in 2010.

49 – Since QB Peyton Manning joined the Denver Broncos, the franchise has captured 49 victories.

50 – Cam Newton has accounted for 50 total touchdowns this season, which is the same amount of scores he accumulated when he won the Heisman Trophy award at Auburn.

Super Bowl 50 Total Decision
By Joe Nelson
Playbook.com

Super Bowl 50 is approaching and as usual it is a tough call. Here is a case for both totals in the big game as both the 'over' and the 'under' have a compelling case. Hear the arguments and make your decision on the winning total for Sunday's big game.

Super Bowl 50 'UNDER' Argument

Last season's Super Bowl featuring the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots slipped just 'over' the total with 52 points scored on a total that closed at 47, falling from earlier numbers closer to 48.5. As we all recall it looked like even more points would be scored as an interception near the end zone effectively ended the game.

In Seattle's Super Bowl win the previous season, 16 points came outside of offensive scoring plays but last season all the scoring came on offense and while there were three turnovers in the game, every scoring drive travelled at least 50 yards. Super Bowl XLIX had a scoreless first quarter but things escalated in the second quarter with two touchdowns on each side including three of those touchdowns coming in the final three minutes of the half.

While the past three Super Bowls have played 'over' the 'under' has still hit in six of the last 11 Super Bowls and the totals on the big game are often considered slightly inflated due to the popularity of the game and the common propensity to favor scoring. With that said 10 of the last 11 Super Bowls have closed with a total above 45, with only Green Bay's win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV featuring a lower closing total than the current common price on this year's big game.

The venue seems to favor the 'under' as Levi's Stadium, hosting its first Super Bowl, saw the 'under' hit in nine of ten games this season if you count the preseason. San Francisco's team certainly played a role in that with a limited offense but none of the games in Santa Clara featured more than 45 points this season. The conditions of the field were also often criticized with complaints of soft spots and there is likely some basis for expecting lower scoring in games played in the 49ers home venue.

When looking at the defensive scoring the case for the 'under' has validity as Denver has held 15 of 18 opponents to 24 or fewer points this season and Carolina has held 14 of 18 foes to 24 or fewer points. The two playoff games for the Panthers both soared well 'over' but Carolina allowed a total of 7 points to Seattle and Arizona combined in two postseason first halves with most of the points allowed by the Panthers coming after a big lead was in hand.

Given Carolina's league-best 39 turnovers created (plus 9 more in the postseason) the expectation will be a careful calculated offensive approach from the Broncos. While Denver's defense led the league in fewest rush yards per carry allowed, Carolina was not far behind and it seems reasonable to expect both teams to have trouble breaking big gains on the ground. Carolina's yardage numbers on defense were not overwhelming this season but they also faced five regular season games vs. teams that finished in the league's top five in yards per play on offense.

Both sides also have dangerous play-making secondary players and avoiding turnovers will be the top priority, especially in Denver's case given how poorly the Super Bowl started two years ago and seeing how well Carolina has started in two playoff games. Denver and Carolina were the top two defenses in the league this season in fewest yards per pass attempt allowed as big plays were very tough to come by against these teams.

The 'under' went 11/6/1 in Denver games this season and it seems likely that the Broncos will aim to be conservative while sustaining long clock-burning drives as they have in both playoff wins. Denver leaned on its defense to continue to get stops on big plays vs. New England and the Broncos know they can't take great risks with Peyton Manning's limitations and turnover issues this season. Winning a shootout with Carolina seems like a tall order as Denver will likely aim to keep this game with as few possessions as possible and lower scoring potential. While Manning is an all-time great and Cam Newton may win the MVP this season this Super Bowl is featuring two quarterbacks that completed fewer than 60 percent of their passes this season as a defense-oriented game should not be a surprise.

