There seems to be a weird phenomenon where the better the Super Bowl game looks, the worse the hype. Chicago versus New England back in 1986 looked awful, but spin enough David and Goliath storylines beforehand and you start believing it will be a good enough. Denver versus Seattle looks like a great matchup, and maybe that's why all the pregame chatter is lousy.
The worst of the storylines we've been subjected to, I think, is whether such and such player is going to retire or not. Old Man Manning killed the notion of retirement on Day 1, so the ensuing storylines focus on whether or not Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Wes Welker will retire if the Broncos win. Really?
Bad as those storylines are, at least they deal with players actually in this game. Most of us had kind of lost interest in the Richie Incognito storyline months ago, but here's his agent saying that Jonathan Martin sent some inappropriate texts too, and here they are! Yeah, couldn't wait to click that link.
The game itself looks awesome, so I'm going to focus on that. One angle that (to me) hasn't been explored enough is that neither team has really faced an opponent like this one all season long. The Broncos didn't face a really good defense all season long; the Ravens in Week 1, I guess, and the Patriots on two occasions. The rest of their schedule featured soft AFC West and NFC East defenses. Seattle faced the Colts in Indianapolis, and lost, but that was way back in Week 5. They faced New Orleans twice, but the Saints aren't the same outside their dome.
With only one game to call, let's break it down by quarter.
First quarter: Broncos march the field a couple of times, scoring a touchdown and a field goal. Seattle's offense kind of meanders around not doing much, at some point using a lengthy return and a first down or two to generate a long field goal. 10-3, Broncos.
Second quarter: Seattle defense tightens things up. Denver commits a turnover. Percy Harvin delivers a couple of big receptions and runs. Field goal for Broncos, touchdown for Seahawks. 13-10 Broncos at the half.
Third quarter: Offenses step things up. Marshawn Lynch finds some running room, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker come through with a big play or two. At the end of the third period it's a 20-20 game.
Fourth quarter: Russell Wilson makes a few big plays with his arms and his legs, drive stalls in red zone. Seattle takes 23-20 lead. Peyton Manning gets the ball with 5 minutes left. Drives the field. Or does he? I think he gets it done and the Broncos win 27-23. But hey, maybe we get our first overtime Super Bowl.
The beauty of this particular Super Bowl is that the best teams are there, there's no crazy underdog story, and there's no contrived sibling rivalry or whatever angle that the players themselves care nothing about. Great, all-time offense versus great defense, pretty capable offense versus pretty capable defense, all-time quarterback versus Legion of Boom -- c'mon, it's great stuff. Maybe that's why there's not quite as much hype as usual. It doesn't need it.
We'll be watching it in the comfort of our home with food, friends, and cold beverages. Hope you will be too. Enjoy the game.
