MILLER TOUTS ‘TEAM EFFORT’ BY BRONCOS
Game MVP deflects contract talk
Von Miller’s place in Super Bowl history is secure. Two critical forced fumbles and 21⁄ sacks in the Denver Broncos’ 24-10 win against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 will that for you.
But Miller, selected the game’s MVP, isn’t joining some of his teammates in trying to declare the 2015 Broncos defense as one of the best of all time.
“I mean, for me, I’m uncomfortable with comparisons. The game is the way it is because of the players that have come before us, the defenses like the (Chicago) Bears defense,” Miller said Monday at his MVP news conference. “Those guys really put their back and necks on the line for the game, so I’m very uncomfortable with comparisons.”
But several of Miller’s teammates chose to make the argument.
It wasn’t just that the Broncos were statistically dominant while leading the NFL in total defense, pass defense and sacks in the regular season, or that they were exceptional in the playoffs as they held Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady and their teams to 18 points or fewer before limiting NFL MVP Cam Newton and the Panthers’ top-ranked scoring offense to a season-low 10 points in the Super Bowl.
“We went through the gauntlet,” Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said Sunday. “How can you not say we’re one of the greatest defenses all of time?”
Adding to Denver’s case is just how dependent the team was on that defense given the performance and injury struggles 39year-old quarterback Peyton Manning experienced all season.
Never was that more evident than in the Super Bowl, when the Broncos recorded 11 first downs, converted one of 14 third downs, gained 194 yards (fewest ever by the winning team) and didn’t score an offensive touchdown until late in the fourth quarter — after a strip-sack by Miller set them up on the Panthers 4-yard line. (The other time Miller knocked the ball from Newton’s hands, the Broncos recovered it for a touchdown.)
Manning committed two turnovers in the game, but Denver’s defense recorded four takeaways.
“Everyone’s used to seeing Peyton go out there and throw for 45 points a game,” Miller said. “But this year it was truly a team effort. We all had a percentage in this Super Bowl win.”
He thanked many of his teammates by name and said he wanted to rattle off everyone on the 53-man roster. It was a fitting public performance by Miller, who has been the glue to the Broncos defense with a vivacious locker room personality that matches his on-the-field persona.
Miller grinned plenty Monday and chuckled when a reporter told him he probably made himself a lot of money with his Super Bowl performance.
The contract of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft is set to expire March 9. However, the Broncos certainly won’t let him get away.
General manager John Elway told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday that the team would begin contract negotiations with Miller’s agents soon and the Broncos likely would use the franchise tag on Miller if they can’t reach a deal by early March.
“Mr. Elway, he’s played in the National Football League; he’s one of the best GMs that there is. We’re here today because of him. And I have my people representing my situation as well,” Miller said. “It’s going to be a peaceful thing, I’m not really worried about it. It’s another thing that the media tries to play up. But for me, I’m just enjoying being with my teammates, celebrating with those guys. That’s where I want to be at right now.”