Race to Super Bowl 50 Playoffs Week 3 American Football

60 minutes of football. Take it to them right from the start!

-Let's go get it!

-Lofts it into the end zone!

-Ridiculous!

-Touchdown!

-A somersault for the touchdown!

-Unbelievable!

Yes, yes!

The pass is intercepted at the goal line!

The New England Patriots are the NFL champions!

Hello. In the race to Super Bowl 50,

our 32 NFL teams have been whittled down to just four.

It is the Conference Championships.

They are finals in their own right, to find the champions

of the two NFL conferences - the AFC and the NFC.

But these grand occasions are also mere stepping stones

to something even grander - the Super Bowl.

In the AFC, there is experience of the rarefied air

of "here at the top".

The Denver Broncos at home, at Mile High,

looking for an eighth Super Bowl appearance.

The New England Patriots, the defending Super Bowl champions,

looking for a record ninth appearance.

The NFC contenders, with much less Super Bowl experience -

just the one losing grand final apiece.

But the Carolina Panthers are the team of the season.

They have come this far with a swagger.

And even better on offence this season, the Arizona Cardinals.

Two finals, two stepping stones.

Two losers and two winners to find.

And so, just two games, with the winners heading to San Francisco

for Super Bowl 50. One man who has been there, seen it, done it

and has the rings to prove it, two-time Super Bowl champion

with the New York Giants, Osi Umenyiora, and a man who can't wait

to get on that plane to California. A former cornerback with Dallas,

Houston and the Giants, Jason Bell.

Right, straight to the action then and the AFC Championship game.

The 17th meeting between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

In a sport that soaks up its statistics,

they share yards that stack up into multiple miles.

They have thrown enough footballs in their careers

to cover the 2,000 miles that separate Foxborough

in Massachusetts, New England and Denver, Colorado.

Tom Brady of the Patriots and Peyton Manning of the Broncos.

They have faced each other 16 times in the past,

because they also share 77 years. Brady, 38, Manning, 39.

A pair of MVQs - Most Venerable Quarterbacks.

Two stars on a special day at Mile High Stadium.

Peyton Manning, some really good throws here on his first drive.

New England said, their key - "Can we slow their running game down?

"Get him in obvious passing situations and can he make

"the tough throws?"

Well, it is early, but the early answer is yes.

Demaryius Thomas has a linebacker on him in the slot to the right.

2nd & 10, let's see if Manning finds him.

He's got someone else open!

And it's a touchdown!

It's Owen Daniels to the end zone.

Really good job by Owen Daniels.

Everything, when you get in the red zone, so much about scoring,

when you get near the goal line is about deception.

And Owen Daniels just did it that time. He fakes like he's

going to hook up in the middle, there's the little hook up,

goes down the middle, Jamie Collins, nobody with him.

Wide-open touchdown.

This is a tougher Denver football team than we have seen.

And it's because of Gary Kubiak,

the fact that they run the football more.

Of course, Wade Phillips, an aggressive defence.

They win a lot of close games because they're tough.

2nd & 8, bad pass.

They rule it incomplete, and want to make sure it wasn't a live ball.

-Look at this pass.

-Very close. It's got to be forward.

I'm surprised Hillman didn't at least try to go after it.

The challenge flag is out. The Patriots have challenged it!

It's such a big play that it might be worth the challenge.

You saw Freeny pick it up and trot to the end zone.

It wouldn't be a touchdown, it would be the point where he recovered it,

if the Patriots do in fact win the challenge.

And the Patriot bench is showing signs of celebration.

The pass was backward.

Therefore, the recovery by New England gives New England the ball.

Steven Jackson is the tailback here. On 1st & goal to go.

It's Jackson.

And Jackson, second effort gets him across for the touchdown!

And David Andrews, the rookie from Georgia

who started the year at centre, comes in, plays as a fallback

on that occasion and helps lead the way, Jackson to the end zone.

How about Steven Jackson?

He wasn't even signed until December 27th.

The all-time leading rusher, I mentioned, with the Rams.

He wasn't even really following the game.

Said he watched one game the whole season, Thanksgiving day.

Next thing you know, you're on the Patriot roster

and you're a game away from going to the Super Bowl.

He's a power runner, and that situation is perfect for him.

The extra point is no good!

Gostkowski had not missed all year long.

He was one of only five placekickers who were perfect.

And he had a streak of 523 consecutive makes,

until this one.

New England, now, are pressing the wide receivers,

not playing soft coverage.

It's 3rd & 4, and he's going deep down the field for Sanders,

who makes the catch, right over the top of Malcolm Butler!

And Ward's out there to congratulate him, what an effort.

Malcolm Butler did a great job in their first meeting

and he just misplaced the ball.

Emmanuel Sanders beats him to it.

Planted his feet, went up,

attacked the football and makes a tough catch.

It's a 2nd & 10 from the pocket.

