“Defense wins championships.” The old cliché once again proved its worth as one of football’s greatest, and most accurate, clichés. In this gargantuan contest of the NFL’s best defence (Denver Broncos) versus best offence (Carolina Panthers), there was only one team in the game.

Yet this was not what the Super Bowl was billed as. Rather, it focused (naturally) on the two quarterbacks. The maverick superstar, Cam Newton, versus the veteran legend, Peyton Manning; ‘Superman’ versus ‘The Sheriff’; super-human athlete versus omnipotent sage; high-profile player at the start of a star-spangled career versus one almost certainly at the very end. And, after an MVP-worthy season, it was clear the pre-game upper hand fell to Newton – especially in contrast to the injury-ridden and inconsistent season of the ageing (and ostensibly so) Manning.

But in the face of a ferocious Broncos defence, seemingly in possession of kryptonite on the day, SuperCam’s powers were neutralised. While there was no Hollywood ending to 39-year-old Manning’s career, leading his team to victory with a game-winning drive after an astonishing all-round performance, it is fair to say that ending a career with a superbowl ring is about as fantastic as it gets in the real world. He can thank his defence for that.

The precedent was set early in the game when defensive linebacker Von Miller sacked Cam Newton in his own Red Zone, forcing a fumble which was recovered by Denver for the first fumble return touchdown in a Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXVIII, giving the Broncos a 10-0 lead. Von Miller would deservedly become the Super Bowl MVP – a prestigious honour only held by nine other defensive players.

Carolina responded with a 9-play 73-yard scoring drive, culminating in a fantastic touchdown by running back Jonathan Stewart who, in an act of gravitational defiance, seemed to transform into an Olympic-level high jumper as he flung himself over the onrushing defenders from one yard out. The Broncos replied with a field goal and the Panthers fumbled on their next possession, leaving the score at 13-7 in favour of Denver at the end of the half.

The superbowl is not just a game – ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ is an event, which fills the hearts and minds of a nation and, after a five-hour binge of chicken wings, their stomachs, too. The half-time show did not disappoint, as the superstar cast of Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars dazzled the crowd with a mesmerising performance. It was more than enough to energise those on this side of the Atlantic for the early hours of the morning in the second half.

The Panthers seemed to share that energy, but the momentum from their opening drive all but dwindled when kicker Graham Gano hit the post off a 44-yard field goal attempt. The Broncos responded with another field goal, making it 16-7, before another seemingly momentous Panthers drive crumbled after another fumble deep in Broncos territory.

Carolina was able to respond with a field goal of their own to come within a touchdown of Denver, but MVP Von Miller came to the rescue when everything seemed set up for a game-winning drive led by Newton, as he forced another fumble which the Broncos recovered and capitalised on when Anderson ran into the end zone from two yards out. At 22-7, Peyton Manning decided to show up and threw a slant pass into the end zone for a two-point conversion, which sealed the victory by giving the Broncos a 24-7 lead.

24-7 the game ended, and the Denver Broncos now reign as Super Bowl Champions. While not the most dramatic of games, it was no doubt an incident-packed spectacle worth watching – even if you had a 9am the next morning. For the art of defending is something special; the Broncos gave a masterclass against what had been an invisible offence. And the underdogs won. That, too, is a cliché that never gets old.