SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Across a season where his team won 17 times and he was named the league's Most Valuable Player, Cam Newton appeared invincible.

Then along came Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, Malik Jackson, Wade Phillips and the entire Denver Broncos defense that bruised, battered and eventually beat him in the biggest game of them all.

Denver 24, Carolina 10 in a defense-delivered upset in Super Bowl 50.

Von Miller strips the ball from Cam Newton during the second half. (AP) More

It was the Broncos' defense, not the Peyton Manning offense that was most responsible for Denver's points. A Miller sack and strip of Newton in the first quarter was recovered in the end zone by Jackson to give Denver a 10-0 lead and set the tone that this was a different level than Carolina had seen.

The game was capped by another Miller strip of Newton that set the Broncos up on Carolina's 4-yard line. C.J. Anderson scored a few plays later to put it out of reach. Newton was sacked six times, tossed around like rag doll.

Miller was named Super Bowl 50 MVP.

"This game was much like this season has been, testing our toughness, our resiliency, our unselfishness," Manning said. "It's only fitting that it turned out that way."

The Panthers arrived as the betting favorite, fueled by confidence from a season in which they steamrolled their way here behind their exciting, game-changing quarterback.

Denver, though, was a classic immoveable force, with a blitzkrieg rush that had found ways to win games despite lacking effective quarterback play from the aged Manning.

In the end, defense won the championship.

Carolina averaged 31.25 points a game during the regular season and scored 80 more in two playoff wins, but never got a sustained rhythm going against the Broncos. Newton was held to 18-of-41 passing for 265 yards and three turnovers.

It should go down as one of the finest defensive performances in Super Bowl history and one the best units the league has ever seen. Defensive coordinator Phillips, who was unemployed last season, designed a game plan that both confused and crushed Newton.

The pass rush of Miller, Ware and Jackson, et al was unstoppable, leaving the regular-season MVP most inefficient.

"In my opinion, we're the greatest defense ever to play the game. Ever," Broncos linebacker Brandon Miller said. "It's a bold statement but top to bottom, we have the greatest talent – from rushers to safeties to linebackers. Better than anybody's ever done it."

Manning, meanwhile, goes out a champion in what is likely his final game. A five-time league MVP, he was a shell of himself at age 39. He did little in this game to contribute to the victory – 141 yards, no touchdowns, an interception and a fumble – but he was enough of a game manager to win a second Lombardi Trophy to match the total of his brother Eli.

"I'll take some time to reflect," Manning said when asked about his future. "I got a couple priorities first. I'm going to go kiss my wife and my kids. ... I'm going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight. Take care of those things first."

The first half was dominated by turnovers and penalties, a combined three and nine, respectively, that kept the momentum of the game swinging back and forth. There were an additional eight punts as defenses proved formidable.

Denver shocked the Panthers by jumping out to a 10-0 lead and Newton struggled early with what appeared to be a combination of overexcitement, nerves and the challenge of dealing with the league's best defense. He was at times inaccurate and indecisive, yet still showed flashes of the pass/run combination that made him the MVP this season.

Manning meanwhile accomplished little to nothing after that first drive, where he threw for 47 yards. In six ensuing drives he managed just 29 yards and failed to score a touchdown when gifted the ball in the red zone thanks to a quirky 61-yard punt return by Jordan Norwood after Carolina failed to try to tackle him early in the play. Then a Manning interception in the second quarter cost the Broncos a likely field goal.

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