Super Bowl 48: Make your predictions (closing poll early Sunday morning)
- Thread starter Lose Remerswaal
- Start date
Seattle has never won SB. It would be fantastic for that region to have a championship.
I like Denver as a place but have developed a healthy dislike for the Broncos over the years. I also hate Peyton less than I used to, by a long shot but still, screw him.
Seattle is also IMO the better team. I hope so anyway. I think they have the D to shut down Peyton.
I like Denver as a place but have developed a healthy dislike for the Broncos over the years. I also hate Peyton less than I used to, by a long shot but still, screw him.
Seattle is also IMO the better team. I hope so anyway. I think they have the D to shut down Peyton.
Denver 34, Seattle 30.....a final Seattle drive gets them in FG range, but they fall short of getting the needed TD.
I keep flip-flopping which team I'm rooting for and will likely just make that decision by about the mid-3rd quarter.
I've grown to respect Peyton a lot and the Broncos fans I know are about as die-hard as they get (and were quite respectful to me after the AFCCG). I think the "Brady vs. Manning" debate has just gotten old and isn't worth attaching my emotions to pull for one team over the other. But I also have mixed feelings about Carroll....in many ways, I do think he handled the Patriots situation about as well as possible following Parcells and his style was just probably not the best fit for the organization at that time. The fallout at USC is another story...but I agree with C4CRVT that the fans of Seattle deserve a championship. When I have no real rooting interest, I go for the fan base I like the best. Both are good in my mind...so let's at least have a fun game.
(And the one consolation of not having the Patriots in the game is that I can actually concentrate on work this week and not burst an ulcer over the game...I'd prefer the Pats to be in the Super Bowl, but trying to find the silver lining to soften the blow).
I keep flip-flopping which team I'm rooting for and will likely just make that decision by about the mid-3rd quarter.
I've grown to respect Peyton a lot and the Broncos fans I know are about as die-hard as they get (and were quite respectful to me after the AFCCG). I think the "Brady vs. Manning" debate has just gotten old and isn't worth attaching my emotions to pull for one team over the other. But I also have mixed feelings about Carroll....in many ways, I do think he handled the Patriots situation about as well as possible following Parcells and his style was just probably not the best fit for the organization at that time. The fallout at USC is another story...but I agree with C4CRVT that the fans of Seattle deserve a championship. When I have no real rooting interest, I go for the fan base I like the best. Both are good in my mind...so let's at least have a fun game.
(And the one consolation of not having the Patriots in the game is that I can actually concentrate on work this week and not burst an ulcer over the game...I'd prefer the Pats to be in the Super Bowl, but trying to find the silver lining to soften the blow).
Seattle by a TD, in a low scoring game: 24-17.
I think the Denver OL finally gets exposed against the fresh, rotating D-line, and the physicality of the Seahawks secondary wears out the timing of Broncos offense.
Seattle floods the short zone, Manning is pressured up the middle, and big-play Russell makes just enough plays to take their first SB ever.
Hold on, this sounds awfully familiar...
I think the Denver OL finally gets exposed against the fresh, rotating D-line, and the physicality of the Seahawks secondary wears out the timing of Broncos offense.
Seattle floods the short zone, Manning is pressured up the middle, and big-play Russell makes just enough plays to take their first SB ever.
Hold on, this sounds awfully familiar...
Seattle has next to no chance of winning this game unless Manning reverts back to his old ways and gets turnover happy. This will be a game of field position that the Seahawks offense won't be able to win. Final score won't show how non-competitive the game really was. Denver will be in control the whole time.
Broncos 23-13.
Broncos 23-13.
Seahawks 31, Broncos 10
Denver hasn't seen anything close to what the Seattle defense is going to hit them with.
Denver hasn't seen anything close to what the Seattle defense is going to hit them with.
Seattle 37 Denver 20
Seattle defense too fast, secondary too physical. The two games against NO are the blueprint for beating Denver. Limit YAC. Pound receivers at the line (and push the boundaries of illegal contact). Wear the defense down with Lynch.