Super Bowl 50 'OVER' Argument

Some may be viewing this year's Super Bowl as an offense vs. defense matchup given Denver's great defense and the high scoring of the Panthers. Carolina led the league in scoring this season and the Panthers were also a productive offensive team posting almost 367 yards per game. Denver gained over 355 yards per game as well as the Broncos were capable of moving the ball this season despite not always delivering great scoring numbers. While the Broncos passed for a total of just 360 yards in the two playoff wins combined, in the regular season the Broncos threw for over 248 yards per game despite balancing two quarterbacks, 24 more yards than Carolina's offense totaled per game on average.

Denver and Carolina both had successful running games and the balance presented by both offenses should be a challenge for both defenses. Carolina faced potent offensive teams in the two playoff wins but they were also both teams that were pass-reliant late in the season and allowed the Panthers to bring serious pressure. The Broncos also faced a one-dimensional New England offense in the AFC Championship while also facing a Steelers team that was beat up without its top running back or wide receiver and with Ben Roethlisberger not playing at 100 percent.

With a total of 45 the recent scoring numbers for the Panthers make the case for the 'over' an easy one. Carolina's NFC South schedule can be fairly criticized but facing elite defenses in the playoffs the Panthers put up 80 points in two games and had they not built up huge first half leads they likely could have scored even more. In eight of the last nine games Carolina has scored 31 or more points by themselves and only once since Week 3 did the Panthers fail to score at least 27 points.

Denver's defense deserves great credit for getting big stops and holding the Steelers and Patriots to a combined total of just 34 points in two playoff wins but both quarterbacks threw for over 300 yards against Denver's defense despite its great reputation. The great regular season numbers for the Denver defense also featured no games vs. any of the league's top seven yards per play offensive teams. Carolina did face a few top offensive teams this season but they also had regular season games vs. four of the six worst yards per play offenses in the league as the case can be made that the numbers on defense are a bit better than they should be on both sides.

The 'over' went 12/5/1 in Carolina games this season and after taking heat for nearly blowing a big lead vs. Seattle in the divisional round an aggressive approach was displayed by 'Riverboat' Ron Rivera in the NFC Championship. The team seems to feed off that approach and if the Panthers have their way it will likely wind up as another higher scoring game with the defense daring Manning to beat them through the air.

Carolina has also shown the ability to score quickly with defensive and special team plays as well as quick strikes on offense. While Denver got big stops in key plays last week, Cam Newton's size makes the Panthers devastatingly effective in 3rd down and red zone situations as the Panthers rarely settle for field goals. Denver actually scored six defensive touchdowns in the regular season as well as the likelihood of a defensive score or a big shift in field position due to a turnover is great. With a total of only 45 which is relatively low for this season in the NFL, one defensive score would greatly shift the trajectory of the scoring pace.

NFL Betting: Super Bowl 50
Sportspic.com

This years Super Bowl held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara features the AFC Champion Denver Broncos and its top-ranked defense going up against NFC Champion Carolina Panthers with the leagues top-ranked offense. Most betting shops have opened Panthers -4.0 to 4.5 point favorite with the total hovering between 45.0 and 45.5 depending on locale.

Panthers were listed as favorites 16 times this season and hold a sparkling 11-5 record againt the betting line. Broncos were a perfect 5-0 ATS in an underdog roll this season winning four games outright. The teams have met four times in their history, with Denver winning three of them (2-2 ATS) the most recent a 36-14 win/cover in 2012 sacking Newton seven times.

Broncos are 14-4 (9-8-1 ATS, 6-11-1 O/U) to this point behind 22.1 points/game on 347.6 yds split between 240.6 passing (6.4 PYP), 107.0 rushing (4.1 RYP) yards/game. Defense, the moniker for these Broncos' have allowed a stingy 18.3 points/game on 211.1 passing (5.7 PYP), 81.3 rushing yards (3.3 RYP).

Panthers hit the field with a sparkling 17-1 record (13-5 ATS, 12-5-1 O/U) putting up 32.2 PPG on 226.9 passing (7.4 PYP), 143.2 rushing (4.3 RYP) yards/game. Ron Rivera's troops can also play some serious defense. The Panthers surrendered just 19.3 points/game this campaign on 239.3 passing (5.8 PYP) and 86.3 rushing (4.0 RYP) yards/game.

