The 2013 Seattle Seahawks beat a historic Denver Broncos team in the Super Bowl. Now, that team has been crowned the best of the decade.
In a recent article for NFL.com, Tom Blair wrote about his top 10 NFL teams of the decade. The 2013 iteration of the Seattle Seahawks claimed the top spot. The ranking makes sense as that Seahawks team boasted the most legendary defense in recent history, the Legion of Boom. There isn’t any other team worthy of that top spot.
Looking at his list, Blair has the 2015 Carolina Panthers that went 15-1 at the No. 2 spot and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 3. Peyton Manning‘s 2013 Denver Broncos, who came in at No. 5, should’ve been ranked higher considering what their offense was capable of. Then again, the Seahawks did steamroll that team 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. No other game in Blair’s article had a higher point differential.
The way the Seahawks simply pushed around and shut down the Broncos offense in Super Bowl XLVIII was incredible. Most people likely don’t remember what happened for all 60 minutes because their focus was elsewhere by halftime. If it was any game other than the Super Bowl, fans probably would have turned the TV off — that’s how clear the outcome of the game was.
Keep in mind, the 2013 Denver offense was ranked first in overall offense (457.3 yards per game), first in scoring (37.9 points per game) and the team was first in point differential. On the other hand, the Seahawks defense was first in overall defense (273.6 yards per game), first in points allowed (14.4), and the team was second in point differential.
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Super Bowl XLVIII was supposed to be an epic clash of the best offense and defense. It was supposed to answer the age-old question, does offense or defense win games? We got a resounding answer.
People don’t really appreciate the sheer number of star players that were on the Seahawks roster in 2013. The offense had Pro Bowlers in Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson along with future Pro Bowlers in Doug Baldwin and Golden Tate. Center Max Unger made his second Pro Bowl in 2013 and he was one year removed from being a First Team All-Pro. Left tackle, Russell Okung was one year removed from his first Pro Bowl.
Even Zach Miller, the team’s starting tight end, was a former Pro Bowler. Percy Harvin was past his prime when he joined the Seahawks, but the former Pro Bowler was in good enough shape to return a kick 87 yards for a touchdown against the Broncos.
Then there was the defense. Looking at it now, it’s almost like half of the players were pulled straight from the Pro Bowl. The front line featured sack artists like Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and Chris Clemons. Long-time Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Mebane was also a part of that unit.
The linebacking corps was equally impressive. Bobby Wagner manned the middle of the defense. Despite posting 120 combined tackles, Wagner didn’t make the Pro Bowl in 2013. He hasn’t missed a Pro Bowl since. K.J. Wright, who is often overlooked, was also a starter at that point. After 2013, he went on to record four consecutive seasons with 100 or more tackles. Eventual Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith started eight games for the Seahawks during the regular season.
Of course, the secondary is the unit everyone remembers. 2013 was the high-water mark of the Legion of Boom, the most notable defensive unit in recent history. Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas were a dynamic duo that gave Seattle a lot of options defensively. While Chancellor was capable of coming down a shutting down the running game, the defense’s enforcer was also able to stick with players like Wes Welker in coverage.
Thomas was the team’s X-factor who ran around the field making whatever plays the team needed. He was the safety net and backbone of the defense. Richard Sherman was the vocal leader of the secondary. As a shutdown corner, he had plenty of time to chat with opposing wide receivers. Opponents just refused to throw the ball to his side of the field because it was a waste of time and was a dangerous gamble.
The 2013 Seahawks have mostly gone their separate ways now. Defensively, only Wagner and Wright are still with the Seahawks. Wilson is the only integral part of the offense left. Despite the team’s gradual dissolution, it’s clear they have built a lasting legacy. While the decade hasn’t quite closed out yet, it’s safe to say no other team from the 2010s will ever be remembered as being in the same realm as the 2013 Seahawks.