"This One's for Pat!" John Elway's quote put the finishing touches on an amazing evening for the Broncos as the franchise won its third Super Bowl and the Lombardi Trophy is coming back to the Mile High City. They did it! The Broncos did it! Peyton Manning gets to ride off into the sunset with his second Super Bowl, but the story was about the Broncos defense. Von Miller won the Super Bowl MVP, and he deserved it because he was the best player on the field. Demarcus Ware and the rest of the Broncos defense sealed the deal as the Broncos finally put the game away 24-10 late in the 4th quarter. This game was like virtually every game the Broncos played this year. The Broncos defense was the rock of this team the whole year, and they did it on the biggest stage. They sacked Cam Newton seven times and forced four turnovers in about as dominating of a performance there was in Super Bowl history. They limited the Panthers to 3-15 on third down conversions and held Carolina to a season low 10 points. You can put this defense on the short list of greatest Super Bowl Championship defenses in the history in the NFL. After losing Super Bowl XLVIII 43-8 to Seattle two years ago, the Broncos won their 3rd Super Bowl in franchise history and their first Lombardi Trophy since the 1998 season. I will write a column from a big-picture perspective on this Super Bowl season, but for this post, I will just focus on the key points and moments from the game. Here is a Super Bowl 50 winning edition of my thoughts and observations from the Broncos victory.....
First Quarter:
1) You can't ask for a better start for the Broncos. Manning led the Broncos down the field with an impressive drive to start the game with completions to Owen Daniels and Andre Caldwell on a third down and four for 22 yards. C.J. Anderson hit a run for 12 yards, but the Broncos drive stalled at the Carolina 16 and Brandon McManus hit a 34 yard field goal to give Denver a 3-0 lead. After the Broncos forced a three and out, and Denver went three and out, Von Miller made the first of his 1,00 amazing plays when hit crushed Cam Newton, stripped the ball, and Malik Jackson recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 6:34 left in the first quarter. That play was set up because of a Jerricho Cotchery dropped pass which would have been a big gain and a first down a few plays before and after a challenge by Ron Rivera, the officials upheld the call and incompletion stood. It was hard to tell if it was a catch or not, but the play stood and the Broncos benefitted.
2) The Broncos forced another punt on the next series when Bradley Roby broke up a pass intended for Cotchery on 3rd and 4 from the Broncos 49. A Luke Keuchly sack of Manning on 3rd down forced the Broncos to punt again, and it felt like the Panthers were going to get momentum, and the Panthers offense finally got something going. Newton hit Corey Brown for 20 yards, rushed for 11, hit Greg Olson for 19 yards on a 3rd and 1, and another pass to Brown for 13 yards down to the Broncos 1 yard line. The Panthers capped off the drive with a 1 yard TD run to cut the Denver lead to 10-7 with 11:28 left in the 2nd quarter. I was really getting nervous that the Panthers were going to snap out of it and take the game over.
Second Quarter:
3) I was kind of surprised when Ron Rivera challenged a sack when Kony Ealy sacked Manning, but the refs didn't see it and called it an incompletion when Manning got up and threw an errant pass to Virgil Green. It was risky because Rivera won the challenge, but he lost his challenges for the rest of the game only to give up seven yards in field position. He lost the ability to challenge the rest of the game, and it didn't end up hurting him later on in the game, but it was a risky move by Rivera. The Broncos went three and out, and they punted, but they forced the Panthers to go three and out when Darian Stewart broke up a pass for Greg Olson.
4) Jordan Norwood made one of the biggest plays in the game on the ensuing punt when he didn't call for a fair catch, everyone on the Panthers coverage team stopped for some reason, and Norwood raced down the sideline for 61 yards and put the ball at the Panthers 14 yard line. It was a huge play by Norwood, and it was possibly a game changer. The Broncos had a 4th and 1 at the Carolina 5, and Gary Kubiak did the right thing and went for it and Anderson plowed forward for a first down but a holding call (It was questionable in my opinion) on Louis Vasquez put the Broncos in a 4th and 11 and McManus kicked a 33 yard field goal to give Denver a 13-7 lead. I really was upset on the holding call and if the Broncos punched it in to make it 17-7 it would have been a huge swing in this game, but at 13-7, I felt Denver had a golden opportunity in that spot.
5) Denver got another break on the next series when their defense stepped up again and forced another turnover. This time, Darian Stewart crushed Mike Tolbert on a textbook tackle and Danny Trevathan recovered at their own 40. C.J. Anderson broke free for a 34 yard run up the middle, and Denver had it at the Carolina 26. The game turned again turned again when Peyton Manning threw an awful interception to Kony Ealy on a third down at the 20. That was a huge turn of events, and the Broncos once again blew a chance to further separate themselves in the game. This game could have been a blowout at this point. My nerves were starting to go at this point.
