tested. The Broncos played the very best the NFL had to offer over and over again (Patriotsx 2, Steelersx2, Bengals, Chiefs...etc). Their easiest win of the season was against final 4 NFC team Green Bay. The Panthers were much less battle tested. They beat a Seahawks team twice who was down this year. They should have lost to Minnesota and not even made the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

They then got Carson Palmer. While you give credit to the Carolina Defense, I have never seen a QB play as bad in the playoffs as Carson did. Wide open receivers missed. Interceptions horribly thrown. He was awful and much of it was unforced.

So going into the Superbowl I believe Denver was not intimidated at all. New England was a better offense in my opinion (if Gronk and Edelman were healthy all season they would have easily outscored the Panthers) and boasted the most battle tested QB, players and coaching staff in the league. Pittsburgh brought a high powered offense to town although they were missing all world WR Antonio Brown.

The one caveat was that Denver got those 2 teams at home. That being said it sounds like it was a Pro-Bronco crowd out in San Francisco.