Super Bowl 2016: Score and Twitter Reaction from Panthers vs. Broncos

If this was Peyton Manning's last rodeo, the legendary quarterback got a fairy-tale ending, as the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

This win wasn't about Manning, who finished 13-of-23 for 141 yards and an interception; it was about his defense.

The Broncos allowed 4.2 yards per play and forced four turnovers. It was one of the greatest defensive showings in Super Bowl history, as Denver gained 194 yards, the lowest total ever for a winning team, per Football Perspective's Chase Stuart.

Linebacker Von Miller was a one-man wrecking crew, picking up 2.5 sacks and two forcing fumbles. Miller constantly harassed Cam Newton in the pocket, and he undoubtedly earned a couple of extra bucks in free agency.

NFL Media's Albert Breer doesn't see the All-Pro offering Denver a hometown discount:

It came as no surprise Miller took home MVP honors for the game, per Bleacher Report:

He's just the 10th defensive player to win the award, per Pro-Football-Reference.com:

Super Bowl	Player	Position	Team
V (1971)	Chuck Howley	Linebacker	Dallas Cowboys
VII (1973)	Jake Scott	Safety	Miami Dolphins
XI (1977)	Harvey Martin	Defensive End	Dallas Cowboys
XII (1978)	Randy White	Defensive Tackle	Dallas Cowboys
XX (1985)	Richard Dent	Defensive End	Chicago Bears
XXX (1986)	Larry Brown	Cornerback	Dallas Cowboys
XXXV (2001)	Ray Lewis	Linebacker	Baltimore Ravens
XXXVII (2003)	Dexter Jackson	Safety	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
XLVIII (2014)	Malcolm Smith	Linebacker	Seattle Seahawks
50 (2016)	Von Miller	Linebacker	Denver Broncos

While Denver's defense deserved the majority of the spotlight, Manning earned this tweet from Bleacher Report:

Panthers cornerback Josh Norman shared a special moment with the sure-fire Hall of Famer late in the fourth quarter, as NFL on CBS captured:

"

Josh Norman salutes The Sheriff. #SB50 pic.twitter.com/9gvYvtpI6s

— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) February 8, 2016"

Two-time major golf champion Jordan Spieth also honored the Broncos star:

Manning's counterpart couldn't have envisaged a worse confluence of events Sunday.

Less than a day after receiving the NFL's Most Valuable Player award, Newton picked a terrible time to have one of his worst performances of the season. He continued a growing trend for MVP winners, as Pro Football Talk noted:

Normally composed under center and a bellwether for the Carolina offense, Newton looked rattled at times, missing his targets badly on easy throws—a rare sight this year. Granted, he received little help from his supporting cast. His wide receivers dropped several passes, and his offensive line was powerless to stop the Broncos pass-rushers coming off the edge.

Newton finished 18-of-41 for 265 yards and an interception. He also finished as Carolina's leading rusher, gaining 45 yards on six carries.

Over time, fans will likely remember Super Bowl 50 more fondly, but in the immediate aftermath, it seemed like one of the sloppiest editions of the game in recent memory. The teams combined to commit 18 penalties for 153 yards in addition to going 4-of-29 on third down. Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman argued the game was the antithesis of a typical Super Bowl battle:

The venue wasn't immune from trouble either. The turf at Levi's Stadium has created problems in the past, and Sunday was no exception. Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News shared a photo of groundskeepers attempting to patch the surface following pregame warm-ups:

The poor state of the field played a role in a lackluster first half. For the Broncos, however, the opening two quarters couldn't have gone better.

Denver jumped out to an early 10-0 lead with six minutes, 27 seconds left in the first quarter. Brandon McManus connected on a 34-yard field goal on the opening drive of the game, and defensive end Malik Jackson recovered a fumble in the end zone following a sack on Newton.

