Showing posts with label Super Bowl XLVIII. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super Bowl XLVIII. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII Champions!
After going 13-3 during the regular season, then beating both New Orleans and San Francisco in the playoffs, and lastly, manhandling the Denver Broncos by a score of 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII, the Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl Champions! Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith took home Super Bowl MVP, and now, the Lombardi Trophy will be traveling to Seattle for the first time in franchise history.
Super Bowl XLVIII Preview: Seahawks vs Broncos
Tomorrow is the day we have all been waiting for. Unlike other sports, where there can be a potential seven games to decide the league champion, the NFL needs just one game to crown a winner, and that game is the Super Bowl. Although tomorrow marks the end of the 2013 season, the Super Bowl brings great commercials, incredible foods, and most importantly, the two bests teams playing for the Lombardi Trophy on national television. Peyton Manning just won his fifth MVP Award on the eve of the Super Bowl, and the league's best offense will now be playing the Seattle Seahawks, who have the NFL's best defense. Good luck to both teams, and we wish everyone a great Super Bowl Sunday!
Denver Broncos: Earlier this evening, Peyton Manning won his 5th MVP Award, as he was just one vote shy of a unanimous selection. Manning passed for 5,147 yards and 55 touchdowns this season, both single season records. Manning's incredible season is a result of years of experience, as well as an incredibly talented receiving corp. Demaryius Thomas caught 92 passes for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns, and even if he's shutdown by cornerback Richard Sherman in the Super Bowl, Manning has three other options in Wes Welker, Eric Decker, and Julius Thomas. All three wide receivers had more than 778 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 2013, which is why I think the Seahawks will struggle to shut down Denver's passing game, even though Seattle has the best pass defense in the league. Thanks to the incredible passing game, the Broncos have been able to set up a solid running game with Knowshon Moreno, who rushed for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns, both of which are career highs. Even if the cold weather hinders Denver's passing game, the Broncos may be able to keep up with Marshawn Lynch on the ground with Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball leading the way. Denver's run defense has been spectacular during the postseason, where they limited the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game to just 64 yards and 1 touchdown, even though the Patriots rushed for 234 yards and 6 touchdowns the previous week. Marshawn Lynch is clearly one of the best running backs in the league, so it will be interesting to see how Denver's defense will fare against the man known as "Beast Mode". The Broncos' pass defense is nothing special, but as long as the pass rush is able to pressure Russell Wilson, Seattle's passing game will not be a major problem. Also, be sure to watch returner Trindon Holliday, who returned both a kickoff and a punt for a score in 2013.
Prediction: If Peyton Manning were to beat Seattle, the second Super Bowl ring would make him the best quarterback of all time, and he knows that, too. Even though the number one defense normally beats the number one offense whenever the two teams meet, the Denver Broncos have the best offense in NFL history, and their abundance of wide receivers, as well as Manning's ability to throw the ball before the pass rush reaches him, is why Denver will win its third Super Bowl in franchise history.
Broncos over Seahawks 30-23
MVP: Peyton Manning: 305 passing yards, 2 TDs
This will be the 3rd time Peyton Manning will be playing outdoors in playoffs vs the No. 1 scoring D from reg season (1 TD, 6 Int in prev 2)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 27, 2014
The age difference of 12 years and 250 days between Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson is the biggest ever for starting QBs in the Super Bowl
— NFL Access (@NFL_Access) January 30, 2014
Via @PANYNJ: The George Washington Bridge is lit in @Broncos orange @Seahawks green for the Super Bowl: pic.twitter.com/PKn5l0eEIM
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) January 30, 2014
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 28, 2014
Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch at today's media availability: " I’m just here so I won’t get fined, boss. That’s the only reason I’m here."
— Jane McManus (@janesports) January 29, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
NFC Championship Game Recap
It's official. The Seattle Seahawks will be playing the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. At one point, it seemed as if Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers would pull off the upset against Seattle, but thanks to an interception by outside linebacker Malcolm Smith with just 22 seconds left in the game, Seattle will be going to their second Super Bowl in franchise history. The Seahawks had the best record in all of football, yet people were still questioning whether or not their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, would pull off an upset. Seattle's 12th man arrived in full force today, and even though Colin Kaepernick seemed very composed, he could not finish the job at the end of the game.
