March 18, 2024

Denver defense delivers Super Bowl win

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Peyton Manning gave himself a chance to have a Super ending to his career. Von Miller and the Denver defense made the plays to secure the title for the Broncos.

Manning and Panthers quarterback Cam Newton were harassed all game Sunday, and the Broncos made enough big plays for the 24-10 victory, Manning’s 200th and perhaps his last before retirement.

He wasn’t the star — game MVP Miller seemingly was everywhere on every Carolina play — but Manning really hasn’t been the headliner in this injury-shortened season.

“This game was much like this season has been, testing our toughness, our resiliency, our unselfishness,” he said. “It’s only fitting that it turned out that way.”

Emulating his Broncos boss, John Elway, the 39-year-old Manning can ride off with the Lombardi Trophy after leading Denver to its third NFL title, first since 1999 — when Elway was the quarterback.

“I’ll take some time to reflect,” Manning said when asked if Super Bowl 50 is the end. “I got a couple priorities first. I’m going to go kiss my wife and my kids. ... I’m going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight. Take care of those things first.”

Denver’s suffocating defense kept Newton jittery all day. Despite wearing gold shoes before the golden Super Bowl, Newton couldn’t finish off a dynamic season in which he was the league’s MVP. Miller twice stripped him, once for a touchdown, the second time setting up a clinching touchdown. Denver’s top-ranked defense, the one that ran roughshod over Tom Brady in the AFC championship, simply wouldn’t let Newton get comfortable.

Newton was sacked six times — receiver Ted Ginn Jr., went down once on an aborted trick play — and if Miller wasn’t torturing him, DeMarcus Ware was. Ware had two of the seven sacks, equaling the most ever by one team in the Super Bowl.

Carolina’s potent offense that led the league with 500 points was held to its fewest points of the year, and Denver set an ignominious mark with 194 yards gained, the fewest for a Super Bowl winner.

The Broncos (15-4) are champions and Manning is the first quarterback to win Super Bowls with two franchises, Indianapolis in 2007 was the other. Gary Kubiak is the first to win a Super Bowl as player and coach for the same team.

Manning finished 13 for 23 for 141 yards against a strong Carolina (17-2) defense that just couldn’t match Miller and company.

Denver’s defense stole Carolina’s act. The Panthers led the league with 39 takeaways and were a plus-20 in turnovers. On the Super Bowl stage, though, Assistant Coach of the Year Wade Phillips got his first ring because his unit was impenetrable.

“It feels great,” said Miller, who had six tackles, 2.5 sacks, two hurries, the two forced fumbles and a pass defensed. “Peyton and DeMarcus and coach Phillips and all the guys that have been deserving their whole, whole career. I did this for them. I put my neck on the line for those guys.”

Manning opened the game with an 18-yard completion to Owen Daniels, later hit Andre Caldwell for 22 yards, and C.J. Anderson had a 13-yard run. When the Panthers held, Brandon McManus kicked a 34-yard field goal.

The Panthers went nowhere on their first series, then their defense forced a three-and-out. It was the first of seven such aborted drives for both sides in the first half.

Carolina’s Ron Rivera, the Coach of the Year, lost a challenge on a pass to Jerricho Cotchery, and it was a key decision because two plays later, Miller burst through and didn’t even go for the sack. He reached directly for the ball, stripping it from Newton. It rolled to the goal line, where Malik Jackson pounced on it for a 10-0 lead.

Miller spied on Newton at times, and Newton noticed. But Newton escaped him for runs of 11 and 12 yards — Miller’s hard tackle out of bounds bothered several Panthers — and a 19-yard pass to Greg Olsen on a misdirection play kept alive Carolina’s first scoring drive.

Jonathan Stewart, back from hurting his right foot earlier, dived in from the 1-yard line to make it 10-7.

But sloppiness — and strong defense — marked the rest of the game.

The first half ended 13-7 after McManus made a 33-yarder which followed the longest punt return in Super Bowl history by Jordan Norwood, a 61-yard jaunt.

But the Broncos also had a giveaway when Manning was picked by defensive end Kony Ealy on a zone blitz deep in Panthers territory. And the lead was only six at halftime.

McManus, made his 10th in as many postseason tries for a 16-7 margin. Graham Gano made up for his miss with a 39-yarder to make it a one-score game with 10:21 remaining. The 50th Super Bowl came down to the last quarter — and as it had all day, Denver’s defense dominated.

The finishing touch came when Miller again stripped Newton and T.J. Ward recovered at the Carolina 4. Anderson scored from the 2-yard line following a third-down holding call on All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman. A 2-point conversion was simply window dressing.