Ugly Game in Seattle ends with Ugly Results for 49ers

Week 13 - Whenever the San Francisco 49ers take a trip up north to face the division rival Seattle Seahawks, it's almost guaranteed that it will be a meeting filled with strange events, head-scratching decisions or nail-biting outcomes. In this case, with both teams on complete opposite sides of the spectrum entering Sunday's game as the Niners came in riding a three-game winning streak, whereas Seattle came in on a three-game losing skid, Sunday's game would have no shortage of the trio, featuring all three. Especially for the 49er Faithful who showed up in droves in enemy territory, as red and gold could be seen throughout the stands at Lumen Field. But the game would begin with a scary moment when an injury occurred on the opening-kickoff that put a stop to the game and required an ambulance for one Trenton Cannon of the 49ers. 

In what was a nightmarish afternoon on special-teams for San Francisco, Trenton Cannon would need medical assistance after taking a knee to the head and neck area from a teammate while attempting to make a tackle on the opening-kick. Staying overnight at a nearby hospital with what doctors described as a concussion, the 49ers would have to continue without their return man and gunner. And of course, the loss of Cannon would serve as a bad omen that came back to haunt them later in the game. Once play resumed, the 49ers appeared to have Seattle right where they wanted them by forcing a three and out punt, but head coach Pete Carroll had a trick up his sleeve as the Seahawks special-teams dialed up a fake that was executed to perfection. Catching the Niners off-guard, running back Travis Homer took a direct-snap 73-yards to the house for an early touchdown. What ended up being the longest fake-punt rushing touchdown in the last 30 seasons, would be a tough break for the San Francisco defense as they suddenly found themselves trailing 7-0. From then on, you got the feeling that it was going to be one of those games for the visiting 49ers, and boy was it ever. 

While the game wasn't anything to write home about for Seattle fans either and proved to be a game that general football fans would prefer to forget, San Francisco's inability to defeat the Seahawks in Seattle over the greater part of the last decade or so again reared its ugly head. Other than the 49ers' victory on the goal-line stand in Seattle during the final game of the 2019 regular season, Sunday's game was more of the same between these two teams in the pacific northwest. But San Francisco would have some fight in them, at least in the first half. After being held to a three and out punt on their first offensive possession, the 49ers would get their first of many gifts in the turnover department when Seattle tight-end Gerald Everett fumbled just two plays into Seattle's next drive. The Niners would turn that mistake into points as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo found George Kittle in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown on the first next play, tying the game at 7. With another three and out forced by the 49er defense, Garoppolo followed up the good with the ugly as he was intercepted on the very first play of San Francisco's ensuing possession. Luckily, Seattle would be held to a field goal which they would miss. 

San Francisco would take their first lead of the ballgame on their next drive as a big play by Kittle helped setup an easy touchdown run in by 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell from 2-yards out. Logging their first quarterback sack of the day on Seattle's ensuing drive, the 49er defense again held the opposition to a three and out punt, this time marching down the field and adding to their lead with a Robbie Gould field goal from 50-yards out. Seattle would bite into that lead with a touchdown-scoring drive during their next possession as future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson trotted into the end zone from a yard out to make it a 17-14 game, and logging his 126th career touchdown, tying him with the great Jim Brown for 10th on the NFL's all-time touchdown list. Other than the touchdown, it would be a quiet day for Peterson who finished the game with only 16 yards on 11 carries while making his Seahawks debut. The 49ers would storm back with a 10-play, touchdown-scoring drive on another big play by George Kittle who this time tip-toed his way near the sidelines for a 48-yard score to again put his team ahead by double-digits. Unfortunately, the San Francisco defense was unable to keep their hand out of the cookie jar as they were penalized on a pair of roughing the passer calls, one of which was ticky-tack on the newest 49er Charles Omenihu, ultimately setting Seattle up inside the 10-yardline. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson would turn that gift into pay dirt one play later with a touchdown just before the half as 8-seconds remained. 

With San Francisco clinging onto a 23-21 lead to start the third quarter, things would go from bad to worse as the game would be a tale of two halves. Following up their poor start to the first half on special-teams, the 49ers got off to another rough start when receiving the second half kickoff. Taking the place of the injured Trenton Cannon, San Francisco's Travis Benjamin fumbled the return that appeared to put Seattle within striking distance. But another gaffe by Gerald Everett would bailout the Niners near the goal line. Bobbling what appeared to be an easy touchdown pass from Wilson to his tight-end, Everett kicked the ball up into the air which allowed for an easy interception in the end zone by the 49ers' K'Waun Williams who didn't get far and was brought down at the 3-yardline. Of course, Jimmy Garoppolo and company would fall victim to the worse case scenario when pinned deep near your own end zone as the 49ers QB was brought down for a sack on third and long, resulting in a safety that tied the game at 23-23. Jimmy G's outing would again get worse as he was intercepted for a second time on San Francisco's next drive as a pass intended for Kittle was air-mailed up the middle and picked-off by the Seattle defense. 

The Seahawks would use that turnover to take their first lead since the opening drive as Russell Wilson connected in the end zone with Tyler Lockett. From there on, the game would turn into a struggle fest as both teams failed to score and continued the theme of ugly football. After a series of punts, Seattle had a chance to take a two-score advantage, but their 13-play drive that lasted nearly seven minutes, went up in flames when Gerald Everett who had already suffered a game to forget, committed his third turnover of the day when he fumbled near the goal line. Giving San Francisco new life and a chance to tie the game, the Niners would need to travel 98 yards in just over 4-minutes on offense to find the end zone. They would end up traveling a total of 115 yards after a pair of costly penalties, and still failed to reach the end zone. Making it as far as the Seattle 3-yardline, a missed pass interference call in the end zone on an incomplete pass intended for receiver Trent Sherfield on third down, would setup a do or die 4th and goal attempt. Looking Sherfield's way again, Jimmy G cocked back to throw to his man who appeared to have a path to the end zone, but the ball was batted down at the line of scrimmage by Seattle's Carlos Dunlap for the game-saving stop. Falling 30-23, San Francisco dropped to 6-6 on the year and into the 7th and final playoff spot in the NFC Wild Card race, being eclipsed by Washington and landing just a game ahead of Philadelphia. 

