The Denver defense then made their first huge play of the night, as Von Miller stripped Newton deep in Carolina territory, and Malik Jackson fell on the ball in the end zone for the first touchdown of the evening, giving the Broncos a 10-0 lead.
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Graham Gano connected for a 39-yard field goal to bring the score to 16-10 in the fourth quarter.
The Broncos struck first with a field goal from Brandon McManus. Veteran Peyton Manning adds another feather to his crown or recently crowned MVP Cam Newton emerges derails him to win the Super Bowl?
The NFL sent a grounds crew onto the Levi’s Stadium turf just before Sunday’s Super Bowl to pick up loose turf and collect in buckets.
What the Broncos (14-4) need to do is keep things close and not let the Panthers (17-1) get off to a fast start – they’ve outscored their opponents 55-7 in the first half in the playoffs.
Super Bowl 50 promised to be the biggest spectacle in the history of American sports’ biggest spectacle, and with Manning potentially capping his record-breaking career, it lived up to the hype in that respect. Now, if they can toss in one more incredible defensive performance against one of the best offenses the National Football League has to offer, they will get the ring that eluded them just two seasons ago.
The Panthers won the coin toss when Thomas Davis called tails but elected to defer so NFL MVP Cam Newton has to wait to take the field. The Broncos finished the regular season with the league’s top-ranked defense, and that unit led the drive to Super Bowl 50 by containing Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and New England’s Tom Brady.
Carolina’s potent offence 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 victor. He lost two fumbles, threw an interception and failed to produce a touchdown for the only time this season.
Carolina answered back with their only touchdown of the evening, as Jonathan Stewart went over from a yard out to cut the lead to 10-7. In a straight bet, take Carolina on the money line at -235, or Denver at +195.
Manning became the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl with two franchises.
On third-and-10 play at the Panthers’ 15-yard line, Miller came off the left edge and slammed into Newton.
Panthers center Ryan Kalil, among the offensive linemen charged with providing time for Newton, said preparing for Denver’s defense “makes for a tough film week”. However, he’ll have to go through the Panther’s elite dual threat quarterback Cam Newton – who looks to make an impact both in the pass and run game!
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The Broncos sacked Newton seven times. The fumble recovery for a touchdown was the first in 22 years in the Super Bowl. Denver’s 11 first downs were the same as Manning would’ve racked up in a quarter a few years back. “Their front is very physical”, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said about the Panthers. With the ball rolling on the turf, Newton opted not to dive in the pile and the Broncos recovered at the Panthers 4 to set up C.J. Anderson’s clinching TD run.
