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Total Talk - Championships
January 22, 2016

Divisional Playoffs Recap

Total bettors saw the results split last week as the ‘over/under’ went 2-2 and it could’ve been 3-1 to the ‘under’ if the Chiefs didn’t score a late touchdown against the Patriots. Through two weeks of the playoffs, the ‘under’ stands at 5-3 through eight games.

Championship Game History

The ‘under’ has gone 7-3 the last five years in the championship games and that includes the lucky ‘over’ ticket in last year’s NFC title game between the Seahawks and Packers.

New England will be playing in its fifth straight AFC championship and the ‘under’ has cashed in the last four but this is the lowest total the team has seen during this stretch.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP OVER-UNDER HISTORY (2005-2015)

Year Result Total

2014-2015 New England 45 vs. Indianapolis 7 52.5, UNDER

2013-2014 Denver 26 vs. New England 16 57, UNDER

2012-2013 Baltimore 28 at New England 13 49.5, UNDER

2011-2012 New England 23 vs. Baltimore 20 49, UNDER

2010-2011 Pittsburgh 24 vs. N.Y. Jets 19 38, OVER

2009-2010 Indianapolis 30 vs. N.Y. Jets 17 40, OVER

2008-2009 Pittsburgh 23 vs. Baltimore 14 35, OVER

2007-2008 New England 21 vs. San Diego 12 48, UNDER

2006-2007 Indianapolis 38 vs. New England 34 47, OVER

2005-2006 Pittsburgh 34 at Denver 17 41, OVER


NFC CHAMPIONSHIP OVER-UNDER HISTORY (2005-2015)

Year Result Total

2014-2015 Seattle 28 vs. Green Bay 22 (OT) 47, OVER

2013-2014 Seattle 23 vs. San Francisco 17 40.5, UNDER

2012-2013 San Francisco 28 at Atlanta 24 48, OVER

2011-2012 New York 20 at San Francisco 17 (OT) 42, UNDER

2010-2011 Green Bay 21 at Chicago 14 42, UNDER

2009-2010 New Orleans 31 vs. Minnesota 28 (OT) 54, OVER

2008-2009 Arizona 32 vs. Philadelphia 25 47, OVER

2007-2008 N.Y. Giants 23 at Green Bay 20 41, OVER

2006-2007 Chicago 34 vs. New Orleans 14 42.5, OVER

2005-2006 Seattle 34 vs. Carolina 14 43.5, OVER


AFC Championship – New England at Denver (CBS, 3:00 p.m. ET)

This total opened at 44 ½ and the number has held steady all week. These teams met in Week 12 and the Broncos rallied for a 30-24 overtime victory at home over the Patriots and the ‘over’ 43 connected with a late surge, 33 of those points coming in the fourth quarter and extra session.

I wouldn’t suggest you toss this result out completely but the game was affected by key injuries. The Patriots didn’t have wide receivers Julian Edelman or Danny Amendola available, plus tight end Rob Gronkowski was knocked out in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Denver didn’t have linebacker DeMarcus Ware suited up and they lost a pair of starters T.J. Ward and Sylvester Williams in the first half to injuries.

Brock Osweiler started for Denver in the win but he’s now in the backup role again behind Peyton Manning, who has been anything but sensational this season. In six games at home this season with Peyton under center, Denver has averaged 22.3 points per game and that includes last week’s 23-16 win over Pittsburgh. The stat mentioned often this week that’s eye opening is that Manning has only tossed one touchdown pass at home this season.

The result against the Steelers last Sunday went ‘under’ and that’s been the theme at Sports Authority Field this season. The low side has gone 6-2-1 in nine games at Denver, which has been helped by a defense that has only surrendered 18.2 PPG at home this season.

New England’s defense (19.7 PPG) has a very sound unit, but make a note that Denver racked up 433 total yards (179 rushing) in this year’s victory with Osweiler.

Offensively, New England is ranked third in scoring (28.9 PPG) but it’s a one-dimensional attack. In last week’s win against Kansas City, the Patriots scored 27 points but only ran the ball 14 times in the victory.

Tom Brady receives the all attention in New England, deservingly, but the Edelman factor continues to get notice. He had 10 receptions last week for 100 yards and in the 10 games that he’s played this season, the Pats have averaged 33 PPG and the ‘over’ is 6-4 in those games.

This will be the 17th meeting between Brady and Manning and Tom owns an 11-5 record in the head-to-head encounters. The ‘over’ has gone 10-6 during this span. However, the Patriots have gone 2-6 in their eight visits to Denver with Tom Brady at QB and the ‘over’ has gone 5-3 in those games. On a comical note, the two signal callers that Brady beat are a pair of former college stars from Florida (Tim Tebow, Danny Kanell) that are now pundits on ESPN.

In the lone game versus Peyton at Denver, Brady and the Pats were bested 26-16 in the 2014 AFC Championship. The total on that game closed at 56 ½, which tells you how far Peyton has dropped off and how improved the Broncos defense is.

Fearless Prediction: This is a real tough total to handicap and your decision will likely come down to which side you like. If you believe Denver can run the football and control the clock, then you’re likely leaning ‘under’ in this game. And if you’re backing New England, you’re probably leaning to the high side and you should. In the Patriots last seven postseason wins, the ‘over’ has gone 5-2 while averaging 34.5 PPG. In New England previous three playoff losses, they’ve scored 16, 13 and 17 points – all ‘under’ tickets. With all that being said, I’m going to lean Denver Team Total Under 20 this Sunday.

NFC Championship – Arizona at Carolina (FOX, 6:30 p.m. ET)

A high-scoring game is expected in this week’s NFC Championship and the ‘over’ has caught some early attention. Most books opened 47, 47 ½ and the number has reached 48 and 48 ½ at a few betting shops as of Friday morning. You could make the argument that his total should be in the fifties, considering the Panthers (31.2 PPG) and Cardinals (30.3 PPG) enter this game as the two best scoring attacks in the league.

The pair met in last year’s playoffs and Carolina earned a 27-16 win over Arizona but this result could be tossed out since Ryan Lindley was the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. The ‘over’ (37 ½) cashed and it’s amazing it did considering Arizona gained 78 total offensive yards but still managed to score 16 points. What should be noted is that QB Cam Newton (198 yards, 2 TDs) and RB Jonathan Stewart (123 yards, 1 TD) both had a great efforts against an Arizona defensive unit that was probably better than this year’s unit.

