You came here for insight. Let's cut right to the chase.
Here's how it's gunna go down!
The Broncos haven't faced a first half offense at all in the playoffs. They never punched a team in the mouth from the get go, either, but they consistently scored points from beginning to end to keep them on top.
Seattle came out swinging on offense and defense against the Saints and didn't look back the rest of the game. They started slower against the 49ers but a superior defense and generally more precise quarterbacking led them to a victory.
So here's how it goes.
First Quarter:
Seattle Scores first. It'll be early in the game. Marshawn Lynch will break off a huge run and take it in for the score. Denver will answer back with a field goal. Seattle will match them with another 3 point play to end the quarter 10-3.
Second Quarter:
Denver answers back with a 7 minute drive to begin the second quarter that ends with a goal line stand and another field goal. Seattle surges back on only 3 plays to get into the red zone. Here, Russell Wilson botches the hand off and fumbles. Denver recovers and runs it back 50 yards to the 30. On the next pass Peyton delivers a pass right to Eric Decker for a touchdown. They go to the half 13-10.
Halftime:
And I can only imagine Richard Sherman yells at the team all halftime long. All week Sherman has been talking about "mediocre receivers" and "the best corner in the league". They were fired up right along with him at first but now it's just getting old. Even now he's just talking about how they only need a few more points til the offense can just stay off the field for the rest of the game. They just want to watch Bruno Mars and they're stuck here with this guy. They can hear that song about a grenade...man that's a good song! Sighhhhh.
Meanwhile in the Denver locker room, Peyton just looks at his team with a horrible frown. He's got his arms crossed and is pacing while breathing heavily out of his nose. Everyone in the room looks sorrowfully at their feet. Every now and then Peyton looks at the score on the chalk board then looks back at his team and shakes his head. John Fox takes a breath like he wants to say something and Peyton gives him the dirtiest look ever, the one he got so many times as a young'n from Archie. Fox doesn't make another peep and silence dominates the rest of half time.
Second Half:
The second half is a little less dramatic. Denver TD. Seattle TD. Denver TD. Back to back Seattle field goals. Until the last 10 minutes of the game. Denver has the ball and the lead at 27-23. One touchdown will make it a two score game and give the Broncos some breathing room. Peyton's second ring is in sight as he gets hit hard while delivering the ball to the right side. Richard Sherman jumps up and intercepts the pass with five minutes left.
Russell Wilson puts together a terrific offensive drive. Eating up clock, he scores on a short pass over the middle. They go for two and Wilson runs it in himself. They leave only a minute and a half for the Broncos to make up a 31-27 point deficit.
Peyton quickly gets into gear. Benefiting from good field position thanks to a kickoff return to the 40, the Broncos throw along the sidelines and surge down the field. With only 30 seconds on the clock Peyton takes a snap and is quickly sacked. The Broncos immediately take their final timeout and prep for a third and long situation. The team is tense and on edge. Peyton looks at his line and his receivers and notices their tension. He steps back and yells one word. "Omaha!". The whole team looks back and smiles. They relax and all come up with the same realization at the same time. We're going to win this.
Peyton gets the snap. He drops back and scans the field. Everyone appears covered. But there's a small window over the shoulder of Richard Sherman. It's the only chance. He rears back and releases the ball. Just as he does Demaryius Thomas begins to cut inward. "That's not the route!" Peyton yells under his breath. Sherman, who was holding close to Thomas's cut, stops short and reaches back to the ball. He can only get a hand on it and it tips right into Thomas's hands. He grabs it and runs away from a falling Sherman and into the end zone. Touchdown with 5 seconds left. Seattle returns with no answer.
Broncos win. Broncos win. Sherman remains face down on the turf for at least the next two weeks. Broncos win.
Do you have goosebumps? Yeah you do.
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