NFL Super Bowl 48

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Current revision as of 20:32, 5 February 2014

Super Bowl XLVIII is an upcoming American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2013 season. It is scheduled to be held on February 2, 2014, at MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with kickoff scheduled for 6:25pm EST (UTC−05:00).

This will be the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors in a cold weather city, the first to be played outdoors on artificial turf (in this case FieldTurf) since Super Bowl X at the Miami Orange Bowl, and the first in which two U.S. states (New York and New Jersey) will share hosting duties. It is also the first time since Super Bowl XLIV, and just the second time in the past twenty seasons that the number 1 seeds from each conference will meet to decide the championship. The game will feature the league's top offense (Denver) vs. the top defense (Seattle), and will also feature two former division rivals (Seattle played for the AFC West from 1977 to 2001). Both of these types of match-ups have not occurred since Super Bowl XXXVII.

[edit] Background

[edit] Host selection process

[edit] Winter outlook and contingency plans

[edit] Nicknames

[edit] Teams

[edit] Seattle Seahawks

Main article: 2013 Seattle Seahawks season

Seattle finished the season 13–3, winning the NFC West division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The team scored 417 points during the season, while giving up just 231.

The offense was led by second year quarterback Russell Wilson, a third round draft pick who had immediately picked up the starting role, leading the team to a playoff win in his rookie season. He finished his second completing 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,357 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only 9 interceptions, while also rushing for 539 yards and another score. His 101.2 passer rating ranked him 7th in the NFL, and made him the first quarterback in history with a triple digit passer rate in his first two seasons. His top target was Pro Bowl receiver Golden Tate, who caught 64 passes for 898 yards and 5 touchdowns. Tate was also a major asset on special teams, returning 51 punts for 585 yards (2nd in the NFL). Other key targets included Doug Baldwin (50 receptions, 775 yards, 5 touchdowns) and tight end Zach Miller (33 receptions, 387 yards, 5 touchdowns). Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch was the team's leading rusher with 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a reliable receiver, hauling in 36 passes for 316 yards and two more scores. The Seahawks' offensive line was led by Pro Bowl center Max Unger. Kicker Steven Hauschka ranked 4th in the NFL in scoring (143 points) and second in field goal percentage (94.3%, 33/35).

Seattle had the NFL's top defense, leading the NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (273.6), fewest points allowed (231), and most takeaways (39). Seattle's defensive line featured defensive ends Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, both of whom recorded 8 sacks. Avril also forced 5 fumbles, while Bennett recovered three, returning them for 39 yards and a touchdown. Defensive tackle Clinton McDonald also made a big impact with 5.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and an interception. Linebacker Bobby Wagner led the team in combined tackles (120), while also racking up 5 sacks and two interceptions. But the best aspect of the defense was their secondary—collectively known as the Legion of Boom—which sent three of their four starters to the Pro Bowl: cornerback Richard Sherman, who led the NFL in interceptions (8, with 125 return yards), along with free safety Earl Thomas (5 interceptions, 105 tackles, 2 forced fumbles) and strong safety Kam Chancellor (99 tackles, 3 interceptions, 78 return yards).

[edit] Denver Broncos

Main article: 2013 Denver Broncos season

Denver finished the season 13–3 for the second straight year, winning the AFC West division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Broncos had the best offense in the NFL, leading the league in points scored (606, the highest total in NFL history) and yards gained (7,313). The offense was so explosive that they scored points on their opening possession at least eight straight games leading into the playoffs and a ninth time against the San Diego Chargers during the Divisional Playoffs game. During the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, they broke that streak, only to score on the opening possession of the second half.

Peyton Manning signed with Denver for the 2012 season, leading the team to a 13-3 record. However, the year ended in disappointment, with the team losing in the divisional round of the playoffs. Now in his second year as the team's starter, Manning posted one of the best seasons of any quarterback in NFL history, leading the league in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdown passes. His 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdown completions both set new NFL records. His 450 completions were the second highest total in NFL history, and his 115.1 passer rating ranked second in the league. Denver's leading pass-catcher was Pro Bowl receiver Demaryius Thomas, who caught 92 passes for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns. But Manning had plenty of other reliable options, including Eric Decker (97 receptions, 1,288 yards, 11 touchdowns), Wes Welker (73 receptions, 778 yards, 10 touchdowns), and Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas (65 receptions, 788 yards, 12 touchdowns). Overall, they made Denver the first team in NFL history ever to have four players with at least 10 touchdown receptions in a season. Running back Knowshon Moreno was the team's leading rusher with 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also catching 60 passes for 548 yards and another 3 scores. Rookie running back Montee Ball was also a big contributor with 554 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns, and 20 receptions. The team's offensive line featured Pro Bowl guard Louis Vasquez. On special teams, Pro Bowl kicker Matt Prater ranked second in the NFL in scoring (150 points) and first in field goal percentage (96.2%, 25/26). His only miss of the year was from 52 yards, and he set a new NFL record for the longest field goal ever made (64 yards).

Defensive end Shaun Phillips anchored the Broncos' line with 10 sacks, while linebacker Danny Trevathan racked up 129 combined tackles, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions. Linebacker Malik Jackson was also a key component of the defense with 42 tackles and 6 sacks, helping compensate for the loss of Von Miller, who had 5 sacks in 9 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Chris Harris led the secondary with 3 interceptions each.

[edit] Playoffs

Main article: 2013–14 NFL playoffs

[edit] Pregame notes

As the Broncos are the designated home team in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, they elected to wear their orange jerseys with white pants while the Seahawks will wear their white jerseys with blue pants.

[edit] Team facilities

[edit] Super Bowl week

[edit] Broadcasting

[edit] Television

[edit] Advertising

[edit] International broadcasters

[edit] Radio

[edit] National coverage

[edit] Local market coverage

[edit] International radio coverage

[edit] Entertainment

[edit] Pregame

[edit] Halftime show

[edit] Mass Transit Super Bowl

Main article: Mass Transit Super Bowl

[edit] Security and safety

[edit] Officials

The game's officials will be:

• Referee – Terry McAulay
• Umpire – Carl Paganelli
• Head Linesman – Jim Mello
• Line Judge – Tom Symonette
• Field Judge – Scott Steenson
• Side Judge – Dave Wyant
• Back Judge – Steve Freeman

[edit] See also

• Sports in New York City
• Sports in Newark, New Jersey

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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