In a play reminiscent of Manning's fumble in Super Bowl XLVIII, Miller came off the edge and knocked the ball away from Newton. Jackson and teammate DeMarcus Ware reacted quickly, smothering the ball for six points. The NFL provided a replay of the score:

The Panthers had a lot of time to mount a comeback, but history wasn't on their side. According to ESPN Stats & Info, only three teams have won the Super Bowl after falling behind by 10 points.

It was quite the contrast from how Carolina started its first two playoff games. Against the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, the NFC champions combined to score 31 points in the first quarter while giving up none.

The Panthers couldn't match that total even in yards gained in the first 15 minutes against the Broncos. They had 28 yards of offense, which was their lowest first-quarter output all year, per SportsCenter.

Carolina's luck turned around in the second quarter when running back Jonathan Stewart scored on a one-yard touchdown run to help cut the deficit to three points following a Graham Gano extra point, 10-7, with 11:25 left in the half.

McManus then split the uprights from 33 yards out at the 6:58 mark of the quarter to give Denver a six-point edge, which it carried into halftime. Broncos return man Jordan Norwood put his team in a great position prior to the drive, taking a Brad Nortman punt 61 yards to the Panthers' 14-yard line. In doing so, he set the Super Bowl record for longest punt return, per Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.

With neither team able to consistently move the ball, Bleacher Report UK found the one person who would've enjoyed the defensive struggle:

On the Panthers' first drive of the second half, Gano had an opportunity to give his team three points, but his 44-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright. One fan on Twitter had the perfect solution for the Panthers' offensive woes:

McManus and Gano exchanged field goals in the third and fourth quarters, and the latter made it a one-score game, 16-10, with 10:21 remaining.

The Panthers defense was doing everything it could to put Carolina in position to win, but the offense couldn't find a spark. Head coach Ron Rivera, who has more than earned his Riverboat Ron nickname in recent years, also looked hesitant to take any chances.

Still, Carolina needed only one play to break through and go ahead at a late juncture of the game. As was the case, the Broncos needed only one play to put the Panthers away for good.

Cementing his eventual MVP win, Miller attacked Newton from his blind side, sacking the Panthers quarterback and forcing a fumble. Broncos safety T.J. Ward recovered at the Carolina 4-yard line. Four plays later, C.J. Anderson found the end zone on a two-yard touchdown run.

The NFL had a camera that followed Newton on the play. He knew Anderson's score was the final nail in the coffin for his team:

Newton deserved all the plaudits he received for his performances in the regular season and playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl. In addition, the Panthers proved themselves as a collectively elite unit with their victories over the Cardinals and Seahawks.

With that said, the team had flaws, namely in the receiving corps and on the offensive line. Newton papered over the cracks, but he needed to be nearly superhuman to do so.

For the Panthers to get back to the Super Bowl in the next few seasons, they must address their personnel weaknesses. While having a healthy Kelvin Benjamin will give Newton another top-tier pass-catcher, he'll only do so much for the offense. The O-line, in particular, is in need of an overhaul at tackle.

The Broncos, on the other hand, are built to continue contending for the foreseeable future. Miller is set to become a free agent in March, though there's little chance Denver loses him. The only question is whether the team slaps the franchise tag on him or signs him to a long-term extension.

Manning's possible retirement will be a big storyline in the coming weeks. However, Brock Osweiler proved to be more than capable of holding down the quarterback position while Manning was injured earlier this season, so having the 39-year-old walk would only work to Denver's benefit too.

Broncos general manager John Elway made a concerted effort to capitalize on the franchise's window for success with Manning, and that strategy has paid off in spades as Denver celebrates its third Super Bowl.

Postgame Reaction

Manning had ample opportunity to announce his retirement after the game but sidestepped the question when asked, per ABC News:

Newton had much less to say, telling reporters, "They just played better than us," per SportsCenter. The Associated Press' Steve Reed provided another of Newton's responses:

According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, the Panthers quarterback made a hasty exit after being somewhat evasive at the podium:

Newton is already looking ahead to next year, though, saying, "We'll be back," per Morgan Fogarty of WCCB Charlotte.