Other than San Francisco's George Kittle who had himself a monster day on Sunday, hauling in 9 receptions for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns, nobody on either team really had a noteworthy day on offense. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 299 yards and two scores on 20 of 30 passes, but also threw for two interceptions. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns, but was also intercepted and sacked four times by the 49er defense. One player who was deeply missed on offense was San Francisco's Deebo Samuel (groin), as no 49ers receiver even came close to touching Kittle in either the receptions or receiving yards categories. As for absences on the defense, 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner was forced to miss the first game of his career with a hamstring injury after starting in each of his first 59 career games. 

Week 14 Preview: Sunday's loss would spell more doom on the injury front for the 49ers (6-6), with this week's victim being cornerback Emmanuel Moseley who suffered a high-ankle sprain in the first quarter and is expected to miss the next few weeks according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Unfortunate news considering the many weapons that the Niners will be up against in their next match-up. Continuing their road trip, the 49ers will make a trip to Ohio to face Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals (7-5). After back to back double-digit wins against the Raiders and Steelers, the Bengals were nearly doubled up at home against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. If the 49ers register another lackluster game on special-teams and commit the same number of turnovers against Cincinnati that they did against Seattle, a team that has been putrid on offense prior to Week 13, the Niners could be in for a long day against a high-powered offense like that of the Bengals. If the lethal receiving corps of Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and rookie sensation Ja'Marr Chase isn't enough to worry about on defense for the 49ers, running back Joe Mixon who is having a career year for the Bengals offense, will also need to be accounted for. 

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More of the same in Seattle as Seahawks Pummel 49ers

Week 13 - Coming into the 2018-19 NFL season, the (2-9) San Francisco 49ers had lofty expectations of making it to the playoffs and finally ending their 9-game losing streak (including playoffs) to the division rival (6-5) Seattle Seahawks. And while their playoff hopes had all but slipped away the moment quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was lost for the year due to injury, defeating the Seahawks still remained a possibility. But with Seattle playing their best ball of the season as of late after getting off to a slow start, and San Francisco still seeking their first road win of the season, the odds would be stacked against Kyle Shanahan's football team once again as they entered Sunday having lost four of their six road games this season by 8-points or fewer and were headed to a stadium they haven't won in since 2011.

Looking to take advantage in the NFC Wild Card race as the Carolina Panthers were dealt a blow earlier in the day after losing to NFC South rival Tampa Bay, the Seahawks had plans of helping head coach Pete Carroll notch his 86th career win with the franchise which would tie him with former Seattle coach Mike Holmgren for the most regular season wins in team history. It would practically be a done deal by halftime as Carroll's team found themselves leading 20-3 at the half. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would complete just 4 of 6 pass attempts in the first half, but three of those would go for touchdowns as he logged the fewest completions in a half with three TD's since Mark Rypien of the Washington Redskins in 1991. Though his busy day finding the end zone wouldn't end there. The Niners would have their chances to make it a much closer game before halftime, but a pair of fumbles including one inside the red zone by backup running back Jeffery Wilson and another on a muffed punt by Richie James, kept the San Francisco offense at bey with only a field goal to show for through the first two quarters.

The second half wouldn't start any better for San Francisco as Seattle return man Tyler Lockett returned the opening kickoff 84-yards before rookie running back Rashaad Penny took one to the house for a 20-yard touchdown run just one play into the third quarter. The 49ers would finally strike pay dirt of their own as rookie receiver and Washington alum Dante Pettis made a nifty move to find the end zone on a 17-yard score. It would be a busy day for Pettis who would later score on a 75-yard touchdown before finishing the game with 129 yards on 5 receptions and accounting for the only two trips to the end zone on the day for the 49ers. QB Nick Mullens would log a career-high 414 passing yards, but was intercepted by Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner who cashed in a 98-yard pick-six, the longest in Seattle franchise history. Russell Wilson would throw for only 185 yards in total, but tallied a season-high in passing touchdowns with four as Seattle ran away with the 43-16 win. The victory which helped Seattle improve to 7-5 on the year, was the 71st win of Wilson's career, tying Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens for the most wins at the QB position in NFL history thru the first seven seasons. Equally as impressive are the 63 TD passes Wilson has thrown since the start of last season which is the most in the league during that span.

Falling to 2-10 on the season, it would be a not-so-deal first attempt at a revenge game for former Seahawk Richard Sherman as the 49ers have now lost their 9th straight regular season meeting to Seattle and 10th overall when counting their loss in the 2013 NFC Championship in what's become a one-sided rivalry. The nine straight wins for Seattle over San Francisco ties Kansas City for the longest active winning streak against a divisional opponent as the Chiefs have also won nine straight against the rival Chargers.

