Seattle's number one ranked defense takes on Denver's number one ranked offense in tonight's super bowl 48. This is the first time in 23 years the #1 defense is playing the #1 offense.
Going inside the numbers:
The Seahawks defense gives up 14.9 points per game ( 9 points better than the league average of 24 ppg).
The Broncos Offense scores 37.9 points per game (14.5 points better than the league average of 23 ppg).
The Broncos scored the most points in the league this year (606) and gained the most yards (6,317).
The Seahawks defense allowed the fewest points (213) and the fewest yards (4,378).
The Broncos have the highest scoring offense to ever reach the super bowl.
In prior super bowl match-ups, the team with the number 1 defense that appeared in the super bowl won more than the team with the number 1 offense (this is in games where either the #1 offense or the #1 defensive team appeared, not in match-ups of #1's). In 1991, the last matchup of number ones, the NY Giants (#1 defense) defeated the Buffalo Bills (#1 offense) 20-19.
So who wins this game?
Easy.
The Denver Broncos. Why? DEFENSE. DENVER'S DEFENSE.
The team with the best rushing defense has won 37 of the last 47 super bowls. Seattle gave up 107 rushing yards this year. Denver's defense also gave up 107 rushing yards this year. Denver can stop the run. Seattle lives by the run. With the rushing offensive neutralized, the game comes down to the passing offense, and at that point, the game is over and you can turn to watching ice skating, because Peyton Manning (this year's MVP with 49 of 50 votes) is going to carve up Seattle's vaunted secondary like a piece of Seattle sashimi. It will not be close.
SUPER BOWL PROP PLAYS:
Denver is -3. Mortgage the house on Peyton Manning having two weeks to prepare for a defense (albeit a great defense). The rules of the current NFL favor the offense. Denver covers by a mile.
Over/Under. The line opened at 47. 70% of the money came in on under and the line moved to 48. No worries. Over. Denver 38 Seattle 17.
Time Renee Fleming takes to sing the national anthem vs. Peyton Manning passing yards in second half:
Renee Fleming time: -120
Peyton Manning passing yards second half: -120 (bet 120 to win 100).
The over/under on the time it takes Fleming to sing the anthem is 2 minutes 25 seconds (145 seconds). The books are great on this number. Usually within a half a second. So assume Fleming sings the anthem in 145 second. Will Manning pass for more than 145 yards in the second half? You betcha. While we don't expect the game to be close, it will remain close through the third quarter (say 20-10) before Manning decides it's time to cement his legacy as a top three all time great QB.
Winning Margin:
Since we know the score will be 38-17 with Denver winning by 21, you can get +1000 (100 to win 1000 or 10 to 1) on Denver winning by 21. Put down $500 on this and you can take your 5K winnings on a Vegas trip in the spring.
First half spread: Denver is -.5 points. Meaning if you think the Broncos will be in the lead by the end of the first half (they will) place this bet: -120 (bet 120 to win 100). Perhaps the best bet of the game.
And of course, the lock of the game: the coin toss. Heads.
Enjoy the game. We WON'T be watching. Duty calls.
See you in court.
This game reminds me of three prior super bowls.
ReplyDeleteThe second Steelers-Cowboys Super Bowl where Thomas Hollywood Henderson insulted Bradshaw. Henderson actually had a splash play sack-fumble of Bradshaw, but the Steelers won.
Super Bowl 25 where the Lawrence Taylor led Giants, with a sub par QB Jeff Hostetler, beat the Bills, who had a high powered Jim Kelly led offense.
Super Bowl 20, where the Mike Ditka- Walter Payton, William Refrigerator Perry Bears destroyed the New England Patriots 46-10.
The team with the best defense won all three. And yet I am picking the Broncos for two reasons:
1) They have a very good defense of their own and Seattle has an average offense.
2) The rules have changed since those super bowls, and so has the nature of the game and the game is now a QB driven game. And Peyton Manning had arguably the greatest season of any QB and is clearly one of the very best QBs to ever play the game.
My heat is with Seattle. I love a team with a tough defense, great running game and QB who can make the big play. That is old school football. But this is a new age. Broncos win
Your "duty" is cuddling up with me Rumpole instead of watching some stinky old super bowl.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteBroncos in a close game, 27-23.
Both wrong . Seahawks win. Sherman picks off manning as time expires and declares himself Jesus Christ. No wait, that's kanye
ReplyDeleteNothing to say about the Heat beatdown of your Knicks last night? I can only imagine what your blog would look like if the Knicks somehow managed to win the game.
ReplyDeleteRump, lIve reporting here outside of REN, Kendall's newest, hottest, hippest, nightclub. The Super Bowl party has been sold out before the club opened. A crowd of about 150 are lingering outside, enjoying free snacks the kitchen is sending out, while inside they create a shumie-raffle and open up what is rumored to be 20 spots for the hoi poloi outside.
ReplyDeletehardest super bow party ducat in town. REN. Dude....
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteDamn. You cost me big time on the coin toss. Tails never fails.
TAILS! Off to a bad night, Rump.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Rump, Heat beat the crap out of the Knicks last night....
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteYou're killing me Smalls. I've lost my car, my Vegas trip, and may need to move in with you tomorrow as my house in on the line too.
ReplyDeleteSh-t Rumpole. Someone just explained to me that "bet the house" is a saying, not to be taken literally.
I wish you would have told me that beforehand.
My public relations dept can verify that my office will be representing Kim Jong Un for human rights violations. As such, I have declined representing Justin Bieber.
ReplyDeleteIf Peyton had signed with the Dolphins, he never would have been in this embarrassing situation.
ReplyDelete-3 or +35, Rump..... At this point, what does it matter anyway?
ReplyDeleteHas the Super Bowl jumped the shark? Boy, that game sucked!
ReplyDeletedont quit your day job....
ReplyDeletelike i ever listen to the skipper, or the captain or whatever that joker's name is...
ReplyDeleteRump, you were so wrong, but I still love you baby!
ReplyDelete