6) The Broncos defense forced another three and out when Bradley Roby broke up another pass. The Broncos then went three and out again, and the Panthers took over at their own 19 with only 1:55 to go in the half. I was nervous that Carolina would score here and get the ball to start the half and score again to take the game over.
7) Cam Newton made a great throw on 3rd and 12 to Devin Funchess for 24 yards and big first down. They got the ball to the Denver 45, but they didn't use their final timeout correctly and a Demarcus Ware sack on Newton ended the half for the Broncos, who headed into the locker room up 13-7.
Third Quarter:
8) The Broncos got a break when after the Panthers were moving the ball to start the quarter, Graham Gano missed a 44 yard field goal. The drive started with a Newton to Ted Ginn 45 yard gain to the Broncos 35. After a big drop by Cotchery inside the five, the drive stalled and Gano missed a huge kick. It felt like the Panthers just couldn't catch a break and get the lead in the game.
9) Peyton Manning hit two passes for 25 and 22 yards to Emmanuel Sanders to set up the Broncos and McManus for a 30 yard field goal. I wasn't too upset with the field goal because Denver had a 16-7 lead and a two score lead was huge in this game with the way the Broncos defense was shutting down Cam Newton and the Panthers offense.
10) On the Panthers next drive, Cam hit Corey Brown for a 42 yard gain in which two Broncos defenders were right there to make the play. The pass set up shop for the Panthers at the Broncos 38. A few plays later, Newton zipped a pass to Ginn who tipped it and it fell into T.J. Ward's hands for a huge interception. Ward tried to get up and return it, got stripped and fumbled, but somehow Danny Trevathan recovered at the Broncos 7. It was a huge turnover and it was even bigger recovery by Trevathan.
11) A Kony Ealy sack of Manning stopped another drive and the Broncos punted and Carolina got the ball back with 3:12 left at their own 19. On a 3rd and 8, Miller and Derek Wolfe combined for a huge sack of Newton force another punt. I felt like the Broncos pass rush really got going at this point, and they never let Newton and Panthers off the hook from this point on.
4th Quarter:
12) Manning gets sacked by Ealy again, fumbles and the Panthers recovered at the 50 yard line. The Broncos were actually moving the ball and if they got another field goal there to make it 19-7, the game might have been over at that point. Unfortunately, the turnover was a huge play and gave the Panthers some life with 13 minutes to go in the game.
13) Naturally, the Panthers drive down the field on the a set up Gano for a 39 yard field goal to cut the lead to 16-10 with 10:26 left in the game. I was just worried because this game was still a one score game, and you felt that the Broncos were leaving the door open for Cam Newton to steal it.
14) Another three and out by the Broncos and they had to punt the ball back to the Panthers. I was really thinking at this point that Newton was going to drive down and take the lead.
15) A false start by Mike Remmers really hurt the next Carolina series, and a huge tackle on Cotchery by Chris Harris on a 3rd and 14 with room to run forced another punt for the Panthers. Once again, the Broncos defense got the stop they needed.
16) At this point, the Broncos and their offense weren't going to take any chances. Three straight runs by Anderson set up another punt, and the Broncos were going to put the game in the hands of their defense to get this game home and win the Super Bowl.
17) With 4:51 left in the game, the Panthers and Cam Newton had their moment. There was a moment there where I really felt that the Panthers were going to go down the field and score, and the Broncos were going to have to get a Peyton Manning comeback to win the Super Bowl. Naturally, like it did all year, the defense didn't budge. Von Miller stripped sacked Newton on a 3rd and 9. The ball bounced in front of him, Demarcus Ware tried to scoop it up, Newton backed away, and the ball squirted down to the Carolina 4 yard line, where T.J. Ward recovered. It was another great play by Miller, and it basically sealed the deal for the Super Bowl.
18) The Broncos took over at the Carolina 4 yard line with just over 4 minutes to go in the game. Any score here would be a backbreaker. C.J. Anderson busted it into the endzone to make it 22-10 with 3:13 left. There was the backbreaker that we needed. The Super Bowl was in sight.A 2 point pass (Right Decision by Kubiak) from Manning to Bennie Fowler made it 24-10. That was the game right there. The Broncos were 3 minutes away from clinching the Super Bowl. Also, it was a good call on defensive holding on Demaryius Thomas in the endzone set up a first and goal. On third down, Manning's pass was incomplete to Thomas but Josh Norman clearly held him, and the Broncos got a fresh set of downs inside the five. Also, on Anderson's touchdown run, he basically ran over three unblocked Carolina defenders and willed himself into the endzone.
19) After a Demarcus Ware sack on a second down, it put the Panthers in a 4th and 24 situation with only 2:08 to go. For some unknown reason, Ron Rivera decided to punt the ball back to Denver. How the hell do you punt the ball in that spot? To me, that that was the equivalent of waving the white flag. I still can't believe Rivera didn't go for it in that spot. You never what could happen (Rahim Moore!), so that was a mistake. Punting shouldn't have been the option there.