Carolina averaged 32.8 PPG at home this season and just dropped 31 points in the first-half on Seattle last Sunday. The Panthers racked up 144 rushing yards against the Seahawks and could have more success this Sunday, knowing that Green Bay outgained Arizona 135-40 on the ground in last Saturday’s Divisional Playoff matchup.

The Cardinals couldn’t run (40 yards) the ball last week against the Packers and QB Carson Palmer looked very nervous, getting picked off twice deep in Green Bay territory and he should’ve had three interceptions. Now he faces a Carolina defense that is much better in the middle and on the outside than the Packers.

Arizona watched the ‘over’ go 5-3 in eight road games, but the Cardinals enter this game on a 6-1 run to the ‘under’ and that includes last week’s ticket to the low side versus the Packers. Playing in the Eastern Time Zone hasn’t been an issue for Arizona this season and the late start could actually help them. The Cardinals went 3-1 in four games on the East Coast, while averaging 32.3 PPG. The one loss came at Pittsburgh (25-13) as Arizona turned the ball over three times, two of the mistakes coming from Palmer.

Carolina has been a great ‘over’ bet this season, going 11-5-1 this season and that includes a 6-2-1 ‘over’ mark at Bank of America Stadium.

The field at this venue has been criticized recently and labeled as “soft” and it could be softer on Sunday with rain and possibly snow expected for both Friday and Saturday. Temperatures for kickoff are expected to be in the forties with clear skies.

Fearless Prediction: Of the two title games the last 10 years, we’ve seen more ‘over’ tickets in the NFC and we’ve also seen more competitive games. I believe both clubs are going to score in the twenties in this spot and as long as you don’t see a barrage of field goals, this game should go to the high side. I’m leaning Arizona Team Total Over 23 ½ and Carolina Team Total Over 26 ½. Since I believe both those will connect, I’d lean to the game Over 48 as well and expect the winner to get at least 30 points.

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Mind games between Patriots-Broncos
January 21, 2016

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Gronk pushes off. Brady whines.

If it's AFC championship week, somebody must be complaining about the New England Patriots.

This time around, it's the Denver Broncos, who have delivered a few hits through the media - both traditional and social - in a not-so-subtle attempt to get inside the heads of both the Patriots and, quite possibly, the officials who will call Sunday's game.

The biggest pokes have, not surprisingly, been directed at Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, with the Broncos suggesting he likes to push off and how it's really best to tackle him by going after his delicate knees. Gronk didn't appreciate that and responded in R-rated fashion on Twitter.

Tom Brady took some shots, too, labeled a crybaby for complaining to refs.

''Just talk. Just talk,'' Broncos tight end Vernon Davis said. ''I don't think they would say anything to target anyone on the Patriots side.''

These early week doses of trash talk have calmed down now that the real preparation has begun. Still, they've made for a decent story line to go beside the hundreds of different takes on Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning, Part 17.

The highlights:

- Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall weighed in on Gronkowski, saying he uses his big frame to push off.

- Defensive lineman Antonio Smith didn't hold back on Brady with his comments: ''I've never seen any quarterback look to the referee right after he gets sacked more than Brady. Every time he gets sacked he looks at the ref like, `You see him sack me?'''

But the comment that caused Gronk to throw a flag was mention by several Broncos of going after his knees, since he's so hard to bring down. Gronkowski responded with a tweet that let his feelings be known in a comical, yet not exactly fit for print sort of way. He added a few emoji for good measure.

''I was just having a little fun with it, hoping to get a little laugh, which I think it did,'' Gronkowski said. ''It's just all fun and games with that.''

Still, linebacker Danny Trevathan didn't exactly find Gronkowski's tweet endearing. He took it as more of a stab at his defense.

Trevathan insisted the banter stokes the fire.

''I'm glad they feel confident in themselves. I think people are looking for attention,'' Trevathan said. ''It's not my job to give it to them until Sunday. My job is to shut them down when they come here, keep his mouth closed as much as I can.''

Broncos defensive back Bradley Roby finds all the back-and-forth highly entertaining. It's juicy stuff.

''We're not worried about the trash talking, just makes it more exciting,'' Roby said. ''Brings more attention to the game.''

As for the assertion that Brady lobbies more than most for penalties with the officials, well, the iconic QB took the high road. He said he's ''not sure'' if he works the referees more than other quarterbacks around the league.

''If the refs want to throw the flag, I love when they throw flags on the defenders, absolutely,'' Brady said. ''It advances our team, so that's just part of football.''

So is trying to get under a team's skin. Davis experienced the same sort of thing when he was with San Francisco and preparing to face rival Seattle.

''Everyone is talking - you can say this, you can say that - but at the end of the day, actions speak louder than words,'' Davis said. ''When it comes to the talking, I stay away from it.''

Hard to ignore social media barbs, though. Unless, of course, you're offensive lineman Ryan Harris.

''I don't even know what Twitter is. What's Twitter?'' Harris deadpanned. ''Whoever is going to win this game, it's going to be decided on the field this Sunday, not on some social media site, or some quotation that may or may not have been taken out of context.''

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NFL refs forget balls at hotel
January 21, 2016

BOSTON (AP) This ball controversy can't be blamed on the Patriots.

Massachusetts State Police came to the rescue before Saturday's NFL playoff game between New England and the Kansas City Chiefs by delivering footballs that game officials left at their hotel.

A state police spokesman said at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, league officials contacted the Hyatt at Logan Airport to say that some balls and air pressure gauges had been left behind. The balls were the ones used in the kicking game.

Hotel workers entered the room and a state trooper drove the equipment to Gillette Stadium, arriving about an hour before kickoff.

The Patriots beat the Chiefs 27-20.

The officials' gaffe came about a year after the start of the ''Deflategate'' scandal, when the Patriots were accused of using underinflated balls. The drama led to league changes in how footballs are handled before games.

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Sunday's Playoff Action
January 22, 2016


NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (13-4) at DENVER BRONCOS (12-4)

Kickoff: Sunday, 3:05 p.m. ET
AFC Championship Game
Sportsbook.ag Line: New England -3, Total: 44

Peyton Manning and the Broncos host Tom Brady and the Patriots in what could be the final postseason matchup between the two legendary quarterbacks on Sunday.

The Patriots hosted the red-hot Chiefs in the Divisional Round and came away with a 27-20 victory as six-point home favorites. New England had lost its final two regular season games before playing that game, but the team put any concerns to bed with the win over Kansas City.

The Broncos, meanwhile, hosted the Steelers on Sunday and came away with a 23-16 win as seven-point home favorites. Denver has won three straight games and has allowed just 20 or less points in five of its past six. The team is playing stifling defense and actually was able to win against Pittsburgh thanks to a forced fumble in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots and Broncos have already met once this season and the Broncos won that game 30-24 as 2.5-point road underdogs.

