The Denver Broncos laid waste to the NFL all season, going 13-3 before dispatching the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots rather easily on their way to Super Bowl XLVIII.
Then, like a bad dream, everything cam crashing down. The offense that set single-season records for points, touchdowns, passing touchdowns and passing yards only mustered eight meaningless points after falling into a 36-0 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night.
Peyton Manning, so brilliant throughout the season, threw a pair of back-breaking interceptions and looked of most of the night. The offensive line which had previously protected him so well was leaky, giving up a bevy of pressures.
Over at Mile High Report, Kyle Montgomery wrote about his feelings on what turned into a Denver disaster:
The Broncos, thoroughly out of the game now, put some yards together, but can't muster up any more points on the scoreboard. Peyton Manning breaks the record for completions in a Super Bowl, and Demaryius Thomas breaks the record for receptions, which is just stupid.
The Broncos beat themselves, and the Seahawks beat them too. It was never close, it was never respectable, it was never a game at all. How this offense can get so off track after a rough start was remarkable. How the Seahawks completely out-performed the Broncos was even more impressive/disgusting.
All-time, the Broncos are now 2-5 in Super Bowls, having won their two championships in 1997 and 1998.
SB Nation's Super Bowl coverage
• Seahawks dominate Broncos in Super blowout, 43-8
• MANNINGFACE: Peyton Manning Super Bowl mood chart | #Lookit
• 2014 NFL Power Rankings: We believe in Philly (but not Denver)
• See the Super Bowl commercials again | Watch the mini-Seinfeld reunion
• Bruno Mars, Chili Peppers deliver | Ranking every halftime show ever
• Jon Bois' crazy Breaking Madden Super Bowl basically came true