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A Look At The 4 Previous Meetings Between The Broncos & Panthers

By Mark Haas

DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers will meet for the fifth time in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7.

Carolina Panthers Denver Broncos Logo

The Panthers were an expansion franchise in 1995, so there is not a lot of history between the teams, with the Broncos owning a 3-1 record in the four previous matchups. The Broncos have won both games in Denver, and the teams have split in Charlotte.

Here is a look at the four times the teams have played:

Nov. 9, 1997, Mile High Stadium
Carolina 0, Denver 34
The teams first met in 1997 at the original Mile High Stadium, The Broncos won the game 34-0, but only scored one touchdown on offense. Darien Gordon took back 2 punts for touchdowns in the 1st quarter (82 & 75 yards) and Jason Elam kicked a 2nd quarter field goal to make it 17-0 at half time. Elam tacked on a 50 yarder in the 3rd, before John Elway hit Rod Smith for a 20 yard TD to make it 27-0. Elway threw for 237 yards, and Terrell Davis ran for 104 yards. The Denver defense held the Kerry Collins-led Panthers to just 147 yards of total offense, and Tyrone Braxton capped the scoring with a 4th quarter interception taken back for a touchdown. The Broncos went on to win Super Bowl XXXII, while the Panthers finished the year 7-9.

Reuben Droughns
Running back Reuben Droughns of the Denver Broncos is tackled by the Carolina Panthers during the game at Invesco Field at Mile High on Oct. 10, 2004. The Broncos defeated the Panthers 20-17. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Oct. 10, 2004, Invesco Field at Mile High
Carolina 17, Denver 20
In 2004, the John Fox-led Panthers were coming off their first Super Bowl appearance (a 32-29 loss the Patriots), when they visited the Broncos in October. Denver was coached by Mike Shanahan, with Jake Plummer at quarterback. Jason Elam kicked a pair of 1st quarter field goals, and Reuben Droughns scored just before halftime to give the Broncos a 13-10 lead (Droughns ran for a career high 193 yards in the game). The Panthers stole momentum in the game when Julius Peppers picked off Plummer in the end zone and returned it 101 yards to the Broncos 3, and Carolina took the lead three plays later. The Broncos rallied, though, with Plummer finding Ashley Lelie in the 4th quarter for the game-winning score. The Broncos finished the year 10-6 (2nd in the AFC West) and lost in the Wild Card round, while the Panthers finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs.

Dec. 14, 2008, Bank of America Stadium
Denver 10, Carolina 30
2008 would be the first and so far only time the Broncos have lost to the Panthers, and it was also Mike Shanahan's final year in Denver. The Broncos were 8-5 when the visited the Panthers and had a chance to clinch the AFC West, but their loss that day was the first of three to end the season that resulted in a third straight year of missing the playoffs. The Broncos led 10-7 in the first quarter behind a Jay Cutler-to-P.J. Pope TD pass and a Matt Prater FG, but Jake Delhomme had an early TD pass to Steve Smith, and Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams each had rushing TDs as the Broncos turned the ball over twice and were shut out in the final three quarters. Carolina finished the year 12-4 (NFC South Champions), but lost at home in the divisional round to the Cardinals.

Denver Broncos v Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton
Kevin Vickerson of the Denver Broncos sacks Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers during play at Bank of America Stadium on November 11, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (credit: Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Nov. 11, 2012, Bank of America Stadium
Denver 36, Carolina 14
In 2012, John Fox was now the head coach of the Broncos, and Peyton Manning was his quarterback; while Ron Rivera was in his 2nd year as Panthers coach with his 2nd year QB Cam Newton. This was Fox's first game against his former team, and the Broncos provided him with a blow-out win. Manning threw for 301 yards and a TD -- his 420th to tie him with Dan Marino for 2nd on the all-time list -- and the win also tied him with Marino with 147 (3rd most). Von Miller (who was drafted 2nd behind Newton in the 2011 draft) finished with a sack, a forced fumble and 4 tackles for a loss; he even mimicked Newton's Super Man celebration after the sack. Trindon Holiday had a 76-yard punt return for a TD and Tony Carter had a pick-6 off Newton. The Broncos finished the year 13-3, but lost at home to the Ravens in the divisional round. The Panthers finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs.

Mark Haas is a sports anchor/reporter for CBS4. Read his bio or follow him on Twitter @markhaastv or on Facebook.

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