SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!

NEW JERSEY -- After decades of disappoint and "maybe next years," Seattle is home to the Lombardi Trophy.

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII to win the team's first championship. The game marked the city's first major men's sports championship since the Seattle Sonics won in 1979.

In the end, it was perhaps the first play from scrimmage that best summed up the blow out that nobody, including die-hard Seahawks fans, predicted.

Peyton Manning, easily one of the best five quarterbacks of all time, watched the first snap from scrimmage sail over his right shoulder and into the back of the endzone. The play resulted in a Seahawks safety, with the Hawks racking up the fastest score in Super Bowl history at 12, yes 12, seconds.

From that moment on, the Seahawks dominated that game, scoring on offense, defense and special teams. Ending the first quarter up 8-0, the Seahawks first scored a touchdown on a Marshawn Lynch 1-yard run with 12 minutes and 8 seconds left in the second half. Then, Malcolm Smith had a 69-yard pick-six from the soon-to-be beleaguered and bruised Manning.

Following the game Coach Pete Carroll, who became the third head coach to win both an NCAA Championship and a Super Bowl, said the team preparation for this moment started a long time ago.



"These guys started a long time ago," Carroll said. "I'm so proud to be part of this. We take this trophy back for the 12th man."

Carroll said the game went according to plan for the team that finished the season 16-3.

"For us it was exactly what we wanted," he said. "We played really well on D, we didn't give the ball up once."

Rusell Wilson went 18-for-25 in the game with 206 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 123.1. Following the game, the second-year quarterback praised his team, saying the they had been working for the moment since they lost to the Atlanta Falcons in 2012.

"We continued to fight and continued to grow together," he said. "We couldn't have done it without all these guys."

Wide receiver Doug Baldwin -- who caught five passes for 66 yards and one touchdown -- reiterated Wilson's sentiment.

" This is not a football team. This is a family. And we've shown this consistently," Baldwin said.

Linebacker Malcolm Smith was the MVP of Super Bowl 48 with his pick-6, a fumble recovery, nine tackles and great pass coverage. At media day Smith was not even given a podium. After the game, he said from the Championship float he could have never believed how well it all went.

Seattle forced four turnovers and gave up none.

"I didn't wake up and see this coming," Smith said, laughing.

Smith was the first defensive player in 11 years to win the MVP award.



In a game that was heralded as the league's best defense vs. the league's best offense, the answer to what matters more was clear. Manning finished the game with a Super Bowl record of 34 completions, but threw two timely interceptions and failed to get his team into the endzone until three seconds left in the third quarter. The Denver rushing game was held to 27 yards, and never had a chance to get off the ground.

Manning, 37, would not comment on his future following the game. The star quarterback 11-and-12 in the postseason and 1-2 in the Super Bowl.

Percy Harvin, playing in only his third game of the season, finished with a 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and two carries for 45 yards. Harvin spoke after the game, saying he waited a long time to take the field after a season plagued with injuries.

"Just to strap up the pads one more time was incredible," he said.

The Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Victory Parade will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday.



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Live updates from the game 

-- Chris Clemons makes another good defensive play, and the Seahawks get the ball back with 3:44 left in the game.

-- The Broncos were never competitive in this ballgame, the announcer says.

-- In major pro sports, Lenny Wilkins and the 1979 Sonics are the only major sports championship the city has.

-- Turbin has a first down inside the 40. He has 17 yards on four carries.

-- Marshawn Lynch has his shoes off on the sideline. "What a feeling," Troy Aikman says. Sherman has a right ankle injury and was listed as doubtful for a return.

-- Richard Sherman limps off the field. And on 3rd and 2, the pass is dropped by Eric Decker. Manning has 33 completions in the game, which is a Super Bowl record. The Seahawks take over on downs with 9:48 left to go in the game.

-- Who do you consider for the MVP of this game? Sherman is slow to get up on an incomplete pass from Peyton Manning. Sherman is helped off the field. We hope he's OK so he can celebrate.

-- Doug Baldwin touchdown puts the Seahawks up 43-8 with 11:45 left in the game. Doug Baldwin joins in on the party. Paul Allen and John Schneider give each other fist bumps.

