The aftermath of Super Bowl XLVIII
By Dan Canova
Super Bowl Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey seemed more like an April day at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
The weather and the game itself threw a curveball into the dirt, and all 111 million NFL fans watching all over the country chased it,
and missed.
If I were to tell you the final score of Super Bowl XLVIII, would be 43-8, and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning would complete 34 passes, which would end up being a Super Bowl record, and if Seahawks running back, Marshawn Lynch was held to only 39 yards on 15 carries, who would you think won the game? The Broncos right? Well you and I are both wrong.
For two weeks leading up to the game, meterologists all over the country were predicting freezing temperatures, blizzards, snowstorms, rain, and sleet. Once again, they were all wrong. Not unlike a Spring day in the Bronx, the weather was 49 degrees at game time with some clouds; it had no impact on the game whatsoever.
Now the game.
The NFL welcomed Hall of Fame quarterbacks from the New York Giants and Jets, Phil Simms and Joe Namath at midfield for the coin toss. “Broadway” Joe Namath had the same attire on as he wore on the sidelines as an NFL quarterback for the Jets back when they were a relevant franchise-his “Broadway Joe” fur coat.
If you watched Namath’s coin toss, you knew this game was going to be bizzare. Namath flipped the coin in the air, not even allowing the visiting Seahawks to call heads or tails. Head referee, Terry McAulay intercepted the coin in mid air-much like Derek Jeter snagging a line drive headed for the outfield-and Namath was allowed a “do over.”
The Seahawks selected tails and won the second coin toss. They chose to kick to start the game, and from then on everything went in a downward spiral for the
Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning’s legacy.
At the very first snap of the game, while Manning was making adjustments at the line of scrimmage, center, Manny Ramirez (no not the Manny Ramirez Yankees fans feared stepping up to the plate in New York) snapped the ball over Manning’s head, into the Broncos defending endzone, and the Seahawks had two points in 12 seconds; the fastest scored points in Super Bowl history.
Manning went on to throw two interceptions in the game, one returned for a touchdown by Seahawks linebacker and Super Bowl MVP, Malcolm Smith, and the Seahawks defeated the best offense in NFL history, winning the game 43-8. Seattle dominated on every phase of the game; offense, defense, special teams, and even its fan base. The physicality of the number one defense in football was too much for Manning’s number one offense.
No one in their right mind expected that. This was pre-proclaimed one of the “Greatest Super Bowls Ever.”
But just like an April day at Yankee Stadium, the Broncos swung for the home run and missed, and the Seattle Seahawks led by Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas from the “Legion of Boom” threw a picture perfect game like Don Larsen, David Wells, and David Cone.