Cam Newton

Tecmo Bowl predicts Panthers will edge Broncos in Super Bowl 50

Published Jan. 30, 2016 7:42 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Carolina Panthers are a popular pick to beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Anyone who runs a sportsbook in Las Vegas can tell you that, judging by all the money that's coming in on Cam Newton and Co.

But maybe you need more proof before you place your bets. OK, fine. Let's turn it over to the fine folks at Tecmo Bowl, the legendary arcade game.

According to their simulation, the Panthers are indeed going to win. But will it be a blowout? Oh, no. This is going to be a tight one that ends with Cam Newton hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with a 17-7 victory.

Cam starts the scoring when he finds Ted Ginn along the left sideline wide open for a 70-yard touchdown pass. Apparently the Broncos defense was in a two-deep zone and the safety on Ginn's side bit on tight end Greg Olsen's route in the middle of the field. Tsk, tsk.

Peyton Manning later sets the Broncos up with a juicy opportunity when he finds running back C.J. Anderson open on a wheel route out of the backfield for a 47-yard gain that gets them down to the Panthers' 16 yard line. However, disaster strikes on the next play when Manning goes to Anderson on a beautifully set up screen, but the latter coughs up the ball at the 4-yard line. A scrum ensues and Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis comes up with the ball, broken arm and all.

And although Denver would close to gap to 10-7 on a Ronnie Hillman touchdown, the Panthers close it out with a Jonathan Stewart score in the fourth quarter. Game, set and match.

All told, the stat line wasn't great. Hillman had a game-high 61 yards rushing but neither quarterback was able to complete at least 50 percent of his passes.

Hey, sometimes championships don't come pretty.

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Cam Newton

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

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