Well, the Super Bowl matchup is set. The Denver Broncos will face the Seattle Seahawks. It will be a battle of two teams with completely different styles, led by a quarterback that is a future hall-of-famer, and another that might be the future of the NFL.
Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson couldn’t be at more different places in their careers. But those differences have led them to a matchup in two weeks with the Super Bowl on the line.
In the coming days, there will be plenty talked about these two players and their teammates. Both will have to overcome distractions off the field and focus on the field preparing for the biggest stage in sports.
With that in mind, who comes out with the win?
This one is very hard to predict, because there is an added variable that has never been seen before in the modern Super Bowl.
The weather.
For the first time, the Super Bowl will be contested at an outdoor stadium in the north. This stems aways from the typical venues in San Diego, Tampa, or Atlanta, among others. Sure, there have been Super Bowls in Detroit and Indianapolis. But while it might have been 30 outside it was 72 inside the dome.
MetLife Stadium is infamous for high winds and cold weather in the winter. February produces average temperatures around freezing during the day. At night, it’s even colder. Kickoff for Super Bowl XLVIII will be after sunset. The unpredictable weather makes this game hard to figure out.
It’s no secret that Manning doesn’t play his best in cold conditions. In fact, Seattle is probably hoping for a blizzard, because it might give them the edge. That’s simply the way the Seahawks are built. They aren’t flashy on offense. They are tough, make plays, and have a swarming defense. Seattle is used to playing in harsh conditions. Denver, while up north, isn’t. Just look and compare the two climates yesterday. If the weather in New York for the Super Bowl is like that, the edge probably goes to Manning and the Broncos. If it snows or freezing rain, it might lean towards Seattle.
Of course, experience plays a factor as well. Manning will be playing in his third Super Bowl. He is 1-1 in those games, but that experience going through the motions of the week leading up to the game will certainly side with him.
Wilson is in just his second season. The eyes of the world will be on him in this game, as the stage does not get any bigger. If there is a young player that looks the part though, it’s Wilson.
At the end of the day, the two best teams in the NFL all season long will be playing in this game. They each mirrored the other in record (13-3), and were neck-and-neck on Super Bowl 48 betting lines.
Odds have been released, with Denver a current 2.5-point favorite over Seattle to start. There is plenty of time to get in on the action for this game though.
Point spread aside, who gets the win straight up?
- Prediction – Denver 27 Seattle 23