The San Francisco 49ers scored on their first possession with a 25-yard field goal after Russell Wilson's fumble on the first play of the game. From there, San Francisco's rushing touchdown put them up 10-0 in the second quarter. Colin Kaepernick's passing game was mediocre at best, but he had a successful game in terms of running the football. His 58 yard gain on the ground set up a touchdown for the Niners, and by the end of the game, Kaepernick had rushed for 130 yards on 11.8 yards per carry in a losing effort.
On Seattle's first possession of the second half, Marshawn Lynch showed off his incredible talents with a 40 yard touchdown run, very similar to his captivating playoff run against the Saints several years ago. This touchdown led to a 13-point run for Seattle, and the score of 23-16 remained until the end of game.
But it seemed as if Colin Kaepernick was about to lead a 78-yard drive that would have put San Francisco in the Super Bowl instead of Seattle. A conversion of 4th and 2 in their own end created a huge momentum shift, where it was evident that Seattle fans were becoming uneasy. The San Francisco 49ers cost themselves the game by refusing to use their final two timeouts with 30 seconds left in the game. Had they called a timeout, quarterback Colin Kaepernick would not have felt rushed at the line of scrimmage, which ultimately led to a game-ending interception.
Not only did San Francisco lose this game, but they also had their All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman suffer a gruesome leg injury that required him to be carted off of the field. Bowman had already forced a fumble earlier in the game, and this injury clearly affected the Niners mindset on defense for the rest of the game. Doctors fear that Bowman may have suffered a tear to his ACl, which would have long term consequences stretching into next season.
The San Francisco 49ers scored on their first possession with a 25-yard field goal after Russell Wilson's fumble on the first play of the game. From there, San Francisco's rushing touchdown put them up 10-0 in the second quarter. Colin Kaepernick's passing game was mediocre at best, but he had a successful game in terms of running the football. His 58 yard gain on the ground set up a touchdown for the Niners, and by the end of the game, Kaepernick had rushed for 130 yards on 11.8 yards per carry in a losing effort.
On Seattle's first possession of the second half, Marshawn Lynch showed off his incredible talents with a 40 yard touchdown run, very similar to his captivating playoff run against the Saints several years ago. This touchdown led to a 13-point run for Seattle, and the score of 23-16 remained until the end of game.But it seemed as if Colin Kaepernick was about to lead a 78-yard drive that would have put San Francisco in the Super Bowl instead of Seattle. A conversion of 4th and 2 in their own end created a huge momentum shift, where it was evident that Seattle fans were becoming uneasy. The San Francisco 49ers cost themselves the game by refusing to use their final two timeouts with 30 seconds left in the game. Had they called a timeout, quarterback Colin Kaepernick would not have felt rushed at the line of scrimmage, which ultimately led to a game-ending interception.
Not only did San Francisco lose this game, but they also had their All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman suffer a gruesome leg injury that required him to be carted off of the field. Bowman had already forced a fumble earlier in the game, and this injury clearly affected the Niners mindset on defense for the rest of the game. Doctors fear that Bowman may have suffered a tear to his ACl, which would have long term consequences stretching into next season.
Super Bowl XLVIII: Broncos vs. Seahawks
It is official. The Seattle Seahawks will play the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. These two teams are both the number one seeds coming out of their conference, and it will be interesting to see how Peyton Manning fares against Seattle's infamous secondary. Unfortunately, Seattle's 12th man will not be quite as strong in East Rutherford, but Super Bowl XLVIII is bound to be great. We can't wait for February 2!
AFC Championship Game Recap
So Peyton Manning beat Tom Brady today, marking the third team in Manning's career that he will have the chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. The Broncos were the better, more talented team on all fronts, which was evident in this game. Even though it is difficult to call Manning the superior quarterback over Brady, he sure made an excellent case to be called one of the greatest.