Betting wise it reminds me of SB XLIV when Peyton also had ridden a soft schedule to huge stats and a gaudy record and the public backed Indy. Will be betting heavily on Seattle to win outright.
Seattle defense too fast, secondary too physical. The two games against NO are the blueprint for beating Denver. Limit YAC. Pound receivers at the line (and push the boundaries of illegal contact). Wear the defense down with Lynch.
Betting wise it reminds me of SB XLIV when Peyton also had ridden a soft schedule to huge stats and a gaudy record and the public backed Indy. Will be betting heavily on Seattle to win outright.
Dehere said:
Except NO doesn't have close to the firepower DEN does. Graham is certainly better than Julius though not by a ton. Decker and Colston are pretty equal which leave D Thomas and Welker who have no peers in NO. DEN OL is quite a bit better than NO as well and should be able to give Manning the 1.5 seconds he needs to get throws off.
D Thomas is going to have a game for the ages since Sherman isn't likely to shadow him (read that he only played 4% of the time at RCB all season).
I like DEN 42 Sea 27 in a game that is over in the 3rd Q. Hope I'm wrong but think this will be one of the more lopsided SB in recent memory setting up an epic ball washing of Manning like we have never seen.
The bolded section is something I completely disagree with you on and will prove to be a key to Denver's win.SeoulSoxFan said:
Given the neutral crowd filled with corporate suits, there is no reason for Manning to ever huddle in this game. Denver will go almost entirely hurry-up which is something Seattle hasn't faced all year. The no-huddle attack will pin Seattle's D-Linemen on the field and they will be largely unable to sub their run/pass personnel in and out. They rely on a strict rotation for pass and run defense and Manning is going to take that away as much as he can and then work at the weakness of whichever unit he pins on the field. Denver's O-Line will hold and give Peyton just enough time to find whichever of his five weapons (Moreno is the fifth option in the flats) is open. Denver excels at attacking short and intermediate zones in the defense and will dink and dunk their way to the trophy.
Seattle 23
Denver 31
Except NO doesn't have close to the firepower DEN does.
Maybe. Denver scored a hell of a lot of points in the first half of the season. In the second half they averaged 31 points which is still pretty damn good. New Orleans over the same weeks averaged 27 points, excluding the Seattle game where they scored 7. The NO offense, while not as good as Denver's, was a top 5 offense through Nov and Dec and Seattle embarrassed them twice.
Denver and NO were 1 and 2 this year in YAC. SEA was 1 in YAC allowed and it wasn't close. To me that's the key element of the game; can Denver's receivers get anywhere after completions? SEA closes so fast on pass catchers and that's how they smothered NO. I think SEA is going to win that battle decisively.
Maybe. Denver scored a hell of a lot of points in the first half of the season. In the second half they averaged 31 points which is still pretty damn good. New Orleans over the same weeks averaged 27 points, excluding the Seattle game where they scored 7. The NO offense, while not as good as Denver's, was a top 5 offense through Nov and Dec and Seattle embarrassed them twice.
Denver and NO were 1 and 2 this year in YAC. SEA was 1 in YAC allowed and it wasn't close. To me that's the key element of the game; can Denver's receivers get anywhere after completions? SEA closes so fast on pass catchers and that's how they smothered NO. I think SEA is going to win that battle decisively.
Peyton had the season where he broke all of the records, similar to Brady. Brady didn't get to win the SB that year, so Peyton shouldn't.
Fuck Denver and fuck Peyton.
Fuck Denver and fuck Peyton.
Seattle 27
Denver 20
Manning has a kidney stone attack on what looked to be the drive for the tie.
Carroll loses control of his bodily functions while frantically wind-milling on the sidelines.
Denver 20
Manning has a kidney stone attack on what looked to be the drive for the tie.
Carroll loses control of his bodily functions while frantically wind-milling on the sidelines.
Either Peyton Manning gets (another) ring or Pete Carroll gets a ring. We're all losers come Sunday.
