SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- A reborn Orange Crush might have sent Peyton Manning into retirement with a Super ending to his career.
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Von Miller and a ball-hawking Denver defense harassed Panthers quarterback Cam Newton all game Sunday, and the Broncos made enough big plays for a 24-10 victory, perhaps the final one for Manning.
By the numbers
0 Touchdown passes by Peyton Manning
1 Third-down conversions by Broncos offense in 14 opportunities
2 Offensive TDs in game, 1 by each team
3 Lost fumbles by Carolina
3 Sacks by Carolina defensive end Kony Ealy, who also intercepted pass and forced a fumble
3.7 Broncos yards per pass attempt
2-2 Manning’s record in Super Bowls
4 Super Bowl victories by Peyton and Eli Manning
4 51/2 Points Carolina was favored by at game time
7 sacks by Denver, a Super Bowl record
8 Super Bowl appearances by Denver
11 First downs by Denver
12 Penalties on Carolina for 102 yards
13 Minutes consumed by halftime show
13.3 Third-down conversion rate by the two teams, 4 of 30
15 Punts during game, 8 by Broncos
39 Age of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning
44 The over/under, or combined points projected to be scored by oddsmakers
61 Length of Jordan Norwood’s first-half punt return for Denver, longest ever in Super Bowl
141 Yards passing by Manning
194 Total yards by Denver, fewest by a Super Bowl champion
Defenders, too
Denver linebacker Von Miller became the 10th defensive player to earn Super Bowl MVP honors:
2016 Von Miller, LB, Denver
2014 Malcolm Smith, LB, Seattle
2003 Dexter Jackson, FS, Tampa Bay
2001 Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore
1996 Larry Brown, CB, Dallas
1986 Richard Dent, DE, Chicago
1978 Randy White, DT/Harvey Martin, DE, Dallas
1973 Jake Scott, S, Miami
1971 Chuck Howley, LB, Dallas
He wasn't the star of Super Bowl 50 -- 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, Manning, 39, 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 this 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."
Denver's suffocating defense kept Newton from putting the finishing touch on 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 TD. Denver's top-ranked defense, the one that ran stymied Tom Brady in the AFC championship, simply wouldn't let Newton get comfortable.
"There was a certain point where it was like guys on the sideline were saying, 'Cam is very stressed,'" Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby said. "For two weeks straight that's all we heard was Cam this, Cam that, dab this, dab that. They were dabbing in their team photos. It was very disrespectful. We wanted to come out and prove that we're the best."
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 by one team in the Super Bowl.
Carolina led the league with 500 points but was held to its fewest of the year; Denver set an ignominious mark with 194 yards gained, the fewest for a Super Bowl winner.
So what: The Broncos 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 defense that just couldn't match Miller and company.
"I feel very, very grateful," Manning said. ... "Obviously, it's very special to cap it off with a Super Bowl championship."
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, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips got his first ring because his unit was impenetrable.
It was a far cry from two years ago, when the Broncos were routed by Seattle 43-8.
"It feels great," said Miller, who had six tackles, 2 1/1 sacks, 2 hurries, the 2 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, and C.J. Anderson had a 13-yard run before Brandon McManus kicked a 34-yard field goal.
Carolina's Ron Rivera then lost a challenge on a pass to Jerricho Cotchery , and it was a key decision. 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 dabbed in the end zone in front of orange-clad Broncos fans after Denver's first defensive touchdown in a Super Bowl.
The only time Newton produced came on a 73-yard drive to make it 10-7. Jonathan Stewart, back from hurting his right foot earlier, dived in from the 1.
Sloppiness -- and strong defense -- marked the rest of the game.
The first half ended 13-7 after McManus made a 33-yarder that followed the Super Bowl's longest punt return. Brad Nortman's kick from his 12 was barely deflected, and the ball fluttered to Jordan Norwood. One Panther bumped Norwood, who didn't call for a fair catch. Norwood ran behind a convoy of blockers and appeared headed for a touchdown until DE Mario Addison chased him down at the Carolina 14, a 61-yard run.
Denver also forced the first fumble of the season by All-Pro fullback Mike Tolbert.
But the Broncos also had a giveaway when Manning was intercepted by DE Kony Ealy on a zone blitz deep in Panthers territory.
Carolina's Graham Gano hit the right upright on a 44-yard field goal attempt to open the second half. Then his counterpart, McManus, made his 10th in as many postseason tries for a 16-7 margin. The kicker was rescuing Denver's inept short-yardage offense, just as he did in a playoff victory over Pittsburgh when he made five field goals.
Gano made a 39-yarder with 10:21 remaining. At 16-10, the 50th Super Bowl came down to Denver's defense finishing it.
Miller stripped Newton and T.J. Ward recovered at the Carolina 4. Anderson scored from the 2 after a third-down holding call on All-Pro CB Josh Norman. A 2-point conversion was simply window dressing.
"We dropped balls," said Newton, slouched in a chair with little interest in explaining the outcome. "We turned the ball over. We gave up sacks. We threw errant passes. That's it."
Sports on 02/08/2016