NFL: Ranking the Super Bowls by all-time greatness
By Randy Gurzi
54. Super Bowl XLVIII: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8
Feb. 2, 2014 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
This one was supposed to be an easy win for Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos. The veteran quarterback had just finished his second season with Denver. It was also their second 13-win campaign in a row.
Manning was on fire all season and had 5,477 yards passing and an NFL-record 55 touchdown passes. It was the best season for one of the best to ever play the game. Super Bowl XLVIII was supposed to end with him holding the Lombardi trophy.
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There were plenty who believed the Seattle Seahawks could slow them down — after all, they were one of the best defenses in the NFL all season.
However, the battle between Manning and second-year quarterback Russell Wilson seemed too one-sided. It didn’t take long to see that thought process was misguided.
Seattle scored on the first play from scrimmage as the center snapped the ball when Manning was unprepared.
The fumble was recovered by running back Knowshon Moreno, but it went for a safety and a 2-0 lead for Seattle.
The Seahawks put up 20 more points before the half and then made sure there would be no comeback on the first play of the third quarter.
That was when Percy Harvin took a Matt Prater kickoff 87 yards for a score. Denver finally got on the board as the third quarter was ending, as Manning hit Demaryius Thomas for a 14-yard score. They went for two and were successful, but it would be their only points in one of the more lopsided wins in NFL history.