We have had a few days to let Super Bowl 50 sink in. And the Denver Broncos win left us with a strong case of déjà vu.
Isn’t it funny?
While there has been a lot of conversation regarding what Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos wasn’t was this past weekend, there still seems to be a lot of conversation about quarterbacks Cam Newton and Peyton Manning and Denver’s 24-10 victory on Sunday.
Related Story: Carolina Panthers: 4 Key Deficiencies to Attack in Offseason
From boring to disappointing, it seems like many were not pleased with how the game unfolded. In this day and age of more explosive offenses, watching the Broncos dismantle the league’s highest-scoring team in 2015.
We asked in a piece last week if this year’s encounter between an irresistible force and an immovable object would play out like some other Super Bowls in the past. When it was all said and done, the overall postseason performance by this year’s Broncos certainly brought back some memories.
First things first. Denver’s third Super Bowl championship (and first since 1998) was spearheaded by a defense that allowed a total of 44 points and four offensive touchdowns in besting the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Panthers.
As for the offense. Well…
Let’s be honest. It wasn’t exactly ready for prime time…or any time. Led by Manning, the Broncos totaled four offensive touchdowns in three games and scored a total of 67 points. In those contests, outside linebacker Von Miller reached opposing quarterback for sacks (5.0) more times than the Denver offense reached the end zone (4).
It added up a three somewhat-ugly wins and a Lombardi Trophy. Of course, it’s not like we haven’t seen this before. And it may surprise some to learn which Super Bowl team of the past may most resemble these 2015 Broncos.
There was a time more than a decade ago when a team lost its quarterback during the season. When the playoffs rolled around, he led an attack that scored a total of three offensive touchdowns in as many postseason games. And in one of those contests, he wasn’t even on the field when the offense scored its lone touchdown of the game as he was injured and replaced by the man who he took over for early in the season.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
The 2001 New England Patriots scored a total of 60 points – totaling those aforementioned three offensive touchdowns while the defense and special teams also made three trips to the end zone as well – in three postseason outings. They defeated the Oakland Raiders (16-13 in OT), Pittsburgh Steelers (24-17) and St. Louis Rams (20-17) and captured the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship.
And soon-to-be-legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wasn’t even on the field for most of the game against the Steelers as he was injured and forced to the sidelines. Enter veteran signal-caller Drew Bledsoe, who threw a touchdown pass in the game and held down the fort in a seven-point win at Heinz Field.
As for those Rams, they were the NFL’s highest-scoring team in 2001, just as were the Panthers this season.
More nfl spin zone: Arizona Cardinals: Copy the Denver Broncos Winning Formula
So in this age of a quarterback-driven league, there’s still room for a postseason run led by an overwhelming defensive unit. Beating up the other team has always worked and we saw it this past Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
Just as we did 14 seasons ago with a team from Foxborough, Massachusetts.