Carolina Panthers were the NFC (National Football Conference) Champions while Denver Broncos were the AFC (American Football Conference) Champions in the 2015 NFL Season, and the battle for the Vince Lombardi Trophy is expected to heat up.
The Super Bowl 50 will also be Denver's eighth appearance in the annual NFL Championship game. They finished their regular season with a 12-4 record, and got past defending Super Bowl Champions the New England Patriots 20-18 in the AFC Championship Game on 24 January this year.
Carolina Panthers, too, got past Arizona Cardinals comfortably with a 49-15 score in their NFC Championship Game and advanced to their second Super Bowl in history. The Panthers had finished their regular season with an enviable 15-1 record.
The Panthers, who made their debut in the 1995 NFL season, achieved many milestones in the 2015 NFL season. They recorded one of the best starts to a season in the history of the NFL by setting a 14-0 record, and quarterback Cam Newton was one of the key men in the team's success.
The 26-year-old, who was named in the NFL All Pro First Team in 2015, achieved a league record of 45 total touchdowns (35 passing, 10 rushing), and a career-best quarterback rating of 99.4, to become one of the star players of the 2015 NFL Season.
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is now looking forward for his team to making a statement of sorts in the most decisive game of the NFL season.
"It is no holds barred. There really is no next game," Ron Rivera said at the final Super Bowl 50 media session. "The approach has to be that we're going to do the things we need to do. We'll have him do the things that we want him to do for us to give us the best opportunity to win."
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning meanwhile is on the verge of history. The NFL veteran, who is a five-time league MVP (Most Valued Player), is in line to become the oldest quarterback in history to play in a Super Bowl at the age of 39.
Manning already led two different teams -- Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos -- to multiple Super Bowls, and Super Bowl 50 will be his fourth appearance.
Super Bowl 50 schedule:
Teams participating: Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos.
Date: Sunday, 7 February.
Time: 6:30 pm EST (5 am IST Monday, 11:30 pm GMT).
Venue: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
National Anthem performer: Lady Gaga, Marlee Matlin.
Halftime performers: Coldplay, Beyonce, Bruno Mars.
TV listings: Sony ESPN (India); CBS, ESPN Deportes (United States); BBC 2 (United Kingdom).