It's picked off! And it's Miller with the interception.

Trying to throw a soft touch pass.

Watch Gronkowski go out here,

watch Miller drop off in coverage and get underneath it.

Really, that was so good by Von Miller, it fooled Tom Brady.

Had big moments, last couple games we've seen.

He's the difference maker when you need it.

3rd & 6, from the 12.

End zone...

caught by Daniels!

The second touchdown of the half.

He had a step on Collins.

Yeah, he just outmanoeuvred him.

What did I say? Deception is what it's all about

when you're talking about scoring down near the end zone.

What a good stop-and-go by Owen Daniels.

On the ensuing possession,

New England went on a 13-play drive,

capped off with a Stephen Gostkowski field goal from 46 yards.

Denver's lead down to five points.

So far, the Patriots today, eight carries by the backs.

The biggest run was by Brady.

Who's hit, but he throws it and it leads to an interception by Stewart!

It was Malik Jackson who knocked down Brady

and he's intercepted for the second time in this quarter.

Malik Jackson comes around

and really gets a solid hit on Tom Brady.

Two Denver possessions later, and with half-time looming,

the home team went on a six-play drive that ended with

a 52-yard Brandon McManus field goal.

That made it 17-9 at the break.

New England struck back soon after the restart,

Gostkowski converting Brady's eight-play drive to make it 17-12.

Extra linemen in for the Broncos.

They failed in the third quarter on a 3rd & 1.

Anderson, this time though, just past the line, and takes off!

McCourty cuts off the angle near the 20.

Louis Vasquez, one of those who opened it up for a gain of 30.

Right guard Vasquez gets a great block.

Watch him knock it out.

Ninkovich can't close the hole and lets CJ Anderson get through it.

Anderson's 30-yard run put Denver into field goal range,

and McManus duly obliged, to restore the eight-point lead.

When New England got the ball back,

they needed to drive deep into home territory

with seven minutes left on the clock.

4th down & short, Bill Belichick is going to go for it.

It's a long one, 4th & 1.

Jackson is the running back.

At the six-minute mark.

They fake to Jackson, the pass to Edelman,

and is staked right away by Harris!

And the Denver defence gets the ball back for the Broncos.

Even if Brady threw it a little bit harder, I think still

Chris Harris is going to get there.

Not fooled, he let his guy go across the field because he saw the action,

made the big tackle.

Defence is absolutely playing championship football.

Brady staying loose,

and he may be getting the football back here momentarily.

3rd & 14.

Safe throw,

and the Patriots were there waiting for it. The Broncos to punt.

-They're going to go for it again.

-Yeah, they have to go for it.

White shifts back, alongside Brady.

Pocket collapsing, Brady throws it off his back foot,

and it's tipped away! They were going for Gronkowski.

He had three Broncos around him,

and Gronkowski claims there was contact.

Looked like Talib was the one who got a hand on it.

Talib's kind of got his right arm wrapped around him

for a moment there. Talib got a fingertip on it

as it deflected away.

3rd & 10, and Manning from the gun.

Goes down the sidelines, got a man there, and is batted down.

Beautifully covered by Butler.

He was step-for-step with Sanders.

And the Patriots are going to get the football back,

right at the two-minute warning.

So, for the third time in this quarter, the Patriots face 4th down.

The Broncos have not allowed a 4th down conversion

over a long span - the last ten attempts by an opponent.

This one could close it out.

Brady, though, goes down the field to Gronkowski!

And he has the football at the 10-yard line!

He was double covered. And what happens when you're double covered?

Who's got him deep? The in-and-out...

Look at that. "I've got him inside, you've got him outside."

Gronkowski goes right down the middle.

And that was a beautiful throw by Tom Brady on 4th down.

And now the AFC Championship's going to come down to this very next snap.

They've been down here a couple of times already in this quarter.

And now, for the third time, trying to pull off the comeback.

And, of course, they'll have to step right back up and face

another do-or-die situation with the two-point conversion.

Here we go.

The 13th snap in the quarter inside the 30.

With the game on the line, Brady, in the pocket.

End zone-bound...

and it is caught by Gronkowski to make it 20-18!

He got away from the Denver defenders!

Double covered again.

Tom Brady, under pressure, just threw it up.

We've got an official right there.

Of course, every touchdown has to be validated.

That looked like he was inside of it.

Perfect coverage, they had it.

Just the size of Gronkowski, 6'6", goes over Chris Harris.

So the Denver defence has to be in a little bit of shock

after the two 4th-down conversions.

The latest one going for the touchdown.

But they must regroup here,

because one stop takes them to the Super Bowl.

Here's Brady, rolling out.

Rolling and throwing - it's tipped in the air!

And it's intercepted.

It's intercepted by Roby.

He lost the football back at the 20, but it doesn't matter.

It was tipped by Talib, and the Denver defence saves it at the end.

Denver wins it, heading to Super Bowl 50.