I take Seattle in a 27-23 game. Seattle vastly outplays Denver for most of the game on both sides of the ball. Sherman makes Demariyus Thomas a relative nonfactor, but Denver drives are extended multiple times due to some questionable calls and some flat out dumb Seattle penalties. Late in the game, Manning leads Denver to what could be a game winning touchdown, but Welker drops an almost certain score inside the red zone. On the very next play, Manning throws a pick to one of the non-Sherman DB's. Felger goes on a crusade for the next 4 months about how Bob Kraft emasculated Pete Carroll while he was here, and that the Patriots would have gone on their run of dominance earlier if not for Bobby Grier. Mazz weakly disagrees for 5 minutes then agrees wholeheartedly for the rest of time.
Denver 24 Seattle 20
Peyton Manning brings them back from behind late in the 4th quarter aided by a pass interference called on Richard Sherman.
Peyton Manning brings them back from behind late in the 4th quarter aided by a pass interference called on Richard Sherman.
Seattle 20-12
Manning puts together a bunch of his dink and dunk drives but they can't get into the endzone. Prater with 4 FGs
Manning puts together a bunch of his dink and dunk drives but they can't get into the endzone. Prater with 4 FGs
A minor quibble with how the poll is worded.
I am rooting AGAINST Denver. Hard. With extreme anger and prejudice.
I am not rooting FOR Seattle and, indeed, being on the side of Mr. Pumped and Jacked gives me gas.
I am rooting AGAINST Denver. Hard. With extreme anger and prejudice.
I am not rooting FOR Seattle and, indeed, being on the side of Mr. Pumped and Jacked gives me gas.
What do people have against Pete Carroll? He coached here, he was OK. I don't remember him burning a bunch of bridges on his way out or anything.
Super Nomario said:
From strictly a Pats perspective (i.e., putting aside the USC crap and how utterly at odds it is with his carefully cultivated image of wholesomeness), I would simply say, wrong place, wrong time, and wrong pairing with Bobby Grier.
It is mostly the fault of Parcells and Kraft (as they later acknowledged) but after these two parted the Pats wasted a talented young team + a passel of high round picks (in exchange for Parcells and Curtis Martin) that could have choked the largest salt water crocodile in existence.
So in the heirarchy of fault after Tuna left you have (i) Kraft, for putting an abysmal pairing in place, (ii) Grier, for being utterly incompetent and undermining Carroll and (iii) Pete.
Anyone associated with that painful era is tainted, save Kraft who rehabilitated himself by hiring BB.
I never understood the Carroll hate either. He takes the 97 team into the playoffs where they lose a close game to the Steelers without Curtis Martin. The 98 team makes the playoffs and suffers a quick exit because Bledsoe was hurt and they had to start Zolak. Then they lose Robert Edwards in the offseason at a stupid Pro Bowl rookie event.
If his Pats teams had had better luck with injuries, we might think more kindly of his time here. I certainly have better feelings about Carroll than the Fat Whore who betrayed us.
And for all the good he did for the Pats, he is a WHORE. He grew up rooting for the Giants, but right after leading them to a win in SB XXI he was seeking to leave to take the Falcons job for more money. Then after SB XXV, he was on his way to becoming the Bucs coach before he was stopped by the fat clogging his tiny heart. And after leading the Pats to SB XXXI, he spent his week concentrating on the wrong team in green--the Jets, that he was planning on jumping to instead of the Packers that his team was playing for a championship.
And then of course, he announced yet another of his false retirements just to trap Belichick in a job he no longer wanted.
The ire some people here retain for Carroll I place where it really belongs.
If his Pats teams had had better luck with injuries, we might think more kindly of his time here. I certainly have better feelings about Carroll than the Fat Whore who betrayed us.
And for all the good he did for the Pats, he is a WHORE. He grew up rooting for the Giants, but right after leading them to a win in SB XXI he was seeking to leave to take the Falcons job for more money. Then after SB XXV, he was on his way to becoming the Bucs coach before he was stopped by the fat clogging his tiny heart. And after leading the Pats to SB XXXI, he spent his week concentrating on the wrong team in green--the Jets, that he was planning on jumping to instead of the Packers that his team was playing for a championship.
