No. 2 was greater than No. 1 in Super Bowl 50.
Von Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in 2011, snagged the Super Bowl MVP award after leading a dominant Denver Broncos defense that shut down the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense and league MVP Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in 2011.
The Broncos forced four turnovers and sacked Newton seven times in the 24-10 win.
Miller was unstoppable all night off the edge. He harassed Newton to the tune 2.5 sacks and a huge strip of Newton in the closing minutes to seal the victory.
The linebacker highlighted his night early with a monstrous strip sack of Newton in the opening quarter that resulted in the Broncos' first touchdown of the game and set the tone for the contest. The play showed off Miller's combination of lightning quickness off the edge and massive strength. Small men don't rip the ball out of Cam Newton's hands.
Miller took home the award, but it could have gone to the entire defensive front. DeMarcus Ware (2 sacks, 4 QB hits) was all over the field, chasing Newton seemingly every play. The middle of the Broncos' defense, led by Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe, pushed the pocket, not allowing Newton to step up or scurry though the line on scrambles. The Broncos defense allowed the Panthers' No. 2 ranked rushing offense no holes, holding Carolina to a combined 118 yards on the ground.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Miller wants to be the highest paid defensive player in the NFL -- the Broncos will first slap the franchise tag on the linebacker. His performance in Super Bowl 50 justified those demands.
