Posted on 02/09/2016 9:58:58 AM PST by Jim W N
5. The Broncos' run defense
The Panthers carried the ball 16 times for 53 yards on first-and-10 on Sunday, producing a 3.3-yard rushing average which will hit the books as their fifth worst on first down all season. In their two previous playoff games, Carolina carried the ball 33 times for 175 yards on first-and-10, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. As a result, the Panthers were almost never in third-and-short situations in which they would have held an enormous advantage over the Broncos. Their one attempt on third-and-3 or less was when Newton plunged forward for a first down on third-and-2 during Carolina's disastrous attempt at a two-minute drill.
Denver will look back fondly on how it played. Carolina averaged 4.4 yards per carry, but some of that came from Cam as a scrambler; Jonathan Stewart produced just 29 yards on 12 carries, going out for part of the first half with a foot injury. At the same time, given how much I wrote about Carolina's state-of-the-art rushing attack heading into the game, I have to admit that I was pretty underwhelmed by how little Carolina did to spice up their ground game. Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall felt the same way.
The Panthers rarely brought motion across the formation to try to fake (or execute) the jet sweep, which could have slowed down the Denver edge rush. A triple option early in the first half sparked the first signs of life from Carolina's offense when it went for 14 yards and a first down, but Mike Shula didn't really go back to it, or much else in the way of exotic rush concepts.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.go.com ...
Here's my take...
How did the #1 net scoring team in the NFL, Carolina, lose to the #10 net scoring team, apparently one of the weakest teams (offensively) to win the Super Bowl? Carolina forgot to run most of the time.
What happened, it looks like to me, is Carolina's coaching staff got the dreaded Super Bowl Deer-in-the-Headlights Syndrome (SBDHS) and forgot who they were. Carolina was #2 in rush yardage in the NFL. Carolina's whole game basically revolved around the RUN. Alternately, Carolina's passing game was #24 in yards and they were going up against Denver's #1 pass defense in yards in the NFL, the pass defense that shredded NE's strong and feared Tom Brady passing offense.
So what Carolina do? They passed in 60% (41) of their plays and ran in 40% (27) of their plays. As predicted that was deadly for Carolina against Denver.
A good check on this is the Carolina-Seattle game. Seattle was the #1 defense in the NFL in points against. How did Carolina beat such a tough defense - tougher against scoring than Denver? Carolina ran in 65% (41) of their plays and passed only 35% (22).
It could have been a more well-played game if Carolina had stayed with their strength. Denver could have still won, but I think it would have been closer and a more entertaining game.
Who cares? I'm a Cardinals (Chicago, St. Louis, or Arizona) fan,
I’m not a football fanatic, don’t even like it much unless there’s some Patriots-style strategizing going on. That being said, I probably missed some of the fine points. I thought the game was boring, found myself freeping instead of watching the third quarter. Carolina just wasn’t very interesting to watch, and Denver didn’t seem to have to do much to win.
It’s really not complicated.
The Bronco defense was out for blood all game long. They tattood Cam Newton repeatedly and stuffed the Panthers completely. Not the first time in Super Bowl history that a dominant defense destroyed a high powered offense. The Giants did exactly the same to Tom Brady a few years ago.
1. The quarterback wasn’t a narcissistic I’m an African- American with tons of talent that’s why you’re scared of me, dancing in your face punk until he losses and becomes a pathetic man-child POS pu—y.
2. Denver’s defense was awesome.
I think I got it all in there.
Thought this might interest you...
It’s one of the great aspects of the game. No matter how great you are, you have to play great on the day you need to. After the first half, Carolina made virtually no adjustments.
Perhaps the 2nd half play during the Seattle game was a harbinger of things to come.
Add to that an incredibly immature but gifted quarterback by the name of Cam Newton.
Defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, defense, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, Peyton.
Looks like about the top 50 reasons to me.
Super Bowl 49:
Pete Carroll called a pass play to solidify his QB as MVP for the game.
It may or may not be coincidence that Russell and Newton are AfAm, I don’t think it is...
The coach made the calls and...well, ain’t the coach tied to the QB? H-o-Fame for the coach with a winning QB.
1). Von Miller.
It was the first Super Bowl I had watched in years.
The Denver defense was just great, especially the linebackers.
Yes I think he deserved the MVP honor.
Demarcus Ware did not have a bad game either.
I'll never forget that pearl of coaching wisdom!
#1 has to be the fainthearted play of the overrated Carolina quarterback.
A spoiled, arrogant, entitled QB who badly underperformed.
Nope..
They lost for one simple reason:
Offense wins games, Defense wins Championships.
Cam Newton ran his mouth to much and Von Miller decided to try and kill him.
It’s the first SuperBowl I’ve watched since Joe Willie Namath pulled off his famous upset.
Seriously.
also Denver offense made fewer critical errors. There is something said of not sinking ones own boat.
The reason for the “upset” is that Carolina was overrated. Denver played the Chiefs twice, the Steelers twice, the Patriots twice, and the Bengals once. All playoff teams. The Broncos were “in the playoffs” most of the season. Carolina had a lighter schedule.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.