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| (photo credit: usatoday.com) |
The Seahawks were able to win their first Super Bowl in team history by punishing future Hall of Fame quarterback, Peyton Manning, and the Denver Broncos 43-8. The Seahawks defense was masterful in their stingiest, never allowing the five-time League MVP to get going, and dismantling the highest-scoring offense in league history.
Seattle (16-3) was just too quick, and extremely physical for a Denver Broncos team that was more fitness than strength. A game that was hyped as a classic matchup between an unstoppable offense and a hard-hitting defense turned into a route.
The play that punctuated the Seahawks dominance was a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Malcolm Smith to make it 22-0, and then Percy Harvin had a back breaking 87-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
With Seattle up 29 points, their defense forced the Broncos to punt early in the third quarter, the 12th Man -- and there were legions of them at MetLife Stadium -- all began chanting "L-O-B, L-O-B."
As in the Legion of Boom, the Seahawks' extremely hard-hitting secondary, which is part of a young team that had an average age of 26-years.
The humiliating loss by the Broncos once again raised questions about Peyton Manning's ability to win the biggest games. Up to that point, Manning was 11-12 in the postseason, and 1-2 in Super Bowls.
Manning never looked comfortable against a defense that some were comparing to the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2000 Baltimore Ravens -- other NFL Championship teams who had runaway with Super Bowl victories.
The Seahawks had forced four turnovers; the Broncos only had 26 all season.
All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman was forced from the game in the fourth quarter with a high ankle sprain, but that didn't stop him from celebrating on crutches.
Seattle's quarterback, Russell Wilson, has an NFL record 28 wins in his first two seasons as a pro, including the playoffs, had a 23-yard TD pass to Jermaine Kearse late in the quarter to make it 36-0.
Wilson also had a 10-yard TD pass to Doug Baldwin in the fourth quarter in what had become one of the most lopsided Super Bowls in NFL history. For the fifth time in six meetings between the NFL's No.1 offense and defense, the defense dominated.
The Denver Broncos fell to 2-5 in Super Bowls after that embarrassing loss, and by the end of the game, many of Manning's passes resembled the "ducks" Sherman said the All-Pro quarterback sometimes throws.
The Seahawks victory was particularly sweet for Pete Carroll, who was fired in 1994 by the New York Jets. He also coached the New England Patriots for three seasons and again was fired. After taking a break from coaching, he took over at the University of Southern California and won two National Titles.
But Carroll always felt like there was unfinished business in the NFL. Carroll fulfilled his dreams and finished that business by raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy, four years after taking charge in Seattle and eight years after the Seahawks lost in their only previous Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Things went south for Manning and the Broncos right from the start, and by halftime they were down 22-0, which was their biggest deficit of the season and only time they didn't score in a half.
On Denver's first play from scrimmage, Manning stepped up toward the line just as center Manny Ramirez snapped the ball. The ball flew past Manning who was clearly not expecting the ball, and it sailed into the end zone, where Knowshon Moreno dove on it for a safety.
A mere 12 seconds into the game, Seattle already led 2-0 with the quickest score in Super Bowl history, beating the Chicago Bears Devin Hester's kickoff return to open the 2007 game, which was against Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts.
That Super Bowl ended much better for Manning as the Colts won the Championship. This one, however, was a beat down throughout.
Stephen Hauschka made a 31-and 33-yard field goals for an 8-0 lead. Then the Seahawks began to score touchdowns.
Manning's third-down pass to Julius Thomas sailed over his head and directly into the hands of safety Kam Chancellor, giving Seattle the ball at Denver's 37. After a 31-yard interference call against Tony Carter of the Broncos on third-down, the Seahawks now had the ball on Denver's one yard line, and Marshawn Lynch scored to make it 15-0.
Then Smith made his second huge play in two weeks. His interception clinched the NFC Championship game over the San Francisco 49ers.
Cliff Avril got to Manning's arm as he was throwing, the ball then fluttered directly to Smith, who took off down the left sideline for a 69-yard interception TD.
Manning slowly made his way back to Denver's sideline, a look of utter disgust on his face, and Denver's reputation as an unstoppable offensive force ruined.
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