And then of course, he announced yet another of his false retirements just to trap Belichick in a job he no longer wanted.
The ire some people here retain for Carroll I place where it really belongs.
For some reason I have softened a bit on Parcells over the years, probably because of what it felt like to root for a coach like him. At the time it was just so jarring and foreign and awesome to have someone competent on the Patriots sidelines after years of the Rod Rusts and Dick Macphersons and so forth. They were in NFL purgatory in 1993. Parcells' presence instantly restored credibility to the franchise and made them at least feel like part of the NFL. The end sucked and I hated him for years because of the way he left, but (a) I still remember most of his time here fondly (until the very end) and (b) Kraft probably doesn't meet and develop the relationship with BB if he wasn't here.
Carroll was just a dunce who ran an undisciplined football program and failed to get the most out of the supremely talented and young roster that Parcells left him (plenty of room for Booby Grier blame too). He was a front running asshole whose teams played better early in games and early in the season and crumbled down the stretch and against tough teams. In contrast to what seems to be going on in Seattle those teams had no toughness at all.
And I am no USC fan but to me he is the epitome of everything that is wrong with college football, so there is that.
He also seems like smarmy douche. In real life he's probably a nice guy and he's clearly learned a lot and is a better coach than he was in New England, but sports hate doesn't have to be logical so fuck him.
Carroll was just a dunce who ran an undisciplined football program and failed to get the most out of the supremely talented and young roster that Parcells left him (plenty of room for Booby Grier blame too). He was a front running asshole whose teams played better early in games and early in the season and crumbled down the stretch and against tough teams. In contrast to what seems to be going on in Seattle those teams had no toughness at all.
And I am no USC fan but to me he is the epitome of everything that is wrong with college football, so there is that.
He also seems like smarmy douche. In real life he's probably a nice guy and he's clearly learned a lot and is a better coach than he was in New England, but sports hate doesn't have to be logical so fuck him.
Yep. This is where I'm at. To me, Manning getting a second is less annoying than Carroll getting one. Admittedly, my Carroll dislike is irrational and petty, largely deriving from the "aw shucks" image he presented while making USC into one of the most exemplary cesspools in NCAA football. As for the rumors that he was sexing a 20 year old while at USC, well that just makes me all the more jealous, er, I mean enraged!Ralphwiggum said:
That said, in the battle of "neither team has seen an offense/defense like this all season," I am afraid that the Seattle defense trumps Denver's offense. Hope I am wrong there.
I have no problem with Pete Carroll though I remember hating that fade to 8-8 in his final season. And Bledsoe's INT barrage. Tom Curran frames it in this article and it's consistent with being the wrong guy at the wrong time that's been brought up already upthread:
SEA's offense doesn't need Wilson to have a monster game because of the difference-making defense. Lynch in the backfield helps, and Wilson is more than Grossman- or Dilfer-level fungible because he runs.
I think DEN loses the turnover battle and that they'll pay for it. And that Welker suffers another concussion and doesn't finish the game.
27-24 SEA, with one of Seattle's scores being a pick-6 or ST runback.
SEA's offense doesn't need Wilson to have a monster game because of the difference-making defense. Lynch in the backfield helps, and Wilson is more than Grossman- or Dilfer-level fungible because he runs.
I think DEN loses the turnover battle and that they'll pay for it. And that Welker suffers another concussion and doesn't finish the game.
27-24 SEA, with one of Seattle's scores being a pick-6 or ST runback.
