Super Bowl XLVIII – Behind Enemy Lines: Denver Broncos Edition
By Todd Pheifer
Aug 17, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) speak following a 40-10 preseason victory by the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
In just a few days, the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos will finally take the field in Super Bowl XLVIII. All the hype and analysis will be over, and it will be time to see whether the top offense or the top defense will prevail
It is always interesting to get a different perspective, so I connected with Andrew Dill of Mile High Maniac to get his thoughts on the big game. He also had some questions for me, and my answers can be found here. Here are Mr.Dill’s answers to my questions:
Q. Much has been made of Peyton Manning‘s “legacy” as it pertains to Super Bowl wins. Does Manning have to win another ring in order to earn the title of “greatest quarterback of all time”?
A: I believe Manning has already cemented his spot as one of the greatest quarterbacks off all time. Despite his 11-11 record in the post season, he recorded three of the top-10 best playoff games conducted by a quarterback since 1945 according to Football Outsiders. His smarts and vision behind center and recognition of opponents defenses go unnoticed when all people want to know about is their postseason record and Super Bowl rings. Sure, another Super Bowl victory over the Seahawks would be nice but he has already proven himself as one of the best if not the best of all-time.
Q. Richard Sherman made headlines after his post-game comments following the NFC Championship game. Do you think fans in Denver respect his talent or do they just see him as an overconfident player that talks too much?
A: Personally, I love that he is showing raw emotion. Usually these days, athletes respond with the same old clichés that drive people and reports alike insane. I know some Broncos fans on my twitter timeline were quick to judge Sherman about his post-game rant, but I definitely respect him as a player and can’t wait to see him go head-to-head with one of the top receivers in the game in Demaryius Thomas.
Q. It isn’t hard to figure out that the Seahawks will hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch throughout the game. What does the Denver defense need to do in order to contain Lynch while also accounting for what Russell Wilson can do with his feet (and his arm)?
A: Denver will feature a defensive tackle by the name of Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton who clogs the middle of the field. In the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, the Broncos held their rushing attack to just 64 yards rushing on 16 attempts. LeGarrette Blount who went off against the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round, quickly knew that Denver’s front-line was stout as he just collected 6 yards on 5 attempts. In order to keep Wilson and Lynch in check, they will likely need to run a QB-Spy for most of the game to limit Russell to throwing the ball, which Denver wants him to do.
Q. Will Peyton Manning directly challenge the vaunted secondary of the Seahawks? Or, will he look to run the ball, be content to throw short passes and take his chances against the Seattle linebackers?
A: In the AFC Championship Game against New England, Peyton Manning went right after New England’s depleted secondary. The Patriots secondary is no Seahawks secondary as they are known for making big plays and forcing turnovers. I would believe Manning would try to establish the run game first before attacking the likes of Richard Sherman and expect him to test the linebackers on slants and screens before anything else.
Q. Loyalties aside, who wins this game and what will be the final score?
A: This is a match-up everyone can’t wait to see. It will be an interesting match-up between Denver’s number one ranked offense and Seattle’s number one ranked defense. I just find it hard to think Seattle can contain the likes of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker, and Julius Thomas for the whole game. The game will come down to who has the ball the longest and who can convert the important third-downs, that’s why I’m going with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos by the final score of 24-21.