Lineup

★★★ NFL ★★★

CHAMPIONSHIPS

26 The Broncos

Denver is headed back to the Super Bowl because of a pressure-cooker defense and a near perfect punter

By Greg Bishop

31 The Panthers

A revolutionizing QB and his team full of outcasts strut into the big game as favorites to win their first title

By Austin Murphy

• Breaking down SB 50's most important one-on-one matchups

• How lineman Caylin Hauptmann won two rings without suiting up

38 SB 100

In the culmination of a seasonlong project between SI and Wired,Steve Rushin offers a dispatch from the Super Bowl in 2066

Presented by Gatorade and Microsoft Surface

PRO BASKETBALL

48 Rudy Gobert

The Stifle Tower's monumental defense in Utah has changed views about French players

By Ben Reiter

BASEBALL

54 Terry Collins

It took the Mets' manager four decades to get to the World Series. Now one decision defines him

By Tom Verducci

Departments

4 SI Now

6 Leading Off

14 Inbox

16 Editor's Letter

18 Scorecard

23 Faces in The Crowd

24 Just My Type

Dan Patrick: Antwaan Randle El on life after the NFL

64 Point After

Michael Rosenberg: The troubled water of Flint, Mich.

SI HAS REGIONAL COVERS THIS WEEK: DONALD MIRALLE FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (VON MILLER); CHRIS KEANE FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (CAM NEWTON)

PHOTO

PHOTOGRAPH BY Jeff Haynes For Sports Illustrated