This was a sweet victory.

To me, this victory is a great example

of what this entire season has been like.

It hasn't been easy.

It's been a lot of...

..different people stepping up,

doing their parts at different times.

Starters, nonstarters becoming starters.

It's been a unique season, there's no question about it.

And this game today was a unique football game.

We won a lot of games this year, just grinding as a football team,

playing great defence. And we played tremendous today,

in making the play at the right time.

Just so proud of our football team.

Got great respect for the Patriots, so great victory,

just very proud of our team.

Disappointing result.

I think we all feel, as coaches, players, all of us,

that it was such a fine line today

between winning and losing that we all could have done

just a little bit more, may have made a different result,

but it wasn't.

Crash landing to the end of the season,

like it usually is in National Football League.

We made a lot of plays,

but there were a lot of plays we didn't make.

A lot of 4th-down plays that ended up costing us.

We made a couple, but again there were too many of those,

and we never could play with the lead, never could play on our terms.

So it was an uphill battle all day.

The blueprint for beating the New England Patriots

has always been getting pressure on the quarterback

and the Denver Broncos executed it flawlessly,

with my man, Von Miller over here,

decimating the Patriots' offensive line and Tom Brady.

Check him out right here.

This offensive lineman is already a yard off the ball.

Watch how fast Von Miller gets off this ball right here.

You're never going to see anything like this

from another defensive player.

Watch this guy dip right around the corner and get to Tom Brady.

Unbelievable!

Look at the get-off, that's ridiculous, man,

as he gets there. I have never seen anything like this before.

The get-off of this guy is ridiculous!

Look at this poor offensive tackle.

He stands no chance! Von is already moving

as he gets a clean shot on the quarterback.

I can tell you, there is nothing that feels better

than getting a clean shot on the quarterback.

I can't think of one...

-Actually, I can.

-LAUGHTER

We're not going to talk about that. Let's keep going.

Von Miller again to the quarterback.

And now what we're going to have is a chess match.

We are going to have a match between the offensive coordinator

and the defensive coordinator right here.

The Broncos now have to slide their line this way.

They've got to put this running back right here in protection

to account for Von Miller,

but what the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos,

Wade Phillips, is going to say - no, no, no, not today.

And he's going to allow Von Miller to have another one-on-one rush

by bringing in this linebacker right here.

Now, the running back now has to account for the blitzing linebacker

and that is going to leave Von Miller one-on-one,

which is what the Denver Broncos want.

Watch him again as he speeds by the offensive tackle

and gets another sack.

This guy was balling! Look at him running off the field!

The running back has to pick this guy up

and he comes around and gets the sack.

And now what you are going to see

is the Denver Broncos are now going to drop him into coverage.

The New England Patriots now have to

slide their line this way again

to account for Von Miller.

But guess what? Von Miller isn't rushing this time.

The pressure is coming from DeMarcus Ware.

Tom Brady never sees Von Miller dropping in the coverage

and he throws the ball directly to him. Von Miller, making plays,

deflated Tom Brady. Just deflated him.

But lest you feel too sorry for Tom Brady, my dad always told me,

never feel too sorry for a man married to a supermodel!

When he goes home, he's going to be A-OK. See you guys next time.

LAUGHTER

I'd like to know more about young Osi's chats with his dad,

but we just don't have time.

I certainly don't want to know what the one thing better than

hitting a quarterback is.

Let's get back to what Peyton Manning said

in the post-match interviews,

that that game encapsulated Denver's season.

It does. That is how they have been winning all season

and playing all season, as a team.

Somebody on each side of the field, offence and defence,

has been doing something well and doing it together.

We can see more examples of what the defence did to Brady

during that game. The Patriots have fired, or Belichick has fired

their offensive line coach and co-ordinator

after this performance. Is that harsh on the O-line coordinator,

given how good Denver's defence is?

Definitely harsh, man. You're talking about DeMarcus Ware,

Von Miller, two of the best pass rushers in football.

There is nobody you could put out there who could stop those guys

from getting to the quarterback. It's definitely harsh.

I don't think it's harsh because you got a 100 million quarterback

who's been getting hit all year.

Somebody has to take the blame for it.

Just give us an overview on this Denver defence

and how you would describe it. You were both part of the defence.

What I think they do really well is,

-of course, they have a great pass rush.

-First and foremost.

Yeah, they got a great pass rush, but I'm a DB and I love how

these defensive backs get their hands on the receivers

because with a great pass rush, they get their hands on those receivers

and they don't let them get up field

-and it is just chaos for the quarterbacks.

-Absolutely, man.

When you have the DBs putting their hands on the receivers,

it allows the defensive line that extra second

to get to the quarterback. There's nothing worse than beating your man,

beating offensive tackle, then all of a sudden, the ball's been thrown.

That's very frustrating

but the Denver DBs do a great job of giving the Broncos time.

