They Peyton Manning fairytale is real. The 39-year-old quarterback led his Denver Broncos to Super Bowl 50 victory on the back of some incredible work by his defence.
Highly-fancied and MVP Cam Newton was always positioned as the key man in this game, while on the other side, Peyton Manning’s last game before retirement sought to turn the tables on his last two trips to the NFL’s pinnacle, which were met with defeat.
Could he even up his count at 2-2 in the biggest game of all, and his last?
SUPER BOWL 50 LIVE SCORES, HIGHLIGHTS
It was the legend against the new gun. The old hand taking on the young. And both defences were primed to make it hard work for both quarterbacks.
In the end, the Broncos’ defence dominated Newton, sacking the League MVP seven times. In a season that has seen Newton hit record low sack percentages, it was an astonishing turnaround in fortunes for the Panthers.
Linebacker and Super Bowl MVP Von Miller was the face of it for the Broncos, constantly pressuring Newton into incompletions and fumbles. The Panthers never got on the touchdown drives that typified their 2015/16 NFL season.
The Broncos took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Panthers charged back at the start of the second quarter as quarterback Newton led Carolina on a rare touchdown drive.
Newton, the NFL’s best dual-threat quarterback, ran for 11 yards and again for seven and then hit Greg Olsen and Corey Brown on passes to set up a one-yard touchdown plunge by Jonathan Stewart to make it 10-7.
But Denver answered right back when Jordan Norwood cut across the field on a Super Bowl record 61-yard punt return to set up a Brandon McManus 33-yard field goal that put Denver ahead by six.
Denver Broncos’ Peyton Manning (18) calls a play during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 50 football game Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Denver had jumped out in front in the opening quarter on a stunning sack-fumble on Newton caused by pass-rusher Von Miller that sent the ball bouncing into the end zone where defensive end Malik Jackson scooped it up for a touchdown.
That brilliant play followed a 34-yard field goal by McManus after Denver quarterback Peyton Manning led the Broncos on a 64-yard opening drive of the game.
The game-sealing play came midway through the final quarter, with Miller forcing the ball loose from Newton’s grasp, and the Broncos linemen leaping on it
Manning then led his side to a game-winning drive, handing off for a touchdown from close range before executing on a two-point play that put their lead out to two touchdowns.
It would remain 24-10, with Manning’s offence running down the clock. It gave the Broncos their third Super Bowl victory after their back-to-back wins in 1997 and 1998.
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