REGULAR READERS OF The42 will know just how much grá 9-time all Ireland winner Jackie Tyrell, former Connacht and current Glasgow assistant coach Dan McFarland and former Dublin and current St. Vincent’s star Mossy Quinn have for American football and the NFL.
With that in mind, we asked them to cast their eyes over Super Bowl 50 and try to pick a winner. But first, we wanted to know how their own team did this season.
How did your team get on in 2015?
Jackie Tyrrell: The only positive thing to come out of the Dallas Cowboys’ season is that we’re at least going to get a high Draft pick out of it. Tony Romo’s injury had a massive impact on how the year went but he was just one of a number of high-profile injuries this season, the likes of Jamaal Charles, Le’Veon Bell, etc. I think 4-12 is exactly where we’re at and we need to address the pass rush and the running back issues in the first few rounds of the draft.
Dan McFarland: It was a very disappointing season for the Green Bay Packers. They looked really good early on and looked like they would cope without Jordy Nelson but then it seemed to fall to pieces. Of course there was the issue with Eddie Lacy’s weight too and, while they played some good football, they probably left it too late to get it together and suffered for that on the road in the playoffs.
Mossy Quinn: I was definitely hoping for more out of the Titans’ season and, at least after a couple of years of nothing, there were some flashes out of Marcus Mariota and the offence that they might finally be getting something together. I wouldn’t be overly excited about the appointment of Mike Mularkey as head coach. I thought there was an opportunity there to look at someone more exciting. But they do have the opportunity to add another piece to the team through the draft so I hope they make the right pick.
Could you have seen this Super Bowl pairing at the start of the season?
JC: I’m not shocked by Denver but I was definitely surprised by Carolina. Cam Newton has obviously really come of age this year but, before the start of the season, I think most people expected that offence to struggle with the loss of Kelvin Benjamin through injury. But they found guys to get the job done and to go 15-1, that’s a serious achievement.
DM: I really thought the Arizona Cardinals would be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl and I was a little bit disappointed with how they seemed to fold at a crucial time. I definitely didn’t predict the Panthers would be here before the start of the season. Denver, on the other hand, I knew they were a good team, particularly that defence, but I thought maybe a Super Bowl appearance was beyond them.
MQ: I think in the NFL it’s very hard at the start of any season to predict the two teams who’ll make the Super Bowl but while I could see an argument for the Broncos, I think it was harder to make a case for the Pathers with Benjamin getting injured at the start of the year. I know Tedd Ginn has been very good but he wouldn’t be an elite receiver so they’ve done well to get there.
Cam Newton’s impact on the season and on this game?
JC: It really is Cam’s year, irrespective of whether he wins the Super Bowl or not. Obviously it would be huge if he was to win it but he’s just such a unique quarterback. People talk about double-headed monsters but he’s a triple-headed monster. What I’m looking forward to is to see how he takes the game on from the likes of Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson. It’ll be interesting to see how defences scheme for Cam next year but I think he has the full array of talent to deal with it.
DM: You can’t really say he’s quietly gone about his business, he’s been very upfront in what he’s done but his skill-set and the way that he plays the game has really become apparent late in the season when it really counted. Undoubtedly he is deserved of the MVP award and it’s the combination of his athletic ability and size that make him so, so good. I mean, he’s equivalent in size to a good few second rows, that’s a big man!
MQ: He’s been the standout player this year and his use of the ball has been phenomenal. I know he’s looked upon as a mobile quarterback, and he is mobile, but his passing has been superb. I love seeing him play. He plays the game with a smile of his face and he challenges defenders to make plays on him and that’s a breath of fresh air.
And Peyton Manning’s?
JC: The term game-manager definitely comes to mind and the Broncos are in such a different position to the Panthers who can let Cam just go out and play off-the-cuff where Peyton is very reliant on establishing the run game. If they can’t get the ground game going then he becomes very easy to defend as the Panthers can just sit back and wait for the pass. He can’t throw the ball more than 20 yards any more either and it’s a liability when he tries to.
DM: It’s so interesting to watch the Manning story unfold this year. I don’t really understand the science of quarterback play but he isn’t finding his receivers like he has done in the past. I don’t know if that’s because of a loss of arm-strength or what it is but it’s clear that he definitely isn’t the player he was two seasons ago and, with the Panthers’ defence and their speed to the ball, that’s got to be scary for Peyton.
MQ: It’s very interesting to think of Peyton Manning as a game-manager but, with that defence and their run game, that’s exactly what he’s been tasked with lately. He was better in the AFC Championship Game than he was in the previous game against the Steelers and will probably hope for an improvement again in the Super Bowl. It’s very different from what we’ve been used to seeing but this is a very balanced team and that helps him.
The Denver defence is pretty special though?
JC: It’s a serious unit alright and they didn’t give (Tom) Brady a chance, they just swarmed all over him. Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware were great but the secondary is so good too. They’re just a complete outfit. The Panthers have a great defence too but, if they’re to have any chance, Denver are absolutely going to need their defence to step up with turnovers and the like.
DM: The Broncos pairing of Miller and Ware as well as the players out the back ensure the spine of that team is really good. I think the Denver defence has a chance of slowing down the Panthers but I read a high-profile offensive player in the NFL saying last week that he actually thought the Panthers defence was better and when you look at the likes of Luke Kuechly and Josh Norman you can see why someone says that. It really is a fantastic defence.
MQ: They’re a very solid unit with balance everywhere but they’ve also got a couple of really special players. Look at Von Miller, he can sack the QB on one play and then drop back into pass protection on the very next play to pick off a pass. There are very few players with that ability and the defence will be looking to put a lot of pressure on the Carolina offensive line.
What way do you see the game going?
JC: I think the five-point spread in Carolina’s favour is probably fair. I rate (Bronco’s head coach) Gary Kubiak very highly and I think he’ll have a good game plan in place. I think he’ll be hoping the Broncos get the ball first, take some time off the clock and establish the run and play action to stop the Panthers racing out into big leads like they have done twice already in the post-season. If you’re looking at both teams as a complete package, I think there are more ifs about Denver so I think Carolina get the nod.
DM: I certainly wouldn’t be picking against the bookies but the biggest question would have to be over the occasion and the Panthers have far less experience of playing in a game like this than the Broncos who were only here two years ago. I don’t think that can be underestimated. Plus this is Manning’s fourth Super Bowl and a lot of rookies on Denver can feed off his experience. However, I still think the Panthers will win because there’s no doubt Cam Newton is a big stage player.
MQ: At the start I was heavily behind a Panthers win as I was at the Super Bowl two years ago when Denver were blown out by the Seahawks and I’ve really struggled to get that out of my mind. On top of that, I think the NFC is stronger in general. However, as it gets closer, and maybe it’s just sentiment that I’d like to see Peyton win another, I’m starting to think it’s going to be a little bit closer. That said, I still think Carolina will win and the 5-point spread is probably a fair reflection.
Will you watch the game out or stay at home?
JC: I sometimes head up to Dublin to watch the game as I’m in a fantasy football league and we usually get together in a pub to watch it but this year I’m just going to stay at home. I’ll probably go for a sleep after training and then wake up to watch it as I’ve to be on the road for work early the next morning.
DM: I won’t actually get to watch it live unfortunately because I’ve a very early start with the Warriors on Monday morning so I’ll just record it, avoid the internet for the day and watch it with my son when I get home.
MQ: I’m going to head out with a group of mates. We head out every year and it’ll be the same this Sunday. I’ve Monday off work too so that’ll make it a little bit easier to enjoy.
The42′s own preview of Super Bowl 50 will go live on Sunday morning.
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