The Carolina Panthers will be aiming to claim the first NFL championship in franchise history when they hit the gridiron against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 as early 6-point chalk on the NFL betting lines.
The Panthers picked up their fourth consecutive straight-up victory, and their 22nd win in their past 24 outings, with a lopsided 49-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in last weekend’s NFC Championship Game.
The win continues Carolina’s rebound at the sportsbooks, where they have posted against the spread victories in their last three contests ahead of next week’s Super Bowl matchup at Levi’s Stadium.
While the Panthers’ three recent wins have all come on home turf, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 23 points, they have also been a formidable opponent on the road, going 9-2 SU in their past 11 in enemy territory.
However, the newly crowned NFC champs have been a shaky road bet of late, failing to cover in their last three contests away from Bank of America Stadium, each time while favored by more than 3.5 points, ending an eight-game ATS undefeated streak.
The Broncos, meanwhile, provided the biggest upset so far of this postseason, punching their ticket to Super Bowl 50 with a 20-18 victory over the defending champion New England Patriots in last weekend’s AFC title game.
Denver joins the Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys with a record-tying eighth Super Bowl appearance, but has struggled in the big game, claiming just a pair of Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999.
The win over New England improves them to 4-2 SU in their past six postseason tilts. However the road has been unkind to Denver during the playoffs. Since their 34-19 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, the Broncos have failed to tally a SU win away from Mile High, dropping five straight including a 43-8 blowout loss as 2-point favorites to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.
For the Broncos to buck that trend they will once again need to dominate without the ball, repeating the stifling performance that has enabled them to hold opponents to just 17.75 points per game during their current four-game SU winning streak, allowing opposing rushers to scramble for over 100 yards just twice in their past five.
Denver’s defense has effectively compensated for an offense that averaged just 22.2 points per game this season, but the lack of point production has not helped their cause at the sportsbooks where they are 1-3-2 ATS in their past six, but a perfect 4-0 ATS overall as underdogs this season.