Seahawks Crush Broncos, 43-8

"Omaha! Omaha! Wha?" The Denver Broncos' first play from scrimmage in Super Bowl XLVIII turned into a humiliating safety when the snap sailed by Peyton Manning's head into the end zone. That set the tone for a scoreless Denver first half, as the Seattle Seahawks defense intercepted Manning twice and swarmed Broncos like mad bees. Seahawks kicker Steve Hauschka put two through the uprights, and Seattle piled on with a 1-yard Marshawn Lynch rushing touchdown in the second quarter.

Denver responded with its first solid drive, pushing into Seahawks territory—until Seattle linebacker Malcolm Smith (the game's eventual MVP) intercepted a hurried Manning pass and ran it back 69 yards for a TD. The second half started with two more Seattle touchdowns: an 87-yard Percy Harvin kickoff return and a Russell Wilson pass to Jermaine Kearse. Denver finally scored a TD in the third quarter, but Seattle responded with one of its own. And so it ended, Seattle 43, Denver 8—the Seahawks' first Super Bowl victory ever. "How unhappy are all these companies that bought advertising time in the 4th quarter?" asks Matt Williamson at ESPN's Super Bowl blog. (More Super Bowl stories.)