Stephen Jiron
The Paw Print
We all know the outcome to Sunday’s game was an embarrassing outing for the poor men representing the AFC. I don’t intend to pour salt in your wounds; I intend to keep you informed and maybe keep your feet firmly grounded. If you had been watching the Broncos closely this year and last year, you knew that they were doomed to be a heartbreaker all along.
Last year I saw that the Broncos were good, not great but good. I also saw that they had one of the top five easiest schedules in the NFL and I knew right then: heartbreaker in the making. They were going to rule the regular season and get a rude awakening in the post season, the star of their nightmare? The Baltimore Ravens, who went on to win it all. This year it was like déjà vu. Denver brought a good team to the table just again not great, and they had the easiest schedule in the NFL posting two games against the Raiders and games against the Jaguars, #32 Texans and the abysmal NFC East home of the Dallas Cowboys, who by stat fielded the worst defense in NFL history. So they came they saw and they conquered the regular season like we should have all expected them to. Then in the post season they got to face the Chargers who boasted a similar schedule (2nd easiest) and similar cream filling and a victory was a forgone conclusion. The Tom Bratriots who are winning for no other reason than they sport a decent defense and have Tom Brady on their team.
Meanwhile the Seahawks play in arguably the toughest division in football, the NFC West which sports an overall 42-22 record. This is a division where the worst team was the 7-9 Rams, one game way from .500. Outside of those six games the Arizona Cardinals beat the Seahawks in Seattle, a feat only accomplished once in the past 2 years. Seattle also faced the likes of Carolina, who had the toughest schedule in the NFL and still won the South, and for those who are screaming for equality in this article yes the Texans and Jaguars. Then when they made the postseason they gave another beating to the Saints who are far from a pushover and squeaked out of another battle that had some questionable calls with San Francisco who have been NFC championship regulars the past 3 years and Super Bowl guests.
So it was set the Denver Broncos vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Knowing all this a Seattle win seemed inevitable, all that was left was for it to take place. And it happened, from the very first play of the game to the point that the Seahawks began sitting starters… in the Super Bowl. And before the fourth quarter was even opened, Denver fan’s Super snacks turned sour in their stomachs. So all the bandwagoners were taught to look before they leap. All the casual fans were taught not to crown any team too soon. While the true fans, the ones who had suspected this all along but ignored that voice in the back of their heads, are left with nothing but the fact that their fears were confirmed. To you fans I say this, as you said last night, I said in week 16 and every team and their fans except the Seattle Seahawks have said, there is always next year, keep your head up.
What’s Been Said…