Week 14 Preview - Returning home for a three-game homestand, the 49ers will play host to the (6-6) Denver Broncos who look to keep their AFC Wild Card hopes alive and are currently riding a 3-game winning-streak. Coming off a 24-10 road win over the Bengals, the Broncos will likely go with a heavy dose of rookie running back Phillip Lindsay on offense as the undrafted workhorse is coming off a 157-yard, 2 touchdown performance which helped him become just the 4th undrafted rookie since 1970 to record at least 1,000+ scrimmage yards in a single season. As for the 49ers who would own the 1st overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft if the season ended today, the remaining schedule for San Francisco will be a tough one, despite playing three of their next four games at home. With the coaching staff and front-office ready to put this season behind them, the 49ers will continue to evaluate what they have on the current roster in preparation for 2019 as this young team will continue to get valuable experience down the stretch in these last handful of weeks.


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Last second Turnover Dooms Seattle in Classic Super Bowl

Leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, many had predicted an intense, close football game that would come down to the wire. And what transpired between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots for Super Bowl XLIX was nothing short of an instant classic. With such story lines as Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll vying for back-to-back Lombardi Trophies and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick looking to further cement their names among the game's all-time greats heading into the match up, only one team's hopes and dreams would come to fruition. For the Patriots who had not won a playoff game away from home since the 2006 season, a win would tie QB Tom Brady with Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to win four Super Bowl's. But standing in the way of Tom Terrific was a Seattle defense which has earned its way into the discussion of potentially the greatest defense the NFL has ever seen. And with the Seahawks trying to become the first back-to-back champs since the 2003-04 Patriots, there was plenty to be played for.

Though the game's first quarter would be a scoreless one, it wouldn't go uneventful as a missed roughing the kicker penalty on New England's opening-drive followed by a red zone mishap by Tom Brady made for an entertaining opening quarter. After forcing a three and out on Seattle's first drive on offense, Brady marched the New England offense all the way down to the 10-yard line where he would be picked off in the end zone. Under heavy pressure, Brady had his pass intercepted by Seattle's Jeremy Lane in what would be his only mistake of the ball game. However, the Seahawks would fail to capitalize on the turnover and Brady would make them pay for it by scoring a touchdown on their next drive as he found receiver Brandon LaFell in the end zone. If the mistake on the early interception by Brady woke up the Patriots, Brady's touchdown had awoken Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense as the Seahawks tied the game two drives later on Marshawn Lynch's touchdown. After becoming the first QB in Super Bowl history to not have a single pass attempt in the first quarter, Wilson found a friend in rookie wide-out Chris Matthews who's 44-yard reception helped set up the easy score.

Seattle's successful trip to the end zone would help ignite four consecutive scoring drives for the Seahawks but not before Brady could pull his team back on top, capped by a touchdown hauled in by Rob Gronkowski from 22-yards out. With only 31 seconds remaining before the end of the first half, Seattle fans would've been more than satisfied with a field goal to cut the deficit to four heading into the half. But back to back plays of 19 and 17 yards followed by a 38 yard gain on a pass along the sideline which ended with a face mask penalty on the defense, would lead to a gutsy decision by Pete Carroll. With just 6 seconds before the end of the half, Carroll elected to gamble with a shot to tie it. A decision which would pay off as Wilson once again connected with Chris Matthews, this time in the end zone to tie the game at 14-all. Whatever Carroll and the Seahawks coaching staff addressed in the locker room during the half payed dividends on the field as Seattle came out guns blazing to start the second half. After scoring on a Steven Hauschka field goal to take their first lead of the ball game, Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner stepped in front of Gronkowski to force the turnover as Brady was picked off for a second time. 

Six plays later, Wilson found a wide-open Doug Baldwin on the right side of the end zone to give Seattle a 24-14 lead. Having allowed 17 unanswered-points, New England was in need of score. Facing a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter against the most dominant defense in the league, it would be up to Brady to rally his team to victory. The odds would be stacked against him, however, as teams with two interceptions thrown in the Super Bowl were a combined 4-28 all-time. Not to mention Seattle owned a perfect record of 18-0 over the last three seasons when leading by 10-points or more heading into the 4th quarter. After setting an NFL record by starting in his sixth Super Bowl, Brady added another record to his resume as he surpassed his boyhood idol Joe Montana for the most touchdowns in Super Bowl history (12) by finding Danny Amendola from 4-yards out to pull New England within a field goal. In need of a stop on defense, the Pats forced a Seattle three and out which put the ball back into Brady's hands with just under 7 minutes remaining. 

Using his pinpoint precision to perfection, Brady made a series of short passes to march his team down the field. And before you knew it, the Patriots were starring down the end zone with a chance to recapture the lead. Battling a concussion which he chose to play through as we learned after the game, Julian Edelman who caught a game-high 9 passes for 109 yards, capped off the drive by scoring the go-ahead touchdown to give New England the 28-24 lead. But as brilliant a job Tom Brady did in executing the Patriots' touchdown scoring drive, he left Russell Wilson with just over 2 minutes in regulation which as we all learned in the NFC Championship is more than enough time for the former third round pick who also had the two-minute warning and all three timeouts to play with. And after a 31-yard pickup on a pass down the sideline to Marshawn Lynch of all people on first down, we were all reminded why Wilson and the Seahawks were knocking on the door of winning their second consecutive championship. Then came arguably the most miraculous catch in Super Bowl history as a pass intended for Jermaine Kearse was deflected and then juggled by Kearse who was on his back and still managed to come up with the catch for a 33-yard pickup. 

