The Super Bowl was everything we hoped it wouldn’t be. Peyton’s “last rodeo” featured key plays by almost every Bronco but Manning himself, two of the league’s most prolific quarterbacks combined for a single touchdown and Cam Newton didn’t have the chance to dab even once. But the golden anniversary of the big game still left much to be discussed:
Defense wins championships
Thanks to one of the most dominant defensive performances in Super Bowl history, the Broncos hoisted the Lombardi Trophy despite almost being the first team in history to win without an offensive touchdown. Led by linebacker Von Miller, the Broncos defense held league-MVP Cam Newton to a measly 44 percent completion and kept the high-octane Panthers offense to just 10 points, far below their season average of 31.3. The Broncos tied their season highs for sacks and recovered fumbles, allowing the Panthers to convert just three third-down tries.
Peyton is the best regular season quarterback of all time
Manning is certainly one of the most talented and proven quarterbacks to ever play the game— he’s the all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, and trails only Brett Favre in completions. However, he has never been able to translate his regular season proficiency into Super Bowl success. Manning had a forgettable outing, posting just 104 passing yards on 13 completions and an interception. He also underwhelmed in his other Super Bowl appearance against the Chicago Bears in 2007, throwing for 246 yards with a touchdown and a pick. His career playoff stats are equally pedestrian—he is 14–13 with 40 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. Granted, he has won two rings, and he did carry his team to the Super Bowl, but in decisive moments it appeared as though the rest of the Broncos carried him.
The Panthers are a receiver away from running the table
The Panthers led the NFL in scoring and finished third in total offense, all without a legitimate number-one receiver: 2014 first-rounder Kelvin Benjamin, who tallied over 1,00 yards and nine touchdowns in his rookie campaign, spent this past season on the sideline with a torn ACL. While Greg Olsen remained the team’s primary target and receivers like Tedd Ginn Jr., Devin Funchess and Jerricho Cotchery served as formidable replacements, they were unable to match Benjamin’s unique combination of height, speed and incredible hands. The consequences of a mediocre receiving corps were clear—Cotchery had several crucial drops, including one in the red-zone, and Ginn bobbled a pass that would eventually be intercepted by the Broncos. Benjamin’s return next season will make the Panthers offense even more potent, and could be missing piece in the team’s quest for a Lombardi Trophy
Coldplay’s time has come and gone
If appearances from Beyonce and Bruno Mars can’t salvage your halftime show, it’s probably a sign that you’ve passed your prime. Such was the case with Coldplay, who headlined one of the worst Super Bowl performances in recent memory. It might have been due to the fact that the band hasn’t released a true hit since 2011, or maybe it was because the rainbow lights and umbrellas were more reminiscent of a Skittles commercial than a concert. Coldplay has put out some of the decade’s greatest tracks—“Viva la Vida” was practically the anthem of my fourth and fifth grade—but the Super Bowl only solidified the end of the Coldplay era.