The teams have, however, split victories both SU and ATS over the past three seasons. Favoring the Patriots in this game is the fact that Tom Brady is 11-5 SU in his 16 meetings with Peyton Manning in his career. New England is also 9-2 ATS after gaining 300 or more passing yards in its previous game over the past two seasons.

LB Jerod Mayo (Shoulder) is the newest Patriots player to be lost for the season. The Broncos, meanwhile, will be entering this one at relatively close to full strength.

The Patriots have pretty much abandoned the run at this point in the season and it’s now going to be Tom Brady that will need to win this game for New England. Brady was brilliant against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, going 28-for-42 with 302 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. He also added a rushing touchdown for the Patriots as well.

One big bonus for New England’s quarterback was that Julian Edelman returned from injury. Edelman looked as good as new in the win, catching 10 passes for 100 yards. His ability to make plays allowed Rob Gronkowski to run his routes with a little less attention than he usually gets and it really helped. Gronkowski caught seven passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas City.

Him and Edelman will now need to get open often against a very good Denver defense in order to win on Sunday. Brady should have little trouble throwing it, though. He had 280 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions the last time he faced this defense and that was in the snow.

One thing that will need to happen for the Patriots is that the defense must find a way to stop the run. The Broncos rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns the last time these teams met and that can’t happen again. Denver struggles to pass the ball and the Patriots could really give themselves a good chance of winning by slowing down the running game.

The Broncos defeated the Steelers in the Divisional Round, but it was a rather uninspiring win for the team. Offensively, Denver is going to need to be a lot better in order to defeat this high-powered Patriots team. The guy that will really need to improve is Peyton Manning. Manning struggled against Pittsburgh, going 21-for-37 with 222 yard, no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Denver will need him to throw for at least a touchdown or two on Sunday. The Broncos are also going to need a big game from their running back duo of C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. The two combined for 108 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh last week, but they also lit up the Patriots earlier in the season.

In that victory for the Broncos, Anderson and Hillman combined for 172 yards and three touchdowns. If they can find similar success against New England on Sunday then the Denver defense should be able to put the team in a position to win.

The Broncos are allowing just 18.5 PPG (4th in NFL) and have been extremely dominant as of late. They’ll need to find a way to slow down Tom Brady on Sunday, though, and that is no easy task for anybody.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (14-3) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (16-1)

Kickoff: Sunday, 6:40 p.m. ET
NFC Championship Game
Sportsbook.ag Line: Carolina -3, Total: 48

The Cardinals and Panthers will be playing for a spot in the Super Bowl when the teams meet in Carolina on Sunday.

The Cardinals are coming off of a wild win over the Packers in the Divisional Round and will now be looking to ride the momentum of that victory into their meeting with the Panthers. Arizona allowed a Hail Mary touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Jeff Janis in the closing seconds of regulation last game and ended up winning on a shovel pass from Carson Palmer to Larry Fitzgerald in the early stages of overtime.

The Panthers, meanwhile, did not have much of a challenge in their Divisional Round win over the Seahawks. Carolina jumped out to a 31-0 lead and ended up winning 31-24, as the team took its foot off the gas in the second half of the game. The Panthers will now need to regain their focus for their meeting with Arizona on Sunday.

The last time these teams met actually happened to be in the postseason and the Panthers won that game 27-16 as 5.5-point favorites. Carson Palmer was, however, injured and the Cardinals played that game with Ryan Lindley under center.

One thing that is heavily favoring Arizona in this game is that the team is 30-11 ATS when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct.>75%) since 1992. The Panthers are, however, an insane 7-0 ATS in games with a line of +3 to -3 this season.

Arizona did not suffer any additional injuries against Green Bay, but the Panthers are likely to be without DE Jared Allen (Foot) in this game.

If the Cardinals are going to defeat the Panthers on Sunday then Carson Palmer is going to need to have an unbelievable game for Arizona.

Palmer threw for 349 yards with three touchdowns in the win over the Packers in the Divisional Round, but he also threw three picks in that game. He’ll need to take better care of the football, especially with Josh Norman playing corner for Carolina.

Something Palmer should do in this one is get rid of the ball quickly and find Larry Fitzgerald often. Fitzgerald was straight up dominant against the Packers last game, hauling in eight catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. He has now caught a touchdown in each of the past three games for Arizona.

Another guy that will need to play well for this team is David Johnson. Johnson rushed 15 times for 35 yards against Green Bay and also added six catches for 43 yards. He will need to be more effective between the tackles or it will be tough for the Cardinals to get things going in the passing game. Arizona uses the play action often and Johnson must put some fear into the Panthers defense in this one.

Defensively, the Cardinals have their work cut out for them with Cam Newton in town. They should be up for the challenge, though, as they allowed just 19.6 PPG (t-7th in NFL) this season.

The Panthers have consistently beaten up on their opponents this season, but things are going to get tough against a very good Cardinals team on Sunday. Carolina will need to play a complete game in this one, and that means it can’t let up at any point in the game. The team has shown that it can have lapses of poor play and last week’s second half against Seattle was a mess for the Panthers.

As always, this Carolina team is only going to go as far as Cam Newton takes it. Newton was 16-for-22 with 161 yards, one touchdown and no picks against the Seahawks last week. He’ll need to do a bit more in this one, but it would really help his team if he can continue to play mistake-free football.

The reason that Newton was able to take a backseat against Seattle was that Jonathan Stewart was running wild in the game. In his return from injury, Stewart rushed 19 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns against the Seahawks. He showed serious explosiveness on one 59-yard run and it would be huge if he can get it going against Arizona.

Greg Olsen, who had six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks, will also need to show up for the Panthers in this game.

Defensively, the Panthers will need to shut down the Cardinals’ passing game in this one. That shouldn’t be too much of an issue, as Carolina allowed just 21 touchdowns this season (t-7th in NFL).

