SANTA CLARA, CA—With 5 minutes remaining in Super Bowl 50, the Carolina Panthers needed a touchdown to defeat the Denver Broncos. Trailing 16-10, Panthers Quarterback and regular season MVP Cam Newton, attempted to change into Superman and lead Carolina to victory and their first ever Vince Lombardi trophy.
Well, Cam couldn’t find the pay phone booth (for the argument let’s pretend those things are still around) to become the man of steel. The Broncos defense made Cam Newton look like Clark Kent.
There was no choreographed TD celebrations- he didn’t score one all day. The joy he normally exude was replaced by disappointment and confusion. He was sacked six times, committed three costly turnovers and never flashed his million dollar smile.
To be fair, it wasn’t all his fault. His receivers dropped four passes, his primary target tight end Greg Olsen was MIA. The offensive line was terrible; Newton was forced to throw the ball clearly before he was ready. He didn’t plant his feeet and as a result, his accuracy was compromised.
Yes, Peyton Manning will likely ride off into the sunset, and Von Miller was named the MVP for the Denver Broncos. As for Cam Newton, the sun has barely risen, and this will be a tough pill to swallow.