Though Kearse deserves all the credit in the world for being able to hang on to the ball, the awareness by New England safety Malcolm Butler should not go unnoticed as he was the one who tipped the ball and still got up in time to push Kearse out of bounds. Had it not been for Butler's awareness, Kearse would've scored easily. But even then, Butler felt as though he let his team down as he made a play on the ball and yet Kearse still came up with the catch and a big one at that. Butler, an undrafted rookie out of West Alabama had only 15 career tackles under his belt in 13 games and had never recorded a single NFL interception. But just two plays later, the man who had been employed at a Popeye's chicken shack before Bill Belichick gave him a look, would make the biggest play of his life. With everyone on planet earth anticipating Marshawn Lynch who had been on an absolute tear the entire second half to rush the ball, we were given a surprise. Facing a 2nd and goal from the 1-yard line, Pete Carroll elected to roll the dice as Russell Wilson stepped back to pass. With Ricardo Lockette cutting inside, Wilson threw his way but Butler read the play and jumped out in front of him, cutting him off and nabbing the ball for the interception. 

And while it would be only the first interception thrown from the 1-yard line this entire season, it couldn't have come at a more crucial time. But even after coming up with the pick, the game wasn't over yet as the Patriots were at the 1-yard line and were in need of some wiggle room as a kneel down would've resulted in a safety. Hoping to draw a defender off-sides before hiking the ball, Brady and company succeeded as linebacker Michael Bennett who had been penalized more than anybody in the league this season for off-sides, jumped the gun one final time, costing his team a shot at making the stop. The costly penalty would stir emotions as the two teams came to blows when a fracas broke out on the very next play, resulting in Seattle's Bruce Irvin being ejected. He wouldn't miss much, however, as Brady knelled on the very next play to end it, sealing the victory and dethroning the Seahawks as New England completed the 10-point fourth quarter comeback which tied them for the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl MVP would be awarded to Tom Brady who for the fourth time in his career led his team on the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl, taking home the honors for a third time which ties him with Joe Montana for the most all-time. The triumph puts Brady alone in the discussion of the game's greatest QB's of all-time alongside Montana. As for Bill Belichick, only he and Steelers legendary head coach Chuck Noll have coached a team to four wins in the Super Bowl which undoubtedly has to catapult him to the top of the list. Then again, we might have to keep our breathe held with the ongoing investigation revolving 'Deflate Gate' and wait to see how if at all it effects the legacy of Brady & Belichick. 

As for Seattle, the Seahawks become the first defending champs to lose in the Super Bowl since the 1997 Green Bay Packers who lost to John Elway and the Denver Broncos. With everyone and their brother in utter disbelief that Pete Carroll who took full responsibility for the decision, chose to pass on second down instead of handing the ball off to Marshawn Lynch, the play will go down as arguably the worst play-call in Super Bowl history, so bad that some fans have even called for his job (and head). Personally, I thought Russell Wilson would have and should have got the nod to run it in, but that's just me. For what it's worth, the NFC's No. 1 seeds have now lost 6 of the last 8 Super Bowl appearances. And while it's defense that normally wins championships, not this time around as teams with the No. 1 ranked scoring defense during the regular season have now fallen to 13-4 in the Super Bowl. Despite the loss, the Las Vegas sports books didn't hesitate to label Seattle as the odds on favorite to win it all next season. But with their defensive coordinator out the door on his way to claim the head coaching position in Atalanta and the NFC Western division only getting better year after year, it won't be an easy task to make it back to the big game, let alone win their division. 

In my opinion, Super Bowl XLIX was a game that'll go down in the history books as one of the most memorable games in Super Bowl history and was a true emotional roller-coaster. The game broke the record as the most watched event in American television history and truly had it all as you went from thinking a Seattle comeback was inevitable given the way they were marching down the field towards the end, especially after Kearse's divine catch, and then the unthinkable happened. We can only hope as fans that next year's Super Bowl which will be league's 50th, will be half as exciting as this one was. 

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Super Bowl XLIX Preview

With the 2014 NFL season nearing its end, Super Bowl week is officially upon us as the table is now set for Super Bowl XLIX with the defending Super Bowl champion (12-4) Seattle Seahawks squaring off versus the (12-4) New England Patriots. Though both teams will represent their respective conference as the number one seed, the road to the Super Bowl for these two teams couldn't have been any different from one another. With Seattle coming back and surviving by the skin of their teeth by knocking off the Green Bay Packers in an overtime thriller, New England took a much different route by punching their ticket to the big game and beating the Indianapolis Colts in blowout fashion but not without a little bit of controversy. 

As hyped up as the match up has been, all the chatter has revolved around the footballs used in last Sunday's AFC Championship game in New England. During the 41-7 blowout victory by the Patriots, 11 of the 12 balls used came back under-inflated. With someone in or around the Patriots organization deliberately deflating the footballs used, the spotlight has been placed on the duo of Pats QB Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick in what's been appropriately coined, "Deflate Gate." Both Brady and Belichick denied knowledge of the incident Thursday when speaking to the media. While many have found it hard to believe neither Brady nor Belichick were aware of the fix, there's also those who believe this can't possibly be the first time the Patriots or the mastermind behind it all have done this which begs the question -- Is the Patriots' legacy tainted? Having averaged 12 wins a season since 2001, it's not the first time New England has been accused of cheating as we can all recall the 'Spygate' incident. 

Though it's often been compared to scuffing a baseball, a practice often utilized by pitchers to gain an advantage over the batter, what I'd like to know is how an official didn't once take notice of the deflated balls considering they touch and prepare the ball before and after every single play. While the league moves forward with their investigation, it's unlikely Commissioner Goodell takes any disciplinary action until after the conclusion of the season which is basically letting the Patriots off Scott free. Then again what could the league possibly do to discipline Bill Belichick at this time, suspend his future Hall of Fame quarterback from the biggest game of the season which would be the equivalent of handing Seattle the Lombardi Trophy? Sure having a Patriots-Colts rematch to determine the AFC Champion would be the ideal outcome, but that wouldn't happen in a million years. Nor should it because regardless of the air pressure in those footballs, I'm not convinced it played that big of a role in the 34-point outcome. With the way Patriots running back LaGarrette Blount was pounding the football, the Colts couldn't have stopped him if he was carrying a loaf of bread.