The Patriots defense had absolutely no response for Denver's passing game, and as soon as Aqib Talib was knocked out of the game following a questionable pick by Wes Welker, it was clear the Patriots would be in trouble. Once Talib walked back to the locker room, cornerback Alfanzo Dennard was to cover a more talented wide receiver in Pro-Bowler Demaryius Thomas. Even if Manning didn't feel like targeting Demaryius, receivers like Wes Welker, Eric Decker, and Julius Thomas always seemed to be open. The Patriots failed to create any sort of pressure on Manning, which was key for New England entering this game. Manning's safety in the pocket, as well as his abundance of talented receivers, allowed him to throw for exactly 400 yards and 2 touchdowns. At one point in the game, Denver was able to score on 5 consecutive drives, which further proves the uselessness of New England's defense in today's game; however, Patriots fans should not be too upset. Their team had a shot at a trip to the Super Bowl, which is absolutely astounding considering they were playing without Vince Wilfork, Jerard Mayo, Aqib Talib, and Rob Gronkowski in today's game.
The ultimate winner from today's game is obviously Peyton Manning. By marching his team up field time and time again, he successfully kept Tom Brady off of the field for the majority of the game, and this consistency allowed the Broncos to score on 5 consecutive drives. Not only did Peyton win this game, but he also proved that he is just as good a quarterback as Tom Brady, and another Super Bowl ring for Peyton would allow him to be called the greatest quarterback in NFL history. I'm not completely sold on Manning, though, considering the plethora of talent that has surrounded Manning throughout his accomplished career. From Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne in Indy to Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Eric Decker in Denver, there is no denying that Manning has been blessed with a skillful group of players year in and year out.
The biggest loser of the AFC Championship Game is New England's offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. McDaniels continuously tried to rush the ball with LeGarrette Blount throughout the first half, instead of relying on the player that got them there in the first place (Tom Brady). By the time New England started passing the ball, it was already too late, and as if it wasn't bad enough, McDaniels tried to run the ball on a two point conversion, and unsurprisingly, it was unsuccessful. Brady's frustration was clear during the first half, but you can't blame the guy that has put the team on his back since the start of training camp.
The fact that Bill Belicick and Tom Brady were able to lead the Patriots into the AFC Championship Game is mind boggling. This ragtag group of players earned the second seed in the playoffs, beat the Colts and the Divisional Round, and put up a good fight against a clearly superior Denver Broncos team.
The bottom line is that the best team from the AFC will be able to play for the Super Bowl, which is not always true. Denver's offense is scary this season, and the Patriots, to be honest, didn't stand a chance. Congratulations to Manning and the Broncos, and good luck to the Patriots next season.
The Patriots defense had absolutely no response for Denver's passing game, and as soon as Aqib Talib was knocked out of the game following a questionable pick by Wes Welker, it was clear the Patriots would be in trouble. Once Talib walked back to the locker room, cornerback Alfanzo Dennard was to cover a more talented wide receiver in Pro-Bowler Demaryius Thomas. Even if Manning didn't feel like targeting Demaryius, receivers like Wes Welker, Eric Decker, and Julius Thomas always seemed to be open. The Patriots failed to create any sort of pressure on Manning, which was key for New England entering this game. Manning's safety in the pocket, as well as his abundance of talented receivers, allowed him to throw for exactly 400 yards and 2 touchdowns. At one point in the game, Denver was able to score on 5 consecutive drives, which further proves the uselessness of New England's defense in today's game; however, Patriots fans should not be too upset. Their team had a shot at a trip to the Super Bowl, which is absolutely astounding considering they were playing without Vince Wilfork, Jerard Mayo, Aqib Talib, and Rob Gronkowski in today's game.The ultimate winner from today's game is obviously Peyton Manning. By marching his team up field time and time again, he successfully kept Tom Brady off of the field for the majority of the game, and this consistency allowed the Broncos to score on 5 consecutive drives. Not only did Peyton win this game, but he also proved that he is just as good a quarterback as Tom Brady, and another Super Bowl ring for Peyton would allow him to be called the greatest quarterback in NFL history. I'm not completely sold on Manning, though, considering the plethora of talent that has surrounded Manning throughout his accomplished career. From Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne in Indy to Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Eric Decker in Denver, there is no denying that Manning has been blessed with a skillful group of players year in and year out.
The biggest loser of the AFC Championship Game is New England's offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. McDaniels continuously tried to rush the ball with LeGarrette Blount throughout the first half, instead of relying on the player that got them there in the first place (Tom Brady). By the time New England started passing the ball, it was already too late, and as if it wasn't bad enough, McDaniels tried to run the ball on a two point conversion, and unsurprisingly, it was unsuccessful. Brady's frustration was clear during the first half, but you can't blame the guy that has put the team on his back since the start of training camp.The fact that Bill Belicick and Tom Brady were able to lead the Patriots into the AFC Championship Game is mind boggling. This ragtag group of players earned the second seed in the playoffs, beat the Colts and the Divisional Round, and put up a good fight against a clearly superior Denver Broncos team.