When handicapping 'Super Bowl 50' there are a few interesting trends that you should be aware of.

The NFC has won 14 of the past 25 Super Bowls. Factor in the great equalizer (point spread) they're a profitable 15-9-1 ATS split between 6-5-1 ATS as chalk, 9-4 ATS in an underdog roll. It's a toss up for total players with 13 'Over, 11 'Under' and 1 'Push' On a more recent note, the NFC is 5-5 the past ten Super Bowls, 6-4 against the betting line. The 'Over/Under' remains a toss up the past ten Super Bowls at 5-5.

Other notable betting nuggets for 'Super Bowl 50'.

Broncos 2-5 SU/ATS in Super Bowl
Panthers 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS in their lone SB appearance

Super Bowl Underdogs with a stout defense allowing =<24 pts are 6-1 ATS
Underdogs 10-5 ATS L15 Super Bowl's
Underdogs 6-2 ATS L8 Super Bowl's

Favorite 4-5 ATS in Super Bowl's when line 5.5 or less

Conf Champs (Panthers) winning by =>17 pts 4-4-1 ATS in Super Bowl
Conf Champs (Broncos) winning by =< 3 pts 3-1 ATS in 'Big Games'

O/U 13-11-1 past 25 'Big-Games' with an average score of 52.6
O/U 5-5 past ten 'Big-Games' with an average score of 49.4
O/U 4-1 past five SB's with an average score of 53.3

Super Bowl 50 Biggest Betting Mismatches
By Jason Logan
Covers.com

Panthers’ poor finishes vs. Broncos’ grand finales

During their 17-1 run, the Panthers haven’t shown many cracks in the foundation. Even against the spread, Carolina has been a consistent moneymaker, bringing a bountiful 13-5 ATS count to Santa Clara this Sunday. But those ATS paydays have not come without some sweat, especially with Carolina running out of steam in the fourth quarter this season. The Panthers, who topped the NFL in scoring with 31.2 points per game, average just 6.3 points in the final frame – ranked 22nd in the league.

It’s a surprising stat considering Carolina puts up averages of 7.2 points in first quarters (2nd), 10.6 in second quarters (1st), and 7.8 in third quarters (2nd) for 2015-16. Over the last five games, the Panthers have been outscored 62-80 in the second half and 28-45 in the closing 15 minutes of those games, so it’s not only the offense suffering a downtick but the defense as well, allowing 6.8 points in the fourth quarter – 13th most in the NFL.

Now, this sharp fourth-quarter decline could be for good reasons, one being that the Panthers have creamed opponents in the opening three quarters and are eating up the clock in the fourth and scoring less because of it. But, whatever the reason, it has to trouble Carolina bettors jumping on this game late into Super Bowl 50 betting. With the Panthers going as high as -6 at sportsbooks, and those late-game no-shows, the possibility of a backdoor cover looms large on Super Sunday.

Add to those startling trends the fact that Denver has played some of its best football in the final quarter, and the backdoor could look like a two-car garage come Sunday night. The Broncos defense allows six points per fourth (10th), but the offense – which hasn’t been much of a threat all season – shows up better late than never. Denver is averaging 7.2 points per fourth quarter, which makes up 32 percent of its overall 22.2 points per game, and has bettered that scoring pace to nine points in the final 15 minutes of its last three contests.

Broncos’ bad starting field position vs. Panthers’ short fields

A big reason why so many kids in Charlotte have a game-worn “Duke” on their night stands this February is because the Panthers offense got a head start on the competition most weeks. Thanks to a stingy defense that ranks sixth in total yards and forced 78 punts, 25 of which were deemed a fair catch, Cam Newton & Co. started drives closer to their opponent’s end zone more often than 30 other NFL teams.

According to FootballOutsiders.com, the Panthers’ average offensive starting field position of the 30.53-yard line per drive is second only to Kansas City. And according to SportingCharts.com, Carolina started only 18.69 percent of its drives inside its own 20-yard line - fourth lowest in the entire NFL – for a total of only 37 offensive drives backed up inside the twenty. That space allowed Newton and the offense to run its dangerous read-option playbook wide open most drives.

