Super Bowl XLVIII

[bleedorange]

 

THANK YOU.  Call me old school too, but what was entertaining for me was the play just before that  And the plays leading up to it.  It was a great game.  I could care less about the back and forth, "oh no you didn't" smack talking bullshit in sports.  Shut up and play some damn football.  

 

 

Then you should probably stop watching football altogether. It's what fuels a lot of players. I would never do it, but I certainly wouldn't expect every other human being to be wired the same way I am. And it was far from classless. But then again, I probably define class a little differently.

 

At the very least, I would hope Sherman's post-game interview would lead people to look at him a lot more closely. Watch his interviews after the emotions had died down. Read about his background, his intelligence, his ability, his off-field qualities. For some people, though, 30 seconds is all they need to make an ill-informed opinion and stick with it.

[choo-choo-charlie]

Some additional perspective on the Sherman interview:

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tommytomlinson/2014/01/19/22-brief-thoughts-about-that-richard-sherman-interview/

[Lammycat]

Then you should probably stop watching football altogether. It's what fuels a lot of players. I would never do it, but I certainly wouldn't expect every other human being to be wired the same way I am. And it was far from classless. But then again, I probably define class a little differently.

 

At the very least, I would hope Sherman's post-game interview would lead people to look at him a lot more closely. Watch his interviews after the emotions had died down. Read about his background, his intelligence, his ability, his off-field qualities. For some people, though, 30 seconds is all they need to make an ill-informed opinion and stick with it.

He should stop watching football because he doesn't like the show boating? I think it's stupid, too, just like end zone dances and other cocky shit. It doesn't anger me enough to give up enjoying and watching the sport, though. Sherman was charged up. Still, he came off looking like an ass with his words  after making a great play. 

[lamradio]

 

And it was far from classless. But then again, I probably define class a little differently.

 

 

Class would have been, walk over to the sideline, celebrate with your team, then meet mid field and shake hands.  Not scream unintelligibly at an interviewer, about scaring her to death.  But I probably define class a little differently. 

 

And yeah like Lammy said, why should I stop watching football?  There are just as many players that still have some class.

[Winston Legthigh]

 

 

Not scream unintelligibly at an interviewer, about scaring her to death.  

 

 

So you couldn't understand what he was saying?

[tinnitus photography]

LOB!

[Lammycat]

If the NFL went back to one week between the last play off games and the Super Bowl and pushed the season start date back one week then the Super Bowl could be played on the Sunday preceding MLK holiday and a lot of people would be even happier with that day off.

[Guest Jules]

If the NFL went back to one week between the last play off games and the Super Bowl and pushed the season start date back one week then the Super Bowl could be played on the Sunday preceding MLK holiday and a lot of people would be even happier with that day off.

 

When was it a one week break?  I think that only happened once in recent years due to a scheduling change at the beginning of the season.  Then they went back to the two weeks.

 

 

 

Class would have been, walk over to the sideline, celebrate with your team, then meet mid field and shake hands.  Not scream unintelligibly at an interviewer, about scaring her to death.  But I probably define class a little differently. 

 

And yeah like Lammy said, why should I stop watching football?  There are just as many players that still have some class.

 

 

Please. They were trying to kill each other for 3 hours.  It's not golf.

[Lammycat]

When was it a one week break?  I think that only happened once in recent years due to a scheduling change at the beginning of the season.  Then they went back to the two weeks.

 

 

Happened a couple times in early 2000s, iirc. It can be done, is the point.

[bleedorange]

There have been seven Super Bowls (out of 48) that have been played without a bye week.

 

Super Bowls 4, 17, 25, 28, 34, 36, 37 (I dispensed with the roman numerals for ease of reading). Super Bowls 4 and 37 are the only ones I can't find a real reason for, unless realignment caused it in 2002. But the number of playoff teams stayed the same.

 

SB 17 was the strike season of 1982.

SB 25 was the first season with a regular season bye week, along with expanded playoffs

SB 28 was the only season that squeezed two bye weeks for each team in the regular season

SB 34, the league pushed the season back to avoid playing a playoff game or having a team travel at the start of the year due to Y2K concerns

SB 36 had 9/11

[bjorn_skurj]

Looking forward to this one - a great offense versus a great defense. Many of us up here are hoping for a little seasonal weather to make it even more special. With Denver at -2 or -3, I'd take Seattle, especially with Denver at -3. 

[tongue-tied lightning]

it was entertaining, i laughed, he made himself look like one of those WWE wrestlers.

he made the whole game about him. Poor dude, Crabtree doesnt like him, let it go bro, move on.

sometimes people don't get along.

 

the guy has a long history of being an ass. He got off on a technicality for doing steroids.

all this will probably make him more money, sad stuff.

[rareair]

i thought it was adderall for sherman?

 

i like him.  he made an ass of himself but i think it is way overblown and more funny than troubling.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

if youre gonna get into that, his suspension was for adderall. not exactly a "steroid"

 

e: i see this was just covered. carry on

[Tweedling]

I predict Manning will get sacked numerous times throughout the game. Which I also predict will mess with his head and passing decisions. I'm saying Seattle. Possibly a run-away? I don't know but I'm looking forward to it.

