Super Bowl 50: History Lessons for Peyton Manning and Cam Newton

Super Bowl 50 is about to slap us with a history lesson. Peyton Manning and Cam Newton can both permanently alter their careers, but how will we remember them? Let’s not forget about their coaches. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.

TODD:

Now that our Super Bowl 50 matchup is set, we must address the history lessons that are on the line. The most glaring has to do with Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

A Super Bowl victory, which would be the second of his career, pushes Manning…somewhere. We agree his career still doesn’t pass that of Tom Brady, but a second title surely secures Manning’s place in that second tier, however large it is.

But do you have a problem with the way Denver is winning?

Does the fact that this team is still pretty poor offensively matter to you in terms of historical significance to Manning’s career? 30 years from now, as fans attempt to compare Manning to Robert Griffin V, no one will remember how he won his second ring, just that he did. But in the here and now, we know this title would be all thanks to the defense.

Outside of Manning, the other legacy on the line is that of Cam Newton. His isn’t in a historical context but in a current context. If Newton finishes off this magical season and wins the Super Bowl, surely he is the top quarterback in the league. Is there anyone who succeeded with less around him? Is there anyone you would rather have as the future of your franchise? Aaron Rodgers still has a hold on people as the best QB in the sport, but what Newton accomplished this season could certainly not have been replicated if the two switched places.

And what about either head coach? Whoever wins this game between Ron Rivera and Gary Kubiak would get their first title, but it would also give us a different impression of each, especially Kubiak.

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Despite both coaches being the same age, Rivera has a feel of a young coach while Kubiak seems like a retread. This is because Kubiak got a head-coaching position much earlier than his counterpart. I think a Super Bowl title removes Kubiak from that retread discussion and firmly places him in that group of “second time’s a charm.” Of course, we would then need to see some consistent winning seasons out of him or else he would fall back into that original category. A championship doesn’t erase everything.

For Rivera, with a win or a loss in this game, he has cemented himself as one of the better sideline generals in the NFL right now. We need to see where he takes his team in the future to know anything more. After all, this is only his second career winning season.

DAN:

I’m going to steal a phrase from the sport of basketball, because no matter how much football wants to pretend its changed, this phrase holds true. Defense wins championships. Fact.

Unlike indoor sports, or those residing strictly in the summer, the sport of football crosses seasons. When the NFL kicks off its an offensive game. The weather is nice, the sun is out, and everyone is fresh, healthy and ready to put up points. By the time we hit the playoffs, its cold, players are hurt, and the game gets flipped over. Running the ball becomes more important and defense is the ultimate deciding factor.

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I have no issues with how the Broncos are winning. I have no issues with how the Panthers are winning either. Did you realize that Carolina forced seven turnovers in their win over Arizona? Did you forget that they shutout the Seahawks in the first half of their win a week earlier? Defense is winning week after week and no one should be surprised.

We always remember the stars and the good times, so history will certainly weave an interesting story about Super Bowl 50. Peyton Manning putting an exclamation point on his career comes with no asterisk. He won’t be the first quarterback to win a title when he finally had a great defense behind him, and he won’t be the last. I’m not going to dive too far into the numbers, but Tom Brady finally won another title last season after the Patriots added Darrelle Revis and Malcolm Butler to their defense. This is not a coincidence. Manning deserves all the accolades he’ll receive if his team wins. He carried the Colts and Broncos for enough seasons in years past.

If Cam Newton wins his first Super Bowl, it’s an official coming out party. The Panthers were written off before the year, after losing several offensive weapons to injury. They were a semi-joke after winning their division just last season with a losing record. But nothing about what Carolina is doing is funny any longer. I believe Newton becomes the second best quarterback in the NFL, no matter the outcome. Tom Brady is still number one in my book. He played with an equally as depleted roster and much less of a running game than Newton. But Newton is a close second. The ring on his finger only closes the gap.

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Our two coaches pose the biggest history lesson of all. This reminds me of how Tom Coughlin was nearly fired before winning a Super Bowl with the Giants. Both Rivera and Kubiak are excellent coaches. Both now have excellent personnel to work with, on both sides of the football. I believe Rivera has the most to lose in this situation. Kubiak proved he could make a difference, pushing a good team over the top. But if Rivera fails to walk away with a championship, the pressure will be on next season to prove he wasn’t a one hit wonder. Coaches without consistency are coaches without a team. Another lesson for you. Is it game day yet?