Have you ever played the video game "Halo?" What's that, I'm the only one who didn't have a life in high school and played? Well then...one of the most frustrating aspects of "Halo" is when you respawn (return after being killed) only to be taken out immediately by an opposing player. It's infuriating when you have no more than a single second to get your bearings before being destroyed.
That's how Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton must have felt during last night's 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos. Throughout the game, Denver's front seven was able to consistently pressure Newton and force him to scramble. Outside linebackers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware reminded me of Lewis and Clarke; planting their flags in Carolina's backfield to claim their territory for the night. Similar to a frustrated gamer, Newton had almost no time to get anything going.
Overall, the Denver defense notched seven sacks and 13 QB hits against Carolina in their flood of a victory. Broncos fans have defensive coordinator Wade Philips to thank for that championship securing performance.
"Coach Phillips did an amazing job" Miller, who was named Super Bowl 50 MVP after collecting 2.5 sacks, six tackles, two forced fumbles and two hurries, told ESPN. "He always likes to say that mistakes are on him, but the Super Bowl is on him, too. I really appreciate everything he's done for the whole team, not just the defense."
Think about this: Phillips' defense held Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers to just 16 points, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to 18 and Newton's Panthers to just 10 this post-season. This is the same guy who has posted a 1-5 playoff record as a head coach and was fired in Dallas after a disastrous 1-7 start back in 2010. Masterchief may be the ultimate soldier, but not even he could pull off a feat like that.
"I went from unemployed to [coach in the] Super Bowl," Phillips told ESPN with a laugh. "Now, I went from unemployed to winning the Super Bowl."
How did he do it? First, he tasked the uber athletic Miller with spying on Newton to ensure he didn't beat them with his legs (Newton carried the ball six times for 45 yards, leading Carolina in rushing). Then he trusted Denver's secondary to hold up in man coverage while the defensive line stuck to the same script that made them the top run defending unit in the league. In the end, there were no left-field scheme changes, dramatic half time speeches or, for my fellow "Halo" fans, any weapon changes in personnel. Just a few tweaks here and there and a season's worth of accumulated lessons to fall back on.
Peyton Manning, Miller and the rest of Denver's high-profile starts rightly deserve all the headlines they're going to generate over the next week. But let's not forget about Phillips, Denver's unsung hero, who engineered the Broncos' biggest strength this past season.
