It’s true what they say. The best offense is a good defense.
And the Denver Broncos defense led the way to a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and the Denver offense started strong on the opening drive, moving down the field with relative ease. But the Broncos quickly settled for a field goal on that drive and the rest of the game was largely a battle of defensive attrition.
This is the second time in Super Bowl history that the number one offense has been pitted against the number one defense. The Denver Broncos’ best-in-league defense proved to be too much for the Carolina Panthers’ best-in-league offense to handle.
Both Manning and Panthers quarterback Cam Newton struggled to get momentum going during the game.
Newton, who was named MVP of the league at the NFL Honors ceremony on Saturday, had one of his worst outings of the season during the game.
He totaled 265 yards passing, 45 yards rushing, one interception, two lost fumbles and completed just 44 percent of his passes.
Inaccurate throwing and poor ball security plagued the Panthers throughout the game. Moreover, Newton was constantly flushed out of the pocket and sacked six times.
Manning’s offense struggled throughout the game as well. He threw for just 141 yards, was sacked five times and only completed 57 percent of his passes.
Neither quarterback threw a touchdown pass in the game.
Denver’s special teams made a strong contribution to the victory. Broncos wide receiver Jordan Norwood set a Super Bowl record by running back a punt 61 yards, the longest ever in Super Bowl history.
Manning made Super Bowl history as well by becoming the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at 39. This also marks his second Lombardi trophy and his 200th win, surpassing Brett Favre for most NFL victories as a quarterback.
While Manning didn’t confirm whether or not SB50 would be his final game before retirement, he did admit that he already decided on Sunday night’s post-game plans.
“I’m gonna drink a lot of Budweiser tonight, Tracy. I can promise you that,” Manning said in an interview with CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson.
Manning just completed his 18th NFL season, and his fourth with the Broncos. This win will give him his second Super Bowl ring, a success enjoyed by Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and his brother, Eli Manning.
This is the third time the Denver Broncos franchise has won a Super Bowl.
Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller had 2.5 sacks and forced both of Newton’s fumbles on Sunday night, one of which, was recovered in the endzone for a Broncos touchdown.
Miller was named the SB50 MVP.