-- Zach Miller recovers the onside kick. Wilson will take over at the Hawks own 48. Turbin gets to the edge, but a holding call negates the run.

-- The first points of the game for the Denver Broncos. The Broncos trail 36-8 at the end of the third quarter.

-- So much for the Seahawks wide receivers as an under-performing bunch. Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Ricardo Lockette, Luke Willson, Golden Tate, Michael Robinson, Percy Harvin all have catches in the games.

-- Touchdown Seahawks! The Seahawks lead 36-0! Russell WIlson hits Jermaine Kearse for 23 yards and a touchdown. The Seahawks lead 36-0 with 2:58 in the 3rd Quarter.

-- The Broncos have three turnovers and no points. Luke Willson catches a pass for a first down.

-- Fumble and picked up by Malcolm Smith. The Hawks keep rolling!

-- "Put John Elway in the game," things we hear in the Newsroom. On 2nd and 9 Demaryious Thomas gets the first down.

-- John Ryan has to punt for the first time in the game. Peyton takes the field down 29.

-- Holding on that long Russell Wilson run. On 2nd and 20, Turbin gets the carry out three yards. On Third and 17, to Golden Tate.

-- Marshawn Lynch gets and 18 yard run on the first full offensive possession of the half for the Seattle Seahawks. The Denver defense is yet to make a stop.

-- Kam Chancellor is having quite the game, just as Monte Ball gets shut down by K.J. Wright on fourth down. They punt on fourth down and the Hawks get the ball at their own 8-yard line.

-- Sherman ran off the field to cheers. He's back out on the field. Red Bryant jumps, just as the announcers say the punter for the Broncos must have "already got a flight home."

-- Richard Sherman is down on the field. Lets hope he is OK. The Hawks scored 12 seconds into the both the 1st and 3rd quarter.

-- Knowshawn Moreno gets hammered hard on 2nd down. On Third down, Peyton gets a first down for the first time in this game.

-- Pete Carroll told the team to not let up at half time. Percy Harvin took that to heart.

-- Percy Harvin takes it to the house on the opening kickoff return of the game. What hip surgery? Percy Takes it 86 yards to the House, goes up 29-0 with 14:48 left in the third quarter. 

-- Remember, Seattle opens up the second half. Seattle has scored on all three offensive possessions. And Percy Harvin is back.

-- The Seahawks have played 6-straight shutout quarters at Met Life stadium.

-- Newman is a Seahawks fan! Here comes Bruno Mars and the halftime show.

-- Manning is 17-for-23 with 104 yards and 2 interceptions. Wilson has no picks so far.

-- Marshawn Lynch has 11 carries for just 17 yards. Percy Harvin has 3 touches for 50 yards. And Russell Wilson is 9-for-14.

The Seahawks lead the Broncos 22-0 at the end of the first half. 

-- Clemons brings pressure and the Broncos turnover on downs! Seahawks take over at their own 19, and the half ends there. #GoHawks

-- "Cliff Avril has influenced some interceptions." -- Fox announcers say. On 3rd down and 4, the Broncos false start. In seven quarters, the Hawks have led the Manning brothers 45-0.

-- A fumble is revered, and Peyton tries to get something going before the half ends with a long back shoulder fade. Manning then throws an 11-yard pass to Thomas for good field position. Manning has a passer rating of 47.0 right now.

-- A pick 6! Malcolm Smith scores on a long pick 6, on a 69-yard run back. The Seahawks lead 22-0 with 3:21 left in the 1st half. We've never been so happy to see so many ducks.

-- Mebane gets the stuff on the screen pass by Peyton. The Seattle defense looks geared up to play this game. On 2nd and 22, Knowshawn Moreno gets nine.

-- Another third down for the Broncos. Manning stays in the pocket and gets a first down across the 45 for Welker. Peyton Manning and the Denver offense is driving here. ON Third and inches, Monte Ball gets another first down. There have been plenty of third and shorts on this drive. None of them have been easy.

-- On Third-and-one, Demaryious Thomas lunges and gets a first down. Manning seeing some pressure, misses down field.

-- Demaryious Thomas has six yards on first down, and two yards on second down. Byron Maxwell with the stop. On Third down, Knowshon Moreno gets it's first first down of the game for Denver.

