Seattle Seahwaks dismantle Denver Broncos 43-8
By Blaney Rotanz, Contributing Writer
The events of Sunday, Feb. 2 were not what most American football fans were expecting to come out of Super Bowl XLVIII. No one was on the edge of his or her seats.
400,000 fans showed up to see a great battle between the league’s best defensive and best offensive teams. But the Broncos were not prepared for this game: they did not play as a team and did not show up for their chance to take home the victory. The game ended with the Seahawks crushing the Denver Broncos, 43 to 8.
It all started when the Seattle Seahawks forced a safety within the first minutes of the game; the rest was downhill for the Denver Broncos. It was not until 19 minutes into the game that the Broncos finally gained their initial first down.
This is the first team to get shut out in the first half of the game since the Ravens kept MetLife’s very own New York Giants off the board 13 years ago. The 12th Man, as the Seahawks refer to their fans, really stepped it up and helped the Seahawks take home this year’s Super Bowl ring.
It is safe to say that majority of fans were hoping, after five MVPs and one Super Bowl victory with the Colts, that Peyton Manning would get his second ring.
Before Peyton Manning joined the Broncos team, his number 18 was retired after the great Frank Tripucka; the Broncos first quarterback in the 1960s. After 15 professional seasons, four with the Broncos, he was the first quarterback to throw 3,000 yards in a season.
Following his retirement in 1963, the Broncos retired his number 18 jersey. Peyton Manning made the effort to contact the Tripucka family to ask for his permission to “unretire” the jersey so that Manning could wear it throughout his career with the Broncos.
Tripucka stated that if Manning signed with the Broncos that he would allow number 18 to be worn again. Although Manning didn’t succeed in taking home his second ring and a third win for the Broncos, he should still wear the number 18 with pride.
