Defense Wins Fotball Games

The Seahawks took us back in time Sunday night. Back to when defense was more competitive than complicated. Back to when the toughest team, not the fanciest team, won the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Back to when the Super Bowl was won in a rout by a team on top of its game.

The Seahawks smashed the Broncos 43-8 Sunday night in a game that won't be remembered as a New York/New Jersey Super Bowl, but rather the coming-out party of a great team.
With a defensive performance to rival any in championship history, the Seahawks took apart the highest-scoring offense in NFL history. Seattle held Denver to one touchdown, and that coming on the final play of the third quarter, when the score already was 36-0.

While defenses of yesteryear have shined in Super Bowls, keep the proper perspective. The '85 Bears squashed a Patriot team quarterbacked by Tony Eason. These Seahawks pummeled Peyton Manning.
“It's all about making history,” said Seattle safety Earl Thomas. “This was a dominant performance from top to bottom. You had guys step up that you wouldn't even think of.”
No doubt. The Super Bowl MVP was a Seattle linebacker, Malcolm Smith, that half of us never had heard of and the other half not until his interception in the NFC Championship Game. Smith had a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown and a second-half fumble recovery, but a dozen of his teammates could have made a case, too.

Super Bowl? Nope. Superior Bowl. The Seahawks were faster, stronger, tougher. Just better. Way better. Seattle was billed as a back-heavy defense — its secondary is the supposed strength. Maybe so. But Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons led a pass rush that sacked Manning just once but kept him under constant threat, and Manning becomes quite ordinary when forced out of his comfort zone.
Manning's deconstruction of defenses before the snap is useless when the defense plays it straight. Which is what Seattle does. Nothing fancy. No tricks. No great disguises. The Seahawks play hard and fast, mean and aggressive.