So how much does Gary Kubiak deserve credit for?

I'm guessing a lot of credit for bringing Wade Phillips in

as the defensive coordinator, a man who knows the Broncos well?

He'd been at the Broncos late '80s, early '90s,

-he was head coach of the Broncos.

-Yeah, they know each other,

and one thing about being an offensive coach,

you know the guys you hated coaching against,

so he's coached against them and he knows them, so he knows,

"That's the kind of guy I want on my roster helping my team."

Absolutely, man.

He knows Wade Phillips is a three-four defensive co-ordinator.

They have Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware -

two of the best three-four outside linebackers in the league.

He knew that coming in with Wade Phillips

was going to explode his defence and that's what's happened.

Let's talk about quarterbacks.

I know it's a favourite subject for both of you.

LAUGHTER

Peyton Manning - was this a better performance from him

than his previous outing for the Broncos?

Yes. He did not turn the ball over. That is what he needs to not do.

He's always done a good job getting them in the right play

but he didn't turn the ball over

and he scored in the red zone with those plays to the tight end,

-which is what you got to do.

-Absolutely, man.

When your defence is performing at that level,

the one thing you can't afford to do is turn the ball over.

That is what he did not do.

He played a great game for Denver in this game.

So he managed the game well.

We had this discussion off air at which point you nearly exploded,

Osi, when I suggested that he managed the game well.

He's a game manager.

-We're talking about Peyton Manning!

-I'm not saying he's a game manager.

I'm saying he managed that game well.

That is what he's been doing since he's been back - managing the game.

You don't see the Peyton Manning of old throwing for 400 yards.

-He has always managed games.

-No.

He's always got the offence in the best play.

He's always used the clock well, checked, read the defence well.

-That is managing the game!

-Yes, he's always done that,

but when you're talking about Peyton Manning, who has the most

passing yards in NFL history,

you can't put "game manager" and Peyton Manning together.

And he's throwing for 160 yards a game now, I mean,

that's game management type... That's Alex Smith type numbers, man.

LAUGHTER

-You don't mean that as a compliment, do you?

-No. No.

But that comes with experience and age.

You can't do what you did in your 20s when you're in your late 30s.

Tom Brady's doing it!

Ooh!

-We know...

-Tom Brady isn't going to a Super Bowl!

-True.

As a player, as you get older,

you have to adjust, you have to know what your body can and can't do.

And that guy is doing it.

Just one extra line...

Just one line on the Patriots, actually.

For all of the praise for Denver in defence

and Peyton Manning's game management and everything,

they were two points away from taking it to overtime.

If Gostkowski had not done what he did with the extra point

-for the first time, what did they say, 523 times...

-What a time.

I know sport is full of ifs and buts...

They would have been in overtime.

It is crazy to think that they got back in the game like that.

But that is Tom Brady. That is what he does.

-Man, what a time to miss an extra point!

-I know.

You would have been having words, wouldn't you, in the locker room?

Immediately! No locker room, right away.

The best thing is that we've got through that whole chat

without mentioning who Denver are going to play,

which I'm so relieved about

considering their next game is coming up.

Super Bowl 50 is only the second time that the championship game

will be played in the Bay area.

In '85 the San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins

played for Super Bowl XIX,

remembered with pride by the 49ers' running back, Roger Craig.

My first Super Bowl,

I was so busy trying to win,

I didn't realise that I was the first player to score

three touchdowns in a Super Bowl.

Craig gets it and goes in for a touchdown!

Handoff given to Craig. Craig batters his way to the goal line.

-He goes in!

-Popped by Craig on the way to the end zone,

and Craig goes in for the score!

I think you get so wrapped up in the game that scoring is great

but it's not so much personal, it's more for your team.

It's for the scoreboard at the end of the day.

If you lose, scoring a touchdown doesn't mean anything

in the Super Bowl, but when you win,

it's a great, great feeling that you contributed to something special.

And it finished 38-16 to San Francisco.

Time to turn our attention to the NFC

and the best two offences in the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals travelled east, where of course

the weather had been battering the Eastern Seaboard of the States,

and the Carolina Panthers were waiting in a snowy Charlotte.

Two teams with a collective power and a shared purpose.

The Arizona Cardinals outstanding in offence, titanic on the road.

They have won away from home seven times,

and on the road again here, in Charlotte,

home of the Carolina Panthers, the team of the season.

Tightknit, extravagant.

The quarterback drawn!

Somersaults for the touchdown.

Oh, my goodness!

But within the team, there are individuals like these two.

True, they have a couple of things in common -

they play in the same position,

have both thrown 35 touchdown passes this season,

they are both former winners of the Houseman Trophy,

awarded to the outstanding college player of the year.

But that is where the similarities stop.

They are defined more by their differences.

Carson Palmer, old school, at home in the pocket, calm, cool,

serving others, like Larry Fitzgerald, the fastest in history

to score ten post-season touchdowns.