But back to Super Bowl Sunday where despite all the controversy leading up to the big game, the match-up figures to make for a much more exciting and more competitive game than the 43-8 massacre that the Legion of Boom served up on Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos a year ago. Seattle proved last year that a dominant defense should not be overlooked when facing a high-powered offense. And while we'll basically be seeing the same thing this time around, New England has by far a better defense than the one Broncos head coach John Fox took with him to last year's Super Bowl. But what I think will be the key to the ballgame is whether or not the Seattle defense can get into the head of Tom Brady and the Patriots offense the same way they did Peyton and the Broncos last season. From the first play on when the ball sailed over Peyton Manning's head and into the end zone for a safety, the Broncos played scared and directly into the hands of Seattle's head coach Pete Carroll. And while I'm not betting on this game being anywhere near the one-sided affair that last year's Super Bowl was, I still see the same team coming out on top when it's all said and done. Though I hope I'm wrong, I've seen Russell Wilson and the Seahawks escape from the jaws of defeat and pull out way too many victories when they've been dead in the water and should have been on the losing end which is why I think they still have one more win left in them. 

Prediction: Seattle 27-24 New England. 

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Seahawks disarm Manning's Broncos, Win franchises' 1st Super Bowl title in dominant fashion.

What had the makings to be one of the best Super Bowl's in recent years, turned ugly early, falling short of the hype and would be nothing short of a disappointment when the game clock hit double zero. The number one offense taking on the number one defense was just a few ingredients that we thought would eventually concoct a game for the ages, instead the halftime show headlined by Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers provided more entertainment than the game itself. Little did we know the league's highest-scoring offense that set numerous records led by quarterback Peyton Manning would be dismantled by the league's best defense which put up points on the board just 12 second in and never looked back. 

Entering Sunday's game, all the talk was surrounding the legacy of Peyton Manning who one day earlier set an NFL record by winning his fifth MVP Award after his record-breaking season in which he threw for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns. With rumors swirling of this possibly being Peyton's final game, virtually everyone envisioned Manning to ride off into the sunset while hoisting his second career Lombardi Trophy and silencing the critics that have discredited Manning over the years for his lone Super Bowl title. Apparently, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks didn't get that memo as their defense made Peyton Manning look rather pedestrian on the NFL's biggest stage. With Seattle winning the coin-toss and electing to defer, Denver would start the game off in the worst possible way as the ball sailed over Manning's head and into the end zone on the first play from scrimmage for a safety. The early miscue would be a bad omen of things to come for Denver who found themselves down 2-0 after one play despite Seattle's offense yet to touch the field.

The Seahawks who had zero Super Bowl experience on their entire roster entering the game, simply didn't need it. However, it would be Manning and the Broncos who showed up as if it was their first rodeo. From the first play on, Seattle played like a team possessed where as Denver appeared to have just crawled out of bed, resembling a marching band without their conductor who in this case was Peyton Manning, unsure of what to do or where to go when it came time for battle. By halftime, Seattle had already built a 22-0 lead, scoring on each of their first three offensive possessions (field goal, field goal, touchdown) to go along with a 69-yard interception taken to the house by the eventual Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith. Meanwhile, the Broncos offense which hadn't been shutout in the first half all season long would pick a terrible time to be held to their first goose egg.

Percy Harvin who was brought in during the offseason with high expectations to aid Seattle's aerial attack and special-teams before missing all but two games for the Seahawks this season due to an injury, brought a dimension on offense that Seattle has been unable to show off virtually all year long. But on Sunday Seattle was able to let loose a healthy Harvin who caught the Broncos defense sleeping with a 30-yard run on the Seahawks first possession. He would later put an end to any sort of momentum swing Denver was hoping to open the second half with when he ran back the opening kick 87-yard to begin the third quarter. At that point you knew the Broncos had no chance of pulling off the miraculous comeback as the deficit only grew.

Coming into the game, if anything was supposed to deprive Manning of his second Super Bowl title in three tries, it was the elements which were first thought to be a factor and one that would favor the defense. Instead, the weather ended up not being as big a factor as everyone initially thought as it turned out to be a very cooperative 49 degrees at kickoff, making it the third coldest game in Super Bowl history. But in the end it wouldn't matter as Seattle's suffocating defense proved to be too much for Peyton and company who's only points in the game came on the final play of the third quarter when Manning connected with Demariyus Thomas in the end zone followed by a successful two-point conversion. By then it would be too late as the Broncos dug a hole too big for even the league's best offense to climb out of as Seattle practically eliminated Knoshawn Moreno (17 yards on 5 rushes) and Denver's run game and held them in check when attempting cross routes, both of which are integral components when Denver's offense is at its best.

Seattle was able to put up points on both sides of the ball without running back Marshawn Lynch being much of a factor, something many including myself thought wouldn't be possible without their workhorse having a big day on the ground. Lynch finished the game with fewer rushing yards than Harvin, tallying just 39 yards on 15 carries to go along with his 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Seattle QB Russell Wilson was another name that didn't put up eye-popping numbers but did what he needed to in order for his team to come out victorious at the end of the day as he completed 18 of 25 pass attempts for 206 yards and a pair of second half touchdowns to receivers Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin as the Seattle Seahawks trampled the Denver Broncos, 43-8 in route to their first ever Super Bowl title. With the win, Russell Wilson becomes just the fourth second-year QB to win a Super Bowl, reminding us that a conservative, game manager type of quarterback can win a Super Bowl when backed by a stellar defense.