[Lammycat]

A run away?!

 

I predict Denver's defense has their best game of the year.

 

I'll say Denver wins, too, being that Seattle has only scored over 30 pts 5 games this season and Denver has only not scored over 30 points 5 times this season. That, and their best offensive NFL record all-time. Take offense over defense every time....

[Tweedling]

You don't have to score much....just more than the other team.

"....defense wins championships"

I love the match up. I really don't care who wins. I played defense in high school so I'm attracted to the Seahawks style of play, I guess.

[Winston Legthigh]

Take offense over defense every time....

Someone told me yesterday - that there have been 4 previous Super Bowls in which the #1 offense met the #1 D, the Defense won 3 of them.

 

Now, don't ask me which matchups those were, because I've been trying to find it (without actually having to go through every year's stats) without luck.

 

Nevermind - I found it.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/83264/top-stats-to-know-super-bowl-matchup

 

Last time was Buffalo vs Giants.

 

The only time the offense won out was 49ers v Broncos in 1989.

[Lammycat]

"Defense wins championships" is outdated. The game's a passing game now and moves a lot quicker, especially with no-huddle offenses.

 

Denver stops Seattle on a few drives and their offense maintains the persistence and domination they've shown all season and I say it's a Denver win.

[Lammycat]

You don't have to score much....just more than the other team.

.

True, but as stated previously, Seattle has only had to score 30 or more points to beat their 5 times this past season. Denver has only not scored 30 or more 5 times. Seattle is going to need to score more than "just more" as they have against most of their opponents this season....

[tinnitus photography]

A run away?!

 

I predict Denver's defense has their best game of the year.

 

I'll say Denver wins, too, being that Seattle has only scored over 30 pts 5 games this season and Denver has only not scored over 30 points 5 times this season. That, and their best offensive NFL record all-time. Take offense over defense every time....

 

turnovers could be key. NE couldn't get to Manning at all.

 

and i'd say that Seattle's got better receivers and running backs than the Pats too.

 

 

go 'hawks!

[KevinG]

I predict Manning will get sacked numerous times throughout the game. Which I also predict will mess with his head and passing decisions. I'm saying Seattle. Possibly a run-away? I don't know but I'm looking forward to it.

 

I am gonna have to disagree with you on that one.  Best defense in the league does not necessarily mean sacks.  Let me throw down some knowledge on ya.  

 

Manning has been sacked only 18 times this year (tied for 34th in the league), which is at the bottom of QB's that played all 16 games.  Denver's O line is nothing to be scoffed at.  Passing and offense is not all about the skill positions, a soild O line is what makes Denver so good on offense.  Although they have an impressive 44 sacks this year, they only have 6 this postseason 4 of which coming in the San Diego game and Philip Rivers spent more time on his back this year then my prom date (rimshot here).  The betting lines are not up yet, but I would guess the over/under for Seattle sacks would be somewhere around 2.5, hardly the getting knocked around and messing with his head you described.  

 

Also Seattle defense is not built around the sack.  It is built upon turnovers.  Don't you know they have the best corner in the game?  If anything the INTs would what cause problems for Manning, but he has some big physical receivers, much larger than the ones "mediocre" ones Seattle has encountered in the postseason.  

 

Don't get me wrong, I want Seattle to win and I will be cheering for them, but I just don't see their Defense as good as it is matching up well against Peyton Manning.  

 

I still stand by my 34 -17 Denver victory.  And Peyton throwing 4 TDs and 350 plus yards, also winning the MVP.  

[bleedorange]

Effective pressure is more than just getting a sack. You saw it in the San Francisco game in the second half when Seattle's front kept getting pressure on Kaepernick, forcing him into bad throws or throwing it away. A key for Denver has been its running game, but Seattle's defense is good enough to potentially take that away and make the Broncos one dimensional.

 

Also, I wouldn't call the Saints' or 49ers' receiving corps mediocre at all. And both teams compare very favorably with what Denver has.

 

Seattle generally plays a hybrid man/zone coverage with two of the best safeties in the game and an excellent group of linebackers. The zone underneath will definitely help them against all the crossing routes/pick plays in the Denver passing game.

 

The real interesting aspect of this game will be on the other side of the ball. Denver was able to contain LeGarrete Blount early, but will they be able to do the same against a much better running team. The Seahawks offense can definitely control the clock if it needs to and keep Peyton on the sidelines, limiting his possessions. Their ability to make big plays in the passing game to go with Marshawn Lynch could be what wins it for them.

 

Should be a really good game.

 

LOB!

[Guest Jules]

Has anyone mentioned that Seattle's offense has been pretty shitty the last 5 games or so?  And Russell Wilson hasn't been very good either.

[KevinG]

Has anyone mentioned that Seattle's offense has been pretty shitty the last 5 games or so? And Russell Wilson hasn't been very good either.

Richard Sherman effectively took all talk about any other Seahawk off the table for this first week.

 

If Denver effectively holds lynch to an average game (100 yards and a Touchdown) there is no way Wilson will be able to score more than a touch down himself. Also he is the one who will be sacked 4 plus times.