Seahawks 43 – Broncos 8
In what was one of the most dominating Defensive performances in Super Bowl history, Peyton Manning’s legacy got no boost after the thrashing they took from the Seattle Seahawks. Firstly, congratulations to The Champs, a well deserved and spectacular display of football prowess. The media centered the majority of coverage on Peyton, and of course the outspoken Seahawk Defensive Back Richard Sherman, but it was a total team win as all three phases, Offense, Defense, and Special Teams, put points on the board. The other overriding issue surrounding Super Bowl 48 was the weather, this being the first “cold weather” game in Super Bowl History. And I will tell you, as someone who lives in New York, the football gods smiled down on Peyton and the NFL by warming up game time temperatures to a cozy 45 degrees at kickoff. The game however got off to a bad start for Peyton and the Bronco’s from the first snap, which sailed over the head of the MVP Quaterback which resulted in a safety and the quickest score in SB history, it was all downhill from there for Denver. If there were any good or positive aspects to their performance, they did hold them to only 8 points in the first quarter, and they were able to score a touchdown and two point conversion in the third quarter, which did quell a shutout. But this one was a hard one to watch if you are a Bronco fan, because absolutely nothing went right for the Mile High gang. Not only did the ball not bounce there way, it bounced in the opposition direction.
Legion Of Boom!
That was by far one of the most dominating defensive performances in Super Bowl History, I liken it to Washington vs Denver in SB XXII , Dallas vs Buffalo in SB XXVII , and most notably Chicago vs New England SB XX, just to name a few. All the aforementioned being one sided blowouts which left fans with a bit of a ho-hum feeling afterwards. Now if you’re a Seahawks fan, this was a game for the ages and one you relished every moment of. If you’re simply the average sports fans or someone who has become accustomed to the type of thrillers we’ve seen in recent Super Bowl match-ups, you had to feel let down. I will admit I was pulling for Peyton and his Bronco’s, I actually thought they had a chance and given the record breaking season they had, it seemed reasonable to go for the sentimental favorite. This game was like a prize fight where the first punch was a technical knock-out, yet they still had to fight through all the rounds. If there was ever a game that should’ve been stopped before it was over, it was Super Bowl XLVIII. However beyond simply Seattle’s stifling defense who put points, the special teams contributed a score as well on a spectacular kickoff return by Percy Harvin. So we applaud the current Super Bowl Champs for what was a stellar team effort, albeit it a lob-sided and mundane affair from the standpoint of great match-up.
The Legacy Himself
The media for years now has been weighing the Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning saga, and is Peyton really the best ever. I didn’t quite understand the viewpoint that winning this game and going 2-1 would cement his legacy, that would simply tie him with Big Ben for Super Bowl records. Ten twenty years down the road no one will remember any of the numeric accomplishments Peyton Manning has achievement, in fact, does the average Yinzer from Steeltown remember whether Terry Bradshaw was the league MVP in 1978 and ’79, or was it just ’79. It doesn’t matter, Bradshaw has four shiny Super Bowl rings and he earned each and every one of them. Simply put, and I say this all the time with respect to excellent players, Terry Bradshaw and his fellow Steelers could not be stopped. The Steelers of the 1970’s played against all the best teams and players in the NFL over that decade, and no one was able to stop them. History now has shown that when Peyton goes up against the best defenses, the best coaches, the best quarterbacks, the results have been the same, including costly interceptions and a general inability to compete on a champion level. Believe me, I hate to bash the great god of Quarterbacks, but it is what it is and for those that are looking for the ultimate validation and celebration of this man, his record speaks for itself.
So yes, we’ll cry when he retires, we’ll applaud when he inevitably is inducted on his first year of eligibility. But when it come to the discussion of the great pantheon of Championship Quarterbacks, it’s time to allow Peyton to lie in the bed he’s made for himself.
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