GT: Super Bowl XLVIII February 2, 2014 6:30 PM

[Mamba Mentality]

Seattle Seahawks (13-3), 1st in NFC

The Seahawks defense was ranked first in the league in pass defense (172.0 ypg), total defense (273.6 ypg) and scoring defense (14.4 ppg) during the regular season.

Denver Broncos (13-3), 1st in AFC

The Broncos offense was ranked first in the league in pass offense (340.2 ypg), total offense (457.3 ypg) and scoring offense (37.9 ppg) during the regular season.

[CBS7]

Isn't that something. #1 Total/Scoring/Passing offense vs #1 Total/Scoring/Passing defense.

I'm gonna go with the Broncos. Peyton Manning will have a big-ish game (250+ yards 2+ TDs)

[Mamba Mentality]

Broncos win 24-20. I'm kind of tempted to run the score up a little bit more in favor of the Broncos, but I'll try and keep my Seahawk hatred/bias at bay.

[Bulltalk]

I don't have the kind of sports-animosity for the Broncos that I do for the Niners, but they are kind of standing in the way of the prize. At the moment, however, I just don't fear the Broncos nearly as much as the Niners from a competitive standpoint, even with Peyton Manning. If the Niners had beaten the Seahawks, I would have reluctantly believed them to be the clear favorite over the Broncos.

Here's an interesting stat I heard this morn. The Seahawks are the first team to lead the NFL in all three of the most important defensive categories (points allowed, yardage allowed, turnovers) since the 1985-86 Chicago Bears, arguably the greatest defense of all time. And the Hawks defense is predicated most upon its secondary, the very thing Manning is going to have to consistently beat to win the Super Bowl (they ain't running the ball on the Hawks).

Meanwhile, the Broncos defense, although they played well yesterday, is not nearly in the same category as some of the defenses the Hawks have been playing of late. The Seahawks will in all likelihood move the ball even more efficiently against them than they have of late against other teams, probably score more points as well. Add to that the Hawks will have a game-breaker in Percy Harvin back for the contest.

It's still early on here, and my opinion might yet change, but I see the Hawks as a clear favorite in the Super Bowl now, and am actually surprised they aren't at least 3-3 1/2 point favorites in Vegas now. The Manning effect, to be sure.

A last little thing to keep mind. The game will be played outdoors in New Jersey, most likely in the cold weather, in those winter elements. Manning has historically not played nearly as well outside in the winter elements.

[LAKESHOW]

Add to that the Hawks will have a game-breaker in Percy Harvin back for the contest.

This is the only interesting development that I wanna see. Because 3 points vs. Manning aint gonna cut it. The seahawks are gonna need points.

[blazza18]

Peyton!

[Bulltalk]

Add to that the Hawks will have a game-breaker in Percy Harvin back for the contest.

This is the only interesting development that I wanna see. Because 3 points vs. Manning aint gonna cut it. The seahawks are gonna need points.

The Seahawks got 23 points against the Niners who have a much better defense than the Broncos. How many more points is it going to take to beat the Broncos in the Super Bowl, especially considering that the Broncos are going up against the best defense in the NFL?

[LAKESHOW]

Do you really wanna be argumentative in the area of scoring points? REALLY? Do you want a listing of the number of games where Manning scored 30, 40, 50pts? Get a grip. Im actually rootin for the Seahawks, but sheesh, if you don't think they wont need points against Manning...maybe you need to watch some gamefilm or something...

[Bulltalk]

Do you really wanna be argumentative in the area of scoring points? REALLY? Do you want a listing of the number of games where Manning scored 30, 40, 50pts? Get a grip. Im actually rootin for the Seahawks, but sheesh, if you don't think they wont need points against Manning...maybe you need to watch some gamefilm or something...

I didn't say they wouldn't need to score points. Duh! I asked you how many points you thought the Hawks would likely need to score to beat them given that they have the best defense in the league, and keeping in mind that the Broncos are an easier defense to score against than the Seahawks have faced the last 5 games?

[LAKESHOW]

Not really. Your point was comparing the 49ers to the Broncos. And then you question how many more points will the seahawks need vs. the Broncos. In other words, how many more points will Wilson need to beat Manning. No comparsion. The Broncos can and will score points. And wilsons is going to need more production and efficiency to win.

[Bulltalk]

Not really. Your point was comparing the 49ers to the Broncos. And then you question how many more points will the seahawks need vs. the Broncos. In other words, how many more points will Wilson need to beat Manning. No comparsion. The Broncos can and will score points. And wilsons is going to need more production and efficiency to win.

