SHANNON STAPLETON/REUTERS
Seattle LB Malcolm Smith makes an angel in the confetti and is later named Super Bowl XLVIII MVP for his 69-yard INT return for a touchdown to go with six solo tackles as Seahawks beat Broncos resoundingly, 43-8, at MetLife Stadium.
Richard Sherman saw the ball floating in the air after leaving Peyton Manning’s hand and then land in the arms of Malcolm Smith. When he saw the linebacker running down the field for a 69-yard touchdown in the second quarter, it felt like poetic justice.
“I think Malcolm Smith was one of the guys who got overshadowed last week by my rant,” Sherman said. “Today he really put his stamp on the game.”
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He wasn’t the only one who did that on Sunday night at the Meadowlands, as the Seattle Seahawks defense staked a claim as one of the greatest of all time by hammering the Denver Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl XLVIII. Smith, a versatile defender, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
But really, that award could’ve gone to just about anyone on the Seattle defense.
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A case could’ve been made for safety Kam Chancellor, who set the tone of the physical game by pounding Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas on an early crossing route. Or maybe defensive end Cliff Avril, who kept the pressure on Manning and swatted his arm to deflect the pass that landed in Smith’s arms. Or how about any one of the infamous Legion of Boom secondary, since they all seemed to hold a convention around any Broncos receiver who dared to catch the ball?
The Seattle defense very nearly pitched the first shutout in Super Bowl history — and wasn’t happy at all that its effort was blemished by the Broncos’ lone score. It held the greatest offense in NFL history to just 306 yards. It intercepted one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks twice and did not allow a first down until 20 minutes had already gone by.
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Through it all, it was impossible to pick one star out of the deep and talented defense.
“We have so many great players in Seattle, we never know who’s going to step up,” said safety Earl Thomas. “A lot of players stepped up. That’s what’s so great about us. We’re very complete. You had guys step up that you wouldn’t even think would step up. That’s what this team is all about.”
Robert Sabo/New York Daily News
Malcolm Smith returns an interception for a TD before dunking the football over the goal-post.
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It was, in the words of Sherman, a “total team effort” — and that’s really the way it’s been for the ’Hawks all season long. They tried to warn everyone during the week that they weren’t the No. 1 defense in the NFL just because of their Legion of Boom secondary. They had a group of talented linebackers. They had a defensive line that Chancellor described as “savages.”
They felt all week that despite all they had done this season they were sitting on a big secret, as if nobody knew how good they really were. And they couldn’t wait to show off for the world.
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“I think we showed that we’re up there,” Sherman said. “We’re kind of misfits in some ways — a lot of guys that not a lot of people heard of. But I think they learned how complete our defense is. It’s not just the Legion of Boom back there.”
“I told you, we’re the best defense ever,” said defensive end Michael Bennett. “We could’ve played anybody today and done the same thing.”
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After what they did to Manning, it’s hard to argue that fact. They put on a performance that rivals anything that had been seen in the Super Bowl before. And they knew it was going to be like that, too — or at least that’s what they were saying. Because as Smith said, as good as Manning and the Broncos were all season, “we felt like we played with a level of speed that they hadn’t seen.”
Smith flashed that speed on his interception return, but it wouldn’t have happened if Avril and Chris Clemons hadn’t collapsed the pocket and converged on Manning — the most difficult quarterback to sack in the NFL all season long.
It wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t rattled the Broncos with bone-crushing hits from everyone. It wouldn’t have happened if the secondary hadn’t locked Manning’s receivers down.
So yes, Smith — the brother of former Giants receiver Steve Smith — will take the MVP trophy back to Seattle after the traditional trip to Disney World later this week. But even he knows the honor could’ve gone to any of his teammates.
“It just represents how our defense played,” he said. “I’m just here to represent the defense. You’ve seen guys out here make those types of plays and tonight was my turn. I’m here, and it’s definitely on behalf of them.”
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