Five Key Matchups: Super Bowl 50

The "chess match," as Panthers head coach Ron Rivera called it, of Peyton Manning's ability to diagnose a defense's intent and adjust at the line of scrimmage will be a wonder to watch during Super Bowl 50. Kuechly, on the other side, will helm the defense and try to discern what audibles are real and which ones might be fake. The Panthers defense has been among the league's elite in most statistical categories, but none grab the eye so much as their league-leading 39 takeaways in the regular season. Kuechly has kept that trend going into the postseason, and with a pick-six in each of the Panthers' two previous games, he's been a huge part of why Carolina has gotten to the Super Bowl.

Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips said Cam Newton's like no quarterback him—or anyone else for that matter—have ever seen before, and he's right. The level at which Newton is playing, from his passing ability and vision downfield to his running ability, has not been seen before in a quarterback. That in itself poses a difficult challenge for the Broncos' group of pass rushers, and particularly the edge rushers who will try to keep Newton penned in the pocket as the pressure closes in around him. Miller, selected one spot behind Newton in the 2011 NFL Draft, will have his hands full with the Broncos' offensive line and the quarterback behind them. But if last week's effort was any indication, Miller is more than ready for the challenge.

This game is loaded with dynamite matchups at every skill position, and this Broncos receiving corps against a talented Panthers secondary is yet another one to watch. In Super Bowl XLVIII, Thomas set a Super Bowl record with 13 receptions in the loss. With a similar performance, the Broncos could be in good shape. But games like that don't happen easily on Norman, who has established himself as one of the NFL's best cornerbacks.

After wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin went down with a torn ACL before the season started, analysts and fans wondered how the Panthers offense would do without its top receiver. In his place, WRs Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey "Philly" Brown have done well, but it's been TE Greg Olsen who's really seen an uptick in his role. He's dangerous anywhere on the field, but particularly in the red zone and has totaled 1,104 receiving yards on 77 catches with seven touchdowns. A week after defending New England's Rob Gronkowski, the Broncos' safeties will have their hands full again with Olsen. Stewart's size and Ward's speed should give him different challenges to deal with, and with some linebackers to add some physicality, the Broncos could give him a tough game.

Cam Newton is the dynamic force that makes the Panthers offense so dangerous, but it's the running game that sets the tone. Jonathan Stewart is a bruiser who can find space in the trenches to turn short gains into big ones with his vision and speed. He's gained 189 yards combined against the Seahawks and Cardinals, and with their front line, the Panthers' running game is tough to stop. But stopping the run is a big key for this Broncos defense. While the Panthers racked up 142.6 rushing yards per game, the Broncos held opponents to a league-low average of 83.6 yards. Brandon Marshall is a foundational part of that, as are the disruptive forces on the defensive line. How successful they are could decide how one-dimensional the Panthers become.