# Super Bowl XLVII: Seahawks vs. Broncos **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 20, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248 "2014-01-20T03:17:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/481 "2014-02-06T17:32:54Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > No controversy at all except that I have heard grousing (from Denver fans) that the refs didn’t seem to want to call PI on the Hawks. In the one touchdown by the Broncos (beautiful catch!), Thomas was being interfered with in a big way by Maxwell. There should have been flags and I hope there would have if he dropped it. Otherwise, I think the refs were reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/482 "2014-02-06T17:43:26Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > No controversy at all except that I have heard grousing (from Denver fans) that the refs didn’t seem to want to call PI on the Hawks Any time a defensive secondary is actually doing its job, the opposition faithful fantasizes numerous imaginary PI calls the zebras obviously don’t see or agree with. The Legion of Boom is the real deal. They actually play downfield pass defense, unlike a lot of the NFL. And also yeah, they calibrate their aggressiveness against what the refs will call… play tighter and sharper until they draw a flag, then dial it down just a tiny bit. The way secondary is supposed to. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/483 "2014-02-06T18:32:00Z")
> [@For You](#): > > So, really, Denver’s D was not as bad as they looked, they just were consumed by Seattle’s D and the way they molested the record scoring offense. Correction Denver was defeated by the QB Manning’s mistakes that made the defense look better than it really was. Seattle’s defense only had to capitalize on Denver’s dropping the ball or having the ball tipped or partially blocked in the one case that resulted in a 69 yard touchdown while Manning was on a roll out and thrown correctly just a tad late. when the score was Seattle 8 to Denver’s zero was Manning’s best hope to bring the game to within one point, but he threw the pass to the defense note the only thing the defense did on that play was to catch the ball that Manning threw to them. Seattle won alright … but too much credit to the defense and not enough blame to Manning has me wondering did we all see the same game. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/484 "2014-02-06T19:07:11Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Correction Denver was defeated by the QB Manning’s mistakes that made the defense look better than it really was. Seattle’s defense only had to capitalize on Denver’s dropping the ball or having the ball tipped or partially blocked in the one case that resulted in a 69 yard touchdown while Manning was on a roll out and thrown correctly just a tad late. > > Seattle won alright … but too much credit to the defense and not enough blame to Manning has me wondering did we all see the same game. Did you not see Cliff Avril hit Mannings’s arm, or Byron Maxwells forced fumble on the Broncos best offensive play. That was all created by the Seahawks defense. What game were you watching? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/485 "2014-02-06T19:30:24Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Seattle won alright … but too much credit to the defense and not enough blame to Manning has me wondering did we all see the same game. Get it right. Manning could have been great, but the Seattle D made him and his entire squad ineffective. Numerous completions became incompletions because of jarring hits. Every turnover was driven by defensive effort. Manning had no pocket because the Seattle D line collapsed it, and couldn’t pass deep because he had no pocket. Even safe short-to-mid-length downfield completions were worthless, because of an absolute lack of yards-after-catch: any receiver with the ball made the catch with at least two defenders within immediate tackling distance of him. Manning’s scoring drive at the end of the third quarter is an example of what he could have done, if the Hawks’ D would have let him. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/486 "2014-02-06T21:57:10Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Seattle didn’t beat San Francisco … San Francisco beat San Francisco > [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Correction Denver was defeated by the QB Manning’s mistakes that made the defense look better than it really was… too much credit to the defense and not enough blame to Manning has me wondering did we all see the same game. Yeah, Seattle’s defense just ran around and waited for the QB to make mistakes :rolleyes: none of it was about coverage and pressure :rolleyes: the Seahawks were just kind of lucky :rolleyes: excuses do not pay the rent > [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > another great game for Manning to end his career with Well, we all guess wrong from time to time, I was not expecting an '80s-style NFC-dominance SB. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/487 "2014-02-07T02:47:06Z")
It’s not fair to the Seahawks to say the Broncos sucked. The Broncos kick ass, but in the Super Bowl a lot of Seahawks players just plain beat their counterparts. Manning can be blamed for not catching the first snap, but otherwise the turnovers were forced, the Broncos fooled the defense with a lot of dink-and-dunk, easy passes weren’t dropped… maybe there were some missed tackles, but again, I think those are examples of the Seahawks playing very well rather than the Broncos making an actual error. A team can have a low error rate and still get clocked. The story should be about the Seahawks’ awesome gameplay. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/488 "2014-02-08T03:55:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Manning can be blamed for not catching the first snap,… Isn’t the fault more on the center who snapped it? The quarterback shouldn’t be expected to catch something that wild. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/489 "2014-02-08T05:15:30Z")