End zone touchdown! Larry Fitzgerald!

Like I've always said about Carson, there's one thing about him,

he is resilient. He stayed strong on the sideline,

believed in his guys, made plays to win the game.

Then there is Cam Newton.

26, Ten years younger than Palmer.

HE YELLS

Not calm, not afraid to leave the pocket.

Cam Newton, accurate, sharp,

sensational today.

A running showman, a talking showman.

That's all you got, 93?

He's 12 years old. Look at him. He ain't got his permit yet.

He can't even drive home, he has to get an Uber.

HE SHOUTS

I'm happy to be a part of that.

Palmer does not have a great history of beating his nerves

in the play-offs.

He looked tense against the Green Bay Packers last week,

which must make the Panthers the favourites, but somehow,

a lot of seasoned observers

have been expecting them to trip up this season.

They're not a Super Bowl team, man.

And you know what, I'm always right, Mark.

We're not worried about the Super Bowl, that's irrelevant.

Right now we're focused on the Arizona Cardinals.

Who can defy expectation now? Who will master their nerves?

He is essentially a running back playing quarterback,

as big and as physical as he is.

It's the ultimate wildcat quarterback

but yet he could beach it within the pocket.

He has proven any doubters that he had that he can do that this year.

2nd down & 3.

How about this? A little toss to Ginn.

Ginn slowed down a bit, still going inside the ten.

Gets a block touchdown.

He's going to pull it,

make it look like it is going that way

but they pull Ryan Kalil, the centre, out the opposite way.

Even with that being said, the tackle has to be made there

and he's able to traverse all the way across the field

and get it into the end zone.

Third down is the quarterback's down.

It's a possession down and these two quarterbacks have been

two of the best all season long.

Extra men on the rush.

Newton steps into it. Scott Brown wide open

and Corey Brown is gone!

20. 10.

Touchdown, Carolina.

Look at the move Corey Brown puts on him.

At the top of the route,

he expects Brown to continue up the field

and just completely gets turned around.

All that field out in front of him

and Cam Newton lays it out there beautifully.

This Carolina team is flexing its muscles again here, early.

Wind-up wide to the right, and the offensive formation.

Here's the tight end, Fells.

He leaps into Thomas Davis, who is banged up.

And Fells is good for 15.

That does not look good at all

and a guy who is part of the best linebacker tandem in the NFL

with Luke Kuechly, vital to the success of this defence...

There's a look from the front side.

He immediately came out grabbing that right arm.

Tenth play of the drive.

Johnson again! Slams it into the end zone.

And the Cardinals are on the scoreboard.

They are riding the 6'1", 224-pound back,

came on in the second half of the season,

and it is back-to-back three and outs for the Carolina Panthers

after they scored on their first three possessions.

Hits it sideways and on the run.

It is off the arms of Peterson

and now the fight for the football.

WHISTLE BLOWS

It was almost a shank. It belongs to Carolina.

Cam Newton, the elite quarterback, was 10, 4, 11.

Running it on 3rd down & 1

and picking up the first down.

If he converts here, it is a touchdown

and the kids are lined up on the stairway waiting for a souvenir.

3rd & goal.

Here comes Cam.

He got it! Touchdown. From that angle

he definitely got it across the goal line,

big touchdown here for Carolina.

Points off the turnover for the Panthers.

They were the best in the league at that during the regular season,

how they were helped to 15 and one.

Last year's winner, Thomas Davis,

not out there for the Carolina defence

as they continue to look at him

back in the locker room.

Palmer has it knocked out of his hand.

And Fells cannot get to it.

Boston is there, did he cover up?

He did.

Johnson knocked it out and it is turnover number three

for this Arizona team in the first half.

As he's coming back, we'll take a closer look,

and ball clearly out.

2nd & 10.

This is Peterson. Did he need that!

Patrick Peterson on the return.

Down the sideline, getting blocks,

trying to turn this first half around and he's down inside the 25

and there is life for the Arizona Cardinals.

Giveth and now he taketh away.

Interception thrown, a rare one from Cam Newton.

And now, from the 22, can the Cardinals cash in?

Kuechly comes on it.

Palmer, end zone!

Gives it back! Intercepted by Coleman!

Cardinals and Panthers trade interceptions,

and that could be back-breaking for Carson Palmer.

Graham Gano converted Carolina's first possession of the second half

into three points to make it 27-7.

The Cardinals went three and out on their next possession,

giving Newton the ball back in Arizona territory.

Does any quarterback in the NFL have a better nose for a first down

or a touchdown than Cam Newton?

He continues to run.

He is in for the touchdown!

And the likely MVP has been celebrating since this game began.

Pass is caught by Fells, for the touchdown!

With 44 seconds expired in quarter number four,

the Cardinals get their second touchdown.

Second-best starting field position for the Cardinals,

down 19.