20) One last Denver punt, and the Panthers got the ball back with only 54 seconds left, and time ran out on the Panthers. YES! The Broncos are Super Bowl Champions once again, and the confetti began to rain down on the stadium. What a moment! The players started rushing the field. Then, the podium gets set up and there is Roger Goodell handing the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Annabel Bowlen, who is the wife of owner Pat Bowlen. Then, John Elway gets his hands on the trophy and proclaims "This One's for Pat!" Gary Kubiak got his moment with the trophy, and Von Miller got a big ovation for being named MVP of Super Bowl 50. Lastly, the final interview was saved for Peyton Manning, and it was so great to see Manning holding up the Lombardi Trophy for a second time. It was a surreal moment, and it was something that I will never forget. It is so special to see your team win a championship. 1997 was special because it was the first one. 1998 was the repeat and John Elway's final moment. This one was a four years in the making. This was the culmination of the Peyton Manning signing in 2012, and the Broncos got it done as huge underdogs in Super Bowl 50. There is nothing better than that.
-Denver's defense led by Von Miller and Demarcus Ware was dominant once again. The big question was if the Broncos could stop the Panthers running game. They did that. The other question was if the Broncos could contain Cam Newton. They did it, and made him play his worst game of the season. Miller deserved the MVP, and Ware was right behind him. Darian Stewart, T.J. Ward, Chris Harris, Malik Jackson, and Derek Wolfe all made big-time plays. The Broncos defense completed imposed their will in this game, and they put in one of the best Super Bowl performances by a defense in recent history.
-This game was a grind like it was all season long for the Broncos. This is how they wanted to play the game and it played right into their hands. Everyone said all week that if the Broncos were going to win the game, it would have to be tight, low-scoring, and close going into the 4th quarter. It was just like that and the Broncos actually never trailed and actually won by 14 points. Think about this: The Broncos had some real opportunities to put this game away earlier in the game and blow the Panthers out.
-What a game for Peyton Manning to go out on. We know his numbers weren't great (13-23 for 141 yards and 1 INT) but he gets to go out with his second Super Bowl. He isn't the same player he once was, but he deserved a second Super Bowl. He rode his defense to this championship after years of putting teams on his back. Manning is now 14-13 in the playoffs and only QB in NFL history with 200 wins. He actually finishes 5-3 in the playoffs as the Broncos starting QB.
- What a great job by Gary Kubiak. He outcoached Ron Rivera, had his team prepared and focused, and did a masterful job with this team this season. In this game, he knew that his defense can win this game, and he did really good job of understanding that and managing his team to the victory. Congrats to Kubiak, the old Bronco, to getting the job done.
-Broncos used the underdog status as motivation and it showed. They outplayed the Panthers and never trailed. Panthers made too many mistakes and it cost them. It looked like the Panthers and Cam Newton were caught up in the moment. They had a quiet confidence about them, it showed all week leading up to the game. The Broncos looked like the better team and they proved it in this game.
-Newton was harassed, confused, and contained by the Broncos defense. He didn't play well, his receivers didn't play well, and he handled himself poorly all game long and in the postgame.
-The Broncos fans deserve some credit as well. From all reports, the cities of Santa Clara and San Francisco were overrun by Broncos fans. Some reporters were estimating that the Broncos outnumbered the Panthers fans by a 10-1 margin. On Sunday in the Super Bowl, you could tell on television that the Broncos had more of their fans in the stadium too. There was a tremendous amount of orange in the stands. It was so loud that the Panthers had to go to a silent snap count. The Broncos have one of the best fans in the entire NFL, and they proved it in force in Super Bowl 50.
-What a job by John Elway in creating this defense. He had the guts to make the change with the head coach, built a great defense, and now has a Super Bowl as a GM in Denver after two Super Bowl wins as a Broncos QB. Two years ago, he sat there and watched the Broncos and their record-setting offense get mauled by the #1 ranked Seattle defense. He rebuilt the defense last year, and he refocused the emphasis of the team. The Broncos you saw in Super Bowl 50 were not the same type of team that we saw in the prior three years with Peyton Manning. What they did to Cam Newton was remarkable, and their defense is the reason why they won the Super Bowl. Give John Elway credit for that change.
-On a personal note, the Broncos win a third Super Bowl in my lifetime. I have seen them in the Super Bowl 7 times, and they have won 3. The back-to-back wins were when I was 18 and 19, and now at 36 I get to see them win again. It never gets old, and I am very fortunate and grateful to see the Broncos win three Super Bowls and to be a lifelong Broncos fan.
I will post other columns this week. The first one will be about the big picture on this season and the Super Bowl win. I'll talk more in depth about the impact of this win, Peyton Manning, the historical aspect of this Broncos defense and other storylines that evolved this year. I will also put out another column revolving around my personal thoughts and perspective on this third Super Bowl Championship and how special it is for me to witness another championship. I want to analyze this Super Bowl victory from every possible angle.
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