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Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Malcolm Smith celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the Denver Broncos in the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, February 2, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] |
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - The Seattle Seahawks' mantra all season was to make each day a championship day.
They made Super Bowl Sunday the best day of all with one of the greatest performances in an NFL title game - sparked by a defense that ranks among the best ever.
The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl crown in overpowering fashion, punishing Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 43-8. That masterful defense, the NFL's stingiest, never let the five-time Most Valuable Player get going, disarming the highest-scoring offense in league history.
Seattle (16-3) was too quick, too physical and just too good for Denver, and that was true in all areas. What was hyped as a classic matchup between an unstoppable offense and a miserly defense turned into a rout.
"We been relentless all season," quarterback Russell Wilson said. "Having that mentality of having a championship day every day. At the end of the day, you want to play your best football and that is what we did today."
Punctuating Seattle's dominance were a 69-yard interception return touchdown by linebacker Malcolm Smith to make it 22-0, and Percy Harvin's sensational 87-yard kickoff runback to open the second half.
Smith was the game's MVP, the first defender in 11 years to win the award.
When the Seahawks, up by 29 points, forced a Denver punt early in the third quarter, the 12th Man - and there were legions of them in MetLife Stadium - began chanting "L-O-B, L-O-B."
As in Legion of Boom, the Seahawks hard-hitting defensive secondary line, part of young team with an average age of 26 years, 138 days.
"This is an amazing team. Took us four years to get to this point but they never have taken a step sideways," coach Pete Carroll said. "These guys would not take anything but winning this ballgame."
The loss by the Broncos again raised questions about Manning's ability to win the biggest games. He is 11-12 in the postseason, 1-2 in Super Bowls. After the game, he brushed off questions about his legacy.
"Certainly to finish this way is very disappointing," he said.
He never looked comfortable against a defense some will begin comparing to the 1985 Bears and 2000 Ravens - other NFL champions who had runaway Super Bowl victories.
Seattle forced four turnovers; Denver had 26 all season.
