Owen Daniels: Difference Maker for Denver Broncos

Owen Daniels helped an inconsistent Denver Broncos offense in Sunday’s AFC Championship game, giving Peyton Manning a key target against the New England Patriots’ defense.

Peyton Manning targeted Owen Daniels three times this past Sunday, with the Denver tight end recording 33 yards and reeling in 2 key touchdown receptions. Daniels two first half touchdowns gave the Denver Broncos a lead they would not relinquish, leading them to a victory over New England and putting the Broncos in the Super Bowl.

In the regular season, Owen Daniels had 517 receiving yards and only 3 touchdowns; but as the Broncos enter the Super Bowl facing the Carolina Panthers, he has shown that he is an effective weapon for Denver to use. While Carolina will most likely put star cornerback Josh Norman on Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders, Owen Daniels gives Peyton Manning a reliable target that can find the soft spots in the Panthers’ defense.

Much in the way that Julius Thomas was able to put together career years as the Broncos’ tight end, Owen Daniels is taking advantage of Peyton Manning’s penchant to locate big targets and pass over the middle of the field. The Panthers defense is one of the best in the league, while Denver’s offense is inconsistent at best. Giving Manning another target is key to winning the Super Bowl, and Owen Daniels showed in the AFC Title Game that he is capable of becoming an offensive threat.

While his regular season numbers are solid — if not impressive — Owen Daniels has made an impact in his first season as a member of the Denver Broncos. His contributions in the Super Bowl could prove to be the difference in what should be an exciting contest.

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