Seattle Seahawks (13-3) vs. Denver Broncos (13-3)

Seahawks – 17th

Broncos – 1st

Seahawks – 1st

Broncos – 19th

Although it isn’t the matchup I expected or predicted at the beginning of the season, most in fact wanted this matchup the entire year.  Now that these two teams will play each other for the Lombardi trophy, we’ll have to look and see if this will live up to the hype of most Super Bowls.  It has been a while since the top two teams from each conference made it to the Super Bowl in the same year.  It’s also been a while since the top ranked offense matched up against the top ranked defense for the title. With all that said lets look at a couple things that should be noted before the game.

Seattle’s Pete Carroll had two previous stints as a head coach in the NFL.  The first with the New York Jets for only one season.  His next was a three year tenure with the New England Patriots. Afterwards he was coaching USC back to prominence, but left fairly early in his reign due to impending sanctions for the next available NFL head coaching job.  At the time no one thought that he could turn Seattle into winners, but after a few bumps in the road he brought his college mentality to this group of players who were mostly acquired via the draft.  A few others were key free agent acquisitions.  Now that he has his shot to hoist a Lombardi trophy he has a lot of pressure to do so since his fallout at the college ranks.  Recent history isn’t on the side of the loser to reach the Super Bowl the next year.

John Fox has an established record in the NFL and this will be his second trip to the Super Bowl, his first being with the Carolina Panthers.  That Carolina team had a solid defense, but their offense was hit or miss, but was hot at the right time.  This Denver team that he has is the exact opposite with Peyton Manning at the helm. The Broncos defense is solid, but they are prone to giving up the big play, but have shown in the playoffs that they are adjusting to their opponents strategy to expose that. This is a big moment for Fox as it is for Carroll in that both of them need a title to solidify their coaching careers.

I normally don’t say a teams quarterback is a player to watch in a game like this.  Everyone knows what to expect from them. However, I don’t know what to expect from Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.  He hasn’t had a legitimate number one receiver the entire season.  Sidney Rice has been out almost the entire year with a knee injury and newly acquired Percy Harvin has been banged up with a hip injury in training camp and with a concussion during the playoffs.  Harvin will be available for the Super Bowl, but how will he and Wilson mesh during the game?

As for Denver everyone will be watching Peyton Manning and his in-game adjustments against Seattle’s defense, but the Broncos must run the ball to keep Seattle honest.  Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball have to play a perfect game.  Both running the ball and protecting Peyton in blitz pickups.  If the Broncos offense is running on all cylinders it will be because of the running backs and the offensive line winning the battle in the trenches.

For Seattle it’s rather simple.  Keep Peyton Manning off the field. They have to control the clock.  Time of possession isn’t everything, but if Manning has a huge edge in that category it won’t be easy for Seattle to stay in the game.  RB Marshawn Lynch has to carry the ball at least 25 times and be effective with his touches if the Seahawks want to win or stay close.  Denver will score their fair share of points, but if the Broncos can’t stop Lynch, then Seattle has a chance.

Denver will try to outscore them early and often.  The Broncos showed against the Chargers and Patriots that it won’t be that easy to run the ball on them.  Denver knows that the Seahawks count on Lynch to set up their offense and if the Broncos stop him they can focus on Wilson.  The task is simple and that’s to score and score often.  Not letting Seattle get any hope.

While I don’t believe it will be a defensive struggle, it won’t be a blowout by any means.  Denver will try to score at least 30 points and Seattle will try to keep them in the 20’s.  Basically if the Broncos do score 30 or more points they should win.  If Seattle keeps Denver to around 20 they have a chance of winning.  While I did have Denver playing San Francisco at the beginning of the season this is a similar matchup and it will bode a good game.  Not having paid attention to any of the coverage or trash talking, which was rather tame, I have the Broncos winning 34-24.  Even if Peyton Manning doesn’t win this game I still consider him the greatest quarterback I have ever seen play this game.