Super Bowl 50 Confirmed: Denver Broncos & Carolina Panthers To Face Off

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Published

January 25, 2016

The NFL‘s 50th Super Bowl will feature the two best teams from the season, as the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos will face off for American football’s biggest prize in two weeks’ time.

The Broncos and Panthers won through to the big dance today, after securing their respective Conference Championship games in two wildly different circumstances.

One the one hand, Cam Newton and the irresistible Panthers’ offence were on full and glittering display in Charlotte, with Newton throwing for a dizzying 335 yards with 1 touchdown (as well as running in two more of his own) as the Panthers stomped all over Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals en route to a 49-15 shellacking in the NFC Championship game.

The win is the Panthers first conference championship since 2003, and just their second in franchise history.

Meanwhile in Denver, the Broncos – behind veteran quarterback Peyton Manning – had to withstand a spirited fightback effort from Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in order to reach their 2nd Super Bowl in 3 seasons.

The defending champion Patriots struggled desperately on offence against the brick wall that is the Broncos’ D. Brady did manage to throw for 310 yards for the game, but it was on the back of a completion percentage of under 50%, with 2 interceptions thrown.

The Pats did have a chance to miraculously tie the game in the dying seconds of the last quarter, but a 2-point conversion attempt failed to find its mark, sealing the AFC Championship for the Broncos, and giving Manning another chance to grab the second Super Bowl ring that has doggedly eluded him in the latter part of his illustrious career.

The internet, being the possessor of neither chill nor fucks, immediately had their fun with the clearly shattered Patriots squad.

Latest courtroom sketch of Tom Brady. #NEvsDEN pic.twitter.com/38xn4HqGdm

— Ryan Bartlett (@TheRyanBartlett) January 25, 2016

#NEvsDEN #AFCChampionship
Need I say more. LOL pic.twitter.com/TGonnBZ6H5

— SportsGuyMike™ (@SportsGuyMike) January 25, 2016

Yes I would say that just might be true #AFCChampionship #NEvsDEN #BeatThePatriots pic.twitter.com/JN162hh3Ar

— Chef Thaddeus Dupree (@thad2009) January 25, 2016

Best. Stadium sign. EVER. #NEvsDEN pic.twitter.com/v5jdi4LgAY

— Dave (@dspooner) January 25, 2016

Are we interneting right? #NEvsDEN pic.twitter.com/VhubSLVMbO

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 25, 2016

An old one but relevant #NEvsDEN pic.twitter.com/l956qMyYnV

— Graham Rowlands (@beachrockinc) January 24, 2016

Meanwhile jubilant fans in Denver began their celebration as the side brings home another trophy for the cabinet of team owner Homer Simpson (assuming he held onto them after all these years).

Super Bowl 50 will now see the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers clash on Monday, February 8th (Australian time) from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Photos: Grant Halverston, John Leyba/Getty Images.