Kuechly, Davis to bait Manning into deep passes in Super Bowl 50

Peyton Manning ought to be lauded for commandeering the Denver Broncos into Super Bowl 50, but he'll face his most difficult opponent of the year when the Carolina Panthers take the field.

Josh Norman, Kawann Short, Luke Kuechly, and Thomas Davis were all named to the Pro Bowl, and the latter duo will play an instrumental role in baiting Manning into deep throws.

Since returning from a foot injury that held him out of six games, Manning hasn't completed a pass in over 34 yards, and relied almost exclusively on short-to-intermediate routes. Upon returning to action, Manning's displaying a poor tendency to throw off his back foot while his arm strength remains depleted.

Here's how Kuechly and Davis will bait the five-time MVP into deep passes that he's struggled with all year:

Kuechly is a master of disguise

Kuechly was ranked as Pro Football Focus' best coverage defender, holding quarterbacks to a grotesque 57.8 passer rating. The 2013 Defensive Player of the Year became the first player to record interceptions for touchdowns in consecutive playoff games and draws comparisons to Derrick Brooks and Ray Lewis.

During this play in the NFC Championship Game, Kuechly disguises himself perfectly. He stares down Carson Palmer at the line of scrimmage and baits him into thinking that John Brown - one of the NFL's fastest wide receivers - is wide open, before releasing the ball. Kuechly jumps the route and outraces Brown for a 22-yard touchdown.

Kuechly can trap wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends in coverage due to his outstanding hip rotation and football intelligence. The Panthers' superstar boasts the ability to track down almost anyone and will force Manning into heaving deep downfield passes out of sheer necessity.

Davis combines brute force and finesse

Thomas Davis' replete arsenal complements Kuechly's abilities perfectly. By combining brute force, excellent diagnostic ability, and recovery speed, Davis will be sure to disrupt Manning in numerous ways Sunday.

In the clip above, Davis demonstrates one way he can disrupt the Broncos' receivers. Against Julio Jones, Davis plays legal bump-and-run coverage, flies to the ball on the curl route, wraps him up, and forces a fumble. Manning has attempted this exact route with Demaryius Thomas numerous times, and the Broncos may need to abandon their short passing game if Davis continues to be a menace at the line.

Davis is a phenomenal open-field hitter, and with four interceptions this season, he could stake a claim as the most versatile outside linebacker in the league.

Against the Buccaneers, Davis shows he's more than an excellent pass rusher and run-stopper by intercepting an errant pass, and returns the ball 22 yards. The play works as an excellent replica of Manning's intermediate range. With Kuechly and Davis cutting off the play, Manning's only recourse may be to heave the ball downfield in hopes of avoiding the dynamic duo.

Although Davis is playing with a broken arm, it shouldn't affect him after overcoming three torn ACLs over his career. Davis will be counted upon to bait Manning into deep throws he can no longer sustain.