Just say you don't want to answer a simple question that I posed to you. That's all I was looking for.

[LAKESHOW]

True. Your looking for points. And Im sayin where are the points goin to come from?

[Bulltalk]

True. Your looking for points. And Im sayin where are the points goin to come from?

That's all I wanted to know, that you didn't want to answer my simple question that I posed to you. Fine. I was just honestly wondering what your knowledge and expertise on the subject thought on this matter, seeing that you seemed to possess a great deal of such knowledge and expertise about these matters.

[LAKESHOW]

Fine, but Im not the one asking if your QB Wilson needs points against Peyton Manning. sheesh.

[Slava]

Despite Seattle's secondary, Denver has four very good targets, so I expect this to be a high scoring game. This is a legacy defining game for Peyton so I would not count him out as an underdog but I do easily see him throwing an interception or two.

[Higga]

I think the Broncos match up well with the Seahawks. The Seahawks play a ton of man coverage, and the Broncos kill that with all those pick plays. And as good as Sherman is, he can only cover one guy. Browner being out really hurts the Seahawks.

The Broncos D is a lot better than people think. Their stats in the regular season look bad because their O put up so many points the D ended up giving up a lot of garbage time yards/points late in games. In the playoffs they've held two elite QBs and offenses to below 20 points. They shouldn't really have too many issues with a pretty mediocre Seahawk offense.

Should be a good game though. I'm pulling for the Broncos, and I think they win it. 21-17.

[Bulltalk]

I think the Broncos match up well with the Seahawks. The Seahawks play a ton of man coverage, and the Broncos kill that with all those pick plays. And as good as Sherman is, he can only cover one guy. Browner being out really hurts the Seahawks.

The Broncos D is a lot better than people think. Their stats in the regular season look bad because their O put up so many points the D ended up giving up a lot of garbage time yards/points late in games. In the playoffs they've held two elite QBs and offenses to below 20 points. They shouldn't really have too many issues with a pretty mediocre Seahawk offense.

Should be a good game though. I'm pulling for the Broncos, and I think they win it. 21-17.

This one point is off target. The Seattle secondary is a very deep secondary. Browner was actually being outplayed by Thurmond during the year, then when Thurmond got suspended, Byron Maxwell replaced him and outplayed him in such a way that Thurmond lost his starting spot. This is without even mentioning Jeremy Lane, the Hawks starting nickle-back, who would start on many teams in the NFL. The Hawks have six quality DB's going into the Super Bowl, two of them first team All-Pros (Sherman and Earl Thomas), and one a second team All-Pro (Kam Chancellor).

[snazel]

I think the Broncos match up well with the Seahawks. The Seahawks play a ton of man coverage, and the Broncos kill that with all those pick plays. And as good as Sherman is, he can only cover one guy. Browner being out really hurts the Seahawks.
.

I'm not exactly sure how the best passing offense can match up WELL when its facing the best passing defense its seen all season. Lots of teams run crossing concepts that incorporate picks/rubs/bunches to beat man coverage....but this Seattle secondary is not your ordinary unit.

I like Sea a lot in this matchup. Unfortunately, they still don't have enough of a threat at WR to expose Den's secondary. They will need Wilson to make plays/improvise and their D to help them with field position or create turnovers (which isn't outside of the realm of possibility with Manning's penchant for throwing ducks and the potential for cold/windy weather conditions).

[NaturalBuns]

Alot of love for the Broncos on these forums I see the Seahawks winning.

[Higga]

I think the Broncos match up well with the Seahawks. The Seahawks play a ton of man coverage, and the Broncos kill that with all those pick plays. And as good as Sherman is, he can only cover one guy. Browner being out really hurts the Seahawks.
.

I'm not exactly sure how the best passing offense can match up WELL when its facing the best passing defense its seen all season. Lots of teams run crossing concepts that incorporate picks/rubs/bunches to beat man coverage....but this Seattle secondary is not your ordinary unit.

I like Sea a lot in this matchup. Unfortunately, they still don't have enough of a threat at WR to expose Den's secondary. They will need Wilson to make plays/improvise and their D to help them with field position or create turnovers (which isn't outside of the realm of possibility with Manning's penchant for throwing ducks and the potential for cold/windy weather conditions).

True, but the Seahawks haven't seen an offense like the Broncos either, an offense that set records in production. And Peyton Manning with two weeks to prepare? I give the advantage to the Broncos there.