NFL's Super Bowl 50: A Sneak Peek at the Key Pass-Catchers (Wide Receivers and Tight Ends)

Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos Prepare for Super Bowl 2025 Showdown

The Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos are set to face off in Super Bowl 50, and both teams boast impressive passing attacks. Let's take a closer look at the key players and statistics that have propelled each team to this point.

For the Panthers, quarterback Cam Newton has been the driving force behind the team's offense, with Ted Ginn Jr. as his top target. Ginn Jr. caught a team-best 10 touchdown passes during the regular season, and Newton often looks to him deep in the Panthers' passing game. Greg Olsen, the Panthers' tight end, led the team in receiving, setting career marks for receiving yards (1,104) and touchdowns (seven) during the regular season. Olsen was voted to the Pro Bowl at the tight end position for the second consecutive year.

However, the Panthers have been without their number one wideout, Kelvin Benjamin, who tore his ACL during training camp and missed the entire season, including the Super Bowl. In his absence, Jerricho Cotchery, Devin Funchess, and Corey Brown each were targeted more than 50 times for the Panthers, and the trio combined for 111 catches, 1,405 yards, and 12 touchdowns during the regular season.

On the other side of the field, the Denver Broncos can rely on the dynamic duo of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. The pair has accounted for 32 total touchdowns during the last two seasons, and each has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in both 2014 and 2015. In the playoffs, Sanders has outgained Thomas, and neither has caught a touchdown pass.

In addition to Thomas and Sanders, quarterback Peyton Manning has other options in Jordan Norwood, Bennie Fowler, Cody Latimer, Andre Caldwell, and former two-time Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis. Owen Daniels, in particular, has been a valuable contributor for the Broncos. He made 46 receptions for 517 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season and caught a pair of scores in the AFC Championship Game, which was an important contribution to Denver's Super Bowl 2025 run. Daniels is the third option for Manning, providing a reliable safety net when needed.

As the Super Bowl 2025 approaches, both teams' passing attacks will be under the spotlight. The Panthers, with their anonymous wide receiver group, will look to build on the success of Ginn Jr. and Olsen, while the Broncos, with one of the better wide receiver tandems in the NFL, will hope that Thomas and Sanders can find the end zone in the big game. Regardless of the outcome, it's sure to be an exciting matchup between these two talented teams.

NFL's Super Bowl 50: A Sneak Peek at the Key Pass-Catchers (Wide Receivers and Tight Ends)