When it comes to Super Bowl lines, sometimes the underdog wins. Sometimes, as was the case at XLVIII, the underdog emphatically obliterates a living legend quarterback and one of the most productive offenses in the history of the NFL.
Hey, that’s football.
A Crushing Blowout
When the Seattle Seahawks routed the Denver Broncos at Super Bowl XLVIII, they not only exceeded expectations, they reminded us all of the unpredictable nature of the sport. Never mind that Denver had the SuperBowl betting odds in their favor with a 3-point spread prior to kickoff.
That Super Bowl point spread was quickly forgotten about altogether when the Seahawks started to thrive early and talk shifted from just how even the contest could be to whether or not the club could pull off a shutout in the biggest game of the year.
Perhaps the resulting 43-8 blowout – among the most lopsided in league history – will serve as a way of making sure that we never forget to give both teams a fair shot before making our predictions in the future.
While the spread was admirably close, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to suggest that bettors and fans alike had entertained possibilities of either a) a nail biter or, b) a convincing Denver victory. That few called for a convincing Seattle victory tells us all we need to know about how the mainstream NFL community perceived this matchup.
Under Pressure
More than just a case of the SuperBowl odds coming up short on this one, Super Bowl XLVIII will stand as a testament of football in general. While the Broncos may not have played their best game when it mattered most, it would be naive not to attribute their fumbles and foibles to the vaunted Seattle pressure.
The Seahawks had a bustling secondary up to the challenge of containing and limiting Peyton Man-ning’s aerial prowess (Kam Chancellor anyone?) and a front seven that never gave up on hounding the future HOFer under center. Two Manning interceptions, a Manning fumble and then another lost fumble at the hands of Demaryius Thomas later and it’s the Seahawks shifting their attention from play-stopping to the logistics of coordinating a celebratory parade.
Malcolm Smith, of course, will go down in the record books with his five tackles, one interception and a deflection, but perhaps his biggest contribution was the collective rattling of Manning that he and his teammates provided. The fumbled snap that resulted in an opening play safety was the first, but not the last time the Broncos looked discombobulated on the field, and that’s something that the entire team can take credit for.
In Review
Manning, yes he of 55 touchdowns and 5,477 passing yards, finished with just a single scoring connection and 280 largely empty yards that didn’t treat him well (let alone anybody who relied on him with their Super Bowl online betting decisions (*cough* Floyd Mayweather *cough*).
How can we learn from this performance the next time we look to bet on the Super Bowl? What does it mean for the general level of respect that defensive-minded programs get when lined up against flashier, more offensively inclined opponents?
At least the topic is up for discussion. Considering just how many people have something to say after the historically one-sided showing, it may be a discussion we’re having for a while.
Hey, that’s football.