Broncos beat Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50

PRE-GAME

Betty White dabbed. That’s pretty much all you need to know.

Broncos fans booing Tom Brady as he walks on the field for the Super Bowl MVP nonsense. Hilarious. Huge cheers for Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Terrell Davis. Awesome.

Fantastic rendition of National Anthem from Lady Gaga. Long, but tremendous

This is going to be fun. Enjoy the game everybody!

FIRST QUARTER

Panthers win the toss, they will defer to the second half. Broncos will get the ball first – here we go Peyton!

“The weather is beautiful at 76 – but there ARE breezes.” – Jim Nantz

C.J. Anderson starting the game in the backfield. Manning under center for first snap of the game.

18-yard completion to Owen Daniels! Already a better start than the last Super Bowl for Denver…

Still can’t believe Thomas Davis (Carolina LB) is playing two weeks after breaking his arm. Ridiculous.

Bubba Caldwell hits the Cam Newton Superman/Dab combo after a 22 yard completion on 3rd & 4. Defensive holding declined. First down!

Two straight HUGE holes for Anderson in the running game, this Broncos offense is rolling early.

Drive stalls in the red zone, Brandon McManus comes in and drills a 34-yard field goal – Denver leads 3-0.

First confusing commercial of the day: Why is Lil’ Wayne still a thing?

T.J. Ward just went face-to-face with Jonathan Stewart on the Panthers first play. Looks jacked up out there.

Broncos nearly get to Newton on 3rd down, great coverage on Greg Olsen by Aqib Talib. Panthers will punt on 4th and short.

This is the first time in the post season that the Panthers are trailing in a game. Carolina punts, Broncos offense headed back out on the field.

No luck on that drive for Denver, Britton Colquitt punts away to Ted Ginn Jr. and the Broncos down him inside the 20.

Nearly a huge play for the Panthers on their first play of the drive, but Jerricho Cottchery looks to have bobbled and dropped the seam pass.

After further review, that’s a catch – regardless of what it ends up being called on the field.

Call stands. Good for Broncos, confusing for me.

VON. MILLER. HUGE. Miller sacks/strips Panthers QB Cam Newton, Malik Jackson recovers the ball in the end zone. Broncos lead 10-0.

This Broncos defense is so live. So fun to watch.

Questionable call on Aqib, but I’ll take that attitude every day. These guys are playing with that proverbial “chip” on their collective shoulders.

Another interesting note – so far the Broncos offensive line has done a great job maintaining the pocket for Manning. Panthers defensive line is very good too.

2ND QUARTER

Cam Newton starting to create on broken plays, looks like the only way to beat this Denver defense may be by ad-libbing.

Don’t love the match-up of Aqib Talib covering Ted Ginn Jr. in man. Crossing routes all day.

Jonathan Stewart plunges in from 1-yard out, foot looks fine as he goes air-born over the line. Denver still leads 10-7.

Peyton attempting another Houdini act, but this time it looks like he was touched down before getting back up and throwing a completion. It also looks like he was touched in a … painful area.

Interesting decision – Ron Rivera chooses to challenge Manning being down by contact, but now has no challenges left for the rest of the game. Wins the battle, loses the war.

WHAT A RETURN BY JORDAN NORWOOD! Biggest play of that young man’s career. Broncos already in the red zone.

Gary Kubiak’s chose to go for it on 3rd and short, but a holding penalty moves the Broncos back and Brandon McManus will come on for another field goal.

McManus nails the 33-yard field goal, Broncos lead up to 13-7. With that field goal McManus ties record for most field goals in Super Bowl history by a Broncos’ kicker.

Man, the Broncos defense is playing so well right now. Darian Stewart forces a fumble on Mike Tolbert, Broncos recover. 3rd Carolina fumble, 2 recovered by Denver.

Peyton just got picked by a defensive lineman. Hashtag, whoops.

Both defenses playing very well, tackling is superb. Kinda makes this game boring.

Lazy 2-minute drive from the Panthers comes to an end on a DeMarcus Ware sack – glad to see Ware making an impact in his 1st Super Bowl.

HALFTIME STATS

Peyton Manning: 9/16, 76 yds, 1 INT

C.J. Anderson: 8 car, 58 yds

Andre Caldwell: 1 rec, 22 yds

Emmanuel Sanders: 3 rec, 20 yds

BRONCOS: 4 total sacks

Von Miller: 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble

Darian Stewart: 2 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Malik Jackson: 3 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 TD

Cam Newton: 8/19, 95 yds / 5 car, 46 yds

Greg Olsen: 3 rec, 34 yds

THIRD QUARTER

OK so that halftime show was fantastic. Especially just from the perspective of a TV spectacle, whoever directed that beast did a phenomenal job.

Panthers get the ball to start the second half.

Ted Ginn Jr. coming up huge this drive so far, wonder if Carolina realized speed on Talib is not a good match-up for Denver.

Von Miller covering Jerricho Cotchery? Von Miller covering Jerricho Cotchery.

Graham Gano lines up for a 44-yard field goal, shtoink’s it off the upright. Kicking game already a factor. 13-7 Broncos.

Broncos once again find there way into the red zone but can’t find the end zone, Brandon McManus converts a 30-yard field goal. Broncos lead 16-7.

Yikes, Ward and Talib sort of out-played themselves on that one.

Wow. Great effort by Ward, but he just needs to stay down after that interception.

Carolina has turned the ball over three times in this game – that ties a season high. Denver’s defense = 2 legit to quit.

Von Miller looked a little bit like vintage Dwight Freeney on that swim move, Broncos 5th sack of the night forces another Panther punt.

FOURTH QUARTER

Oh Peyton. Oh goodness Peyton.

OH PEYTON. OH GOODNESS PEYTON. Broncos fumble, Carolina recovers.

Panthers drive into Broncos territory, Graham Gano hits a 39-yard field goal to bring Carolina within one score. Denver still leads 16-10.

Man what a hit by Chris Harris Jr. to keep Jerricho Cotchery away from the 1st down marker. Laid it all on the line even with a bum shoulder.

Panthers offense: 10 sacks (ties Super Bowl record). 5 turnovers.

Von Miller is that dude! Could seal a Super Bowl victory for the Broncos.

What a huge penalty by Josh Norman, and it was obvious too. Gotta think if he doesn’t hold, that ball may have been your Super Bowl touchdown dagger.

Speaking of the dagger, C.J. Anderson provides it a play later. Broncos seem to be heading towards a golden victory in Super Bowl 50!

What a game by DeMarcus Ware: sacks Newton for the 2nd time today, 7th by the Broncos defense.

BRONCOS WIN SUPER BOWL 50 24-10.

Von Miller wins MVP and rightfully so. 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, both led to TD’s.