On the other side of the field at Levi’s Stadium Sunday will be a Denver stop unit that ranks tops in the NFL in yards allowed despite starting their defensive stands at an average of the 29.49-yard line, which ranks 29th in the league. And working backwards against how Carolina’s defense helped its offense, the Broncos’ sputtering offense did its worst to make life rough for their defense.

Denver’s offensive drives started at an average of the 25.54-yard line (26th) and recorded 55 drives starting inside their own 20-yard line – the most in the NFL. In fact, 27.64 percent of the Broncos’ total offensive drives were backed up inside the twenty (4th most). That led to 85 punts (7th most) and only 16 of those were called a fair catch with five going for touchbacks. Carolina also dominated in time of possession, with 32:10 per game (2nd), against Denver’s average TOP of 29:45 (21st).

Advantage - Denver
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

For the third straight season, the top two seeds in the NFL meet up in the Super Bowl. The Broncos are back in the big game for the second time in this span as Peyton Manning could be suiting up for the final time in his Hall of Fame career. Denver needed two victories in its final two games of the regular season to capture the AFC West title, while holding off the Steelers and Patriots to win their eighth AFC championship in franchise history.

The Broncos (14-4 SU, 9-8-1 ATS) owned the league’s best defense this season in several categories, including total yards per game (283.1), passing yards per game (199.6), while finishing fourth in points allowed (296) and third in rushing yards per game (83.6). Standout linebacker Von Miller racked up 11 regular season sacks, while tallying 2.5 sacks in the AFC Championship victory against New England. The Broncos returned six interceptions for touchdowns this season, while the defense allowed 20 points or less 12 times in 18 games.

Although Manning’s numbers weren’t near his standards from earlier in his career, the Broncos’ quarterback didn’t turn the ball over in the two playoff wins over Pittsburgh and New England. Manning is playing his fourth career Super Bowl, but is listed as an underdog for the first time after being favored in Super Bowl XLI against the Bears, Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints, and Super Bowl XLIX against the Seahawks.

The Broncos cashed in all five opportunities as an underdog this season, including a pair of outright victories over the Patriots. Denver also knocked off Green Bay at home in the ‘dog role, while beating Kansas City on the road back in Week 2 as three-point ‘dogs in a 31-24 victory. The Broncos have been listed as this heavy of an underdog with Manning under center since getting 5½ points in a 31-21 defeat at New England in 2012.

Underdogs have fared well in the Super Bowl recently, covering in six of the past seven opportunities (last season’s game doesn’t factor in since it closed at pick). Taking it a step further, since 2002 favorites of five points or more own a dreadful 1-6 ATS record in the Super Bowl with the only team to cover in this span being Manning’s Colts in Super Bowl XLI against Chicago.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Joe Nelson breaks down Denver’s success against the run, especially against teams that excel on the ground, “Denver shut down the run this season despite six games vs. teams that finished in the top 10 in the league in rushing yards per attempt, with Carolina sitting as the 11th ranked team in that measure. The Panthers were one of the least productive passing teams in the NFL, gaining less than 226 yards per game in the air and Denver’s plan will be to force Cam Newton to make plays in the air rather than finding success in the running game.”

Denver’s defense faces a new challenge in Newton due to his size, but Nelson says the Broncos will get pressure on the Carolina quarterback like they did in the AFC Championship, “Newton is as physically imposing as any quarterback to ever play the game, but keep in mind the historically great performance that Denver’s defense had against Tom Brady in the AFC Championship, probably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. The Broncos hit Brady 23 times, 11 more times than he had ever been hit in any of his previous 224 career games. Brady was sacked four times and threw two interceptions looking very little like the Hall of Fame caliber player that he generally has looked like in his career.

