After going 13-3 and basically steamrolling through the AFC on the way to the Super Bowl, the Broncos were in for a rude awaking in the biggest game of the year. Not only did they lose to the Seahawks but they got manhandled in every aspect of the sport. They were beat up at the line of scrimmage and were just flat-out beaten down all over the field. It was a very bitter end to a very strong season for the Broncos organization and their fans. Any knowledgeable fan or executive of the NFL knows that Peyton Manning’s his Hall of Fame career is coming to an end soon. Like last season, the time is now to try and win another Super Bowl and the Broncos seem to be willing to do whatever it takes.

Time is running out for Peyton Manning to add another Super Bowl title to his legendary career. By Jeffrey Beall [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Boy, we were all wrong.

First they signed ex-New England Patriot Aqib Talib, stealing him away from the rival Patriots and adding to a secondary that was questionable in 2013. Next up was Cleveland Browns safety T.J Ward who, despite playing for the lowly Browns, put up very consistent numbers.

Replacing wideout Eric Decker (who left Denver for the Jets), the Broncos signed Emmanuel Sanders, who will add to an already explosive offensive attack. Finally and in my opinion the biggest splash the Broncos made was signing defensive end, DeMarcus Ware after the Cowboys cut him. Ware may not be the player that he once was because of injuries, but he is still a defensive force and having him and Von Miller lining up next to each other should put fear into opposing offenses.

The Broncos were criticized heavily for their average defense in 2013. With all the moves they’ve made, they might have built a defense that is just as scary if not scarier than their offense. People thought that the Eagles built a “super team” a few seasons ago but they were wrong; the Broncos have built a “super team.”

With time running out for Manning, the Broncos’ front office knew that they needed to make moves that would win Number 18 a title now. The moves they have made this offseason sure look as if the Broncos are seriously going for it all. If you thought last season was a let-down for the Broncos, imagine if the same result happens. Anything short of a Super Bowl victory for the Broncos will be considered a complete failure. I’m sure it’s right where Peyton wants to be.

As many of us found out yet again in Super Bowl XLVIII, defense wins championships. Far too often, fans and analysts of the NFL forget about the defensive side of the ball and solely put their focus on flashy offense. As a viewer I understand why, but let’s not forget about the old fashioned style of football that the great game once was known for. I’ve heard people call this past Super Bowl a “boring” one. Yes it was a blowout and wasn’t as intense as previous games but it was a complete and utter show of domination by the Seahawks. To me, dominating play is anything but boring.

Seattle and its Legion Of Boom are the Super Bowl Champions, and rightfully so after their domination of the Broncos. By Mike Morris, via Wikimedia Commons

Seattle showed why they were the best team all season long and they deserved their Super Bowl victory. People doubted them all year because of their “mediocre” offense and their supposed inability to win away from Seattle. They lost only two games away from Seattle this season, both being in the final seconds of the game (at Indianapolis and at San Francisco) so I don’t understand where this myth comes from about them not being able to win on the road.

Lets also not forget who they beat en route to the title — Drew Brees, Colin Kaepernick and Peyton Manning. They held all three teams under 20 points and I would say that is a pretty impressive feat to accomplish.

But until they pulled off what might go down as the most dominant performance in a Super Bowl in history, the numbers didn’t speak that loudly. People wondered what would happen against one of the best quarterbacks of our generation playing his best football.

What their defense was able to do against Denver is incredible. The Legion of Boom and the rest of the Seahawks are now the champions and will be until someone else dethrones them next season. That might be easier said than done though, as the Seahawks are a very young, talented and now experienced team that could be on the verge of a potential dynasty if they make all the right moves as they have done in the past. Defense, not offense wins championships, and the Seahawks reminded everyone of that once again.

Richard Sherman. Over the last few days, Sherman’s name has been all over the headlines in the sports world and for good reason after the Seahawks ousted the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers to advance to their first Super Bowl since 2005.

On the last play of the game, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to test Sherman, the best cornerback in the NFL, by throwing a pass towards the end zone trying to find Michael Crabtree for what would have been the go ahead touchdown with under 30 seconds left. It was the first time all game that Kaepernick decided to throw towards the all pro cornerback and I bet Colin is regretting it now.

Richard Sherman is stirring up the headlines after the NFC Championship game. By Jeffrey Beall (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Everybody knows that Sherman is a fiery competitor but nobody expected that kind of a post game interview. In the days following the game, people have had mixed feelings towards Sherman’s interview. Some have called him a thug and some have praised him for him emotion and love of the game. Sherman even wrote about it himself.

