It wasn’t the weather that ruined Super Bowl XLVIII, it was Peyton Manning. Since the announcement was made that the Super Bowl would take place in a northern city critics argued that the regions climate conditions were not conducive to playing the leagues ultimate game. As it turned out the weather could not have been better but Manning could not have been worse in losing to the Seahawks 43 - 8.
Being in the Big Apple, Manning decided to emulate New York Jets legend Joe Namath’s premature coin flip with his own premature snap of the ball. Thus beginning the evening by giving up a safety of the games very first play. A deficit he was never able to made up.
Sure there are some who will say it was not all Peyton’s fault. They will point to the fact that it was a total team collapse. But all season long Peyton has taken the credit, now he must shoulder the blame. As a matter of fact, Denver’s defense fought hard to keep the Broncos in the game. By the end of the first quarter the Seahawks has scored three times but only had a 8 – 0 lead. However in the second, two interceptions, one a pick six, caused Peyton and the Broncos to unravel.
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The Seahawks and their Coach, Pete Carroll, seemed to count on Manning’s history of playing small in big games. After winning Namath’s second coin toss the Seahawks chose to defer, giving the ball to the Broncos and handing Manning an extreme insult. And instead of seizing the moment and making the Seahawks pay for this indignity Peyton wilted, as he has done so many times before when placed on the big stage.
This season Manning won his fifth MVP award. His offense scored the most points in NFL history. He set records in just about every major passing statistic. As a matter of fact he added to his record breaking year yesterday by setting a Super Bowl record for most completions. But that is what he does, he sets records. What he does not do is win Big Games.
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Big Game quarterbacks lift their teams on their backs and carry them to victory. That’s what Joe Namath did for the 18 point underdog Jets in Super Bowl III. That is what his brother, Eli, did while beating the 18 – 0, undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. Yet once again Peyton showed that he was not capable of lifting his team to victory. Once again Peyton showed he is no Joe Namath. He also showed he is not even Eli…
