Distant Murmors

[EntiatHawk]

I was thinking how it seems very weird that it was only 8 years ago that we were in the Super Bowl and now we are back. The '05 team seems such long time ago but here we go again.

I think this team is built much better to make a few runs at it (I think that is what I thought in 05 also ; ).

The Broncos will be a tough one but I really do see us pulling this out. I really thought the 49ers were our toughest match up and we survived that.

So here is to us...Go Hawks!!!!!

[Eaglehawk]

I feel that on the whole SF team is tougher than the Broncos team. With the exception of their qb. Kap is no Manning.


I am glad we beat the Niners, it was huge. They wanted to get back to the dance real bad. We just stopped them. Good play all season versus the so called "hot" team. Now we know who wins out.

[RiverDog]

I was thinking how it seems very weird that it was only 8 years ago that we were in the Super Bowl and now we are back. The '05 team seems such long time ago but here we go again.

I think this team is built much better to make a few runs at it (I think that is what I thought in 05 also ; ).

The Broncos will be a tough one but I really do see us pulling this out. I really thought the 49ers were our toughest match up and we survived that.

So here is to us...Go Hawks!!!!!

Twice in 8 years beats the odds by a margin of 2 to 1. That's one chance in 16 and there's 32 teams, so we can count our blessings, especially when you compare our fortunes to teams like the Lions and Browns.

I said when the playoffs started that I wanted to see us beat the Niners at some point. It was symbolic and appropriate that we beat the defending conference champs and bitter rival on our road to the SB. The Niners proved themselves to be the second best team in the conference and I did not want to see us taking the path of least resistance.

[monkey]

I've said this before in another thread, but it still holds true.
Had the Niners won instead of us, they'd be favored by at least two points right now, I guarantee it.
The Seahawks actually opened favored by 2, but then big Denver money came in and moved the line. What Vegas actually believes, along with the vast majority of experts is that Seattle will win.
What is going on here is, Seattle is disliked, actively disliked at least partly if not mostly because of what Sherm said after that win. Betters put money down basically saying, "I hope Manning shuts that fool up!"
Also, whenever someone as well known as Manning is involved, people who don't normally bet, people who don't know much about the game but want to make a fun Superbowl bet, those people are going to bet on the name they know and like. Peyton Manning. That is actually by far the biggest reason the Broncos are favored...rubes who don't know football betting on Manning just because they know him and like him.

Now, had the Niners won, the popularity of the Niners team, and the fact that they were in the Bowl just last year would offset much of Peyton's popularity. The size of San Fran's fan base nationally compared to Seattles would also help to tip the scales.

The truth is, as all the experts who REALLY know the game will tell you, the real Superbowl was the NFC championship. The two best teams in football played each other and Seattle won.

Now of course that does NOT mean that Seattle will win, there are a lot of reasons that might not happen, and as we all know, the best team doesn't always win...BUT the Seahawks ARE IN FACT the better team. Easily.
The Broncos are all about one thing, their passing game. That's really all they have is the best QB to ever play, and a group of very good receivers. In every other area (except possibly the Denver D-line vs Seattle's O-Line...that scares me a little actually), Seattle is much better.
Normally, even the betting public who aren't all that well informed would bet on the better team...but Manning is a household name, the Broncos are a more beloved team nationally by far, and the Seahawks have people now actively rooting against them.
They also have a media fed perception about their offense, that Wilson stinks all-of-a-sudden, and that the Seahawks aren't "hot" (whatever the hell that means!) The media also started IMMEDIATELY after the Seahawks won, telling everyone who would listen that the Broncos run Defense is awesome. Which of course, is a huge exaggeration; the Broncos have a fine run defense, but the run defense is good, at the expense of a good pass defense.
If San Fran and the Saints couldn't stop Lynch, then you can FORGET about the Broncos doing it!!! Both of those teams are much better defensively, but especially the Niners who have one of the games best defenses.

Point is, there are going to be a LOT of very dissapointed bettors after the Superbowl, but Vegas is going to (as always) make out BIG TIME!
I've heard now three different Vegas people, guys who do this stuff professionally say that if you have a clue, you're betting the Seahawks, but it seems no one is listening.

[EntiatHawk]

Monkey,

I think you hit it right on the head.

I really think it the Hawks play well this game can go their way, maybe even big. We have yet to see this team fold to anyone in two years. I really do not expect that to happen now. So if it is a close game it could go either way.

The first few series for the Broncos will be big, can the sustain drives and get more the field goals. IF we can shut them down in the red zone this game will go to the Hawks. I guess that is kinda obvious

Man... one week and we will find out.

Go Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zorn76]

Vegas set the line, but the betting public are the ones responsible for it moving so quickly the other way to make the Broncos the favorite.

Like I said elsewhere, take Seattle for the money line (+120 or so) if you put anything on it, because you'll get a better payoff and we're gonna take this thing straight up anyway.

'05 seems like 20 years ago, lol.

Seattle, for all intents and purposes, is completely unrecognizable from the team Holmgren took to Detroit.

And that's a good thing.