While Manning who was under constant duress did set a Super Bowl record by completing 34 of 49 pass attempts while throwing for 280 yards, it was the two interceptions in the game he'll most be remembered for as Seattle won the turnover battle: 4-0 after recovering a pair of forced fumbles. Though statistically Manning had the greatest season every by a QB, I think it's safe to say he would have much rather traded in those records for a second Lombardi Trophy as he fails to become the first QB in NFL history to win a Super Bowl title with two different franchises. With the loss, the Denver Broncos have fallen in a record five of seven Super Bowl's. Meanwhile, Manning falls to 11-12 in the postseason, the most losses in postseason history. And while he ranks in the top 3 greatest regular season QB's, he's no Joe Montana when it comes to the biggest game on the biggest stage. Assuming he's healthy, unless he can rally the Broncos to another Super Bowl title in these next three years of his contract, in spite of having a much easier road back to the big game than Seattle who will first have to get through their difficult division, Manning just might go down as the greatest quarterback to ever be held to just one Super Bowl win.

But enough about Manning, it's time to give credit to Seattle's stout defense which has drawn comparisons to the '85 Chicago Bears and held Denver's high-powered offense to just 8-points, the team's fewest since Manning joined the team in 2012. The 2013 Seahawks are proof that defense wins championships, as all eight of the highest-scoring offenses in NFL history have now all came short of winning the Super Bowl. Seattle, the fourth youngest team to win a Super Bowl, also pulled off the third largest margin of victory in Super Bowl history (35 points) in what was a total team effort that took the work and dedication of each and every player on the squad.

Coming into the game, the Denver Broncos were the odds on favorite in what many expected to be a close game at best for Seattle with the Broncos likely to run away with it. Those that did think there would be a lopsided affair thought only Denver was capable of pulling off the blowout. Not even those that did have Seattle winning envisioned a beat down of this magnitude which once again just goes to show how much we know about the grand game of Football.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Week 2: Seahawks Defense leaves 49ers Sleepless in Seattle

No rivalry in the NFL has been as heated in the last few seasons as the one out west between NFC heavyweights San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. And on Sunday night, those two teams renewed their rivalry as a record crowd of 68,388 fans attended CenturyLink Field for what was regarded as one of the most highly anticipated games on the NFL's regular season schedule between two young stud quarterbacks and a pair of stout defenses. But what began as a back and forth slop fest, eventually turned into a lopsided beat down. During the game's early going you would've thought you were watching a Seattle Mariners vs San Francisco Giants baseball game not only because of the hour-long weather delay due to lightning but also because of the low-scoring affair that took place in the first half.

While power outages have worked in San Francisco's favor in the past, weather delays would prove to be another story for the reigning NFC champs who found themselves trailing 5-0 at the half following a safety and a field goal. Though it would be a forgetful day for both young QB's who made a bet prior to the game that the loser had to shave an eyebrow in promotion of the new Madden 14 video game, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick would be on the short end of the stick when it was all said and done. Kaepernick who put up a career-high 412 passing yards in Week 1, would follow up arguably his best NFL performance with his worst, throwing for only 127 yards. With 3 interceptions in all of last season, Kaepernick matched that total in this game alone, receiving little help from his receiving corps who were held in check by Seattle's stellar secondary. Receiver Anquan Boldin who stole the headlines in his 49ers debut last week by compiling over 200 yards receiving to go along with a touchdown, was virtually a ghost in this one, hauling in just one grab for 7 yards after being blanketed in the first half by Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.

San Francisco failed to establish the run game for the second straight week as Frank Gore was basically a non-factor, tallying just 16 yards on 9 carries. However, the same couldn't be said for the team on the other sideline. Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch has been a thorn in the side of the 49ers defense in the past and this game was no different, rushing the ball for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Before the game had ended the Pro-Bowl running back received enough Skittles to feed the entire coaching staff as he also added a 7-yard touchdown reception, scoring all three of Seattle's TD's. Like his 49ers counterpart, Russell Wilson would also have a hard time making plays as he and Kaepernick threw for a combined 58 yards in the first half. Only his line would be slightly better at the game's end, completing under 50% of his passes (8-for-19) for 142 yards to go along with a touchdown and an interception. But where Wilson struggled, his defense more than made up for it, giving head coach Pete Carroll a 29-3 victory over the team he grew up rooting for and once upon a time served as the defensive coordinator for on his 62nd Birthday.

With coach Carroll handing Jim Harbaugh the worst loss in his NFL coaching career the last time these two teams met, a 42-13 win in Seattle last December, Sunday night's meeting wasn't an improvement by any stretch despite the score being slightly closer. After being held scoreless in the first half, San Francisco's only points would come in the third quarter as kicker Phil Dawson put the Niners on the board with a third quarter field goal. But the scoreboard wouldn't be the only place coach Harbaugh saw his team receive a beating as they also took a hit in the injury department. Though rookie safety Eric Reid would log his second career interception in as many games this season, he would have to be helped off the field in the second quarter after suffering a concussion, forcing him to leave the game.

And while Reid has reportedly passed every NFL-mandated test since his injury and should be good to go come week 3, the news regarding nose tackle Ian Williams who departed Sunday's loss with a foot injury wouldn't be anything but pleasant as it was learned that he'll be out for the remainder of the season with a broken ankle. Former first round pick Glenn Dorsey who was acquired during the off-season will fill the void left by Williams. Vernon Davis also left Seattle banged up with a hamstring injury, causing the Pro-Bowl tight-end to miss practice all week and is questionable to play in Sunday's game.

