Super Bowl 50 featured the Carolina Panthers with league MVP Cam Newton and the Denver Broncos lead by legendary quarterback Payton Manning.

Although the quarterback matchup is what made the headlines, it was the play of the defenses that decided this game. Early in the first quarter, Denver had a 3-0 lead and Carolina had gotten the ball for the first time in the game. Soon after the drive started, Super Bowl 50 MVP (most valuable player) Von Miller got his hands on Newton and stripped the ball out of his hands, which was recovered by a host of Broncos in the end zone for the game’s first touchdown. Just before halftime, Carolina was able to put a touchdown on the board to make the score 13-7.

Turnovers were the Achilles heel of the panthers in the first half, and would continue to be throughout the game, as every time it looked as though the Panthers were starting to move the ball, the vaunted Denver defense took the ball away.

The second half was dominated by the Broncos, as their defense gave up only 3 points in the second half, and Manning and the offense was able to put up 11 more in the second half to win 24-10.

Besides the turnovers, the biggest disappointment for the Panthers’ offense was the inability of Cam Newton to make relatively easy throws to open receivers. The newly crowned league MVP did not play as such, as the Bronco defense had his number all game, keeping him scoreless.

The Broncos’ offense was not a scoring juggernaut by any means, but they were able to take care of the football for the most part and keep Newton on the sidelines, giving their defense a chance to rest so they could shut the Panther offense down drive after drive.