All Bronco Defense

The Carolina Panthers started the 50th Super Bowl as if  they were the team that had never had any players play in the Super Bowl while the Broncos defense played as if they were the team slighted.  Manning led the Bronc's down the field on their first drive but had to settle for a field goal and Denver had a 3-0 lead right off the bat.

If you ever have thought of how refereeing can change the momentum of any game.  Jericho Cotchery makes a spectacular catch and I never saw on any replay the ball ever touched the ground.  Remember something new for the Super Bowl NFL headquarters were making the reviews and their first one they miss.  Two plays later Cam is sacked on the four and Denver scores.  The ball should have been across the Panther 40 on the catch by Cotchery.  10-0 Denver.

The Panthers fumbled twice  but the second the D held getting a turnover themselves.  They allowed A 61 yard punt return when they thought a fair catch had been called but the defense held to a field goal.  One 73 yard drive was all the offense could muster on a Stewart touchdown.  Poor clock management at the end of the half.  Just maybe the worse half of football all year by the Panthers but only down 13-7.  The Denver offense has done nothing since the opening drive.  The Panthers can't say much either as Cam's passes have been high on every throw.

The third quarter the Panther offense dominates the football but a field goal hitting the cross bar and another drive ends  on a Cam high throw.  The third quarter the Panthers doing everything they can to lose.  Denver gets the only points. 16-7 Denver.

The Carolina D did everything they could to win and yet the Denver D was better all night.  The final straw for the Panthers was Cam's last fumble when he chose to not dive after the ball.  Still with a chance to win if he recovers the game is still not over.  By giving up it was.

Give the Denver D all the credit in this one.  The pressure on Cam all night he threw high on every pass.  The Panthers four turnovers and a missed field goal, six false starts and seven sacks.  The was a stomping and thank goodness the Panthers defense came to play or it would have been worse.  The Panther D held Denver to 1-14 on third downs.  They played their hearts out but Denver D was better 24-10.

The Panthers simply were not the best team.

Euphoria Rules

Tarboro High's Todd Gurley  has won the NFL offensive Rookie of the year.  Gurley who never set foot on an NFL playing field until the third quarter of the third game after recovering from a knee injury while at the University of Georgia rushed for 1106 yards third in the NFL.  He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns.

There is nothing in life that compares to being the best.  You win the award as the top salesman or best truck driver.  The sports world is nothing more magical than winning a state title, national championship and in the world of professional sports the Stanley Cup or the Super Bowl.

Just December the entire city of Rocky Mount had that feeling of Euphoria as the Rocky Mount Gryphons won the State football title. There is just something about when you have proven you are the best that everyone stands up straighter, smiles more and just has that total satisfaction.  Like 2010 when our area was in economic depression the basketball team gave us time to forget our problems and stick out our chest with winning a title.

We are blessed in this area to be part of Tobacco Road and every time one of our state teams wins a national championship we get those same feelings we had while winning state titles but now it is the best in the United States.

North Carolina has three professional major league sports teams the Hurricanes in Raleigh, the Hornets in Charlotte and the Panthers in Charlotte.  We are little or young state when it comes to professional sports as we have only had the big leagues here in North Carolina since 1988.

Can anyone forget the run made by the Hurricanes in 2006 when every playoff series went down to the wire.  Two months the pressure built as they kept winning series after series until they won the Stanley Cup.  North Carolina went mad for the Hurricanes even though there were many didn't know a thing about hockey or how it was suppose to be played.

Back in 2004 the last real run by the Panthers into serious playoff football the entire state went ballistic when Steve Smith caught the bomb to upset St Louis and shocking Philadelphia to go to the Super Bowl.  The entire state was wild but we were the underdogs and our worry was not to get embarrassed by the big bad Patriots.  Less than two minutes to go there were thoughts throughout the world that those Panthers just might win that Super Bowl.

Tonight our Panthers stand with one hand on the mountain top and all they need to do  is pull themselves rest of the way up and stand on the mountain top.  This trip they are the favorites.  A new role for a state that has only one major trophy the Stanley Cup out of 67 professional season since basketball, football and hockey  came to NC.

If the Panthers play Panther football and don't have turnovers.  They have been basking in the glory for a week now and for teams normally underdogs all those pats on the back could lead to contentment.  Panther D against Bronco's D the edge has to go to Denver.  Offense against offense the Big edge is the Panthers.  Special teams they are a wash.  I see no way that Peyton and company will move the ball consistently against the Panthers and I suspect will put the Denver D in some bad field positions difficulties.

My advise to the Panthers hold on to the ball and you will win.  If that happens the entire Carolinas can declare a national holiday Monday as there will be nobody wanting to do any work on Monday but talk football about those World Champions.    Go Panthers!!!!!!!!!!