[StarDust Bum]

NFL ATS

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play ON CAROLINA against the spread in All games in games where the line is +3 to -3
The record is 7 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7 units)

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play ON CAROLINA against the spread in All games in games played on a grass field
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+7.8 units)

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NFL MONEYLINE

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play ON ARIZONA using money line in All games in games where the money line is +130 to -150
The record is 15 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.8 units)

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play ON CAROLINA using money line in All games in games played on a grass field
The record is 28 Wins and 8 Losses for the last three seasons (+21.15 units)

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NFL FIRST HALF

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play ON CAROLINA ?>in the first halfin All games in games played on a grass field
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+7.8 units)

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play ON CAROLINA ?>in the first halfin All games when playing with 6 or less days rest
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+7.8 units)

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NFL TOTALS

NFL > (313) ARIZONA@ (314) CAROLINA | 2016-01-24 18:40:00 - 2016-01-24 18:40:00
Play OVER CAROLINA on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 8 Overs and 0 Unders for the last two seasons (+8 units)

NFL > (311) NEW ENGLAND@ (312) DENVER | 2016-01-24 15:05:00 - 2016-01-24 15:05:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin All games in a home game where the total is between 42.5 and 45 points
The record is 37 Overs and 12 Unders for the since 1992 (+23.8 units)

NFL > (311) NEW ENGLAND@ (312) DENVER | 2016-01-24 15:05:00 - 2016-01-24 15:05:00
Play UNDER DENVER on the totalin Home games against conference opponents
The record is 0 Overs and 7 Unders for the this season (+7 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Patriots (12-4) at Broncos (12-4)
Date: January 24, 2016 3:05 PM EDT

In November 2014, Tom Brady sent an email to a friend stating that Peyton Manning was in the "final chapter" of their storied rivalry while the four-time Super Bowl champion felt he had plenty left in the tank.

Though Manning laughed it off and Brady apologized for a message that was never intended to be mean-spirited - or public - the New England signal caller could be right.

After splitting their four postseason meetings, Sunday's AFC Championship game between Brady's Patriots and Manning's Broncos in Denver could be the last head-to-head matchup between these future Hall of Famers.

'It will be fun to play another Peyton Manning-led team,' said the 38-year-old Brady, who extends his NFL record with a 10th conference championship appearance and fifth in as many years.

Brady's emails were submitted as part of the Deflategate investigation in August, and in one sent six days before the Patriots' 43-21 win over Denver in November 2014, he wrote of Manning: "I've got another 7 or 8 years. He has 2. That's the final chapter."

Brady is 11-5 against his friend, but Manning, who turns 40 in March, has won the last two in the postseason - both in conference championships on his home field. The most recent came two years ago this week, a 26-16 victory in Denver as Manning threw for 400 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Brady went for 277 with a TD in the air and one on the ground in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos held the Patriots to 320 total yards.

"Tom is a good friend of mine, he'll always be a good friend of mine," said Manning, who is 3-0 in conference championship games since a 24-14 loss to Brady at New England with Indianapolis after the 2003 season.

Two seasons removed from the latest playoff meeting, their current roles and apparent longevity in the game appear much different.

Brady hasn't shown any real signs of slowing down. He topped 4,000 passing yards for a fifth straight season, led the NFL with 36 touchdowns and was picked off seven times despite dealing with injuries to multiple skill-position players and the offensive line.

'Doing the things that you've done to get yourself in this position are really important," Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "His preparation, his rest and treatment and getting his body ready and his mind right. He does a lot of the things every day to prepare for the next day.

'Even though these games have finality to them that some games in the regular season or preseason don't have, he approaches it the same way.'

Manning played in 10 games while dealing with various injuries, most notably a reported partially torn plantar fascia. He was relegated to a reserve role late in the season before replacing an ineffective Brock Osweiler in a 27-20 victory over San Diego in Week 17. Manning, who threw 17 interceptions overall and just one of his nine touchdown passes in six home games, appears to be more of a game manager as his future grows more uncertain.

But while his body might be letting him down, Manning's passion remains. Trailing 13-12 in the fourth quarter last Sunday against Pittsburgh, Manning confidently led the Broncos on a 13-play, 65-yard drive capped by C.J. Anderson's 1-yard TD run with 3 minutes remaining. Manning, who threw for 222 yards and was victimized by several dropped passes, hit Demaryius Thomas for the 2-point conversion en route to a 23-16 victory.

"(No.) 18 is a little more amped up (for the playoffs)," Anderson told the Broncos' official website. "Making sure we're more dialed in and detailed on this and that."

While this potential swan song between the two greats provides a made-for-television storyline, the outcome could be decided by how well Denver's top-ranked defense can stop Brady and offense that averaged an AFC-high 29.1 points.

As Manning watched, a Broncos defense that yielded 283.1 yards per contest held the Patriots to 2 of 13 on third downs in a 30-24 overtime win in Week 12 to end New England's hope of a perfect season and drop Brady to 2-6 in the Mile High City. The Broncos overcame a 21-7 fourth-quarter deficit and three TD passes from Brady, who didn't have receiver Julian Edelman and lost tight end Rob Gronkowski to a knee injury late.

Denver scored 17 points in the fourth to force overtime and Anderson rumbled for 48 of his season-high 113 rushing yards on the winning score.

'Our confidence is perfect,' Denver cornerback and ex-Patriot Aqib Talib said. 'We're good. We're playing a team who we beat earlier this year, we're at home, we're healthy. So, let's get it.'

Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo is lost for the season with a shoulder injury and key Broncos special teamer Omar Bolden was put on IR with a knee injury. Denver All-Pro second team cornerback Chris Harris Jr. is dealing with a shoulder injury, but made additional headlines this week by telling ESPN that the way to tackle Gronkowski is to "hit him in the knees."

Edelman returned from a 10-game absence due to a broken foot to catch 10 passes for 100 yards in a 27-20 divisional-round win over Kansas City. Brady threw for 302 yards and both of his TDs went to Gronkowski, who shook off his lingering knee issue to make seven receptions for 83.

'The more of those guys you have out there the harder it is to defend,' said coach Bill Belichick, who will match Tom Landry's NFL record by coaching in his 10th conference championship game. 'Tom knows what to do with them, he can find those matchups, that's what we need to do."

Gronkowski has 22 receptions for 283 yards with three touchdowns in his last three games against Denver, but he's listed as questionable for Sunday, along with Edelman.

After holding Pittsburgh to one touchdown and forcing a fumble prior to Manning's go-ahead scoring drive, Denver appears ready to step up again after improving to 10-3 in games decided by seven or fewer points.

'Our defense has been outstanding all season. They have led us to this point, let's make that clear,' Manning said. 'Each game, key defensive players stepped it up, but you have to be a good team to win these playoff games and you have to win as a team.'

Thomas was held to one catch for 36 yards against the Patriots in November, but had seven for 134 and a TD in the conference championship victory two years ago.

That was one of three losses in six road playoff games for Brady, two of which have come in Denver.

'It's pretty hard to get to this point," Brady said. "There's only four teams standing. Two of these teams have to go home. Hope we're not one of them.'