As seen in this one, home-field advantage made all the difference in the world. After pulling out a sloppy victory from the skin of their teeth on the road in Carolina in Week 1, a game in which Seattle easily could have lost and most likely would have had it not been for DeAngelo Williams' careless late fourth quarter fumble, the Seahawks took it to their division foes much like they did last December in the same building. With both teams not scheduled to meet again until week 14 in San Francisco, Harbaugh and company has plenty of time to work out the kinks in preparation of their next bout. Whether a wager will be on the line between the two QB's in the rematch is unknown but it's only fair Kaepernick and Russell make a second bet when the two teams meet again this time on Kaepernick's home field. Check out the video of Kaepernick owning up to the bet and shaving off his eyebrow down below:


Week 3 Preview: San Francisco looks to bounce back from their ugly loss with a meeting against the Indianapolis Colts at Candlestick. Having already seen a pair of talented QB's in each of their first two games this season in Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, the 49ers will now turn their attention to another standout passer in Andrew Luck who coach Harbaugh knows quite a few things about dating back to their time spent together at the University of Stanford. But as excited as coach Harbaugh will be to see his former star quarterback, their reunion will be the last thing on their minds once the whistle blows as both teams look to get back into the win column. Indy is coming off a 24-20 loss at home to the 2-0 Miami Dolphins and is primed to get back on track. Luck won't be the only one the Niners defense will have to keep an eye on as running back Trent Richardson will be looking to make a first impression with his new team after being dealt from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday in one of the more bizarre trades we've seen two weeks into the season. Richardson who was drafted third overall in last year's draft was traded for a first-round pick in next year's draft. And as much as I like the move for the Colts, I just wish it had happened after week 3 so the 49ers wouldn't have to face him...


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Week 7: 49ers clip Seahawks wings, Remain in First

Entering Week 7's Thursday Night meeting between the 49ers and Seahawks, both teams stood at 4-2 in a tie for first place. And with much being said about both team's defenses coming in, both of whom allowing fewer than 16 points, a low-scoring affair was to be expected. Having played all their games thus far against opponents outside of the West, San Francisco would get their first look at a division opponent this year in prime time as 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh renewed his rivalry with Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

49ers running back Frank Gore has feasted on the Seahawks in the past and has had some of the best games of his career against Seattle so it was only appropriate Harbaugh went with a steady diet of run plays to his Pro Bowl back. Running for 131 yards on 16 carries to go along with 51 yards on 5 receptions, Gore would once again log another stellar day at the office versus his favorite team to run against. However, his counterpart Marshawn Lynch who ended San Francisco's streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown or 100-yard rusher last season until Week 16 at Seattle, came into the game as the NFC's top rusher and would also log a decent game, compiling 103 yards on 19 carries. As for the passing game, both Alex Smith and Russell Wilson would see better days as both QB's threw for under 150 yards passing and tossed an interception.

The only touchdown in the ball game would come in the third quarter when Alex Smith connected with his tight-end Delanie Walker who displayed nice footwork, getting a foot over the goal-line and in the end zone before being pushed out of bounds. The score ended a seven quarter touchdown-less drought and proved to be the difference in a 13-6 win for the 49ers as kickers David Akers and Steven Hauschka did the rest of the work in the scoring department. The win gave San Francisco sole possession of first place in the NFC West, a position they plan to maintain into the playoffs. 

Week 8 Preview: With 11 days off until their Monday Night meeting against the 4-3 Cardinals at Arizona, the 49ers will be well rested and will get even more rest the following week with a BYE in week 9 as the team prepares for the final stretch of the season. A BYE week in which I'm predicting the 49ers will remain atop the division after a 17-10 win in Arizona which will once again see two stellar defenses face off. 


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Seattle Makes Unwanted History

Usually when a team in the NFL makes the Playoffs by way of winning the division, they finish with a .500 record or better. That's unless you play in the laughing stock that is the NFC West. In only his first year at the helm, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll made history, but not in the way he would have liked. After Sunday night's 16-6 victory over the division rival St. Louis Rams, the Seattle Seahawks made the record books by becoming the first team in NFL history to win their division and clinch a Playoff berth with a losing record (7-9). Much of that can be credited to a mediocre bunch within the division.

While St. Louis surprised many most notably behind the heroics of top Rookie of the Year candidate Sam Bradford who helped turn a dreadful 1-15 Rams team just a year ago into a possible Playoff contender before falling shy of the Playoffs (7-9), the rest of the teams struggled in the QB department. In Arizona, the hangover that Kurt Warner left behind, was nothing short of obvious as frustration was filled throughout behind the likes of Derek Anderson and Max Hall among others. However, no disappointment was greater than that of the San Francisco 49ers. After finishing the 2009 season with a .500 record of 8-8, many predicted the Mike Singletary led 49ers to not only win the division with ease, but also be a force in the Playoffs. That obviously wasn't the case, as an 0-5 record to start the season dug an early hole for the franchise that saw Alex Smith and Troy Smith juggle the starting QB job.

Although there's been a handful of team to make the Playoffs with .500 records, never has it been this sad, as two teams in the NFC with 10-6 records (New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers) will miss out on a shot to the Super Bowl. Whether or not they're more deserving, is entirely up to the commissioners office to do something about it. Of coarse nothing will be done this season if ever, but it's a for sure topic to be addressed come next football season. Hoping to silence the critics, the Seahawks will host the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints who won the NFC Wild Card. Hours after Seattle won their seventh game of the year to assure them a playoff spot, sports books around the States released their odds that have the Saints winning by double-digits. But to Seattle's credit, the self-proclaimed '12th Man' will do everything possible to make it tough on Drew Brees and company, as they'll enter the most hostile environment in the NFL -- Qwest Field.