Heard a couple Super Bowl jokes in the last couple days: Did you hear about Little Caesar’s Super Bowl pizza special? 43 toppings for $8… (yeah, lame) Q: What did Seahawks fans do after the Super Bowl was over? A: Watched the second half. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/490 "2014-02-09T01:21:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Isn’t the fault more on the center who snapped it? The quarterback shouldn’t be expected to catch something that wild. Wes Welker laid the fault for that first play at the feet of Fox, who, he said, failed to turn the noise up sufficiently in practices, leaving the team unprepared for how loud it turned out to be. And I believe the snap was not wild _per se_, the play was set up for shotgun formation, the QB just happened to be in the wrong position when the errant snap occurred – and he got flagged for that (illegal motion, stepping forward to a set line), though the penalty was declined in favor of the points and change of possession. Oh, and I think **Mr. Rik** ’s pizza special joke works better with Papa Johns. One could frame some alternate humor about the rise in popularity of Denver Omelettes in the Seattle area. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/491 "2014-02-09T01:54:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Wes Welker laid the fault for that first play at the feet of Fox, who, he said, failed to turn the noise up sufficiently in practices, leaving the team unprepared for how loud it turned out to be. Wow. As lame crybaby excuses go, that one is really up there. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/492 "2014-02-09T02:32:16Z")
If I count correctly, Wes Welker has been on the sad sideline in 3 SBs. He is a very talented WR who just cannot seem to turn the corner on the big one. Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton and, I think, a few others have him beat as far as high talent yielding high misery. Not up on how those other guys made their excuses or if they just took their lumps and their pewter rings. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/493 "2014-02-09T04:53:40Z")
I think the snapper gets his share of the blame, but hiking the ball is supposed to be worked out between the two of them. I replayed the game and noticed a few more Broncos errors. The first interception might not have been forced. A few key penalties really screwed things up- tripping? And the pass interference before Seattle’s first TD when Denver could have held them to another field goal was the beginning of the end. The Seahawks had their share of screwups too though- there wasn’t much of a screwup differential. And it’d be a shame if Welker wasn’t back next year. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/494 "2014-02-09T21:44:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Wes Welker laid the fault for that first play at the feet of Fox, who, he said, failed to turn the noise up sufficiently in practices, leaving the team unprepared for how loud it turned out to be. > > Wow. As lame crybaby excuses go, that one is really up there. Crybaby excuse? Seems like a perfectly plausible explanation, especially coming from someone who was there and should know. Also, he didn’t lay the blame on Fox, except perhaps indirectly. Talking about the crowd noise at the start of the game, [he just said](http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24429474/wes-welker-we-didnt-prepare-well-for-crowd-noise-to-start-game): “We didn’t prepare very well for that, and it showed.” > [@For You](#): > > If I count correctly, Wes Welker has been on the sad sideline in 3 SBs. He is a very talented WR who just cannot seem to turn the corner on the big one. Not really his fault, though. He’s played well in his Super Bowls, averaging 8.7 receptions and 82 yards, no fumbles, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/495 "2014-02-09T21:50:38Z")
> [@For You](#): > > Yeah, Seattle’s defense just ran around and waited for the QB to make mistakes :rolleyes: none of it was about coverage and pressure :rolleyes: the Seahawks were just kind of lucky :rolleyes: excuses do not pay the rent > > Well, we all guess wrong from time to time, I was not expecting an '80s-style NFC-dominance SB. My mistake so sorry, but I still say Manning could’ve played better. He was never sacked in fact neither quarterback was sacked. He could’ve been quicker with the release and most of his passes I saw were short and the defender was right on top of the pass receiver. The long passes were off and hurried, plus the running game must have been the coaches fault for not going for first downs and touchdowns when they were already so far behind you could count how many you needed on one hand. What did they get 26 yards running? That was seven more yards than they got when they lost in Denver to San Diego on a Thursday night game. I yield to Seattle was better, but … oh well it’s all over now isn’t it :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/496 "2014-02-10T03:50:15Z")
And whose fault is it that they didn’t properly prepare for the Superbowl? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/497 "2014-02-10T04:23:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And whose fault is it that they didn’t properly prepare for the Superbowl? The coaches’, but that doesn’t seem to be what Welker was saying. Just because a player points out (accurately) that the team wasn’t ready for something doesn’t mean that that player is necessarily taking a shot at the coaches. And it certainly doesn’t mean he’s offering a “crybaby excuse.” The team wasn’t ready for the noise, so he said that the team wasn’t ready for the noise. :shrug: What’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/498 "2014-02-10T05:05:30Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Not really his fault, though. He’s played well in his Super Bowls, averaging 8.7 receptions and 82 yards, no fumbles, etc. I bet there are a lot of people in New England who place the blame for that second Superbowl loss squarely on Wes Welker. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/499 "2014-02-10T17:24:45Z")
I was reacting to **For You** ’s statement, that Welker was blaming Fox for it. That would indeed be a crybaby excuse. If that’s not an accurate summation of what Welker said, then my apologies to him. (because I’m certain that a pro football player cares about my apologies) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248/500 "2014-02-10T18:44:11Z")
sourced, > [@"\[NESN](#): > > ([http://nesn.com/2014/02/wes-welker-broncos-werent-prepared-for-12th-man-to-make-noise/](http://nesn.com/2014/02/wes-welker-broncos-werent-prepared-for-12th-man-to-make-noise/))"]… Wes Welker said the Broncos didn’t prepare for the noise before the Seahawks’ 43-8 win in East Rutherford, N.J. “That’s the way the start of any Super Bowl is: It’s going to be loud,” Welker told [themmqb.com](http://themmqb.com). “The fans are going to be yelling. They don’t really know why they’re yelling — it’s just the start of the Super Bowl. We didn’t prepare very well for that, and it showed.” > > The Broncos actually prepared for it to not be loud. Head coach John Fox turned the volume down on simulated crowd noise during practice. Which explains the first play, and maybe their first two drives. Even without loud practice, a good team should be able to adapt somewhat. Down 0-8 after a quarter is nothing to an explosive offense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlvii-seahawks-vs-broncos/679248.md?page=26)