After I watched the interview live, my initial reaction was strictly wow. I couldn’t believe what I had heard, I couldn’t believe that he called Crabtree a “sorry receiver,” yet I loved every minute of it. I rewound the interview many times to make sure I heard it all correctly and never for a second did I not enjoy it. I’ve had a few days to think it all over and my thoughts are the same as they were when everything happened live. Good for Sherman. Too many times in sports nowadays players get scrutinized for simply being passionate and showing emotion. What is so wrong with a player showing emotion after a huge play or win as long as it doesn’t physically hurt someone or isn’t so inappropriate that it offends people everywhere? We forget that the players we all love to watch and admire are still human and they are just like us just with gifted athletic abilities.

I love everything about what Sherman did and said and for the people who have a problem with it then those are the ones who shouldn’t be watching sports. Sports leagues, especially the NFL, need more players like Sherman who aren’t afraid to speak their minds and show emotion. The rivalry between the Seahawks and 49ers has become the most heated in the NFL and after the NFC Championship game, it looks as if it will stay that way for a long time.

Now, let’s wait and see if Sherman calls Peyton Manning a “sorry quarterback” after the Super Bowl. That, I think, would be a little bigger story.

Coming into the 2013-2014 NFL season, many people expected that at least some version of the last four teams standing would be the Broncos, Seahawks, Patriots and 49ers. Most years, it doesn’t happen where the projected final four actually make it due to a magical run from a dark horse or incredible unforeseen season. But this year it has happened and for the NFL that is a very good thing.

AFC Championship

Can Tom Brady lead the Patriots to another Super Bowl win? First he will have to go through Peyton Manning and Denver. By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA (Tom Brady) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

For Brady and the Patriots a win could mean an incredible feat of reaching the Super Bowl for a sixth time despite all the injuries and poor play from Brady throughout the season. For Manning, this game could make or break his legacy based off his previous playoff struggles.

NFC Championship

On the NFC side of things, the championship showcases two of the most exciting and best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Colin Kaepernick has already made it to the Super Bowl in his short career and Russell Wilson is looking to add to his impressive resume. Over the last few seasons, Seattle vs. San Francisco has become arguably the most heated rivalry in the NFL so it is only fitting that they meet for the NFC crown. Kaepernick and the 49ers have had their recent struggles playing in Seattle so it will be interesting to see how they respond in the NFC Title game.

No matter which two teams win this weekend, Super Bowl XLVIII will be a battle of new vs old. Either way the NFL and its fans will benefit from the matchup.

Who do you think will be in the Super Bowl?

A lifelong Chargers fan, Jeff Blackwell is a fan of all sports. Look for his takes on Fansmanship.com in the future.

By Jeff Blackwell

After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10 in the opening round of the playoffs, the sixth seeded San Diego Chargers have momentum headed into Mile High Stadium this Sunday. The Chargers have, in fact, have been facing elimination games for a month — winning five of their last games to clinch the final AFC playoff spot — and are peaking just at the right time. It not inconceivable that San Diego could be this year’s version of the 2006 Giants or 2010’s Packers; both low seeded teams that rode their momentum all the way to a Super Bowl victory. Next Sunday the Chargers will have to beat the top-seeded Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium to get to the AFC Championship game. Despite the ten-point spread favoring Denver, there are several reasons that Chargers can beat the Broncos.

Before last Sunday, the Chargers’ last playoff win was against none other than Peyton Manning. By Jeffrey Beall (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Though the two teams split the season series, the Bolts’ head coach has game-planned to keep Manning off of the field; something which the Chargers have done better than anybody in the NFL. The Bolts effectively used a ball-control offense in both contests with the Broncos, holding-on to the ball for 38 minutes compared to Denver’s 22. In fact, the Chargers lead the NFL in time of possession at an average of 33 minutes a game. Unless Denver makes major adjustments, this does not bode well for the Broncos’ ability to control the game.

2)  The Chargers’ offensive line has gotten healthy and solidified into an effective unit

In the wild card round, San Diego’s offensive line consistently moved the highly-touted Bengals defensive front seven and gave Rivers plenty of time in the pocket; something which he needs to be successful. The strong O-Line play has also stimulated the running game, which has averaged 144 yards in the past five games, including a season best 198 yards versus the Bengals. The Broncos will see plenty of the Chargers three-headed running attack of Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead, and Ronnie Brown, whose play will be a major factor in controlling the ball.

3) San Diego’s defense has also stepped up its play

Under Defensive Coordinator John Pagano the Chargers defense has played well in the playoff run. The Chargers defense was responsible for two of the three games in which Denver was held under 30 points this season. The 20 points that the Broncos scored in their loss to San Diego was their lowest total all year. The return of outside linebackers Melvin Ingram and Jarret Johnson also adds a new element that Manning has not yet seen, and their speed off the edge could bother him. The Chargers’ porous defensive backfield has gotten better, too.  In particular,  Shareece Wright has become a quality player in man-to-man. Often matched up alone against Pro-Bowler A.J. Green last Sunday, Wright held him to a mere 34 yards. If Manning is pressured enough to make some poor throws, there will be opportunities for Wright and Safety Eric Weddle to pick the football off.

