Security heavy and visible around Super Bowl

In his Super Bowl debut, the Broncos linebacker came up big in the first quarter, connecting on a strip sack of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Norman was called for holding, which the Broncos declined, and the Broncos were in Carolina territory en route to a Brandon McManus 34-yard field goal.

Cam Newton drove the Panthers into field-goal range after Charles Johnson recovered Peyton Manning’s fumble at midfield.

The Panthers pulled within a field goal when Jonathan Stewart ran one yard for a touchdown in the second quarter. Denver’s Danny Trevathan fell on it at the 7. Newton had completed just 8 of his 19 passes for 95 yards, and Manning was 9 for 16 or 76 yards and one interception.

Several Broncos and Panthers changed their cleats, seeking some solution from a field that would not allow them to always plant their feet and explode. And they got nothing out of that when Graham Gano’s 44-yard field goal try doinked off the right upright.

Then the Broncos countered with a couple of long passes from Manning to Emmanuel Sanders (for 25 and 22 yards).

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.

Denver leads 3-0 after the kick.

The Broncos got on the board first, before Jackson’s touchdown, but couldn’t get a touchdown.

They kept Newton to 18 / 41 for 265 yards and one interception, as the Panthers’ attacking dynamo was largely held in check after a four-touchdown performance in the NFC Championship game against Arizona earned Carolina a spot in the season finale.

Stewart left the game twice with an ankle injury and is questionable to return.