Golden Tate's Sweet Tooth

Have you ever heard the saying, 'I'd kill for a [fill in the blank] right about now' ? Well just last week, Golden Tate of the Seattle Seahawks put a new meaning to the expression. The newly drafted wide-receiver out of Notre Dame had a late night craving and decided to help himself to some stolen doughnuts by looting a nearby doughnut shop located on the third floor of his apartment building in Bellevue, Washington. His doughnut of choice? The ever-popular maple bar. Top-Pot Doughnuts, who serves as a sponsor of the Seattle Seahawks and their home of Quest Field fell victim to the pillage. Funny enough, Top-Pot supplies the Seahawks with free doughnuts and coffee during the NFL season. However, it seems the 21-year old wide-out couldn't wait until the season started.

After police arrived, Tate was not arrested, cited or criminally charged. Instead he was issued a warning for trespassing the closed Doughnut shop. Tate published an apology soon after the incident stating, "They're irresistible. It was kind of a foolish mistake that won’t happen again, but if you ever want some maple bars, that's the place to go.” Many major media outlets which included the Seattle Times among others, believe the entire incident was more of a publicity stunt than anything. And it didn't help that Tate's statement was viewed more so in the form as an endorsement. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll who has his own endorsement deal with the company, also chimed in by giving Top-Pot Doughnuts a shout out via his Twitter account - "A great maple bar is a great maple bar, right golden?? They don't come along everyday ... a classic TopPot temptation!"

As for the owner and co-founder of Top-Pot, Mark Klebeck was not angered about the security breach Tate had made for his late night snack. In fact, he embraced him and said he hopes to meet Golden Tate and sign him to an exclusive endorsement deal after the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. The deal of coarse would mean free maple bars for life, but considering the Seahawks are yet to add a Lombardi Trophy to their trophy case, Tate has better chances of looting the nearest Dunkin' Donuts.

IT'S OFFICIAL x CARROLL RETURNS TO NFL

As brought up in one of my recent posts (Let The Firing Begin! x Carroll to Seattle?), the rumors are true. And just days after reports of Carroll returning to the NFL took the sporting world by storm, it's official. Pete Carroll will take over a Seattle team that placed third in the NFC West standings this past season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses. Upon his arrival in Seattle, Carroll will become the 8th head coach in the team's history. Carroll brings with him an already experienced mindset as he's no stranger to the NFL environment, when he coached 4 years with the New York Jets and New England Patriots from 1994-99. He also brings with him a resume filled with college championships. & Although he was a .500 coach at best in the NFL, finishing with a record of 33-31, it'll be interesting to see whether or not he'll be able to evolve into a Superbowl caliber coach in the NFL now that he's had a taste of winning at the college level.

Carroll's offensive coordinator at SC will also head to Seattle with him, as the two should have no problem gelling together. The question mark now hovering USC, is what's in store for the school's future? The move also has everyone asking, 'Who will now coach one of the top football programs in the country?' If USC was to stick to it's college roots, they would most likely turn to Oregon State coach Mike Riley. However it's been reported that Riley has signed a multi-year deal that would result in him remaining the coach of the Beavers. If SC decides to go after an NFL coach, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach and former All-American linebacker for the USC Trojan's - Jack Del Rio could be a possible fit for the job.

There's no doubt the departure of Carroll leaving the program will have many players rethinking whether or not they want to play for SC, but will his absence mean the fallout of Southern California football?

Let The Firing Begin! x Carroll to Seattle?

The end of the regular season usually means 'playoffs!' But for some it means firing those who failed to get the job done. And no job is to be blamed more than that of the coaches. Just days after week 17 of the NFL's regular season schedule, the unemployment hand comes out slappin'. Coaches that have already began cleaning out their desks include; Jim Zorn who was fired by the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell who took the job over from Dick Jauron in November, and coach Jim Mora who was shockingly fired as recent as today by the Seattle Seahawks. However, some coaches will live to see another day. Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable who is expected to be fired after his meeting with owner Al Davis next week, still believes he did enough to earn his job back for next season. It looks like we'll have to wait to find out what Davis thinks.

The biggest shocker of them all has to be the firing of Seattle's Jim Mora. After his short 1-year tenure with Seattle in which his Seahawks finished with a record of 5-11, the job is now available. Rumor has it Seattle already has someone in mind. Reports of USC's Pete Carroll has spread throughout ESPN and other sports sites like a virus as he's been targeted to fill the position in place of Mora. & Like many, I've been waiting for the return of Pete Carroll to the NFL, but at the same time it would be dreadful if Carroll left SC. As a Trojan fan I would hate to see Carroll coach elsewhere, especially if he were to coach a division rival of my beloved 49ers. But if Carroll was to depart from SC, not only would he leave a legacy behind, but he'd leave at a perfect time given USC has been under investigation lately for numerous incidents going on throughout the school's athletic department. Most recently those that have involved superstar players -- OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush.

For now, the talks of Pete Carroll potentially heading to the Emerald City remains that, talk. But for SC, the thought alone of Carroll possibly leaving calls for precaution. Oregon State coach Mike Riley would be next on the Trojans list to coach the school's football program if Carroll decides to coach in the NFL. Mora who was disappointed about his early firing is still owed $12 million dollars by the Seahawks. Mora becomes the first coach in Seahawks history to be let go after just one season with the team. & Although he's now jobless, he could easily be an attractive candidate for a job as a defensive coordinator somewhere else. With Mike Shanahan no longer on the market seeking a job now that he's landed a 5-year deal with the Washington Redskins, coach Mora will join a Superbowl studded class of coaches still available. A market that remains a hot one with big names, such as Brian Billick who led Baltimore to a Superbowl in 2000 and Bill Cowher who says he's ready to return to the NFL after leaving behind a Superbowl season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005.