Only three men on the rush,

pumping towards the end zone, up for grabs

and picked up by Coleman. His second of the game.

Newton keeps it, end zone, passes,

caught for the touchdown! Funchess.

They keep pouring the coals on the fire.

They've put up 40.

They get a free blitzer on Cam Newton and he cuts it loose.

Perfect timing and delivers a strike to Funchess.

So the drive will start inside the 15 at the 12.

Carson Palmer, who got that first playoff win last week.

Traded to Arizona from Oakland in 2013.

A record-setting year. He's picked again!

Kuechly for the touchdown!

The celebration continues, Kuechly, who runs this defence.

It's his third interception returned for a touchdown this season,

he's a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball.

He's been great as a run-stopper ever since he arrived in Carolina.

Where he has improved the most this year is in his ability to cover.

He reads it, he drives on and makes the play on the ball,

touchdown Carolina.

The Carolina Panthers are NFC champions!

Ron Rivera's going to the Super Bowl!

Cam, where are you?

Ho!

I'm excited. I'm excited, man.

We're playing in front of the best fans in the NFL.

We are getting coached by the best coaching staff in the NFL

-but we're not done yet.

-What would that mean to you,

to go out there and beat the Denver Broncos?

I don't want to make it personal.

Everybody worked their tail off to get to this point,

and we're going to keep consistently...

CHANTING: MVP! MVP!

Oh, man.

-MVP.

-That's OK!

It's been great. We played loose

and that's been our strategy all year - be ourselves,

have fun and just do what we do. We play as a team, as a unit.

That's what makes it so fun

is the guys in the locker room stick together.

We have so much fun and we're looking forward to keeping playing.

We all worked so hard for this, man.

I can't be more happy with the team we got, man. Glory to God.

This is awesome. I mean, look at the stadium that put us on.

We haven't had this in ten years, man.

I have dreamed of this ever since I was in high school, man.

I've had an opportunity to be a player, an assistant coach

and now a head coach in the Super Bowl.

I think that's really neat. I really do.

I'm just kind of excited about the opportunity.

It is the culmination of what you work for

as a football player and a coach,

so it's going to be exciting and I look forward to it.

If you're not putting a ring on your finger,

if that confetti's not falling on your head, it's a bad year.

You've got to look back and there were a lot of positive things.

To win 14 games, to win a play-off game,

to be here in the Championship Game. Those are all positive things

but we're not about that. We are about winning the championship

and we didn't play near well enough, especially our best players,

for us to win this game.

This is as low as you can feel.

Like I said, you put so much in and you come in here

with such high expectations and...

..to leave the way we are leaving just hurts.

It hurts to lose like this, in this fashion.

I love my team-mates. They fought all year.

There was a lot of adversity, ups and downs

and we are really proud to be here. But, you know,

we obviously didn't want it to end this way.

The Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals.

And everybody wants to talk about Cam Newton,

and, yes, he's a superstar, but it's the pieces around him

that make things go, and we are going to talk about Ted Ginn Jr

today, who did a bunch of things on offence, defence

and special teams to help them win.

First of all, we're going to start with him on special teams.

This is a very underrated play.

He is so fast. What an explosive player.

He gets the ball right here, watch him make people miss.

Give them a little dip, he goes all the way through

and look at this guy getting knocked out by the punter -

how do you get knocked out by the punter?

I'm giving you credit and you get knocked out by the punter!

Doesn't matter, and right here you're going to see a trick play.

When you have a guy with this kind of speed and this kind of talent,

you want to get the ball in his hands in open space

and let him make plays.

That is exactly what Carolina is going to do here.

They're going to run a reverse.

He's going to come all the way right here and get the ball

from Cam Newton, and watch what he does here.

Give him the ball, boom, he takes off running. Look at this guy.

Making moves. Get off! Swerving. Looking like a Ferrari,

in traffic, driven by a man who is having a midlife crisis.

-LAUGHTER

-Innit, Mark Chapman? Innit?

Anyway, Ted Ginn Jr getting it done and he is not done.

This is one of the most impressive things that I saw.

Watch where this guy starts, right here.

Cam Newton is going to throw an inaccurate pass

and is going to be intercepted.

Now, check this out here. This is the most important part.

When you're talking about play-off football,

you're talking about who wants it more.

Who has the desire? Who wants to win the game?

Look at where this man comes from and look at the speed

of this man as he chases down Patrick Peterson.

You don't even see him on the screen, where is he?

Where is he? I don't know where he is. Where's Waldo?

But look at him come through right here and make a great play

for the Carolina Panthers who would go on to stop them on that series,

so he played defence also in this particular game.

Ted Ginn Jr had a magnificent performance

and he's one of the reasons why

the Carolina Panthers are playing the way they're playing right now.

I'm tempted to leave him over there for the midlife crisis.

-Did I ask you back?

-No, sorry. I apologise.

-This is my manor, this bit, that's your manor.