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Preview: Cardinals (13-3) at Panthers (15-1)
Date: January 24, 2016 6:40 PM EDT

Carson Palmer helplessly watched the Carolina Panthers force the Arizona Cardinals and their third-string quarterback into the worst offensive performance in playoff history last January.

It was a dark moment for the injured Palmer, whose competitive drive once led him to threaten retirement if he wasn't traded from a team he didn't feel could contend. He waited 12 years for the first playoff victory of his career and now gets a chance to go head-to-head with Cam Newton, whose MVP-caliber season has the Panthers on the brink of running the table at home.

Sunday night's NFC Championship game will be the first-ever meeting between Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks in the playoffs, with the winner carrying his franchise to its second Super Bowl appearance.

Palmer won all six of his starts for the Cardinals in 2014 but missed three games early in the season with a right shoulder injury and the final part after tearing his ACL. Arizona limped into the playoffs at 11-5 before the 7-8-1 Panthers held the Cardinals to a playoff-record low 78 total yards in a 27-16 victory.

Playing in all 16 regular-season games this time, Palmer finished with career highs of 35 touchdown passes and a 104.6 passer rating in guiding Arizona (14-3) to a league-high 408.3 yards per game and the NFC West title. He tossed three TDs in last week's wild 26-20 divisional playoff win over Green Bay, and hit Larry Fitzgerald on a 75-yard catch-and-run to set up a shovel pass to Fitzgerald that won it three plays into overtime.

It was a gratifying victory for Palmer, who won the Heisman at Southern California in 2002 and demanded a trade from Cincinnati after a disappointing 2010 season.

Palmer's right index finger injury - one he says isn't an issue - pales in comparison to the one that kept him out of last year's playoff meeting. Now he's hoping to help avenge that defeat and bring the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl since they lost to Pittsburgh after the 2008 season.

"As I haven't been playing in these games, I've studied it and watched it from afar and gone through it mentally," Palmer said. "As big as this game is, you can't make it bigger than it is. It's win or go home and there's plenty of implications, but we've got a pretty good recipe that wins games and we're going to stick with that recipe."

Carolina (16-1) has become a different team with the emergence of Newton. The Panthers, often known for their defense under coach Ron Rivera, averaged an NFL-high 31.3 points to rank just ahead of Arizona's 30.6.

Newton became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 35 touchdown passes and run for 10, and along with Palmer will garner plenty of MVP votes. Newton, the 2010 Heisman winner at Auburn, threw for 161 yards and a touchdown in last week's 31-24 win over Seattle.

Carolina is the only team to go unbeaten at home this season, but Arizona enters with a 7-1 road record.

'We prepared too much to get nervous,' Newton said. 'In some way, shape or form we played this game numerous times in our head, watched countless film, made this adjustment and that adjustment, so when you're put in the fire you already have what you need to do what you do. Nothing else needs to be done or said. No matter if we're up or we're down, just believe in the plan and keep going.'

Two touchdown runs from Jonathan Stewart, a Newton TD pass to Greg Olsen and Luke Kuechly's pick-6 gave the Panthers a seemingly insurmountable halftime lead last week, but the Seahawks held them scoreless in the second half.

That isn't the first time Carolina has suffered a close call. It blew a 17-point lead against Indianapolis before winning in overtime, led Green Bay by 23 in the fourth before winning by eight and needed a field goal as time expired to beat the New York Giants after coughing up a 28-point lead.

'I'll be honest, I get it, I understand,' Rivera said. "But, shoot, we won those football games and look at who we played against. Am I concerned? Yeah. But are these things correctable and fixable? Most certainly. Let's stay focused on what we did - we won the football game.'

Stewart is expected to play despite dealing with an ankle injury suffered against the Seahawks. Defensive end Jared Allen returned to practice Thursday despite having a broken bone in his foot and was considered at least a possibility to play, but Rivera ruled him out on Friday.

Allen wasn't happy, saying he was "ready to rock." Kony Ealy will start in his place.

Arizona had its own issues closing out the Packers last week. Aaron Rodgers completed a 60-yard pass on 4th-and-20 with 55 seconds left before throwing a 41-yard Hail Mary to send the game into overtime.

Fitzgerald, who finished with a franchise playoff-record 176 receiving yards, saved the game in OT. Coach Bruce Arians knows the Cardinals can't be that vulnerable against the Panthers, especially early.

Arizona blitzes more than any team in the league, and it likely will try to put Newton under pressure from the start even though Carolina's QB threw a league-high 18 TDs in blitz situations this season. Newton wasn't at his best in last year's playoff meeting, finishing 18 of 32 for 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 35 yards.

'It's kind of like back in college, getting ready for the wishbone,' Arians said. "You don't see the quarterback in this league run (with that) power very often. So they give you so many different, unique sets that you have to account for.'

Getting the ground game going will be a priority for the Cardinals, too. They rushed for 27 yards in a loss to Seattle in the regular-season finale before finishing with 40 last week, and rookie David Johnson has averaged 2.8 yards on 35 carries over his last three.

The playing surface in Carolina has been a talking point all week, but neither team seemed to have an issue running there in the divisional playoffs. Stewart finished with 106 of the Panthers' 144 rushing yards, and the Seahawks averaged 6.5 yards on 12 carries.

'I don't care if we're playing in a parking lot,' Arians said. 'It's the championship. Be aware of it and have the proper shoes.'

Arizona won 33-13 in Charlotte on the way to its only previous Super Bowl, as Fitzgerald finished with 166 yards while setting the playoff record he broke last week. The Panthers also went unbeaten at home that season.

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Broncos, Pats overcome obstacles
January 23, 2016

DENVER (AP) One team went without the services of its Hall of Fame-bound quarterback for more than a third of the season, and when he was available, he was a shell of his former self.

The other had its quarterback all season but faced week after week of injuries to his pass catchers, offensive linemen and running backs.

Often, teams with those story lines are studying the draft board this time of year. But these are the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots - two franchises built to overcome problems big and small. And once again, they find themselves on the verge of the Super Bowl.

Sunday's AFC title game is being billed as ''Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady, Part 17,'' and many believe it could be the last game between the two best quarterbacks of their generation.

It's also a matchup of two franchises that make a habit of playing in January because of the way they're built and run. New England is seeking its ninth AFC title; nobody has won more. Denver is going for No. 8, which would put the Broncos in a tie with the Patriots and Steelers.

The secret to New England's success?

''Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. It's Tom Brady and Bill Belichick,'' said Aqib Talib of the Broncos, who played cornerback for the Patriots two years ago when these teams last met for the AFC title.

Talib left as a free agent and signed with Denver after that season. Nobody was surprised. Cornerbacks, even outstanding ones, are as disposable as dish towels in New England. Last year, the Patriots won with four-time All-Pro Darrelle Revis, but he plays for the Jets now. It's like that at pretty much every position - except one.

''They're moving guys around. They still have the same kind of guy,'' said Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison. ''Whether they develop them, go find them, or whatever. It seems like `50' (defensive end Rob Ninkovich) has been around there for 15 years. Or a guy just like him.''

For the record, Ninkovich has been there since 2009, which makes him a long-timer by Patriots standards. They do not stick with players for loyalty's sake, or because of what they did in the past. Among those who have left for other teams after helping the Patriots to the Super Bowl: Randy Moss, Ty Law, Wes Welker, Asante Samuel, Adam Vinatieri. It's a longer list than that.

This season, the Patriots have started the same five offensive linemen in consecutive games a grand total of once. Elsewhere on the offense, top receiver Julian Edelman missed seven games. Danny Amendola and All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski both missed time. Running back has been a carousel, most recently occupied by veteran Steven Jackson, who didn't sign with New England until Dec. 22.

But so long as No. 12 is lining up under center, the Patriots rarely skip a beat.

''No quarterback has been able to throw the ball over 50 times a game and win, and he's done that consistently,'' said Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who has held six jobs for six different teams since 2000, the year Belichick was hired in New England.

Over the past three years, Brady is 9-3 when he throws 50 or more times.

''That shows you how great a passer he is, how many mistakes that he doesn't make, where everybody else that's had to throw the ball that much gets beat,'' Phillips said.

The Broncos, meanwhile, were long regarded as one of the top franchises in the NFL until a lull that briefly turned them into a laughingstock in the late 2000s. The two main figures through that drama were Tim Tebow and Josh McDaniels, who now works as Belichick's offensive coordinator.

John Elway returned, this time in the front office, and quickly restored order.

The Broncos built a state-of-the-art practice facility for more than $35 million and spent lavishly on free agents to get back into the mix for the Super Bowl, which was a common destination when Elway was playing.

The most important transaction, of course, was the signing of Manning. But it wasn't until his undoing this year - a foot injury cost him six-plus games, and before that he led the league with 17 interceptions - that it became clear the strength of the foundation had been re-established.

Denver's victories with Manning either absent or compromised have come courtesy of a newly designed running game and a top-ranked defense filled with playmakers. Von Miller reached 50 career sacks faster than anyone but Reggie White and Derrick Thomas. Chris Harris Jr., has gone from rookie free agent to second-team All-Pro. DeMarcus Ware led the team with 7 1-2 sacks this year and is a game away from the Super Bowl for the first time in his 11 seasons.

Elway hired coach Gary Kubiak with the idea that his ex-teammate would help him transition from the Manning era to whatever comes next. That a ''transition'' year has the Broncos a game from the Super Bowl speaks to the roster he built.

''There always is a transition period, because unfortunately, these great quarterbacks get older,'' Elway said. ''I think we've tried to work toward that. We've tried, with Gary coming in this year, to be a little more focused on the running game and get a little more balanced to help Peyton out.''

So, instead of some story about a relative newbie making the Super Bowl, as we'll hear when either Carolina or Arizona makes it in the NFC, this will be a story of franchises that have found a way to stay in the hunt for years, even decades.

It's the Broncos, trying to coax Manning to a Super Bowl in what could be his last hurrah.

And it's the Patriots, who expect to be on the doorstep as long as Brady is taking snaps.

''It's so hard to be consistent in this league,'' Patriots receiver Matthew Slater said. ''I think that's something that every franchise hopes to establish, is some consistency and stability, and we've been really fortunate to have that here.''

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Vegas Money Moves - Final 4
January 22, 2016

When the AFC and NFC Championship Game lines were both posted with 3's in Las Vegas on Sunday, one game looked out of whack with a road favorite while the other looked solid. Many observers thought it would the Panthers side that would attract the most action, but that hasn't been the case.

"It's been a dead game for us," said South Point sports book director Bert Osborne who has kept Carolina -3 all week.

Osborne said public parlay money has favored Carolina as expected, but the game he's been keeping his eye on the most is the Patriots -3 at Denver.

"I thought the game that we'd be moving first would be the Panthers, but the way the action is going so far I may have to go to -3.5 with the Patriots."

The number '3' is the most key number in the NFL, so it'll take some heavy one-sided action to move off the number, but Osborne can see it happening. "Right now, I'm about a 25 percent towards our threshold at the number before moving to 3.5."

Osborne says he takes about four times the limit at -3 than he does for regular numbers before moving off it. His chain of sports books are the only ones in the city that use flat numbers exclusively.

On Friday, the South Point was the only sports book in town with the Patriots at 3-flat. Those that like the Patriots know where to go so it might not be too long before Osborne hits his threshold forcing a number change.

Books like the Westgate, Stations, Wynn, William Hill, Aliante and Golden Nugget have the Patriots -3 -120. Coast Resorts is using -3.5 +105 while MGM Resorts is at -3.5 +110.

"We were at -3.5 +105, but a professional bettor came in today and laid -120 taking +3.5 with Denver," said MGM Resorts sports book hub manager Jeff Stoneback.

Seeing a wise guy lay extra juice to take +3.5 with the Broncos is very telling, but Stoneback says they welcomed the action because of being so lopsided with New England money.

"Before we went to -3.5 -105 on Thursday we had a 3-to-1 cash ratio laying -3 -120 with the Patriots and a 5-to-1 ticket count differential."

Public parlays have also been all Patriots.

"We don't have hardly anything with Denver," Stoneback said. "It's about a 10-to-1 ratio on cash taken in with the Patriots. They (public) like what they've saw out of them last week against the Chiefs."

The only Denver action the MGM books have been getting is on teasers taking +9.5.

Just like the South Point, the Cardinals-Panthers game has been slow moving at the 10 MGM books across the strip.

"We're evenly balanced on straight bets and have a 7-to-5 edge on parlays with the Panthers. We've taken in twice as much action on the Patriots-Broncos game," said Stoneback.

MGM books have a rooting interest in the Panthers to advance because of their great position on Super Bowl futures. Next best for them would be the Patriots to win it all.

