Super Bowl – Page 2 – North Platte Post Archive

Vikings Host NFL Super Bowl Committee

Posted on March 14, 2014

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings and the Twin Cities hosted members of the NFL this week to prepare their bid for the 2018 Super Bowl.

Frank Supovitz, the NFL’s senior vice president of events, toured the area and took a look at the plans for the new Vikings stadium. The Twin Cities are competing with New Orleans and Indianapolis for the bid. They will make their final pitches at an NFL owners meeting in May.

The Twin Cities previously hosted a Super Bowl in 1992.

Supovitz says building a new stadium doesn’t guarantee that a Super Bowl will come to Minneapolis. But he did note that the NFL has a history of rewarding communities that do build new stadiums with the league’s marquee event.

Seattle Erupts During Seahawks Super Bowl Parade

Posted on February 6, 2014February 6, 2014

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Seahawks coaches, players and staff say they wouldn’t have been able to win the Super Bowl without the help of their fans — the 12th Man.

The team thanked its loyal followers on Wednesday at a ceremony at CenturyLink Field, capping a day of boisterous celebration and parade that drew an estimated 700,000 revelers to Seattle.

Players were introduced by the order of their jersey numbers and ended with No. 3, quarterback Russell Wilson, who walked onto the field pumping the Lombardi Trophy in the air to thunderous applause.

Coach Pete Carroll led the crowd in a “Seahawks, Seahawks” chant and said the team will do something special again.

Elway Knows the Pain Will Linger for Broncos, Fans

Posted on February 5, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Three times during his Hall of Fame playing career, John Elway slogged through the rubble of a Super Bowl landslide.

Forty-eight hours after Denver’s devastating 43-8 defeat by Seattle in this year’s Super Bowl, the Broncos’ boss was asked how long it took him to get over those big blowouts.

Said Elway: “I’m not over them yet.”

Elway understands Broncos fans are struggling to come to grips with just how the highest-scoring team in league history self-destructed and five-time MVP Peyton Manning managed but a single touchdown throw against the Seahawks.

Omaha Firms Give $42,500 More to Manning’s Charity

Posted on February 4, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A group of 17 Omaha companies is donating another $42,500 to Peyton Manning’s foundation for at-risk youth even though it was hard to hear him shout about Nebraska’s largest city during the Super Bowl.

Omaha’s love affair with Manning and his Denver Broncos got started after he yelled the city’s name 44 times during a playoff win over San Diego. Manning’s “Omaha! Omaha!” calls received widespread attention in social media and news stories.

The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce said Monday that each of the participating companies agreed to donate $2,500 to Manning’s “Peyback Foundation” even though his snap counts were difficult to hear Sunday.

Earlier in the playoffs, a smaller group of companies agreed to donate $24,800 after Manning yelled “Omaha!” 31 times during the AFC Championship game.

Ratings: Another Record for Super Bowl

Posted on February 3, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox’s Super Bowl telecast of the Seahawks’ victory of the Broncos is the most-watched television event in U.S. history, drawing 111.5 million viewers on Sunday night.

The Nielsen company said Monday the telecast broke a viewership record set by the Super Bowl two years ago between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. It’s the fourth time in five years that a Super Bowl game has set a viewership record. Last year’s game, with 108.6 million viewers, was the exception.

The game kept up its appeal to viewers despite being relatively non-competitive.

Fox said an estimated 2.3 million people watched its online stream of the game, peaking at the end of the third quarter.

Manning a Bust in Quest for Second Ring

Posted on February 3, 2014

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)— All those records, all for naught.

On Saturday night, Peyton Manning was winning his record fifth NFL Most Valuable Player award. On Sunday night, he endured one of the worst big-game performances of his career.

“Our overall execution wasn’t real sharp–theirs was,” Manning said afterward.

On paper, Manning’s performance didn’t look too bad. He actually completed a Super Bowl record 34 passes out of 49 attempts. But he passed for just 280 yards. Manning threw two interceptions, one returned by Malcolm Smith for a touchdown and the other leading directly to a Seattle TD.

