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Super Bowl MVP Von Miller the central component of Broncos' all-time great defense

Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / Getty

In a resolute 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers, the Denver Broncos cemented their place as one of the best defenses of all time. With Von Miller submitting a performance for the ages en route to Super Bowl MVP honors, the Broncos' relentless, penetrative effort will resonate for years to come.

Entering Super Bowl 50, the Broncos led the NFL in total defense, sacks, and defensive Defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), clearly establishing themselves as the premier unit in the league. Regardless, the Broncos were a 5.5-point underdog going into the contest, slipping into the background as Cam Newton and the 17-1 Panthers glimmered.

The Broncos' road to the Super Bowl wouldn't be paved without Miller's all-around brilliance, as the All-Pro linebacker proved to be an omnipresent threat in his club's three postseason victories. Miller was the leader of the Broncos' destruction of the Patriots' offense during the AFC Championship Game, recording 2.5 sacks and an interception, while the unit registered 20 quarterback hits on Tom Brady.

Miller was at the forefront of an iconic defensive performance Sunday night, with the Broncos replicating the formula that worked so well against the Patriots a fortnight ago. The Broncos battered Newton 13 times, while Miller registered another 2.5 sacks and six tackles. In the first quarter, Miller delivered the defining play of Super Bowl 50, ruthlessly snatching the ball out of Newton's hands as the reigning MVP watched helplessly as Malik Jackson pounced on the ball for a touchdown.

Suddenly, the undercurrent of an inevitable Panthers coronation rapidly swung in the Broncos' favor. Pro Bowlers Chris Harris and DeMarcus Ware were excellent in the victory, but no one shone brighter than the mercurial Broncos outside linebacker.

Miller is slated to become an unrestricted free agent and deserves a contract that will see him emerge as one of the highest-paid defensive players in NFL history. The Broncos may opt to use their franchise tag on Miller, and with all due respect to legendary quarterback Peyton Manning, the 26-year-old warrants face-of-the-organization status in every sense.

Although the Broncos established themselves as one of the few genuine juggernauts, the franchise didn't always appear certain for greatness prior to Miller joining the club. Denver stumbled to an abysmal 4-12 record and selected Miller second overall in an outstanding 2011 NFL Draft, one pick after Newton, the player he tormented en route to Super Bowl immortality Sunday. Once viewed as one of the NFL's marquee organizations, the Broncos toiled in no man's land before Miller prevailed as one of the league's premier players.

Manning riding off into the sunset with a second Super Bowl victory is an authentically great moment for himself and the NFL at-large, but it would be incorrect to allow his imposing lore overshadow the Broncos' defense. Going 13-of-23 for 141 yards and an interception, Manning was capable if unspectacular and was carried by one of the greatest defenses of all time.

The 2015 Denver Broncos will be remembered as a defense-oriented club that took the next step after adopting defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 base scheme to perfection. At the forefront is Miller, the phenomenal outside linebacker who is etching his own legacy into the annals of NFL history, one game at a time.

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