I think this was the perception at the time, but in hindsight, I don't think it's really true. The Pats made the Super Bowl in in 2001, but they were just a .500 team the two years before that. The year after Carroll left, the Pats went 5-11. Even the 1996 Super Bowl team got lucky, getting a bye with an 11-5 record and seeing 9-7 Jacksonville take out the #1 seed Denver in the divisional round. There was definitely some talent there, but that wasn't the loaded squad on the cusp of greatness many of us thought - at least not until they added Brady, Seymour, and a bunch of other pieces.Ralphwiggum said:
Carroll's first two years they played pretty well down the stretch; they stumbled in the middle of the season (1997: started 4-0, then went 2-5, finished 4-1; 1998: started 4-1, then went 1-4; finished 4-2). In 1999 they collapsed down the stretch. They basically performed to their Pythagorean. They didn't do well against playoff teams, but that's pretty consistent with them just being a second-tier team in terms of talent.Ralphwiggum said:
Media storylines about Peyton's legacy reminds me of Yankees ballwashing when they were dynastying - in particular 2001, when "divine right" was the official explanation as to why they were going to beat ARI in the World Series that year.
It's a great story and Peyton is America's Quarterback. Where as Seattle is a bunch of "who dats" by comparison. Outside of Sherman and more-than-casual NFL fans (and the game being on the East Coast in AFC country) it's easy to not pay attention to SEA, or know much about that team. Definitely a "we shocked the world but not ourselves" vibe in play here, IMHO.
It's a great story and Peyton is America's Quarterback. Where as Seattle is a bunch of "who dats" by comparison. Outside of Sherman and more-than-casual NFL fans (and the game being on the East Coast in AFC country) it's easy to not pay attention to SEA, or know much about that team. Definitely a "we shocked the world but not ourselves" vibe in play here, IMHO.
I like the line about Zampese trying to implement a passing game based on timing and accuracy and how that "played away from [Bledsoe's] strengths." That's really just another way of saying Bledsoe kind of sucked, isn't it? What offensive system doesn't rely on timing and accuracy?Trlicek's Whip said:
57 folks predicting Seattle, 21 predicting Denver.
Vegas disagrees with you people. Either Vegas is wrong, or lots of folks here are making their picks based on their hearts (58-6 rooting for Seattle vs. Denver) instead of their brains.
Vegas disagrees with you people. Either Vegas is wrong, or lots of folks here are making their picks based on their hearts (58-6 rooting for Seattle vs. Denver) instead of their brains.
People (myself included) are certainly letting their hearts tilt their picks but it personally didn't factor that much into my choice. Also, the Vegas line, IMO, might be a little skewed as well since bettors come out of the woodwork for the Super Bowl, not just degenerates who actually know what they're talking about. The Manning storyline could be swaying a lot of once-a-year gamblers to the Broncos.Lose Remerswaal said:
Anyhow, I (hate to say this) think Tony Mazz stumbled on a point this week. It seems like more often than not when a great D plays against a great O, the D wins out and afterward we all kinda say "wow, i guess D does win championships."
My biggest "concern" for the Seahawks is how different they've been away from Seattle.
I will rant a little here:
One of my pet peeves is how Manning is treated as compared to Brady by non-Pats fans. Manning has worked very hard but lets not forget he was born into this business, he had the best of coaches, he was anointed the starter at Tennessee. Brady busted his ass to become the starter at Michigan and then had to share the spot with a lesser QB. Manning is the first pick in the draft, Brady busted his ass again as the fourth string QB as a sixth rounder and becomes the back up, then leads the team to Nirvana. And Manning is seen as the aw shucks guy and Brady is the pretty boy. I love when other fans say Brady is a whiner and not tough. Tom Brady is 100 x tougher than most people.
This video proves it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WT3_MD4NmE
I live near CO and you would think that the Broncos had drafted him. The Broncos lucked into him. Good for them, and I know fans can be irrational but please shut up.
I don't like how Broncos fan dis McDaniels, he drafted Decker, Moreno and Thomas. It didn't work out but he left some good pieces.
Now the game: I think Seattle is tougher. If this game was played in Miami, I would pick Denver but I am going with Seattle because I think the weather will be cold and windy. Seattle was +20 in turnover ratio, Denver was 0. I think its tight but a late turnover helps Seattle seal the deal.