Caesars teasers taken down

On Monday we mentioned that a few books were reviewing their position on teasers because of a 15-1 all-way teaser win for bettors during the divisional round that crushed the books. Caesars Entertainment's chain of books -- Harrah's -- got so rattled with last weeks losses that they didn't even wait for the season end to make changes -- they cut teaser wagering off immediately in a knee-jerk reaction.

If I had to pick one chain of books that would pull a move like this mid-stream, the Harrah's brand would certainly be it. For goodness sake, wait for the season to end. Do some analytics on what the proper prices should be in the playoffs and regular season and then implement the changes next season.

Funny thing is, both games are 3's and it's not an attractive position for teaser bettors that like the favorites like last week was with a couple of 7's. So not only did Harrah's shoot themselves in the foot from a public relations standpoint, but they bailed on a week that sets up more favorably for the books. Well done!

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 24

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NE at DEN 03:05 PM

DEN +3.0 BEST BET

O 44.5 BEST BET


ARI at CAR 06:40 PM

CAR -3.0 BEST BET

U 47.0 BEST BET

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NFL oddsmakers have Panthers favored for Super Bowl 50 after impressive win

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers have opened as clear favorites for Super Bowl 50 after a 49-15 drubbing of Arizona in the NFC title game.

The Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos, both No. 1 seeds, have made it to historic Super Bowl 50. But it sure feels like that old bit on “Sesame Street,” doesn’t it?

“One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn’t belong.”

Carolina, the top team all season long in the NFC, sure looked like all that and more on a Sunday that couldn’t have featured a larger dichotomy of conference championship games. One game was an absolute blowout, the other an ugly nailbiter right down to the wire.

The Panthers led No. 2 seed Arizona 17-0 by the end of the first quarter and never let off the accelerator, boatracing the Cardinals 49-15 as a 3-point home chalk in the NFC title game. Carolina is now a robust 17-1 SU, with a stout 13-5 ATS mark to go with it heading into the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Waiting for the Panthers will be the Denver Broncos, who slogged to a 20-18 victory over No. 2 seed New England, getting the outright win as a 3-point home underdog in AFC final. After leading 17-9 at halftime and looking somewhat capable on offense behind Peyton Manning, Denver mustered just three second-half points, yet somehow managed to beat the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Pats got a late TD to make it 20-18, but the 2-point try failed, as a missed extra point early in the game came back to haunt New England big time. The Broncos, riding a defense that has been as amazing as the offense has been dismal, are 14-4 SU and 10-8 ATS.

John Lester, senior lines manager for Bookmaker.eu, set the line at Panthers -4.

“You’ve got the top-ranked defense in the league against the most dazzling offense we’ve seen in years. Hopefully, this matchup will live up to the Super Bowl 50 aura,” Lester said. “Bettors have been down on Denver all year, so we felt comfortable making Carolina a favorite higher than -3.

“It’s likely we’ll see many of the very recreational bettors backing Denver because of the Peyton Manning legacy. Everyone wants to see him ride off into the sunset.”

Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas, didn’t let Carolina’s performance sway him quite as much, opening the Panthers as 3.5-point chalk.

“I was thinking 3 at halftime of the Carolina game, but the Panthers’ play has elevated my and the bettors’ appreciation of them,” Avello said. “It’s a neutral site, and Peyton Manning is the opponent, along with the top defense, so I didn’t want to get too carried away. But the Panthers have been fast starters in their games as of late and difficult to slow down.”

Jay Kornegay, executive vice president of race and sports for the Westgate’s Superbook, said his shop got an early jump by posting a line well before the Carolina-Arizona game ended.

“We put Carolina up at -5.5, and it was quickly bet down,” Kornegay said. “We took some larger plays on Denver, and now Carolina is down to -4.”

The Wynn posted a total of 45.5, while the Superbook was at 44.5. Up next for those shops and many others: Super Bowl proposition bets.

“The line’s up, and it’s on to the props,” Avello said.

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Super Bowl 50 Opener
January 24, 2016

The top two seeds remaining will meet in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 7. Both Denver and Carolina held serve at home in the conference title games as the Broncos held off the Patriots and the Panthers routed the Cardinals. The Broncos are headed to their second Super Bowl in three years with Peyton Manning at quarterback, while the Panthers are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since losing to New England in 2003.

Favorites have rolled so far in the playoffs by winning eight of the first 10 games, but the underdogs are 5-4-1 ATS, including Denver’s victory as a three-point ‘dog against New England. The ‘under’ cashed in six of 10 postseason games, as the Broncos finished ‘under’ the total in each of their two playoff victories.

Super Bowl 50 from Santa Clara (2/7/16)

Line: Panthers -4 (45 ½)

Movement: Carolina opened up as four-point favorites at the LVH SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort, while CG Technologies put the Panthers out at 3 ½ before moving it to 4.

Offshore book 5Dimes opened Carolina at -4 as well, with the total of 45 ½. CG and William Hill each put out totals of 45, as a majority of books are hovering between 45 and 45 ½ on their totals.

Betting Notes: The Panthers and Broncos didn't meet in the regular season, but these teams last hooked up in 2012. Denver routed Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, 36-14 as 3 ½-point favorites, while game finished 'over' the total of 46 ½.

Neither of these teams have played a regular season or playoff game at Levi’s Stadium, while Carolina is headed to the Pacific Time Zone for the second time this season. Both teams posted perfect 4-0 records in interconference play, as Denver has won six of their last eight games against NFC opponents since losing to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Super Bowl Betting Notes:

-- The Panthers are the first NFC South team to play in the Super Bowl since New Orleans in 2010.

-- Denver owns a 2-5 SU/ATS record in Super Bowls, while being listed as an underdog for the fifth time.

-- Manning is playing in his fourth Super Bowl, posting a 1-2 SU/ATS record as he lost in last Super Bowl appearance two seasons ago to the Seahawks, 43-8.

-- In their lone Super Bowl appearance, the Panthers lost on the final play of Super Bowl XXXVIII to the Patriots, 32-29. Carolina cashed as seven-point underdogs, while the total of 37 ½ easily hit.

-- The NFC has won four of the last six Super Bowls, while the 'under' is 4-1 the last five Super Bowls.

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Super Bowl 50 Betting Update
January 25, 2016


The VegasInsider.com Super Bowl 50 Betting Update will provide daily betting updates from Micah Roberts in Las Vegas on this year's NFL finale between Carolina and Denver, which is set for Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016.

Update - 1.25.16 - 12:05 a.m. ET

Most Las Vegas sports books opened the Carolina Panthers as 4-point favorites over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, a number that was elevated to extreme measures based on power ratings.

"We opened Carolina -5.5," said Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook VP Jay Kornegay, "but early Denver action dropped the number."