This is the first Super Bowl played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, as there haven’t been many high-scoring games there since the venue opened in 2014. “Fifteen of 18 Denver opponents were held to 24 or fewer points this season and in 10 games counting the preseason at Levi’s Stadium this season, no team scored more than 24 points on the soft turf in this still new venue. Carolina outscored foes by 16 points per game at home in the regular season but out-paced opposition by just half that number on the road while also just playing one game on the west coast, the miracle comeback win at Seattle in October,” Nelson comments.

The Panthers are 3-2 SU/ATS in Newton’s five playoff games, but only one of those games took place away from Bank of America Stadium. The lone postseason contest away from Charlotte with Newton under center was a 31-17 loss at Seattle last season in the divisional round as 13½-point underdogs. Seven of the eight road games came against non-playoff teams, while needing to rally from a 20-7 deficit in a 27-23 victory against the Seahawks in Week 6.

The Broncos won all four games against NFC competition this season, sweeping the NFC North and holding all four squads to 20 points or less. Since Manning joined the Broncos in 2012, Denver is 13-4 in the last 17 interconference games with two of those losses coming to Seattle. The Broncos routed the Panthers in their last meeting in Charlotte back in 2012 by a 36-14 count, as Denver reached the end zone with a punt return and interception return for scores.

Advantage - Denver
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

For the third straight season, the top two seeds in the NFL meet up in the Super Bowl. The Broncos are back in the big game for the second time in this span as Peyton Manning could be suiting up for the final time in his Hall of Fame career. Denver needed two victories in its final two games of the regular season to capture the AFC West title, while holding off the Steelers and Patriots to win their eighth AFC championship in franchise history.

The Broncos (14-4 SU, 9-8-1 ATS) owned the league’s best defense this season in several categories, including total yards per game (283.1), passing yards per game (199.6), while finishing fourth in points allowed (296) and third in rushing yards per game (83.6). Standout linebacker Von Miller racked up 11 regular season sacks, while tallying 2.5 sacks in the AFC Championship victory against New England. The Broncos returned six interceptions for touchdowns this season, while the defense allowed 20 points or less 12 times in 18 games.

Although Manning’s numbers weren’t near his standards from earlier in his career, the Broncos’ quarterback didn’t turn the ball over in the two playoff wins over Pittsburgh and New England. Manning is playing his fourth career Super Bowl, but is listed as an underdog for the first time after being favored in Super Bowl XLI against the Bears, Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints, and Super Bowl XLIX against the Seahawks.

The Broncos cashed in all five opportunities as an underdog this season, including a pair of outright victories over the Patriots. Denver also knocked off Green Bay at home in the ‘dog role, while beating Kansas City on the road back in Week 2 as three-point ‘dogs in a 31-24 victory. The Broncos have been listed as this heavy of an underdog with Manning under center since getting 5½ points in a 31-21 defeat at New England in 2012.

Underdogs have fared well in the Super Bowl recently, covering in six of the past seven opportunities (last season’s game doesn’t factor in since it closed at pick). Taking it a step further, since 2002 favorites of five points or more own a dreadful 1-6 ATS record in the Super Bowl with the only team to cover in this span being Manning’s Colts in Super Bowl XLI against Chicago.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Joe Nelson breaks down Denver’s success against the run, especially against teams that excel on the ground, “Denver shut down the run this season despite six games vs. teams that finished in the top 10 in the league in rushing yards per attempt, with Carolina sitting as the 11th ranked team in that measure. The Panthers were one of the least productive passing teams in the NFL, gaining less than 226 yards per game in the air and Denver’s plan will be to force Cam Newton to make plays in the air rather than finding success in the running game.”

Denver’s defense faces a new challenge in Newton due to his size, but Nelson says the Broncos will get pressure on the Carolina quarterback like they did in the AFC Championship, “Newton is as physically imposing as any quarterback to ever play the game, but keep in mind the historically great performance that Denver’s defense had against Tom Brady in the AFC Championship, probably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. The Broncos hit Brady 23 times, 11 more times than he had ever been hit in any of his previous 224 career games. Brady was sacked four times and threw two interceptions looking very little like the Hall of Fame caliber player that he generally has looked like in his career.

