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While Peyton Manning gets most of the press coverage, most people acknowledge that the Denver defense won the game. While a team needs good defensive players like Miller and Ware, it also has to play smart. This article explains the strategy behind Denver's defensive win.
Sports Illustrated: ‘We Read Them Like a Book’
Basically Wade Phillips defense (coaches and players) studied the tapes and prepared for the team that "showed up as on the book". The Panthers did very little different from their previous game plans.
Ward was asked if the Panthers showed them anything that they didn’t expect. “No. We read them like a book.”
“They did everything we watched on film,” said fellow safety Darian Stewart.
For those interested in the nuances of defenses reading what the QB is going to do, this article is revealing, especially if you are a Broncos fan.