The Westgate settled at Carolina -4 after all the early wagers with a total at 45. Las Vegas oddsmaker Kenny White had Denver 1-point better on a neutral field than Carolina before Sunday’s games.

When the Panthers demolished the Cardinals, 49-15, the public was all in with Carolina with early wagers.

"We wanted to be high with our number knowing the public would take Carolina," said MGM Resorts sports books VP Jay Rood who opened -4.5. "So far we’re at a 6-to-1 ratio on tickets bet with the Panthers and we’re at a 4-to-1 ratio with cash taken in."

The good news for the sports books is that the game isn’t a ‘3’ which means they have lots of wiggle room to maneuver.

The bad news is that they know the majority public wagers will be on Carolina and its possible that if the wagers become too one-sided that from the public that it could rise to -6 passing the dead numbers of -5 and -5.5.

However, sharps showed that they liked Denver at +5.5 at the Westgate. But remember that "sharp money" pales in comparison to the overall handle is wagered in the Super Bowl.

We’ll be updating everything that happens in Las Vegas regarding the Super Bowl spread, so be sure to check us out. Props are expected to open this Friday (1/29/16).

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Panthers LB Davis expected to play in SB
January 25, 2016

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) All-Pro linebacker Thomas Davis had surgery Monday morning on his broken right forearm, but is expected to play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.

''My understanding is if everything goes well it is something he can mostly certainly play with,'' Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Monday. ''So we are excited about that possibility.''

Rivera did not know which forearm bone Davis broke.

He said the 11-year NFL veteran may need to wear a brace on his arm similar to the one worn by New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Davis broke his arm in the second quarter of Carolina's 49-15 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in the NFC championship. Davis said after the game he fully expected to play in the Super Bowl in about two weeks.

Rivera said if anybody can play through the pain, it would be Davis, who has battled back from three torn ACLs in the same knee to play at an All-Pro level.

''He said (he was going to play) with the same type of sincerity he said to me when he told me he was coming back from the third ACL,'' Rivera said. ''There is something about his conviction and I think that's what makes him who he is today. So I have no doubt that as long as everything continues to heal the way it's supposed to, he'll be out there.''

Players were not made available for comment on Monday.

Davis' wife posted an Instagram photo of her husband wearing a hospital shower cap on Monday and thanked well-wishers.

Davis said after the game Sunday he planned to play in the Super Bowl.

''It hurt. It was painful,'' Davis said Sunday. ''At the same time I believe in our training staff and I believe in the process. If it is at all possible I know they are going to get me back and I will do my part to make sure I'm ready.''

Davis was dominant early in the NFC title game recording six tackles, including two for losses. He had several jarring hits that set the tone for the Panthers to build a 17-0 lead.

But he broke his forearm while trying to break up a pass in the second quarter and was taken to the locker room for observations. He returned to the sideline in the second half wearing a sling on his right arm.

Even without Davis, the Panthers managed to finish the game with seven takeaways - six of those on defense. They forced Carson Palmer into four interceptions and forced two fumbles in an impressive defensive performance.

When asked what makes him believe he can play with a broken arm, Davis replied, ''I believe in me.''

''This is something that if it comes down to a pain tolerance and playing through it, I will be there. I guarantee to you.''

Davis' teammates praised his toughness and said it's hard to imagine anyone trying to tell him he couldn't play in his first Super Bowl after spending his entire career trying to reach this pinnacle.

''I don't put it past Thomas playing,'' defensive tackle Kawann Short said. ''Three ACLs, broken fingers. It hasn't stopped him before. I think they will have to take all of his jerseys away - all five of them, and even the ones at home.''

Rivera said safety Roman Harper is scheduled to see an eye doctor soon after being forced to leave the game on Sunday. The fifth-year coach said he won't have any more information on his status until after the meeting.

The coach also said All-Pro center Ryan Kalil's knee is ''fine'' after leaving two series in the first half Sunday. Kalil returned in the second half to finish the game.

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Broncos heap praise on Panthers
January 26, 2016

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Nothing but compliments for Cam Newton after completely bashing Tom Brady.

And no, this nasty Denver Broncos defense hasn't suddenly turned soft. They're simply playing nice with the Super Bowl still two weeks away.

The pleasantries seem tame after all the trash talking Denver did before the New England game. The Broncos called Brady a crybaby for complaining to the officials over calls. They also accused tight end Rob Gronkowski of constantly pushing off to get open.

On Sunday, they backed up their words by constantly harassing Brady in a 20-18 win over the Patriots to earn a spot in Super Bowl 50 against Carolina (17-1).

Now, the Broncos (14-4) are pulling out the respect card, especially when it comes to Newton.

''He's probably the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL right now,'' Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib said.

Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware heaped plenty of praise on Newton, too.

''You can't rush timid because if you do that, he's one of those pocket quarterbacks that can get the ball deep down the field,'' said Ware, whose team will wear their white road uniforms on Feb. 7 in their record-tying eighth Super Bowl appearance. ''You have to be able to get pressure on him, but you have to be decisive on how you're rushing. You can't be a wild rusher.''

The Broncos certainly went wild against Brady, hitting him 23 times, all the more amazing given how quickly Brady usually gets rid of the ball.

And no one was in his face more often than Von Miller, who had 2 1/2 sacks and an interception on a pass intended for Gronkowski.

''We go out there and the scoreboard talks for itself,'' Miller said.

So good was defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' scheme that after the game, coach Gary Kubiak felt he had to give out several game balls.

''We've got to come up with a great game plan against them like we did against New England,'' Talib said. ''We may switch it up here and there a little bit, but for the most part, we're going to get pressure on the quarterback and cover.''

The Broncos are facing a different kind of QB in Newton. He's not like Brady, who will find seam after seam for big play after big play. Instead, Newton will take off if the pressure is too intense. In a 49-15 win over Arizona during the NFC title game, Newton rushed for two TDs and threw for two more.

''Super unique,'' Talib said. ''I've never seen anybody who is that size. He can sit in the pocket and throw it, and then he can run, run wide out. He probably could play any position in the NFL that you wanted to. He's definitely a unique player.''

Kubiak saw Newton last season when he was offensive coordinator in Baltimore. Newton completed 14 of 25 passes for 197 yards that day but was under duress for much of the game. Newton was sacked twice as the Ravens won 38-10.

The Broncos first-year head coach wouldn't mind a repeat performance.

''Having to tackle him out in the open field, having to defend the quarterback runs and those types of things will be something different for us,'' Kubiak said. ''It's nice to have a couple of weeks.''