Panthers’ Newton walks out of interview

Hard to imagine he’d want to come back, after guiding the Broncos to a full-team-effort title, the likes of which hardly anyone envisioned when Elway signed him four years ago. Newton seldom had a clean pocket all day as he dealt with pressure from all angles, and once Denver got a lead and their pass-rushers could pin their ears back, it was all over for the Panthers.

“I’m gonna drink a lot of Budweiser tonight”, Manning told an worldwide TV audience moments after the Broncos rode their top-rated defense to a 24-10 victory.

Phillips put together a game plan that did what no other coach could manage this season. Though he was diplomatic in the days leading up to Super Bowl 50 about his respect for Newton – and that respect is genuine – he so wanted to have his biggest game on the NFL’s grandest stage. “I want to go kiss my wife and kiss my kids and I’ll take some time to reflect”.

Manning is technically under contract with the Broncos for one more season, though everything they’ve done over the past year – fire John Fox, hire Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips, revamp the offense – has spoken to a desire to build a victor that will last beyond Manning’s tenure in Denver.

“You’re asking me where I rank our defense?”

Bottoms up, Peyton. You’re going out on top.

And most importantly for Manning, history’s going to remember that he won two Super Bowls and is the only QB in National Football League history to do so with two different franchises.

He spent all season catching just about anything Cam Newton threw his way.

Said Miller about winning for Manning, “I think it’s great”.

It’s going to be all about Manning and it should be. For so many years he carried Indianapolis Colts and Broncos squads to the playoffs with incredible passing exploits only to be undone by a defense that wasn’t up to snuff. They also offered some sporting predictions for the Super Bowl.

Manning knows his role. I don’t see him being the type of guy chasing another at the age of 40 when he already accomplished as much as he possibly can at 39 with declining health and skills. He has won two of four Super Bowls he has played.

For everyone else, at least those without an Orange Crush T-shirt hanging in their closets, not so much.

Manning opened the game with an 18-yard completion to Owen Daniels, later hit Andre Caldwell for 22, and C.J. Anderson had a 12-yard run.

Just as Elway decided at age 38 that it was over, Manning now faces his own football mortality.

The Panthers defense was just about as stingy, but couldn’t come up with the game-changing turnovers that Denver provided. Neither Colin Jones nor Teddy Williams opted to tackle Jordan Norwood before he embarked on a 61-yard return to the Panthers 14, setting up a field goal and 13-7 lead.

This was the Super Bowl, right?

It certainly was not a game for anyone who likes offense or mistake-free football.

They scored when Manning couldn’t.

A towel draped over his shoulder, his freshly printed championship hat on his head, Manning wouldn’t budge on whether this was, in fact, his last game. “It tested our toughness, our resilience, our unselfishness”. It’s only fitting it turned out that way. A great bunch of teammates, a great bunch of guys to play with. “I’m just very grateful”.

Early on Manning resembled the younger version of himself, or at least the not-so-old version. Denver’s 11 first downs were the same as Manning would’ve racked up in a quarter a few years back.