The team’s big win made for an even bigger loss for the Broncos, who now have a total of five Super Bowl defeats.

Playing in this year’s Super Bowl were the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos.  The match was supposedly relatively even, considering that the Denver Broncos had the NFL’s best offense this year, due largely to their quarterback Peyton Manning. The Seattle Seahawks claimed the NFL’s best defense.

Despite all the hype, Super Bowl XLVIII was a relatively anti-climatic game.  For Seahawks’ fans, it was more than a victory, it was the utter desolation of the Broncos.  The final score was 43-8, the third biggest point gap in Super Bowl history.  This crushing victory was the Seahawks’ first Super Bowl win.  In contrast, this was the Broncos fifth Super Bowl loss, a league record.

The game started with some excitement–the Seahawks scored the fastest points in Super Bowl history with a safety on the first play of the game.  This first play set the tone for the rest of the game.  The Seahawks’ defense continued to dominate the Broncos’ offense.  After the first 2 points, Denver hardly ever had possession of the ball in the first quarter, and they never scored a first down.  In addition to a safety, the Seahawks scored two field goals.  In the second quarter, the Seahawks added two more touchdowns to the score.  At halftime, the score was 22-0, but there was still hope for a Broncos’ comeback.

That hope was quickly shot down when the first play of the second half was a Seahawks’ kickoff return for a touchdown.  The Broncos did eventually score their first (and only) points in the end of the third quarter in the form of a touch down and two point conversion. But the Seahawks already had a total of 36 points by that time.  In the fourth quarter the Seahawks scored again, for a total score of 43-8. Overall, the Seahawks outplayed the Broncos, largely due to their strong defensive line.

The Seahawks gave Most Valuable Player to Malcolm Smith, a linebacker.  The MVP award is rarely given to defensive players, and Smith is only the third linebacker to ever receive the award.  During the game, Smith had both a 69 yard touchdown return and a fumble recovery.

The Seahawks’ defense stopped Peyton Manning from ever playing a strong offensive game.  After the game, Manning (who is 37 years old – old by the NFL standards) was faced with questions from the media on his ability to play, and whether his legacy would be sullied by such a crushing defeat.

Super Bowl XLVIII was historic for its final score.  But it was also a relatively uninteresting Super Bowl, since for much of the game it was obvious that the Broncos were not able to keep up with the Seahawks.

Students react to Super Bowl XLVIII

It was really boring this year, the Broncos got creamed. There was no excitement.– Emma Clare Johnson ’14

A tidal wave of murderous massacre.– Natesh Kirpalani ’17

Seattle’s defense shut down the number one offense led by Peyton Manning, and we killed it.– Nolle Kuharske ‘17

So sorry Broncos.– Dylan Allen ‘16

Commercials were disappointing. Broncos for the win.– Fraser Keill ’17