Super Bowl 50 was less about Manning and all about Defense

I'm so happy the Broncos get to put another Lombardi in the trophy case with the other 2. They earned it fair and square with grinding Defense as it happens so many times in Super Bowl games.

I didn't really want to write anything about the game on Sunday or Monday because I just wanted to enjoy the gleam. Victory in these games has been very difficult for the Broncos in the SB. They've made the trip 8 times and won it just 3 times.

In the 3 they've won each Broncos team had a great Defense with this year’s version being the best ever. I hope the NFL historians, the media and Broncos Fans understand that years from now.

So let's be blunt here and break the SB and the Broncos season down. If you’re a hard core Manning fan you should stop reading here.

Leader of the greatest D in franchise history.

Frankly I was a little upset after the clock hit triple zeros and every media person on the field immediately flocked to Manning. Von Miller and the entire Broncos D deserved the media mob far more than Manning did. Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips deserved it too.

Phillips deserved a ton of credit for returning to Denver after a being a failure as Head Coach for them back in mid-90's. His story alone is one of most amazing in franchise history. These should have been the main bullet points immediately after the game, not Manning riding off into retirement (he hasn't announced it yet but he must) as a SB winning QB.

This may hurt the Manning faithful but the Broncos won the SB despite Manning not because of him. Manning was a turnover waiting to happen for almost the entire game. It’s an amazing feat that the Broncos D was able to hold the league’s MVP to just to just one touchdown. Time after time the Broncos defense held the Panthers in check and never broke ranks.

Manning did make a few pass plays in the game but he and the Broncos offense had a dreadful performance. The Broncos offense set a record for 3 and outs in a Super Bowl. Manning had a horrible game and the running game did almost nothing.

The Super Bowl win just like the regular season, postseason and the AFC Championship wins rests solely in the Defense’s court.

A check of the stat sheet showed Manning was the lowest rated QB in league when he went out with injuries. When he came back he wasn't much better. The only game Manning can hang his hat on and say he played well in was the Packers game early in the season. The others were all won with stout defense and good special teams play. Pinch hitter Brock Osweiler did an outstanding job in his absence as well.

There’s a very good argument to be made that Oz could have stayed in the Chargers game and won it had Manning not been called into service. The Chargers win had less to do with Manning coming into play and his audible prowess than it was the entire offense unit being humiliated and embarrassed for not playing well up to that point.

Oz threw for 232 yards in the Chargers game, including a 72-yard TD pass to Thomas on the game's second play. But he was victimized by 5 turnovers, including 2 interceptions that weren't his fault and a fumble by Emmanuel Sanders at the 10-yard line after a 46-yard reception.

One of Oz's interceptions went off receiver Norwood’s hands. His arm was hit by a linebacker on the other, and his day was done after a fumble by Anderson on the second play after halftime.

Kube hit the panic button after that and Manning came in. The truth is we’ll never know if Oz could have closed the deal in the Chargers game. In my mind he could have and as I’ve said more than once he earned and deserved to be the starter the rest of the way.

Manning had the worst regular season stats in his career in 2015. In 10 regular season games he had 331 pass attempts and just 198 completions for 2,249 yards. He had just 9 TD’s passes and 17 interceptions which lead the league. He only averaged 6.8 yards per pass which indicates he wasn’t getting the ball deep. Worst yet 34 QB’s qualified in the passer rating sweepstakes and Manning finished dead last at 67.9%. Keep in mind QB’s like Nick Foles and Blaine Gabbert were ahead of him.

I know some of the apologist’s will say his injuries were a factor and blame the offensive line but it just doesn’t wash. Even if that were partly true that’s all the more reason Kube should have taken him out of the lineup and let Oz finish the season.

Manning’s career comes to a close now and in the future when honest Broncos Fans look back they’ll have to say his career with the team was a mixed bag. He was a great regular season QB, maybe the best ever of all the greats but in the post season (14 wins vs. 13 losses) he was one of the worst.

That said I have all the respect in the world for Manning as person and a player he’s had an amazing career. I’m also happy that despite being a non-factor during the playoffs and the Super Bowl this year, I’m glad he’s going out a winner if he retires which he surely must do.

He’s been a class act and conducted himself professionally and no one can take that away from him.

Thank you Football God’s for blessing my team with another Championship it was one hell of a ride. GO BRONCOS!!