The day that all football fans have been waiting for is finally here. It's time to put all of the storylines aside and find out who the champion of the NFL truly is. The talk leading up to this years Super Bowl has not been scarce. With the NFL's best offense taking on its best defense, there are many elements of this game to look forward to. Will Peyton take over the game and prove he can win another big one? Will Richard Sherman make a game altering play? (and more importantly, what will he say if he does?) I have listed some key factors to the game which I believe could drastically shape the outcome. Look for these matchups throughout the game, and for which team can win them. Whoever can take control of these, just may be holding up the Lombardi trophy when it is all said and done.
Broncos D-Line vs. Marshawn Lynch
The Seahawks offense runs through Lynch. They are great at using him to set up their play action game. He is also pretty good at running the football (I mean, they don't call him "Beast Mode" for nothing). He is a very powerful, crafty runner who can break any arm tackle thrown at him. If he gets going, it could be a long day for the Broncos defense. So what can Denver do to contain him? If they're smart, they'll watch and use the film of the NFC Championship game. While Lynch ran for 109 yards against the 49ers, he really did not have a great game. If you'll recall, he ran for a 40 yard touchdown which really skewed his average for the day. Take away that run, and Lynch ran for only 69 yards on 21 carries. I can guarantee you that that's a stat that the Broncos would love to see. So how did San Francisco contain him? Their D-Line was the key factor in this one. If you see any highlights of the game, pay attention to where they were lining up on virtually every snap. As you can see to the right, they were lined up at least a yard or more off the ball multiple times. This allowed them to do a couple of things. First, it gave them extra time to see where the holes were opening up and where Lynch was heading. Also it allowed them to get more momentum and leverage at the point of contact. With a powerful running back like Lynch, every yard really does help. The Broncos would be smart to mirror this technique used by San Francisco. I will be looking for this from the Seahawks first snap of the game, to their last. It could be the difference in Denver stopping Seattle's potent offense.
Julius Thomas has been nearly impossible to stop all year.Julius Thomas vs. Kam Chancellor
Julius Thomas burst on to the scene as one of the best Tight Ends in the NFL this year. He seemed unstoppable multiple times during the season and was yet another weapon added to the Broncos offense. He was helped by Peyton Manning who is known as a great TE quarterback. He is able to throw his receivers open, and when he is presented with an even bigger target in Thomas, it becomes much easier. The question with these dominant TEs is who are you going to get to cover them. A typical NFL linebacker is going to be to slow to keep up with Thomas. A defensive back is going to be quick enough, but is usually going to give up too much size and may be useless. The Seahawks will more than likely be using SS Kam Chancellor to guard Thomas for most of the day. Julius Thomas is listed at 6'5'', 250 pounds, so Chancellor's 6'3'', 230 pound frame will not be much smaller. He is known as a very physical safety, which is ideal for stopping a player like this. The Seahawks have been terrorizing opposing Tight Ends so far in the 2014 playoffs. Against the Saints, they held Jimmy Graham (believed by some to be the best TE in the NFL) to only 1 catch for 8 yards. They followed up that impressive performance by holding Vernon Davis to 2 catches for 16 yards in the NFC Championship game. If they can repeat this dominance against Denver, they could be in a good position to outscore the Broncos offense.
X-Factor: Impact of Percy Harvin
Can he stay healthy?Percy Harvin has shown exactly what type of impact he can have on any game. The Seahawks showed just how much they believed in Harvin by trading their 1st and 7th round draft picks in 2013, as well as a 3rd round selection in 2014 for him. Seattle then signed him to a six-year, $67 million contract. To the Seahawks disappointment, Harvin was sidelined almost the entire 2013 season with a hip injury. He returned for their playoff game against the Saints, but did not last long as he received an early concussion. He has been labeled as injury-prone nearly his entire career. Harvin's speed creates a matchup problem for any defense. If he is able to stay healthy and play the way he is capable of playing, it could be what propels the Seahawks to a win. If Denver is able to contain him, it will take away a key part of Seattle's game plan and will put the Broncos in a good position.
Prediction: Broncos 34, Seahawks 31
This is a tough one to pick. I know that defense wins championships. I also know that the Seahawks have the best defense in the league and may have just the right formula to stop Denver. Ex-Seahawks DC Gus Bradley is now the coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who held the Broncos to just 12 first half points earlier this year. All of this information leads my head to believe that the Seahawks will be Super Bowl champions. However, my gut tells me not to bet against the Broncos and more specifically, Peyton Manning. Peyton wants this one bad to cement his legacy even more. With questions of his health beyond this year, he knows that his time may be running out and that the time to win is now. This leads me to believe that he will do whatever it takes to get it done. Even with their great D, I don't believe that they will be able to outscore Denver's dynamic offense. Also, I have a couple questions about the Seahawks which make me skeptical. One is my "x-factor" Percy Harvin, and how he will look on the biggest stage of the year after missing almost the entire season. My other concern is if the Seahawks can win a big game outside of Seattle. While the Seahawks posted a great record of 6-2 on the road this year, they were only 1-2 against teams that made the playoffs. It has been well documented that they are typically a mediocre team away from the 12th man. These factors, along with Peyton playing on the other side, lead me to believe that the Denver Broncos will be Super Bowl XLVIII champions.
Comment and let me know why I'm wrong or why you agree and what matchups you're excited about seeing during the big game.