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SPORTSThursday 28 January 2016
Panthers not content just going to Super Bowl
STEVE REED
Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) —
Carolina coach Ron Ri-
vera remembers turning to
Dave Gettleman following
a training camp practice
this summer, and asking
the Panthers general man-
ager, “Am I seeing what I
think I’m seeing?”
Rivera wanted verification
that this Panthers team was
Carolina Panthers NFL football head coach Ron Rivera speaks to the media during a news confer-
ence in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers will face the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.
clearly the most talented
he’s coached in five sea-
sons — one he thought had
Super Bowl potential.
Well, turns out Rivera was
right.
And now that the Panthers
have realized those ex-
pectations, the fifth-year
coach believes they’re ca-
pable of bringing home the
organization’s first Vince
Lombardi trophy.
“The thing we’ve got to
remember is what we’re
playing for, and that’s to
win it,” Rivera said Mon-
day. “It’s not about getting
there. It’s not about being
a part of it. It’s about win- their only loss at Atlanta.
ning it. And that will be our They finished the season as
main focus.”
Said quarterback Cam
Newton: “We’re not fin-
ished.”
Rivera, who won a Super
Bowl ring with the 1985 Chi-
cago Bears as a linebacker,
said he’ll rely on his former Seattle Seahawks and Ari-
coach Mike Ditka, among
others, for advice leading
up the Feb. 7 Super Bowl
against the AFC champion
Denver Broncos.
“One of the things coach
Ditka emphasized to us
was to enjoy the moment,”
Rivera said.
“The moment doesn’t
come very often. It’s hard.
It’s hard to get to where we
are right now.”
The Panthers have re-
mained a loose, confident
team throughout the sea-
son.
They’re also a tightknit
group, regularly hanging
out off the field together,
and seem to thrive playing
the underdog role — even
though they opened as
a 4-point favorite against
Peyton Manning and the
Broncos.
That harkens back to when
some believed Carolina
was the worst of the 5-0
teams in October.
The Panthers would prove
doubters wrong, winning
14 straight games to open
the season before suffering
the No. 1 scoring offense in
the league and led the NFL
on defense in takeaways.
They’re rebounded from
that Atlanta loss to win three get to certain experiences
straight, including home
playoff games against the
zona Cardinals.
“We’ve been doubted.
Peyton Manning to Belichick:
We’ve been slated; all of ‘This might be my last rodeo’
the above, but yet when
you have turnouts like (Sun- ARNIE STAPLETON
day) it makes it all worth- AP Pro Football Writer
while,” Newton said after DENVER (AP) — Peyton Manning isn’t saying that Super
the win against the Cardi- Bowl 50 is his grand finale, he’s just saying it could be.
nals. NFL Network cameras caught an intriguing exchange
Added wide receiver Jer- between Manning and New England coach Bill Belich-
richo Cotchery: “Everyone ick after Denver’s 20-18 win over the Patriots in the AFC
can try to find something championship game on Sunday.
when they doubt us, but we When they embraced, Manning leaned in and told
just try to go out there and Belichick, “Hey listen, this might be my last rodeo. So, it
put our ball on display.” sure has been a pleasure.”
Belichick responded, “You’re a great competitor ...”
Neither spoke of their exchange afterward.
Earlier this month, Manning said, “I’d be lying if I said
I’m not thinking about that,” when asked if this could
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton) be it for him.
The five-time MVP’s season ends Feb. 7 in the Super
Rivera has said he loves his Bowl against Carolina.
team’s personality — and There are other signs that Manning is preparing as if he
doesn’t want players to could ride into retirement next month.
change. He let his little boy stand beside him during his news
He doesn’t mind Newton’s conference after the AFC championship, just as he
touchdown celebrations, had taken him to the sideline before one of the games
his players posing for pic- he missed in December.
tures on the sideline when These are things the manically focused Manning never
the game is in hand or even had done before.
lip-syncing to Drake’s lyrics, Long after the delirious crowd disappeared Sunday
“We got a really big team; night, Manning walked through the north end zone at-
we need some really big Sports Authority Field with his family, picked up pieces
rings” in a video they’ve of thin blue and orange confetti and took in the scene,
posted on social media. including the giant scoreboard in the south end zone
“We are who we are,” Ri- that read, “Next Game: Super Bowl 50.”
vera said. Pushing 40, Manning will be the oldest quarterback to
Right now, what the Pan- start a Super Bowl when he takes the field for his 293rd
thers are is a championship career game, including 27 postseason appearances.
team looking for the fran- It’s a chance for Manning to cap his most maddening
chise’s first Super Bowl. season by becoming the first starting QB to win Lom-
Rivera doesn’t plan to bardi Trophies for two different teams.
change a thing. No. 18’s 18th NFL season was his most trying. It includ-
“Do what you’ve done,” Ri- ed a rash of injuries and insults and saw him serve as a
vera said. “Some of my ex- scout team quarterback for the first time ever and a
periences in coaching, you backup QB for the first time since his freshman college
year at Tennessee.
like the playoffs, and some- Bothered by a left foot injury, Manning threw just nine
times you get a little bit of TD passes and 17 interceptions in nine starts, but he was
panic. Am I doing enough? 7-2 in those games, one of the losses coming against
Should I do more? Should I Kansas City on Nov. 15 when he left the game injured.
change this? q He missed the next seven starts but won his starting job
back from Brock Osweiler on Jan. 3 when he entered
in the third quarter against San Diego and ignited a
stagnant, mistake-prone offense.
Manning led four scoring drives and the Broncos’ 27-20
win earned them the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
Manning was methodical in a 23-16 win over the Pitts-
burgh Steelers in the divisional round.
It was Manning’s third win in four conference champi-
onship games against his rival, Tom Brady, who is 10-3
against Manning in the regular season.
While Manning was sidelined, several unsubstantiated
reports painted the face of the league as a bad team-
mate or a cheat. The NFL Network alleged he would
refuse to serve as Osweiler’s backup once healthy and
Al Jazeera reported Manning obtained HGH from an
anti-aging clinic in Indianapolis, although his accuser
recanted.
The NFL said it’s conducting a comprehensive review
of the HGH allegations, a probe that’s not expected to
be complete until after the Super Bowl.
Manning angrily denied using performance-enhanc-
ing substances and called the report “complete
garbage.q