-Can I say here?

That's your Ferrari.

You've got to at least have a Ferrari, just an ageing one.

One word on the Cardinals first.

Bruce said afterwards, very keen not to just blame Carson Palmer,

which a lot of people were doing.

He didn't have a very good day, he blamed several of his superstars.

Yeah, because he wanted to take the pressure off of Carson Palmer.

You can't turn the ball over that many times, and that's what

Carson was doing, trying to force the ball down the field.

And I think the blame was on him and he was trying to lighten the load.

Let's talk about the Carolina defence.

Let's start with the question mark, first of all,

which is Thomas Davies,

who broke his arm against the Cardinals.

Now, you have had this exact same injury.

-Three times!

-You've had this exact same injury three times.

-Three times, yes. And you can come back from it.

-You can?

-Right.

He's going to have surgery, they're going to put a plate on his arm.

So the bone will be fixed.

Now it's all about, can he deal with the pain?

His biggest problem's going to be actually running and extending

his hands to get the blocks off of them. But he can play.

-So he's said he'll play?

-Yes.

And you don't see a problem with him playing

in the Super Bowl with a broken arm?

The hardest thing is the movement...

The hardest thing is going to be actually running, and when he has

to use his hands to get off of a block, that's going to really hurt.

-But it's all about...

-It must put a little bit

of doubt in your head, mustn't it?

-I think it will, but we're talking about the Super Bowl here.

-Yeah.

I mean, there's a lot of things people are going to play through

that they ordinarily wouldn't play through because it's the Super Bowl.

It'll be a little painful, but the biggest game of your life,

you'll get over that.

We've had lots of jokes with the Carolina Panthers as in,

we love them, you're a little grumpy with them.

Do you take...

As we look at a couple of touchdowns from the game,

do you take Cam Newton's point that they have just had fun

this season? And that shouldn't be underestimated.

You can't argue with that,

if you look at the way they play from beginning to end,

always having fun, always enjoying themselves.

They seem to be a great team, they like each other's company.

I mean, it's fun to watch them play like this, man,

it's really exciting.

Yeah, they play fun, they play loose,

and that's what you want to do.

If you've got a coaching staff that allows you as a player

to be yourself and play loose, good things can happen.

You're a team, the quarterback's playing like he's a 12-year-old

and you get behind it, it's fun!

will Denver be able to do to Cam Newton

what they did to Tom Brady,

when we see the kind of things Newton is capable of?

-No.

-No.

First of all, when they come off the edge with all that pressure,

he can roll out and get out of the pocket.

That's the first thing he can do.

And the second thing, to nullify the pass, is to run the ball.

When you're running the ball at those guys,

they can't come up field and attack you like that.

-And that's what they do!

-Absolutely, man.

In Carolina, they have a great defence

and that's what's going to keep them in the games.

But I tell you what, if the Denver Broncos build a lead

against the Carolina Panthers, the Carolina Panthers are done.

What are you talking about?!

Absolutely done. And this is why I said that -

they don't have good offensive linemen,

their tackles are weak, believe it or not.

Cam Newton and that running game

makes them a lot better than they are.

Trust me when I tell you this, if they get down in this game

14, 21 points, Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware are going to destroy

the Carolina Panthers' offensive line.

You're talking about a team that can throw the ball

-vertically down the field...

-Yes.

-..and that's how you score quick.

-Yes.

-So that's how you come from behind.

Come from behind against the Denver Broncos?

He can throw the ball vertically

better than anybody in the league right now.

They have the DB's number one to counteract that.

They're not going to let Ted Ginn get behind the defence,

not with Aqib Talib and not with the DBs that they have going on.

If they get down by 14 points,

they're going to have six or seven sacks against these guys.

As DB, I didn't want anybody to get behind me either, but it happens.

I'm still here. THEY LAUGH

-Sorry, Mark.

-The other thing with that point,

can you see Denver going 14-21 points

up on Carolina, given their offence at times this season?

And surely, given how Carolina have played...

I mean, they've just ripped the Cardinals apart.

They tore into the Seahawks in the first two quarters

in that game as well,

isn't it more likely that they will go clear against Denver?

No, because they haven't ran into a defence

like they're going to on Super Bowl Sunday.

Now, you make some very valid points.

Obviously, Carolina's been blowing everybody out,

but they're not going to get up 21, 28 points against these guys.

Manning's not going to turn the football over to give him the chance

to get up 28 points. And that defence, the way they play?

No way that happens.

I just want to talk about the two head coaches.

Gary Kubiak went to Super Bowl as John Elway's backup,

with the Broncos, Ron Rivera went to the Super Bowl with

the Bears in '85, he mentioned it in his

post-match press conference there,

and of course, he also was an assistant coach as well.

Will their experience help in dampening down the hype

around both sides of the build-up?

For sure, because they know how to control everything

that's happening off the field.

