[su_heading size=”14″]Typically, this space would be filled with BI sports staff’s various predictions for an upcoming UW sporting event, but since the big game is this weekend we’re doing something a little out of the ordinary and using this week’s roundtable to discuss Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup.[/su_heading]
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
Joel Funk
jmacfunk@uwyo.edu
I definitely think it is “cooler” in this region to hate the Broncos than to love them and that is what will make it taste so sweet for Manning and company to pull the win out Sunday. No doubt the Seahawks have the best defense in the game and an effective offence; this is bound to be one of the most exciting Superbowls in history.
The Seahawks will, however, have to score more than 23 points on a defense that relentlessly subdued Tom Brady in the AFC Championship and not turn the ball over to an offense that scored more points this season than any team ever has. Wilson is a good athlete. When he grows up, he will be great. Manning, on the other hand, is going to be throwing the ball with everything he has and he will round up touchdowns and massive yardage. Wilson’s 215 passing yards in his last performance will be a margin of Manning’s numbers.
I have bit my tongue all season up to this point and listened to Seahawks fans talk their team up like the Broncos have no chance. Well, here we are at the crossroads we knew we would see and I could not be more excited. I am not a fairweather fan. I was in 5th grade in 1997 when Elway and his underdog Broncos finally flipped the bird to people who said they could not beat Brett Favre and the Packers. After the following year’s second consecutive Superbowl victory, we went through Griese, Plummer, Orton, the unbearably full-of-crap Tebow and his deadbeat dad Josh McDaniels and it sucked. I was, nonetheless, unmoved and 17 years since that unbelievably kick ass first Superbowl win.
Prediction: Broncos 27, Seahawks 20[/su_column]
[su_column size=”1/2″]
Adam Croft
acroft2@uwyo.edu
Ultimately, I think that this game is going to come down to the offensive lines.
In inclement weather—which is almost certain for Sunday’s game, both teams are going to have to rely on their big men up front to be at their best if they want to implement the offensive strategies necessary for success in the elements.
For Seattle this will mean giving Marshawn Lynch the lion’s share of the offensive burden.
For Denver, look for a lot of zone blocking and screen passing.
In the end, I think that the Broncos’ offensive lineman will continue to play at a high level as they have all season, ultimately giving the Broncos the offensive edge.
They’ve been excellent all season, allowing a mere 18 sacks and 42 hits on their quarterback. Peyton Manning should have plenty of time—which he’ll need to pick apart Seattle’s tough secondary in short yardage situations.
Denver feels like a team with destiny on their side right now, and I think that their offensive line will win them Sunday’s game.
Prediction: Broncos 35, Seahawks 31
[/su_column] [/su_row]
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
Meredith Vincent
tvincent@uwyo.edu
Offense may sell tickets, but defense wins championships.
It may be a cliché, but this year’s Super Bowl will make it law.
Payton Manning is arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game, and I will never take anything away from him. However, this game will be won by the more complete team, and that’s Seattle.
This season, the Broncos offense beat teams with good linebackers, good defensive lines and good secondaries, but they haven’t come up against a team that boasted all three at such an exceptional level. The Richard Sherman hysteria over the last two weeks will only fuel the defense, enabling the Legion of Boom to bring the pain.
As far as offense, the Seahawks will likely take a cue from San Diego’s regular season upset of Denver and keep the ball on the ground as much as possible, limiting Manning’s own quality time with the pigskin and allowing Skittles-loving Marshawn Lynch to Hulk-out into Beastmode. The Broncos may have a Manning, but the Seahawks have a Beast.
The math here is simple. The Broncos are a formidable team, but taking a look at their division, they haven’t had the competition Seattle has. San Diego scraped into the playoffs, and Brady and the Patriots are officially has-beens. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson led his team to victory against fellow shorty Drew Brees and the Saints, and came from behind to beat San Francisco in possibly one of the best contests of the season. While Denver has waltzed into the Super Bowl like it ain’t no thang, Seattle has had to prove week in and week out just how tough they are, and the Super Bowl will be their crowning moment.
Plus, everyone knows Payton can’t play in the cold.
Prediction: Seattle 27, Broncos 24[/su_column]
[su_column size=”1/2″]
Kendyll Ferrall
kferral1@uwyo.edu
When it comes to the Super Bowl, it’s not a team’s offense or defense that sells tickets; it’s not rant-prone corner backs or skittle-eating running backs. No, the Super Bowl is all about the half-time show. How else are people supposed to see Janet Jackson’s boo…. talent?
Personally, there is no one who could follow a Queen Bey performance, except for maybe Blue Ivy, but she’s not old enough to legally sign a contract and even if she were, her rider would be ridiculous. So the NFL went with the next best thing, which is apparently Bruno Mars.
Many bets will be placed on Mars’ performance. How many times will he cry? How many of his back-up dancers will be at least a foot taller than him? How many people will start rioting for a Beyoncé performance? Will the Red Hot Chili Peppers attack Mars in the middle of ‘Grenade’?
All of these bets pale in comparison to the halftime show’s most important bet: What type of hat will Mars wear? Will he rock the panama? Or keep it classy in the homburg? Will he shock us all in a top hot?
No one can know for sure what will grace the head of the four-foot-two-singer-who’s-not-Beyoncé.
Oh, wait. No, it’s pretty obvious. Mars will wear a fedora, definitely a fedora.
Prediction: Bruno Mars’ Fedora 1, America 0[/su_column] [/su_row]
