Why the Seattle Seahawks Won the Super Bowl
By Erik Lambert
Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks celebrate Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse
In the first Super Bowl runaway in years, the Seattle Seahawks did it the old fashioned way. Here are a number of reasons they brought home the Lombardi trophy.
The Defense
What more needs to be said? Their length, speed and relentlessness overwhelm teams that aren’t prepared for it and clearly the Broncos offense didn’t give it enough respect. They didn’t protect the football and seemed flustered from the very first snap when they gave up a safety. For a team that prides itself on preparation, Denver was simply added to a list of other supposedly good offensive teams that grossly underestimated how fast and fierce the Legion of Boom actually is. A special additional shout out must also go to the “other” safety Kam Chancellor.
Good Health
By far the most overlooked aspect of this Super Bowl was how contrasting the two teams were in terms of health. Aside from a few minor absences the Seahawks had all of their key players ready for the game. Contrasting with that was the now very noticeable absences of several Denver Broncos including Von Miller, Chris Harris, and left tackle Ryan Clady. It’s not the sole reason for the collapse, but it can be said their additions might’ve made a difference.
The Venue
Was in ridiculously cold or snowy? No. However, it can’t be ignored that Seattle got another piece of good luck playing in New York where the weather is notoriously unpredictable, windy and cool. If any place would remind them of Seattle, it would be MetLife Stadium, right down to the field turf.
Percy Harvin
This is debatable but it may have been Percy Harvin that delivered the decisive knockout of the game with his second half kick return touchdown. However, his impact went beyond that. The blazing speed he displayed along with the versatility allowed the Seattle Seahawks coaches to use him in a variety of ways. His threat allowed other teammates to get opportunities as well.
Russell Wilson
He didn’t have an MVP performance but the second-year quarterback Russell Wilson did exactly what he had to. He realized the team he had and tailored his game to compliment it. He used his feet to extend drives, deliver accurate high-percentage passes, took his shots when warranted and most importantly he didn’t turn the football over. People can say what they want about his height and his spotty production, but Wilson is the perfect quarterback to lead this Seattle Seahawks team.