Super Bowl Sunday has come and gone. Insert the sad emotions of the football season coming to an end here. The game had an interesting feel to it, the feeling of actually watching a film script developing right before my very own eyes. The MVP Von Miller who is the lead actor, and the pesky Denver Broncos defense, harassed Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton all game Sunday, and the Broncos made enough big plays for a 24-10 victory, Peyton Manning’s 200th and perhaps last.
Offensively for both teams you expected at least one breakout play offensively especially from the Panthers who came in ranked as the best offense in the NFL. It was the Broncos who capitalized on specials teams with the breakout play. Jordan Norwood is an extra for this film. One Panther bumped Norwood, who didn’t call for a fair catch. Escorted by a bevy of blockers, he appeared headed for a touchdown until DE Mario Addison chased him down at the Carolina 14 after a 61-yard run. Defense was the theme of this script.
The Panthers came in with season-long celebrations behind their offense who led the league with 500 points, but were held to their fewest of the season with 10. Meanwhile, Denver set a humiliating mark with 194 yards gained, the fewest by a Super Bowl winner. Miller finished with six tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, two hurries, two forced fumbles and a pass defensed. “We know what type of team we are, what type game we play,” Miller said. There was not one single passing touchdown for either team. “If I can cut up this MVP award and share it with my teammates I would.” DeMarcus Ware, the supporting actor, finished with five tackles and two sacks.
The star actors of the script are quarterbacks Cam Newton and Peyton Manning. The 26-year-old Newton came in fresh winning his first MVP award. Manning, a five-time MVP award winner, may have many believing this is his last rodeo. Props of gold Versace pants, issues of race, history of the Manning name. When the kickoff was made, none of it mattered. Instead Newton looked out of his comfort zone with a semi-MVP performance and Manning rode the back of his defense.
Newton finished 18-41, for 265 yards and three turnovers (Int, two fumbles lost) and was sacked six times. “We dropped balls, we turned the ball over. We gave up sacks. We threw errant passes. That’s it,” Newton said. Denver’s defense stole Carolina’s act. The Panthers led the league with 39 takeaways and were +20 in turnovers. In the last game of the year though, Assistant Coach of the Year Wade Phillips got his first ring because his unit was unsolvable.
Manning is the first quarterback to win Super Bowls with two franchises. A win for Indianapolis in 2007
was the other. “I feel very, very grateful,” Manning said. “Obviously, it’s very special to cap it off with a Super Bowl championship.” Manning finished 13-for-23 for 141 yards against a strong Carolina defense that just couldn’t match Miller and support of the best defense.
I will not give you the play-by-play of the game instead share one play that sticks out as Manning’s possible last pass ever. The two-point conversion catch by Bennie Fowler to give the Broncos a 24-10 lead. The play signified Manning could actually call this his last rodeo. Conspiracies can lead to the NFL wanting Manning to win however can you actually picture him losing his last game? It was a play that you view live however see happening in slow motion. Better yet add the slow-motion music. If he goes out this way, what a script. Now a sequel pending this investigation of HGH use only develops the story even more.