One of my pet peeves is how Manning is treated as compared to Brady by non-Pats fans. Manning has worked very hard but lets not forget he was born into this business, he had the best of coaches, he was anointed the starter at Tennessee. Brady busted his ass to become the starter at Michigan and then had to share the spot with a lesser QB. Manning is the first pick in the draft, Brady busted his ass again as the fourth string QB as a sixth rounder and becomes the back up, then leads the team to Nirvana. And Manning is seen as the aw shucks guy and Brady is the pretty boy. I love when other fans say Brady is a whiner and not tough. Tom Brady is 100 x tougher than most people.
This video proves it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WT3_MD4NmE
I live near CO and you would think that the Broncos had drafted him. The Broncos lucked into him. Good for them, and I know fans can be irrational but please shut up.
I don't like how Broncos fan dis McDaniels, he drafted Decker, Moreno and Thomas. It didn't work out but he left some good pieces.
Now the game: I think Seattle is tougher. If this game was played in Miami, I would pick Denver but I am going with Seattle because I think the weather will be cold and windy. Seattle was +20 in turnover ratio, Denver was 0. I think its tight but a late turnover helps Seattle seal the deal.
Probably I'm going a bit with my heart, too, and when I came in here I expected it to be a 50/50 opinion, but at least at SoSH I'll join the masses. I just think Seattle's defense on a different level -- something Denver hasn't seen -- and with Harvin back the offense will surprise.
28-14 Hawks.
I've always hated Boston for the hate that was spewed at Carroll. For those who stick by it, I'll just say one thing: Ron Borges led the "no West Coast pussy likke Carroll can coach here" charge. This was before Borges was discredited, but is of a piece with the worst side of the Boston sports world.
28-14 Hawks.
Super Nomario said:
Remagellan said:
I've always hated Boston for the hate that was spewed at Carroll. For those who stick by it, I'll just say one thing: Ron Borges led the "no West Coast pussy likke Carroll can coach here" charge. This was before Borges was discredited, but is of a piece with the worst side of the Boston sports world.
Holy shit at that hit.
Was Brady balding?
I simmed a full game on madden ps4. Watched the entire thing. 15 min quarters.
Hawks win 29-16.
Book it.
Was Brady balding?
I simmed a full game on madden ps4. Watched the entire thing. 15 min quarters.
Hawks win 29-16.
Book it.
Seriously? You hate Boston because some Boston fans hate Pete Carroll? Pete Carroll is about to coach in the Super Bowl so I'm pretty sure he doesn't give a fuck about what Boston fans think about him but I'm glad you are looking out for him, lest this feelings be hurt.Tony C said:
God forbid anyone around here express a feeling rooted in emotion and not 100% logical and well thought out.
Regarding the Manning rant above, my biggest pet peeve is that he has never not had all-pro offensive weapons around him. I'm sure he helps make those around him better but I'm also certain Marvin Harrison is a HOF WR regardless of who is throwing him the ball and Reggie Wayne didn't suffer any sort of drop off going from Manning to Luck. Now he has arguable an all-time great group of talent around him starting with Thomas and Thomas who are two red zone nightmare matchups then and add in Decker, Welker and Moreno for good measure.
Just once I want to see what Manning could do with a Reche Caldwell as his #1 option.
Just once I want to see what Manning could do with a Reche Caldwell as his #1 option.
Denver 27, Seattle 20.
I don't think it will be this close, either. I think Denver's offense is just spectacular. I know that Seattle's got a hell of a defense, but they haven't faced a top 10 offense all year (until New Orleans, who was #10). I dunno. I just don't see the Broncos losing. I hope I'm wrong, and I see plenty of paths to victory for the Seahawks, but I just don't think they pull it off.
I don't think it will be this close, either. I think Denver's offense is just spectacular. I know that Seattle's got a hell of a defense, but they haven't faced a top 10 offense all year (until New Orleans, who was #10). I dunno. I just don't see the Broncos losing. I hope I'm wrong, and I see plenty of paths to victory for the Seahawks, but I just don't think they pull it off.
I predict 86Spike will be drinking heavily. The spread between drinks will be highly correlated to a positive spread between Denver's points scored minus Seattle's point's scored