Aftermath: On to the Super Bowl

These two could be the difference makers in New Jersey.

32 teams entered, only 2 remain. They're the two that were projected from the start of the season, but it's not been an easy road for either team. Here's a breakdown of their journeys.

Denver Broncos:

All season they have come as advertised, as projected. The best offense in the league, headed by one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. The defense lead by a veteran Pro-Bowler, and playing their best football of the year.

There looks to be no reason the Broncos can't cruise to their third Lombardi Trophy, after breezing through the regular season and what looked like an all to easy route through the playoffs.

Regular Season: 13-3

Denver only lost three games in a regular season that was filled with opportunities to slip up. They lost away to Kansas City (who went out in the Wild Card round by one point) and to the Patriots in Foxborough. The only home loss was provided by the Chargers in Week 15, when they managed to curtail Peyton Manning and his passing game.

Playoffs

Divisional Round: Chargers 17 - 24 Broncos

The scoreline doesn't suggest this game was terribly easy, but once you break it down you realise the Broncos were ahead 17 - 0 going into the 4th quarter. San Diego seemed resurgent but they couldn't do enough to keep Denver from a Championship game.

AFC Championship Game: Patriots 16 - 26 Broncos

Coming into this game it wasn't a foregone conclusion. Analysts were split all week, many arguing that the Patriots had won the mid season match-up, but this wasn't mid season, this was the AFC Championship. This also wasn't Foxborough, this was Mile High.

With predictions going both ways, there was one constant that kept being thrown up: high scores. This was as far from the truth as anything. Peyton threw for 400 yards and 2 touchdowns, but his team only put up 26 points when faced with a secondary that rightly should have been taken apart (especially after the loss of star DB Aqib Talib). The Patriots offense never moved past second gear, and Denver were to an extent let off by that fact.

Seattle Seahawks:

The Seahawks came into the season looking to the Super Bowl, that being their goal. They haven't waivered far from that path, and although they've had a couple of uncertain moments they are far from the weak side of this clash. Already billed as the underdogs, but we can't forget the adage that "defense wins championships".

Regular Season: 13-3

With an identical record to the Broncos, losses in indianapolis and san francisco and an uncharacteristic home loss to Atlanta as their only blemishes the Seahawks look in good shape. They never put up the kind of numbers that would seem standard to Denver, but they never had to. Their defense was ranked 1st across the board, with no doubt about their ability to prevent anything getting past them.

Playoffs

Divisional Round: Saints 15 - 23 Seahawks

Just like the pros...

The Saint's were never going to threaten the Seahawks in Seattle, and they did very little to truly bother the favourites for the NFC crown, short of injuring Percy Harvin. A late drive by the Saints to make the game contestable fell short, even before Marques Colstons now infamous forward pass.

NFC Championship Game: 49ers 17 - 23 Seahawks

This game started off roughly for the Seahawks. Their defense wasn't making many mistakes, but it forgot to account for Kaepernick's ability to run with the ball. Their offense didn't get going properly until the second quarter, but without a real offensive threat they managed to keep the 49ers to 10 points. Russell Wilson was getting pressured all day, Marshawn Lynch came alive to save the day.


Everybody across the internet is going to overanalyze this game, and I am no exception. This truly is a game that is uncallable. First instincts put the game on Denver, but Peyton Manning hasn't faced a defense this good all season. 99 topics to discuss in detail, and less than two weeks to do it in.