The bottom line is that the best team from the AFC will be able to play for the Super Bowl, which is not always true. Denver's offense is scary this season, and the Patriots, to be honest, didn't stand a chance. Congratulations to Manning and the Broncos, and good luck to the Patriots next season.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
2014 Complete NFL Playoff Predictions
Wild Card Round
AFC: (3) Cincinnati Bengals over (6) San Diego Chargers
AFC: (4) Indianapolis Colts over (5) Kansas City Chiefs
NFC: (3) Philadelphia Eagles over (6) New Orleans Saints
NFC: (5) San Francisco 49ers over (4) Green Bay Packers
Divisional Round
AFC: (3) Cincinnati Bengals over (2) New England Patriots (OT)
AFC: (1) Denver Broncos over (4) Indianapolis Colts
NFC: (2) Carolina Panthers over (3) Philadelphia Eagles
NFC: (1) Seattle Seahawks (5) San Francisco 49ers
Championship Round
AFC: (3) Cincinnati Bengals over (1) Denver Broncos
NFC: (1) Seattle Seahawks over (2) Carolina Panthers
Super Bowl
We predict the Cincinnati Bengals to be playing the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII, where the game is to be played in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Even though both teams have been around for more than 35 years, neither franchise has lifted the Lombardi Trophy. Cincinnati, who is more accustomed to the colder weather, will jump out to an early lead, and will be ahead of the Seahawks 13-10 at the half. But once the second half rolls around, Seattle will take control of the game, and will go on to win Super Bowl XVIII.
Seahawks over Bengals 27-21
Super Bowl MVP: QB Russell Wilson 290 passing yards, 2 passing TDs
AFC: (3) Cincinnati Bengals over (6) San Diego Chargers
AFC: (4) Indianapolis Colts over (5) Kansas City Chiefs
NFC: (3) Philadelphia Eagles over (6) New Orleans Saints
NFC: (5) San Francisco 49ers over (4) Green Bay Packers
Divisional Round
AFC: (3) Cincinnati Bengals over (2) New England Patriots (OT)
AFC: (1) Denver Broncos over (4) Indianapolis Colts
NFC: (2) Carolina Panthers over (3) Philadelphia Eagles
NFC: (1) Seattle Seahawks (5) San Francisco 49ers
Championship Round
AFC: (3) Cincinnati Bengals over (1) Denver Broncos
NFC: (1) Seattle Seahawks over (2) Carolina Panthers
Super Bowl
We predict the Cincinnati Bengals to be playing the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII, where the game is to be played in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Even though both teams have been around for more than 35 years, neither franchise has lifted the Lombardi Trophy. Cincinnati, who is more accustomed to the colder weather, will jump out to an early lead, and will be ahead of the Seahawks 13-10 at the half. But once the second half rolls around, Seattle will take control of the game, and will go on to win Super Bowl XVIII.
Seahawks over Bengals 27-21
Super Bowl MVP: QB Russell Wilson 290 passing yards, 2 passing TDs
Thursday, November 28, 2013
2014 Super Bowl Prediction (Update)
Shockingly, there are just five more weeks of football before the playoffs start; it seems like just yesterday we were covering the major story lines from training camp. Obviously, there have been many surprises in 2013, including the decline of the Texans franchise, Kansas City's incredible year, as well as Peyton Manning's MVP caliber season. With the NFL Playoffs quickly approaching us, we have decided to update our Super Bowl prediction. Originally, we predicted the Broncos to beat the 49ers by a score of 30-27. That prediction has changed. Continue reading to see our new predictions!