4) The Chargers have Manning’s number

It’s just one of those inexplicable things that one team has over another. The Chargers are, in fact, 2-0 against Manning in recent playoff series. In the AFC Divisional Playoff game in 2008 Manning’s Colts lost to the Chargers 28-24, and in the 2009 wild card game Indy lost in overtime 23-17. In Peyton’s defense, he is 3-1 against the Chargers as a Bronco; but since 2005 Manning is only 4-7 against San Diego, including the two playoff losses. Few thought the lowly Chargers would even get into the playoffs, let alone into the second round. But if the Chargers can play their game and keep Denver’s quarterback on the bench, Manning will have another playoff loss to add to that tally.

When you think of greatness in the NFL, you think of success in the playoffs. Great players are the ones who are able to overcome adversity and lead their teams to both playoff and Super Bowl wins. A lot of the time, that greatness comes in the form of a team’s quarterback and more recently we have seen different quarterbacks become “great” right before our eyes. In today’s NFL, we think of Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and even Joe Flacco last season. While all these players are great at what they do, I believe that one of them is a bit overhyped for his play in the playoffs despite all his greatness.

Despite being one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Peyton Manning hasn’t experienced much playoff success. By Jeffrey Beall (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Manning had a season to remember in 2013. In the greatest statistical season ever by a quarterback, he piled-up 55 touchdowns, 10 interceptions while throwing for a record 5,477 yards. In the process, he led the Broncos to a 13-3 record along with the AFC West division title and the number one overall seed in the AFC playoffs.

We all know about Manning and his impressive numbers, but when the games have mattered a little more, he and his teams have just been average. Peyton had an historic 2013 but with another early playoff exit, his superlative regular season won’t seem as great, like others before it.

Even at 37, Ray Lewis is still coughing up tackles like a machine. By Keith Allison [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Twice John Fox botched the closing minutes of quarters with a staunch conservatism  that paralyzed Peyton Manning‘s ability to sling quick slants in no huddle schemes and move efficiently down the field in small amounts of time. Had the Broncos capitalized just once in on of those two series, the second event, the hail mary –which exposed a Swiss cheese Broncos secondary — is meaningless.

Despite these rational reasons and his game- high 17 tackles, sixteen-year veteran Ray Lewis chooses to view things differently. From his familiar soap box, the sermonite passionately proposed that “no weapon formed against us shall prosper.” A metaphorical medal for he and his teammates’ hard work; awarded by a higher power. Unfortunately for Manning, he was not in God’s favor, and will have to reconcile that over a long and disappointing offseason.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRS6NYJCSkM

This being his second manifestation of faith in as many weeks mirrors the soft-spoken Tim Tebow. Like Lewis, Tebow shares a similar faith structure and has never had a problem sharing it.

Yet, for Tebow, the experience has been entirely different.

As a media obsession the last two years, Tebow has been posterized by growing constituents of anti-fans as a fraud and an overbearing radical. His means to victory in 2011, according to most critics, can be attributed to a lock down Broncos defense, the same one that offered up 479-yards on Saturday.

No matter how Tebow contributed to wins on the field, he was never credited in Denver as a central clear-cut reason for his team’s victories. Too slow, bad throwing motion, average were the commonalities consisted between the media and Broncos GM, John Elway.

How different is this compared to Ray’s dramatized radicalism?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMvbrJrx7RA

Tim’s public approach is mild, humble, head bowed and kind. His personality deflects praise and brushes off the question with a cordial disregard for self promotion. Where is this arrogant fraud I continually hear about?

Unfortunately for Tebow, he fell victim to an unwarranted amount of praise in a seemingly short amount of time. Before lacing it up as a starter, the media had already aggrandized the simpleton run-first quarterback as the next Steve Young. Under such a spotlight, every word and action the young man does or says is broken down to its microbial level by media spinsters.

The real reasons why Ray gets a pass and Tim never will:

1) Ray is a proven veteran. Tim has been a spotty starter for three years in the NFL. He’s 25, seemingly shy to the world and at times a little plastic-seeming with his puritanical views on sex, among other things. Ray has been “around the block,” overcome multiple injuries and been a top performing linebacker throughout the entirety of his career.

2) Ray is retiring: Every time a great player decides a season will be his last, the media and fans throw a year long celebration in his or her name and criticism goes out the window.

3) Male Alpha Complex: Deep in the inner thought process of most men, they envy Tim Tebow. He’s good looking, has an honest charm, has a relentless motor and is arguably the most decorated college football player of all time. He’s prime for critique. Every housewife in America dreams of a night alone with Tim, and it makes their beer guzzling average Joe feel puny in comparison.  Tim Tebow=deflated ego.

What do you think? Let us know with your comments below this article and Owen, Andy or I promise to respond to each and every one of your comments.

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