SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on Super Bowl Sunday from AP reporters covering the game, the telecast, the commercials and fans around the world:
9:06 p.m.
Call Brandon McManus “Mr. Reliable.”
McManus hit a 30-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 16-7 lead over the Panthers in the third quarter.
McManus is 3 for 3 in the Super Bowl and 10 for 10 in the playoffs.
After Graham Gano hit the upright on a 44-yard field goal attempt for the Panthers, Peyton Manning connected with Emmanuel Sanders for 25 yards. Manning then hit Sanders for a 22-yard gain to the Panthers 17.
But the drive stalled and McManus hit another one.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California.
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8:59 p.m.
Doink.
Carolina’s Graham Gano hit the right upright on a 44-yard field-goal try on the first possession of the second half and the Broncos still led the Panthers 13-7.
Cam Newton connected with Ted Ginn Jr. for a 45-yard gain to the Broncos 38 and Ginn caught a 14-yard pass to the 25. But the drive stalled and Gano missed the kick. Gano was 3 for 3 in the playoffs and 30 of 36 in the regular season.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California.
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8:25 p.m.
Defense and mistakes dominated the first half.
Cam Newton hardly looked like the NFL MVP and Peyton Manning played like a 39-year-old quarterback at the end of his career.
Thanks to Von Miller and the Orange Rush, the Broncos led the Panthers 13-7 at halftime of Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
Newton was 8 of 19 for 95 yards and was sacked three times. He ran for 46 yards.
Manning was 9 of 16 for 76 yards and one interception.
The offenses combined to go three-and-out seven times in 15 possessions. The Panthers also lost two fumbles on third-down plays. Manning threw a pick from the Panthers 24, costing Denver a chance at a field goal.
Miller forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a score by Malik Jackson. Brandon McManus made field goals of 34 and 33 yards. Jordan Norwood’s 61-yard punt return — the longest in Super Bowl history — set up McManus’ second field goal.
Jonathan Stewart had a 1-yard TD dive for the Panthers.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California
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7:50 p.m.
Special teams are doing their part to help Peyton Manning.
Jordan Norwood set up Brandon McManus’ 33-yard field goal with the longest punt return in Super Bowl history.
Norwood fielded a short punt that appeared to be deflected. After a Panthers player bumped into him, Norwood bounced it outside and went 61 yards down the right sideline before Mario Addison caught him from behind at Carolina’s 14.
But Manning and the offense stalled again. A holding call on Louis Vazquez nullified C.J. Anderson’s 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 and McManus kicked his second field goal to make it 13-7.
San Francisco’s John Taylor had the previous longest punt return, 45 yards in the 1989 Super Bowl against Cincinnati.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California
7:32 p.m.
Superman showed up in the second quarter.
Cam Newton started scrambling and led the Carolina Panthers on a scoring drive to cut Denver’s lead to 10-7.
Newton, sacked twice already, had runs of 11 and 12 yards on the drive before connecting with Corey Brown for 13 yards to the 2. Jonathan Stewart then leaped in from the 1 for the score.
Newton hit Brown for 20 yards and Greg Olsen for 19 yards on the drive.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California.
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7:25 p.m.
All zeroes won the first quarter pool.
The Broncos led the Panthers 10-0 after a defensive touchdown. Peyton Manning was 7 of 9 for 61 yards. Cam Newton was 4 of 8 for 31 yards and was sacked twice.
The first sack by Von Miller resulted in a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by Malik Jackson for a score.
Brandon McManus kicked a 34-yard field goal on Denver’s first possession.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California.
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7:21 p.m.
Panthers Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Stewart has returned to the game after missing one series with a foot injury. Stewart hobbled off the field midway through the first quarter after it appeared his foot got twisted under the pile.
— Steve Reed reporting from Santa Clara, California
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7:07 p.m.
The Orange Rush strikes first.
Von Miller sacked Cam Newton, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Malik Jackson in the end zone for a touchdown that gave Denver a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
After the Panthers lost the first challenge when Jerricho Cotchery couldn’t control Newton’s pass over the middle, the Broncos’ top-ranked defense made its presence felt quickly.
On third-and-10 from the 15, Miller blew past a blocker and stripped the ball from Newton’s hand.
The Panthers had outscored opponents 55-7 in the first half this season in the playoffs entering the game.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California
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6:45 p.m.
Peyton Manning came out firing and the Broncos scored first.
Denver took the opening kick and the first four plays were passes for 46 yards. C.J. Anderson then ran for 8 and 12 yards. After Ronnie Hillman lost 3 yards, Manning threw two incomplete passes and the Broncos settled for a 34-yard field goal by Brandon McManus to take a 3-0 lead.
Manning got away with a poor pass that Robert McClain nearly picked near the sideline.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California
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Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos will get the ball first to start the Super Bowl.
The Panthers won the coin toss when Thomas Davis called tails but elected to defer so NFL MVP Cam Newton has to wait to take the field.
The team captains were joined by past Super Bowl MVPs from Bay Area teams and Hall of Famer Joe Montana flipped the special coin.
— Rob Maaddi reporting from Santa Clara, California