3-Wide: Should Peyton Manning retire if the Broncos lose?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
Should Peyton Manning retire if the Broncos lose?
Jack Browne: This should be Manning's last ride. If Denver really wanted him to return, it would be more of a question, but it's unlikely they'll lobby for him to squeeze out one more season at a cap hit of more than $21 million in 2016. That would mean Manning, if he wants to keep playing, would have to start over once more with another team, and, with his clearly diminishing physical skills, the transition would be too difficult. Watching him decline so rapidly this season has been painful, and a loss in the Super Bowl is still a much better ending for him than enduring another year of struggles.
Joe P. Thomson: Manning should follow in the footsteps of other great athletes, hanging on until the last threads of their once prodigious talents erode in front of our eyes. It's a unique tradition that allows the rest of us to gain some ground on our athletic betters, crushing our collective child-like hero worship of athletes. Manning should play 5-10 more seasons.
Dan Wilkins: It's time to walk away. Even if Manning decides he's willing to chase one more ring, there's a good chance his recent struggles would have the Broncos looking in a different direction. At his age, with the work that would go into learning and installing a new offensive system, one more year just wouldn't be worth it. His legacy as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history has long been cemented, and a loss this week really wouldn't change that.
Will Cam Newton's season be the best ever if he wins MVP, the Super Bowl, and Super Bowl MVP?
Thomson: Cam's 2015 season and playoffs will eclipse other great seasons when he wins Super Bowl MVP. But even before that, it would have to be considered among the best simply because of the lack of talent around him. His 45 total touchdowns in the absence of a No. 1 - and, honestly, No. 2 - receiver is a special feat. He's been even better in the playoffs, and at this point it's hard to remember a more singularly brilliant season.
Wilkins: In regard to accolades, sure. But measuring a player's impact should go well beyond those awards. As incredible as Newton's been throughout the year, carrying an otherwise underwhelming offense, there have been better seasons in NFL history. They may not have completed their respective years with a title, but Tom Brady was better in 2007, as was Aaron Rodgers in 2011.
Browne: If the first seven weeks of the season hadn't happened, Newton's case would have much greater legitimacy for being mentioned with '07 Brady, '94 Young, '13 Manning, and '99 Warner. He simply hasn't produced at an all-time level throughout the season. In those opening seven games, Newton only produced two games with a passer rating over 80. He should get immense credit for his play of late, but a Super Bowl is a team achievement, and we shouldn't be too eager to crown Newton just yet.
What single factor will decide the Super Bowl?
Wilkins: This game will come down to whether Peyton Manning can have any sort of success pushing the ball downfield. The presence of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis will be more than enough to take away his preferred targets underneath, so Denver will be hard-pressed to put points on the board without a passing game that can attack the intermediate and deep levels of the field.
Browne: Cam Newton has looked unstoppable of late, but the Broncos' pass rush is capable of pressuring him all game long. Whether Miller, Ware, and the rest of Denver's front seven can force Newton into mistakes while also neutralizing his rushing threat is what will decide this contest. If they're unable to create pressure, Newton will likely turn the game into a shootout - a scenario that doesn't favor Denver.
Thomson: This game will be won or lost in the first quarter. If the Panthers stutter out of the gate, caught up in the hype and glitter of the Super Bowl, the Broncos will have a chance to win this game. If the Panthers come out flying like they have all playoffs, it will be another embarrassing Super Bowl blowout for the Broncos. Denver should hope to have its defense on the field first, taking advantage of the big circumstances to throw Newton off his game.