As the Denver defense was running past, over and through the Carolina Panthers on Sunday en route to the Broncos’ 24-10 victory in Super Bowl 50, I couldn’t help but think of new – but really not-so-new — Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton.

 In his first go around in that job in 2013, Horton had the great line that he was looking for “big men who can run, little men who can hit.”

 When he was playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers as a defensive back with the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1980s, then coaching for the Steelers along with the great Dick LeBeau, Horton saw the benefit of having defensive players who can fit that model. For decades, the Steelers have had big men who can run like the wind, and little men who can hit like a sledgehammer.

And that’s what the Broncos had on Sunday. Their defensive ends and outside linebackers looked like they had jet engines strapped to their backs. The Carolina tackles looked like they had concrete blocks strapped to their legs. The Broncos were blowing past them almost untouched at times. It was like watching the JVs playing against the varsity.

And those Denver defensive backs, among them former Browns safety T.J. Ward, looked liked missiles exploding into the Carolina receivers. Again, it was a physical mismatch.

 Indeed, when Carolina had the ball, the two teams were playing at completely different speeds. The Panthers looked like a bunch of old men with beer bellies. The Broncos looked like young men with six-pack abs.

 Speed, speed, speed and more speed from the big guys.

 Hitting, hitting, hitting and more hitting from the little guys.

That’s the way the Browns have to play defensively, and I think they will eventually do just that once Horton finds enough of the kinds of players he needs. He told us several years ago that, that is how he wants to play, and nothing has changed in his mind. Moreover, what the Broncos did to the Panthers is a reminder of just how effective that style can be.