Peyton Manning walks away victorious
In what was a pretty quiet night for both teams on the offense and featuring two swarming defenses, the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in what could very well be Manning’s last game in the NFL. What better way is there to ride off into the sunset than to win a Super Bowl and kiss your family.
Manning’s stat line was grim all night. He finished with just 141 yards and an interception. But it was that leadership on the sideline that kept the Broncos composed when compared to a Panthers team that was freaking itself out.
For fans, it may have been somewhat surprising to see the same offense that has tormented defenses finally struggle. But the Broncos managed to do just that.
Denver Defense manhandles Newton
Cam Newton’s stat line by the end of the game read 18-41 for 264 yards and an interception. Although Manning’s wasn’t much better, the Panthers were forced into four total turnovers, including two key fumbles. Leading that defense was Von Miller and Danny Trevathan, who compiled eight and six total tackles, respectively. Miller also added 2.5 sacks.
It wasn’t Manning’s play or the Denver offense that allowed Manning to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for possibly the final time, but the defense, which many had underestimated coming into the game.
Dance battle halftime performance
For the fans watching the halftime performance at home, the beginning may have seemed confusing. Coldplay front man Chris Martin kneeled down on the field as fans sprinted by him. Coldplay opened with “Viva La Vida,” a solid choice from the band. Coldplay continued the performance with more songs, pogo sticks and violinists accompanying them.
It was only a matter of moments before every fan smiled, at least for the most part. The camera panned to a dancing Bruno Mars, who belted out “Uptown Funk.” That was until Beyoncé made an appearance, opening with her new song “Formation.”
While the queen B most definitely killed the performance, many social media users noticed a very nice recovery. While dancing on stage, Beyoncé fell in her heels, only to catch herself in the last moment and jump backwards. It was an effortless move.
Then came the unexpected: a dance battle between Bruno Mars and Beyoncé, who repeatedly switched off between their songs. Following that performance, nostalgia struck as halftime performances from the past 50 years were shown to the audience on the stage.
The show concluded with all three artists singing together on center stage, with the words “Believe in Love” marked between the audience members.
