January 31st, 2014
Well it’s finally here, and you couldn’t have picked a better match up — except for the fact that this is the exact match up every analyst picked at the beginning of the season. But, again, this is a good thing. These were the best two teams throughout the year, and here we are. It rarely happens this perfectly, especially in football these days as injuries have been mounting up to ridiculous degrees. The story lines are clear: Peyton’s legacy, and the “team-first” nature of the Seahawks and their young quarterback. Are these the actual game story lines though? We’ll see.
Vegas has this one pinned down as a  traditional game no doubt. The spread opened as a “pick ’em” — but soon moved to about -2.5 Denver, where it’s held at most sports books since. Vegas is basically saying this is a dead even game, and they’re giving a slight edge to the team led by the league’s likely MVP: Peyton Manning. Denver’s play caller has never looked great in cold weather, but forecasters are actually predicting the temperature to stay above freezing for most of the contest. And while Denver has shattered records all year in scoring, the Seahawks do have the best defense in the league, and the odds makers have settled in at 48 for the over/under — representing a pretty low scoring game.
Manning has been known to come out tight in big games, so look for John Fox to ease his quarterback into the game with run plays and screens. Denver’s offense is no secret, but a conservative game plan is probably the path to success here for the Broncos. Pete Carroll’s handling of Russell Wilson probably won’t be much different. Carroll will likely try to get Wilson out of the pocket where he can create with his feet and find a comfort zone early. Look for Marshawn Lynch to take at least 30 carries.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be calling this one for Fox on Dish Network, with kick off at 6:25PM. Of course, coverage will be going on all day on ESPN, FOX and the like. Be sure to check CannonSatelliteTV.com for upcoming NBA, Winter Olympics and World Cup coverage as well!
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