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.
#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.
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.
Denver went in with a plan in hand.
After being thrashed by Seattle two years ago, John Elway built a defense similar to the Seahawks and it worked pretty well.
Cam and the whole Panther team thought it would be a walk in the park; over confidence defeated them. Thought the Old Guy would fold early on.
2. Luck. Denver recovered fumbles, Panthers did not.
So my questions:
What will this do to the draft?
Are we going to see teams make a major effort to improve their defense?
Has the shine of high scoring offenses been tarnished by not being able to score against a solid defense?