-- This is the largest first half deficit of the Broncos all season. Kam Chanceloor with the stop. He was hurt after the play, but looks to be alright as he gets up with a limp.

-- Touchdown Marshawn Lynch! The Hawks go up 15-0 with 12 minutes left in the 2nd Quarter.

-- On 3rd-and-4, the Hawks get a defensive pass interference call. So it will be first-and-goal on the one yard line.

-- The Seahawks are 0-for-2 in the Red Zone so far. That needs to change with Peyton Manning and his offense. God knows he can strike quick.

-- The Hawks are leading the Broncos 6-0 in frist downs, 148-11 in time of possession, 11:41 to 3:19 in Time of Possession.

-- "Conditions aren't a factor," the announcers say. Percy Harvin gets the carry and gets out to the Denver 22.

-- Peyton Manning threw a duck! Kam Chancellor intercepts Peyton Manning at the Denver 39. Russell Wilson will take over here. The Hawks look for their first TD of the Game.

-- Great reaction from Earl Thomas at the Earl Thomas mic'd-up. Here comes the Seahawks defense again. The Hawks have scored three times and it's still a one score game.

-- Denver loses a challenge, and on Third and goal from the 14, Kearse loses the ball going to the ground. The Hawks have to settle for a field goal attempt, and it goes through to put the Hawks up 8-0 with a little more than 2 minutes left in the first quarter. Who would have had that as the score?

-- The center Max Unger is called for a hold, and on First and goal, Lynch is stuffed at the 15. On Second and goal, Harvin misses the pass. Then Denver brings a challenge.

-- Percy Harvin gets the ball for the second time in the game. And after a failed flea flicker, Wilson goes deep to Baldwin to bring the Hawks  to the Denver 6.

-- The Real Rob Report picks up six on first down on a pass from Russell Wilson. On second down, Lynch gets stuffed. Denver is doing a good job at stopping the run so far.

-- On third and 8, Wilson completes to Golden Tate for a first down. The Hawks take it out to the 40. Tate and Wilson have been connecting all year.

-- Great stop for the Hawks. Golden Tate calls a fair catch on the Hawks 28.

-- Peyton Manning back behind the ball on second down, Kam Chancellor makes a huge hit on Demerious Thomas on a two-yard gain. On third down, the Broncos to 3 and out. The Hawks need a ton of that as the game goes on.

-- Hawks decide to kick a field goal on fourth down, goes right through. The Hawks lead 5-0 with 10:21 left to go in the 1st quarter. Do you think the field goal will come back to haunt them later?

-- On fourth and 1, the Hawks decide to challenge the spot. Do you think Russell made it?

-- Lynch gets stuffed on first down, and Wilson from the Shotgun goes running and runs into a cheerleader on third down.

-- Jermaine Kearse gets six on 2nd down. On Third down, Jermaine Kearse gets a first down on a 12-yard pass. The Hawks are at the Denver 18.

-- Percy Harvin just went 30 yards to the Denver 30. A lot of action here early. Nice to get a touchdown here, if we could.

-- Here comes Russell Wilson. Golden Tate brings it to the 36, and Lynch is stuffed pretty quick. If you bet $100 on the first score a safety, you'd win $4,000.

-- Derrick Coleman wraps him up short of the 15. Peyton starts off with a #Safetyyyyyyyy!!!!!. Hawks lead 2-0 with 14:48 left in the first quarter. Will get the ball back from a punt.

-- Score predictions anyone? Here we go.

-- Joe Nameth's coat is awesome. Seattle wins the toss and chooses to defer to the second half. It's warmer in New York than it is in Denver and Seattle.

-- It's been quite a ride since we began the live blog this August. My ramblings are out of control at this point. Too much coffee and too much Super Bowl.

-- Apache helicopters flying over Met Life stadium.

-- Renee Fleming is singing the National Anthem. She's got the soprano voice. People at the stadium are breaking out into song. Got to love the Super Bowl.

-- Here come the Seattle Seahawks. They look good! Think we're feeling nervous.

-- Did anyone else almost tear up after that Met Life commercial? The Super Bowl can get emotional.

-- We're a half hour from kickoff. Queen Latifah is singing "America the Beautifull." The butterflys our flying in our stomach right now.