Denver Broncos Defense: Best in Super Bowl History?
The Denver Broncos scintillating win over the Carolina Panthers, 24-10, proves historic as Von Miller and the Broncos defense pummels Cam Newton, acting as his kryptonite – dominating the game and giving Peyton Manning the option to ride out into the sunset with no questions left to answer….but will he?
Von Miller and the Denver Broncos defense, in what was called the “best defense I’ve ever seen” by John Elway, put on a pass rushing clinic against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers offense to win the Broncos third Super Bowl in franchise history.
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Defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, and his number one elite defensive unit played like one of the best to ever win a Super Bowl, but are they the best of all time? The formula set forth by Phillips to relentlessly attack Cam Newton and keep the MVP of the league contained play after play until the clock hit 0:00 to end regulation, leaving Cam and the Carolina offense with no answers for a defense that looked almost robotic – led by Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller.
If you describe a man without boundaries, that man would be Von Miller. He finished the game with 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles which led to two Broncos touchdowns. The Broncos defense sacked Newton a total of seven times. Miller’s biggest play arguably came in the first quarter when he came off the edge like a mad man and strip sacked the ball from Cam Newton and was recovered by Malik Jackson for a Broncos defensive touchdown, putting Denver up 10-0.
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Fast forward to 4:35 in the second quarter when Denver was up 13-7, Peyton Manning threw an interception on 3rd and 8 to Carolina’s, Cody Ealy – who also strip sacked Manning in the fourth quarter and tied a Super Bowl record, finishing with three sacks. The interception marked at least one interception in all four Super Bowl’s Manning has played in. However, the really good thing about having an elite defensive unit – as a quarterback – you can afford to throw an interception or two.
With just over four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Denver was only up by six, 16-10, when Von Miller again rips off the edge like a dog chasing a mailman and strips Cam Newton, only this time having the ball recovered by T.J. Ward (who also had an interception). Denver capitalized once again on their takeaways when C.J. Anderson punched in a rushing touchdown from inside the five on first and goal, which clinched Super Bowl 50 for Denver.
Denver would never trail in this game.
The Broncos offense was not superb, but they did not have to be. Posting only 194 yards, the offense scored two touchdowns along with a Super Bowl record three field goals from Brandon McManus (10-10 in the post-season).
Von Miller said it best post-game showing support to his future first ballot hall of fame quarterback and offensive unit: “….Everybody is used to seeing Peyton go out there and throw (for) 45 points a game. This year, it was truly a team effort. We all had a percentage in this Super Bowl win.”
Miller’s 2.5 sack total was for third best in Super Bowl history, ranking him only behind Reggie White for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI vs. the New England Patriots, and Darnell Dockett for the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers who each totaled three, respectively.
In what is arguably Miller’s best game of his career, it could not have come at a better time. He will be a free agent when free agency beings and will no doubt command a big contract unless he receives the Franchise Tag from the Broncos, which is a possibility – however much less of a possibility now due to Miller’s career game. John Elway knows talent. He helped build this defense and revamp it from the destruction that was Super Bowl XLVIII, 43-8.
This defense absolutely deserves to be in the conversation as one of the best or the best of all time, stacking up with the 1985 Bears, 2000 Ravens, and the Seahawks elite unit from last season. The defense played such an enormous role in the team winning a Super Bowl, but just how enormous?
The Broncos are the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl despite being outgained offensively in every post-season game.
That spells e-l-i-t-e.
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The questions and opinions have begun to circle about where this team ranks in history of mesmerizing defense. However, the old cliché of “numbers don’t lie” are relevant in this case. This unit took the city of Denver on their backs with Von Miller leading the charge, carrying them all the way past the finish line, holding the Lombardi Trophy in victory with a special Gatorade bath for one, Wade Phillips.
Keeping the team together is up to John Elway. There will be some major decisions to come in the off-season for the Broncos. Will Peyton retire? Will he stay with Denver? Will he leave? What will happen with Von Miller? Whatever questions are being raised now, one thing is certain: The Denver Broncos are Super Bowl 50 champions.