This is the first Super Bowl played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, as there haven’t been many high-scoring games there since the venue opened in 2014. “Fifteen of 18 Denver opponents were held to 24 or fewer points this season and in 10 games counting the preseason at Levi’s Stadium this season, no team scored more than 24 points on the soft turf in this still new venue. Carolina outscored foes by 16 points per game at home in the regular season but out-paced opposition by just half that number on the road while also just playing one game on the west coast, the miracle comeback win at Seattle in October,” Nelson comments.

The Panthers are 3-2 SU/ATS in Newton’s five playoff games, but only one of those games took place away from Bank of America Stadium. The lone postseason contest away from Charlotte with Newton under center was a 31-17 loss at Seattle last season in the divisional round as 13½-point underdogs. Seven of the eight road games came against non-playoff teams, while needing to rally from a 20-7 deficit in a 27-23 victory against the Seahawks in Week 6.

The Broncos won all four games against NFC competition this season, sweeping the NFC North and holding all four squads to 20 points or less. Since Manning joined the Broncos in 2012, Denver is 13-4 in the last 17 interconference games with two of those losses coming to Seattle. The Broncos routed the Panthers in their last meeting in Charlotte back in 2012 by a 36-14 count, as Denver reached the end zone with a punt return and interception return for scores.

Advantage - Carolina
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

It’s been a historic season for the Carolina Panthers, who finished with a franchise-best 15 regular season victories and a third straight division championship. The Panthers couldn’t escape past the second round in the past two postseasons, but Ron Rivera’s team reached the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history after knocking off the Seahawks and Cardinals at home.

Carolina (17-1 SU, 13-5 ATS) owned the third-best ATS record in the regular season at 11-5, while posting a 9-4 ATS record as a favorite of seven points or less. Twelve of 17 wins came by a touchdown or more, including victories against playoff squads Seattle, Arizona, Green Bay, Washington, and Houston. The defense stepped up in those wins against postseason teams, allowing 17 points or less three times, while giving up all 24 points against Seattle in the second half of its divisional round triumph.

Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton tied for second in the NFL with a career-high 35 touchdown passes, while reaching the end zone 10 times on the ground. Newton tallied five more touchdowns in the postseason (three passing and two rushing), including a pair of ground scores in a 49-15 rout of Arizona in the NFC Championship. Although Newton eclipsed the 300-yard mark only four times this season, the Heisman Trophy winner cut down on the interceptions by getting picked off just twice in the last 10 contests.

Carolina’s defense finished sixth in the regular season, allowing 322.9 yards per game and 19.3 points per game. The Panthers scored six touchdowns on interception returns, including a pair of scores from All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly in the two playoff victories. Four players on the vaunted Carolina defense intercepted at least four passes this season, including a combined 13 from the secondary duo of Josh Norman and Kurt Coleman.

The Panthers ranked second in the NFL in rushing offense with 2,282 yards in the regular season, while racking up an impressive 142.6 yards per game. Carolina finished tied with Buffalo and Kansas City for the most rushing touchdowns with 19, while running back Jonathan Stewart compiled 989 yards in only 13 games (76 ypg). Tight end Greg Olsen picked up his second straight season of at least 1,000 yards receiving by accumulating a career-best 1,104 yards on 77 catches. Olsen finished second among tight ends in the league in yardage, falling 72 yards short of New England’s Rob Gronkowski.

With Newton under center, the Panthers have been fantastic against AFC opponents by posting a 13-6-1 record since 2011. One of those losses came against the Broncos back in 2012, but Carolina went 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS against the AFC this season. In three of those wins, the Panthers allowed 17 points or less, while the defense intercepted seven passes in the four interconference victories.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Joe Nelson provides plenty of reasoning to back Carolina, who is trying to complete one of the best seasons in NFL history, “With the one-loss record and the remarkable scoring margin, this is a Panthers team that enters the conversation of being one of the greatest teams of all-time should they complete the campaign with a Super Bowl victory. Some of the other teams on that list including the ’85 Bears, the ’89 49ers, the ’94 49ers, ’08 Patriots, and the ’96 Packers were all double-digit favorites in the Super Bowl, while the Panthers should kick off as a favorite of less than a touchdown for a relative bargain to back a team that many consider in that company.”

