With Sunday’s playoff games in the books, the stage for Super Bowl 50 is set. The Super Bowl will feature the AFC Champion Denver Broncos, and the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers.

The Denver Broncos amassed a 12-4 record throughout the duration of the season, which ended with them clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Peyton Manning, the Broncos’ starting quarterback, struggled under a new coaching scheme, posting his worst statistical season since his rookie year. A nagging injury sustained during training camp also contributed to Manning’s poor numbers.

Denver’s defense, led by defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and head coach Gary Kubiak, posted league-best numbers in six major defensive categories, including yards against per game, yards against per play, yards against per rush, passing yards against, sacks and forced fumbles. They were also ranked in the top five in four more categories.

Denver’s stellar defense pushed them through several key injuries sustained through the season. Manning suffered a partial tear of the plantar fasciitis in his left foot in Week 11, forcing backup quarterback Brock Osweiler to take over the starting role. Osweiler was benched in the season finale against the San Diego Chargers, allowing Manning to reclaim his starting position.

The Broncos faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. The Steelers limped into the second round, coming off of a brutal rivalry game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Steelers triumphed over the Bengals due to some controversial hits and a disciplinary meltdown, which saw the game slip through Cincinnati’s grasp. The Steelers were missing Pro-Bowl receiver Antonio Brown and their top two running backs, LeVeon Bell and DeAngelo Williams. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sustained a separated shoulder in round one, which hindered his performance against Denver.

Denver and Pittsburgh both started slow, scoring just 19 points combined in the first half. Denver focused heavily on kicker Brandon McManus, who brought the Broncos within a point of Pittsburgh with a 51-yard field goal to close out the half, his third of the game.

The chess match opened up for Denver in the 4th quarter, driving 65 yards down the field to score their first touchdown of the game to take the lead, 20-13. McManus added his fifth field goal of the game, extending the lead to 23-13.

The Steelers elected to kick a field goal with 19 seconds left, with the intention of kicking an onside kick, but were unsuccessful in recovering it. The Broncos won the game and would host New England in the AFC Championship Game the next week.

The historic match up of the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning was about to add another page in the unforgettable saga. Brady and Manning have now played one another 17 times. These two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks have defined this generation of the NFL by turning this rivalry into a dramatic shootout in nearly every game.

Brady holds the edge in the rivalry with 11 wins out of the 17 total match-ups. Sunday, however, Manning’s Broncos defended a 20-12 lead as Brady and the Patriots stormed down the field like Brady has so famously done throughout his career.

The two-minute drill is the ultimate pressure situation for a quarterback. It is also something Tom Brady has made a living off of over his 16-year career.

The Broncos’ defensive line overpowered New England’s O-line, hitting Brady play after play. The Patriots’ quarterback did not have the time or space to work his magic, but that would not stop them from putting up a fight.

Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski hooked up to survive multiple fourth-down conversions, including a 40-yard reception and a four-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots cut the Denver lead to just two points, but the 2-point conversion was intercepted by Bradley Roby. New England’s ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful and it punched the 39-year-old Manning’s ticket to Super Bowl 50.

For Carolina, they are led by budding superstar Cam Newton who terrorized the league this season, going undefeated until Week 16. Carolina finished the season 15-1 and now charge into the Super Bowl with a franchise-best 17 wins and one loss. Newton is the favorite to win the NFL MVP award this season, as he amassed 41 touchdowns and more than 4,000 passing and rushing yards.

The Panthers, like the Broncos, also clinched the No. 1 seed in their respective conference, which granted them home-field advantage through the divisional and NFC Championship rounds. The Panthers rode a star-studded offense and a stout defense to a first-round bye this postseason. Carolina led the league this season with a 20-plus turnover differential, meaning they were responsible with the ball and tenacious without it.

The Panthers’ first game was against the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle, the Super Bowl 48 champions and Super Bowl 49 runner-ups, struggled to find their groove this season, but managed to defeat the Minnesota Vikings in a defensive battle, 10-9. The Panthers’ offense exploded in the first half, scoring 31 unanswered points. The Panthers took their foot off the gas, though and the Seahawks clawed their way back to score 24 points, but they ultimately could not dig themselves out of the tremendous first half deficit.

Any team that has the ability to score more than 30 points is a threat to do damage in the playoffs. Carolina did that eight times during the regular season. The Panthers absolutely mopped the floor with the Arizona Cardinals, putting up 49 points en route to a 49-15 victory. The Carolina defense intercepted Carson Palmer four times and forced three fumbles, all of which Carolina recovered.

One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown by star Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who has returned an interception for a touchdown in each of Carolina’s two postseason games this year. Palmer and his Arizona Cardinals just could not solve the Panthers’ top-of-the-line defense. On the shoulders of Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers will ride their wave of momentum into the Super Bowl to face the AFC champion Denver Broncos.

Kickoff for Super Bowl 50 will be at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 7, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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