“They made more plays on defense than we did,” Manning said. “I give them credit for that.”

Manning is now 1-2 in Super Bowls. He still trails his brother Eli, the Giants quarterback, who has won two Super Bowl rings.

“It’s a difficult pill to swallow,” said Manning, adding he would use the bitter disappointment to get better next season.

Manning shattered the league record by throwing for 55 touchdowns during the regular season. He also set a mark with 5,477 yards passing in leading the Denver Broncos to a 13-3 record during a record season when the Broncos scored 606 points.

But in the most important game of the season, Manning could produce just one touchdown and that came with his team trailing 36-0.

Seahawks Celebrate First Title After Dominating Performance

Posted on February 3, 2014February 3, 2014

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The blowout Super Bowl made a return Sunday – Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8. Russell Wilson tossed a pair of TD passes and the Seahawks capitalized on a host of Broncos mistakes in their stunningly easy upset.

Twelve seconds into the game, the Seahawks scored on a safety. Twelve seconds into the second half, Percy Harvin crossed the goal line to cap an 87-yard kickoff return.

In the most lopsided Super Bowl in 21 years, the Seahawks breezed to their first NFL championship since entering the league as a 2-12 expansion team in 1976. It’s Seattle’s first major sports championship since the old NBA SuperSonics won it all in 1979.

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson tossed threw a pair of touchdown passes in directing an efficient Seattle offense that scored three touchdowns directly off Denver mistakes.

The Seahawks scored touchdowns running and receiving, returning a kickoff and also with an interception return, as well with two field goals and a safety to start the game.

NFC teams now have won five of the last seven Super Bowls.

SUPER BOWL-MVP

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Seattle linebacker Malcolm Smith returned an interception of Peyton Manning 69 yards for a touchdown and later recovered a fumble in winning Super Bowl MVP honors in the Seahawks’ 43-8 victory over Denver.

Smith is only the third linebacker in Super Bowl history to earn the award, joining Ray Lewis of Baltimore in 2001, and Chuck Howley of Dallas in 1971.

It was appropriate that a member of Seattle’s league-leading “D” would be the MVP, considering the way the Seahawks shut down Manning and Denver’s record-breaking offense, forcing four turnovers and holding the Broncos scoreless until the last play of the third quarter.

Smith’s pick-6 made it 22-0 late in the first half, and Seattle was on its way.

SUPER BOWL-SEATTLE SCENE

SEATTLE (AP) — With shouts, cheers and fireworks, Seattle residents celebrated a dominant victory in the Super Bowl — the city’s first major sports championship in more than 30 years.

Scores of people took to the streets in the city’s Pioneer Square and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. Seattle police planned an increased presence throughout the city Sunday night.

Back in New Jersey, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said, “We’re not sleeping. We’re staying up all night. The party’s just starting.”

The last time a major Seattle sports franchise won a championship was in 1979 when the old SuperSonics took the NBA title. The WNBA’s Seattle Storm have won two championships, in 2004 and 2010.

Mayor Ed Murray said a Seahawks victory parade would happen Wednesday.

SUPER BOWL-SHERMAN

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Richard Sherman waited, and waited and the throws never floated his direction.

Led by its All-Pro cornerback, Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” secondary and the nastiest defense in the NFL proved the strength of the Seahawks was greater than the record-setting arm of Peyton Manning in their stunning 43-8 rout in Super Bowl 48.

Manning carefully tried to avoid throwing at Sherman, leaving the rest of his mates in the secondary to make the plays.

Sherman suffered an injury in the fourth quarter but returned to the sideline in time for the celebration in sweats and on crutches.

“Everybody played their behinds off,” Sherman said, calling the victory “incredibly satisfying.”

