Change of guard: Manning passing the baton to Newton

The time has come. The stage is set. Super Bowl is right around the corner. It will be one Monday when USA will come to a halt and watch the best teams fight it out to claim the Lombardi trophy.

But, the headline isn’t the golden jubilee of the sport’s most coveted game. The highlight would be the stars who will compete against each other for the ultimate glory.

Broncos have had an inconsistent season this year. The defense sure looks great. It is the most formidable and highest ranked defense in the league but, the major problem of Broncos lies in its offense which is quite ironical as the offense is helmed by none other than Peyton Manning himself.

Regarded as the best quarterback ever (Tom Brady fans NOM!) by quite a lot people, he is a formidable force on the field. Or rather he was? Manning has been bad to mediocre quarterback this season. So much so, young Brock Osweiler almost tripped Manning for the starting job.

Manning- the primary sling for Broncos

But, Manning healed in time to become the primary sling for Broncos. Many have been comparing Manning with NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and the comparison is justified. For both players, it is the last ride. This year’s championship can quite possibly be their last game of their professional career (should LA Lakers go on to the NBA championship).

But, nobody can forget the intimidating numbers Manning has put till date. He holds most individual records for any quarterback. His cracker of a whip passing, all the football wisdom, handling the running game have garnered admiration from players, coaches and fans alike.

But, in all the heady season this year, the remnants of old Manning were never seen. At least not from Peyton Manning himself. But, the remnants were seen elsewhere. They were seen in Carolina.

Panthers’ Newton

In the hand of Panthers’ young quarterback, football acted the same way as it did when handled by Manning in his prime. Cam Newton, the shot caller of Panthers has been a revelation. Guiding the team to a historic winning streak, Newton proved to the football world that he is a force to reckon with.

Widely regarded as likely MVP of this season, Newton has delighted fans with a great and consistent performance. He is an exact opposite of what Manning has been this season.

Though some might raise eyebrows to Newton’s touchdown celebrations and other such antics, everyone knows that he has all the right to be cocky. He has been the most impressive QB this season.

Even though there are legends like Brady and Manning on the roster, Cam Newton has impressed everyone in the football world with his talent. If he continues to play on such a high level, he will have chance to be one of the GOATs.

Thus, this Super Bowl is quite interesting to watch. One of the most celebrated and admired QB will be going against a young and upcoming QB showing signs of greatness.

Though the Super Bowl could be Manning’s swan song, Newton cannot be taken lightly. He will fight to the best of his abilities to get that ring.

Manning would like to close the last chapter of his glorious career with another Super Bowl safely tucked away. Both will give all they have and that is what makes football so great.

In one match we can see the an end to a glorious career and a start of another one. This is one hell of a way to celebrate a Golden Jubilee.