The turnover margin for the Panthers has been incredible this season (+28), as Nelson says this affected Carolina’s offensive numbers, “Carolina had a remarkable turnover margin this season which certainly boosted the scoring numbers as the offensive production was far from league-best for the Panthers. One can argue that Carolina so often had huge leads in games that they were able to conservatively run its offense to close out games and the potential of the team is far greater than the numbers suggest.”

Nelson continues regarding the success of Carolina against top-notch defenses, “What the Panthers did against elite defenses facing Seattle and Arizona tells a truer picture of what Carolina is capable of offensively. While Carolina benefitted from four defensive touchdowns in the regular season, Denver actually had five defensive touchdowns as the Broncos actually may have caught more big breaks to inflate the numbers.”

Denver’s defensive numbers were tremendous this season, but that wasn’t the case for the offense. “Denver has only scored 22 points per game this season with the Broncos taking four losses in the regular season before surviving two very close calls in the playoffs. At no point this season did Denver even reach Carolina’s scoring average, as the high mark for the Broncos was 31 points in Week 2 at Kansas City, a game in which Denver benefitted from five turnovers,” Nelson says.

The Broncos own the most Super Bowl losses with five, as Denver has lost by an average of 29.6 points per game in the five defeats. Two years ago, the Broncos became the first team since the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV in 2001 to fail to reach double-digits as they were blown out by the Seahawks, 43-8. Peyton Manning has lost two of three Super Bowls in his career, as his teams scored a total of 25 points in the two defeats.

Advantage - Over
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

Through 10 games of the NFL postseason, total bettors have watched the ‘under’ go 6-4 and nine of the 10 outcomes were clear-cut results with the Chiefs-Patriots ‘over’ in the Divisional Playoff round receiving help with a late touchdown.

For Super Bowl 50 between the Panthers and Broncos, oddsmakers sent out an opening total of 44½ points and that number spiked as high as 46 at some books but has since simmered back down to 45 and 44½ points as of Thursday.

For this piece, I’ve provided some angles that could bolster your ‘over’ lean and that’s been the total trend in the most recent finales. The high side has cashed in three straight and four of the last five Super Bowls.

Will we see four in a row this Sunday?

CD’s Over Betting Angles

Carolina has cashed the most ‘over’ tickets in the NFL this season, going 12-5-1 this season.

The Panthers-Over combination cashed eight times this season, two of those winning tickets come in the postseason.

Denver was an underdog four times in the regular season and the ‘over’ went 4-0 in those games.

The Broncos scored 31, 29, 30 and 27 points in those games when catching points.

Carolina has a great defense but it allowed 21.5 points per game on the road this season, compared to 17.5 PPG in Charlotte.

The Panthers have seen the ‘over’ go 4-1 in five postseason games with Cam Newton as their starting quarterback.

Denver has played in seven Super Bowls and it owns a 2-5 record. The ‘over’ is 6-1 and the combined average score is 53.1 points per game, the lowest result (27) occurring back in 1978 in Super Bowl XII.

Carolina has only been on in one Super Bowl and it lost 32-29 to New England in the 38th installment. The ‘over’ (37½) easily cashed.

Total bettors have seen four totals listed between 44 and 45 points in the Super Bowl and the ‘over’ has cashed in three of those games.

This will be the 12th Super Bowl played in California and points have been aplenty on the West Coast. In the first 11 games, bettors have seen an average combined points of 50.1 which has helped the ‘over’ produce a 9-1 record.

The last Super Bowl that was played in Northern California, San Francisco defeated Miami 38-16 in 1985 from Stanford Stadium and the ‘over’ (53.5) barely cashed.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that the Super Bowl featured an African American starting quarterback and seventh overall in the 50-year history of the pro football championship. In the first six games, those players helped their teams average 30 points per game which has helped the ‘over’ go 4-2.