Penguin Named for Peyton Manning Takes to Facebook

Posted on February 1, 2014February 1, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo’s latest star — Peyton the Penguin, named for Denver Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning — is taking to social media for Sunday’s Super Bowl game.

The newborn rockhopper penguin got his name after the city and the Nebraska Tourism Commission took note of Manning’s repeated use of “Omaha” at the line of scrimmage. Fans can expect to hear him yell, “Omaha! Omaha!” just as often when the Broncos face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in the championship Super Bowl matchup.

Now, Manning’s namesake penguin has become “a bit of a celebrity,” zoo director Dennis Pate says.

Zoo officials say Peyton the Penguin is eagerly awaiting the big game on Sunday and will be posting his thoughts and comments about it over the next several days.

Welker Doesn’t Dwell on Costly Drop

Posted on February 1, 2014February 1, 2014

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Wes Welker swears he doesn’t dwell on his costly drop in the Super Bowl two years ago that could have sealed New England’s win over the New York Giants and made up for losing to them four years earlier.

“You know what? I don’t even think about it,” Welker said as he prepared for his third Super Bowl, his first with the Denver Broncos. “The past is the past, what happened, happened, and I’m just looking forward to this one and going out there and playing my best game and doing what I can to help my team win.”

Welker said getting to the big game and coming up short two times is what drives him.

“I think it’s the reason I get up in the morning in the offseason and even now,” he said after helping the Broncos beat his old team for the AFC title, securing a showdown with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.

Welker tied a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions for 103 yards six years ago but the Patriots’ perfect season ended when Eli Manning threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left to give the Giants a 17-14 win.

The teams met again four years later in Indianapolis and Welker caught seven passes for 60 yards and ran twice for 21 more, but it was the catch he didn’t make that haunts Patriots fans to this day.

The Patriots led 17-15 with four minutes left and were on the Giants’ 44 when Tom Brady found Welker wide open 23 yards downfield. The pass, however, was high and slightly behind Welker, who got both hands on the ball but couldn’t make the catch.

The Giants got the ball back and drove for the winning touchdown.

“Sure, I mean it motivates you during the offseason. It motivates you when you’re working out, it motivates you through the year,” Welker said. “Just that feeling of losing that game, I mean it’s heartbreaking. It takes a few weeks just to get over it. It definitely sticks with you and motivates you for the future and definitely blessed to have this opportunity again.”

Welker joined Peyton Manning in Denver in the offseason after six seasons with Brady and was Denver’s leading receiver until missing the final 3½ games after sustaining his second concussion in a three-week span. He still ended up with 778 yards on 73 catches and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Wearing a bigger helmet to protect against further head injury, he’s caught 10 passes for 76 yards and a TD in the playoffs.

He had four catches for 38 yards against New England in the AFC Championship and his hard hit took out Patriots top cornerback Aqib Talib on a pick play at the line of scrimmage. The next day, Patriots coach Bill Belichick suggested Welker deliberately tried to hurt Talib and complained to the league about it.

The NFL said no infraction had occurred.

Welker’s teammates said Belichick was just using Welker as a smoke screen and a scapegoat to hide deficiencies in his team’s defense and the fact that Welker’s replacement in New England, Danny Amendola, dropped the only pass thrown to him in the title game.

Welker stayed above the fray, saying he was just happy to be back in the Super Bowl.

“I’m very blessed to have this opportunity again and that’s all you really ask for,” he said. “It’s all you work for during the offseason is to get to this point and now you just want to finish it.”

John Fox Says Broncos Ready for Sunday

Posted on January 31, 2014

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — After putting his team through its final full practice of the season on Friday afternoon, Denver Broncos coach John Fox declared his team ready to go for the Super Bowl.

The Broncos used the indoor field at the New York Jets practice facility for their nearly 90-minute practice after Fox determined that the outdoor synthetic field was too hard.

Yet the regimen came with another twist: Fox used the outdoor field for the 30-minute walkthrough before the practice, allowing for more exposure to the type of wintry elements that could be in play on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.