Super Story

"My whole life, people have been telling me what I could do and couldn't do. I've always listened to them, believing in what they said. I don't want to do that anymore."
--Rudy Ruettiger (Rudy)

It was a pleasure to watch the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning win Super Bowl 50 last Sunday. A six point underdog, the Broncos were viewed as unlikely winners due to their lack of offensive capacity. In fact, the Broncos were underdogs much of the season and were one loss away from being eliminated from playoff contention with a couple of weeks left in the regular season.

The pregame storyline contrasted the aging Broncos versus the upstart Carolina Panthers with the two quarterbacks serving as microcosms of the narrative. The 39 yr old Manning, a 5 time league MVP viewed by many as perhaps the best the game has ever seen, is clearly in the twilight of his career and spent the season modifying his role from centerpiece to contributor in the Bronco's scheme.

Twenty six yr old Panther QB Cam Newton, on the other hand, plays with the epitome of youth. Big and fast, with the strongest arm I have ever seen on a quarterback, Newton, who was named this year's league MVP the night before the Super Bowl, attracts attention both on and off the field with his brash style.

The primary story of Super Bowl 50 was Denver's defense. The Bronco front brought relentless pressure, sacking Newton six times and forcing critical turnovers. Denver linebacker Von Miller won the game's MVP award, but the award could have easily gone to the entire defensive crew.

The most enjoyable thing about football from where I sit, however, is observing how teams adapt. All pre-game preparation is done under the assumption that those plans will require modification as the game unfolds. At the professional level, the winner is usually the team that can improvise the best during the game. Clearly, the Broncos won the day from this standpoint. They were able to counter a strong Panther defense and smother all attempts by Newton et al to break the Bronco's vice grip on the Panther offense.

It also felt good to watch Peyton Manning win a Super Bowl in what was likely (and hopefully) his final game. Possessing only a fraction of his former physical skills, Manning demonstrated how to adapt individual style to fit the team's needs. Manning built his reputation on an extraordinary work ethic and on ambassadorship for the game. Winning Super Bowl 50 as a contributor rather than star would constitute a fitting close to a storybook career that has earned the respect of insiders and outsiders alike.