AFC Championship Game: Patriots over Broncos: these two teams are in a league of there own in the AFC. Sure, the Chiefs and Colts are both very talented, but their lack of experience hurts by the time they reach the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game should not come as a surprise. Peyton Manning and the passing game lead the league in passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, passer rating, and points per game. Even running back Knowshon Moreno is performing well, as he ranks second in the league in rushing touchdowns with 9. But the New England Patriots, a team that has managed an 8-3 record despite their many injuries and weak receiving corp, have transformed into one of the Super Bowl favorites. Thanks to the return of receivers Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola, as well as cornerback Aquib Talib, the Patriots were able to beat manning and the Broncos for the second straight year. Tom Brady is not having a great year statistically, but his spectacular performance against the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football solidified his greatness as a quarterback. Peyton Manning has struggled throughout his career when playing in colder weather, so even if the Broncos are at home in this AFC Championship Game, the advantage goes to Brady and the Patriots.
NFC Championship Game: Seahawks over Saints: The Seattle Seahawks remain perfect at home, but their game this weekend in Seattle against the New Orleans Saints will be a true test. We predict that the game this weekend will be the same two teams in the NFC Championship game later in the season. Following their home game against the Saints, the Seahawks will have a relatively easy schedule (apart from an away game in San Francisco), whereas the Saints will have to play the Panthers twice, and then travel to St. Louis for a game against the Rams. Assuming that Seattle finishes as the number one seed in the playoffs, there is little doubt in my mind that the Seahawks will make the Super Bowl thanks to their home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Seahawks offense is ranked third overall in rushing yards per game (149.7) and second in points per game (27.8). But it is the defense that has carried this team through the regular season. Seattle's defense at home is practically impenetrable, yet the Saints offense will be difficult to detain, even if the game is being played in CenturyLink Field. In the end, the Seahawks will win in a close game over the Saints to earn a trip to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XLVIII: Patriots over Seahawks: This upcoming Super Bowl is not your average Super Bowl. Instead of being played inn a warm environment like Florida or Arizona, Super Bowl XLVIII will be played in the Meadowlands of East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Seattle Seahawks, unfortunately, will not be in the safety of their own stadium, and who knows how they will do with the cold February weather in New Jersey. Tom Brady, on the other hand, tends to struggle in the warm weather, but as we saw against Denver on Sunday Night Football, he thrives in a colder climate. To make things more interesting, the Farmer's Almanac predicts a large snowstorm during the Super Bowl, clearly favoring the New England Patriots. Seattle's franchise has yet to win a Super Bowl, and with just one Super Bowl appearance in 2006, the Patriots are more experienced, considering they have reached the Super Bowl five times in the past 12 years. We predict the Patriots to beat the Seahawks in a dominant fashion.
11 weeks from today... A champion will rise. #SB48
— Super Bowl XLVIII (@SuperBowl) November 17, 2013Super Bowl XLVIII: Patriots over Seahawks: This upcoming Super Bowl is not your average Super Bowl. Instead of being played inn a warm environment like Florida or Arizona, Super Bowl XLVIII will be played in the Meadowlands of East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Seattle Seahawks, unfortunately, will not be in the safety of their own stadium, and who knows how they will do with the cold February weather in New Jersey. Tom Brady, on the other hand, tends to struggle in the warm weather, but as we saw against Denver on Sunday Night Football, he thrives in a colder climate. To make things more interesting, the Farmer's Almanac predicts a large snowstorm during the Super Bowl, clearly favoring the New England Patriots. Seattle's franchise has yet to win a Super Bowl, and with just one Super Bowl appearance in 2006, the Patriots are more experienced, considering they have reached the Super Bowl five times in the past 12 years. We predict the Patriots to beat the Seahawks in a dominant fashion.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
2014 Playoff Predictions: Super Bowl
Broncos over 49ers: The Denver Broncos offense, especially the passing game, is the best in the National Football League. Peyton Manning can choose between receivers Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and Eric Decker, so no matter who San Francisco decides to double team, Manning will be able to find the open man. The running back tandem of Knowshon Moreno and rookie Montee Ball should be able to improve the running game, which once led the league in rushing back when Tim Tebow was still quarterback. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a talented quarterback who will create problems for the Denver Broncos defense. If the Broncos defense decides to focus on defending the pass, John Harbaugh will immediately switch to running the ball with his trio of running backs. The defensive edge is awarded to San Francisco, but the Broncos defense is above-average, especially when outside linebacker Von Miller is in the starting lineup. Even with their excellent defense, San Francisco will be overwhelmed by Peyton Manning and his receivers. We predict the Broncos to win 30-27, where quarterback Peyton Manning wins his second Super Bowl MVP.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)