Super Bowl XLVIII Quickies: Final Thoughts Before Kickoff

Jan 31, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos helmets are on display with the Vince Lombardi Trophy prior to a press conference at Rose Theater in advance of Super Bowl XLVIII. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Twas the night before Super Bowl…yeah, yeah..we get it. It will not be long today because I have to catch a flight bound for the mother land; Colorado!

Today, Super Saturday is the calm before the storm. The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are going through final walk-throughs and preparations. The Pro Football Hall Of Fame will be announcing the induction class of 2014; which we Broncos’ fans are hoping and praying that former Broncos’ safety and my buddy (LOL!), John Lynch is fittingly elected into the halls of football immortality. Super Bowl Boulevard in Times Square will still be hopping for one more day. And we all get to take a deep breath after a harried week of listening to pundits break down the game: Is this about the Denver offense vs. the Seattle defense? Is it the Denver defense vs. the Seattle offense? Pot Roast vs Beast Mode?

After 168 hours of non-stop guesstimations and experts making predictions, we’re right where we were on evening of January 19th; The Broncos against the Seahawks for all of the NFL marbles and nobody has a clue as to what is going to happen. We hope the Broncos give us a reason to have a parade down 17th St. on Tuesday or Wednesday. However I am cautiously optimistic. Both teams are here for a reason. They are well prepared and very talented despite relying on different methods to win ball games. The Broncos play up-tempo offense and solid defense. The Seahawks play a physical style of defense and try to wear you down with its running game. Both play well on special teams. In the end, though, it’s about execution and ball protection. I do believe that if the Broncos don’t turn the ball over at all, it’s improbable that Seattle wins this game. If the Seahawks can force Denver to at least 3 three-and-outs, turn them over a couple of times, and limit the Broncos’ recent proclivity to go on long, seven minute drives which result in points, Denver’s chances of winning are not good. Either way, both teams must be respected and nothing taken for granted.

I am not going to make any predictions about the outcome. What I will say is that if the Broncos are to win, they will have to score at least 24-27 points which will mean the most valuable player would likely be Peyton Manning. However, keep an eye on Knowshon Moreno or Eric Decker to win the honors in the event of a Denver victory. I feel that, in addition to PFM, they each have to have a big game to make this dream come true. If Seattle is going to win, the final score will probably have to be in the neighborhood of  20-17. In which case, I can see Marshawn Lynch procuring the game’s MVP award. I think a dark horse MVP candidate might come from the defensive side of the ball in the event of a heartbreaking Seahawks’ victory.

Either way, both teams deserve the utmost respect and our congratulations for not only getting here, but for how they have handled themselves on the field during the regular season and the postseason. Both have also exhibited class off the field; Marshawn Lynch’s social anxiety on media day notwithstanding. I really don’t blame him for not wanting to have thousands of mics and recorders stuffed in his grill if he suffers from that kind of anxiety.

Lastly, I hope that the fans of both teams handle the outcome with class and dignity. Too many times we see riots and bon fires in the streets in the wake of either victory or defeat. This is a perfect opportunity for the fans of Denver and Seattle to show the rest of the sports world how to celebrate a victory and handle defeat with integrity and class. So stay classy, Denver! Stay classy, Seattle!

So good luck and may the best team win…as long as that team is from Denver…:WINK:!

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