There were plenty of people and analysts that picked the Seattle Seahawks to pull off the minor upset in Super Bowl XLVIII over the Denver Broncos. But no one really expected to see what transpired.
From the moment the game kicked off it seemed like the day would belong to Seattle. When the first snap from scrimmage sailed over Peyton Manning’s head while he was making adjustments at the line and recorded a safety, nothing went right.
The Seahawks defense held the NFL record-breaking offense of Denver in check, allowing just eight points in a 43-8 route. Seattle is the fourth-youngest NFL team to win a Super Bowl, averaging just 26.4 years of age.
The players played like veterans that had been there before, even though no player on the roster had Super Bowl experience.
Quarterback Russell Wilson looked like a quarterback comfortable in his surroundings, in just his second year in the NFL. It was an odd role reversal, with Manning looking like the shaky and indecisive quarterback throughout the night. Manning simply couldn’t figure out the Seattle defense.
The thing was, the Seahawks did nothing tricky. They didn’t disguise blitzes and sacrifice coverage to get after the quarterback. They simply played hard, hit harder, and looked like they were the team that wanted it more.
Looking back, how dominant was this performance?
In recent memory this is the most complete game played by a team in the Super Bowl since the Baltimore Ravens’ win over the New York Giants more than a decade ago.
Seattle was dominant in all three phases. Their defense out-scored the Broncos offense 9-8. Denver averaged 38 points per game this season. For those keeping track in the match department that’s 30 points less than the season average.
In other words, the Seahawks offense didn’t even need to take the field. And they really didn’t that much.
Bruno Mars occupied MetLife field more than Manning and Denver’s offense did.
At 22-0, you thought that there was a glimmer of hope coming out of halftime. If the Broncos could somehow get a stop and get a score it could turn things around.
Insert Percy Harvin.
After playing just a handful of quarters this season, Harvin played a critical role in this one. That included taking the opening kick in the second half 100 yards the other way for a touchdown and a 29-0 lead. That right there sealed it.
This will be a game long remember for how good Seattle was versus how bad Denver played; and rightfully so to focus on the positive. The Seahawks have already been set as the 2015 Super Bowl favorites for next season at Bovada Sportsbook.