They know how to talk their guys through,

going through the experience, things that they can expect.

And just, your head coach being relaxed in that situation,

as a player, it makes you relax and enjoy the situation.

He knows better than me.

Yeah, no doubt about it. I mean, Coughlin, who was our coach

when we went, he had been to Super Bowl before, so he kind of knew

what was going on, he knew exactly what to expect.

He had everybody calm and really focused for the game.

And I think people and coaches who have had experience with that

help the teams.

And we've discussed on this show in the past how odd it is to

bill a game as between two quarterbacks,

as they never actually go head-to-head against each other.

But in the States in particular,

-this will be the old era against the new era, won't it?

-Yeah.

-This is how it's going to be for the next ten days.

-This is.

And this is what's going to... Whoever pulls this off,

everybody's going to want to make their team the same way next year.

So if Carolina pulls this off,

everybody's looking for the next Cam Newton.

-Who you going for?

-Carolina!

-I don't even need to ask, do I?

-You don't need to ask.

-No.

Now every week we try and bring you some insight into the game

by letting you hear the sounds on the field of play.

It's a practice the NFL has been doing for years, including

back in Super Bowl 4 when Kansas City head coach,

Hank Stram, was wired for sound.

CHEERING

GRUNTING

-My ball.

-It's our ball!

Ah, come on!

That's got to be our ball!

Look, I didn't see the ball!

-It's a free ball, he didn't see it.

-Didn't see the...? What?

We got six people out there and you can't see?

How would it work if all six of you missed a play like that?

All six of you miss the play.

-Well, did you see it?

-The ball was knocked loose when he made contact!

Boy, that's a bad call.

-Mr Official, let me ask you something.

-OK, Coach, go ahead.

-How can six of you miss a play like that, huh?

-What...?

All six! The ball jumped out of there as soon as we made contact...

-I thought they were talking about you been on the field.

-No! What?

We've got the ball, boys.

Now we got 65 Toss Power Trap.

Look for 65 Toss Power Trap. What'd it look like?

Look for 65 Toss Power Trap. See what it looks like.

Come on, 65 Toss Power Trap.

Get in there... 65 Toss Power Trap.

-Come on!

-Come on, let's go!

-Let's get seven points!

65 Toss Power Trap.

They might pop wide-open, Reg.

He's in there! Ha-haaaaa!

Yes, sir!

You see that, boys? Was that their accident?

Nice going, baby. Yes, sir, boy!

CHEERING

COWBELL RINGS

65 Toss Power Trap! Yeah!

HE LAUGHS

I told you, baby! Yes, sir, boys!

HE LAUGHS Whoo!

-Nice one!

-Hey, way to go!

OK, let's go, boys! Let's go, babes!

Was that their boys? Were they all mentioned?

We saw it again on television.

Yeah? Pump in there, boys.

Great stuff.

So, we've arrived at Super Bowl 50.

We know who is playing in it -

the Denver Broncos will take on the Carolina Panthers

in Levi Stadium, Santa Clara, on Sunday, February 7th.

The two teams have only ever met four times,

the last being in 2012, and Denver have won three of the four.

Let's end with a little bit of social media.

Here's our NFL rookie question this week from Adriano Selmi.

"What constitutes pass interference?

"I can't see the line that defenders cross when covering a receiver."

-Here we go.

-Nowadays, everything.

But by the rules... Everything!

But as a rule, after five yards, don't touch them.

So the first five yards the receiver goes, you can

-put your hands on him?

-Once.

-Once?

-Once. And after that, don't.

And let's just do a couple of other tweets from some famous sportspeople

in this country. Asmir Begovic, who is the Chelsea goalkeeper,

huge Patriots fan, but says, "Congratulations to the Broncos,

"I hope they win the Super Bowl 50."

And let's balance that up with Laura Robson, British tennis player,

who's a massive Panthers fan.

"Yessss, Panthers are Super Bowl-bound, is this real life?

"Keep pounding."

They're the tweets from our famous sportspeople.

We have reached the end of our race.

Jason and Osi's next offering will be from California.

The preview of the big game is on Saturday, 6th of February

at 11:55pm on BBC One.

Then full, uninterrupted live coverage of Super Bowl 50

on BBC Two, 10:50pm on BBC Two, 10:50 on Sunday.

Darren Fletcher will have play-by-play commentary on 5 Live

and we'll of highlights of it in our normal Tuesday night slot.

Thank you very much for watching, we will see you for the Super Bowl.

The teams of the NFL.

32 of them have been put through some giant crusher,

body armour subjected to extremes of pressure and temperature.

And only two are left standing.

The champions of the AFC will face the champions of the NFC,

the wily veteran, master of the throwing arts, against the more

flamboyant example of a new class of quarterback.

Into the crusher they go, one last time.

One last exposure to all the strains

and extremes of the forces of reduction.

Reduction to one.

The one.

The winner of the race to Super Bowl 50.