Be honest: you didn't see that one coming.
All of the score predictions, all of storylines going into the game, all of the drama surrounding Richard Sherman, and all of the questions about whether Champ Bailey or Peyton Manning would retire after the game became completely irrelevant once Broncos centre Manny Ramirez snapped the ball clean over Peyton Manning's head on the first play of the game.
The ball flew into the endzone and was grounded by the Broncos for a safety. The Seahawks had two points before Russell Wilson and co. had even taken the field. The last time a Super Bowl had opened with a safety? The Giants got one on the way to a 21-17 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. The signs didn't look good for Denver.
It's tough to call - and maybe this was always going to be the case - but from that moment on, Manning and the Broncos looked nervous and edgy. They never found their rhythm on offense, and their defense failed to stop the Seahawks as they marched to a 22-0 lead before half time.
Seattle were just as advertised: a ferocious defense and a versatile, explosive offense that scorched the Broncos for four touchdowns. Percy Harvin accumulated 137 all-purpose yards and Russell Wilson was quietly flawless - 18 of 25 for 206 yards, two touchdowns and 36 yards rushing off three attempts. On defence the Seahawks' standout was not Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor or Earl Thomas, but Malcolm Smith. Smith earned MVP honours with a performance that included a 69-yard interception return touchdown, a fumble recovery and nine solo tackles.
It was a bizarre spectacle - never before has a team gone from being almost overwhelming favourites to being completely out of the game so quickly.
So why did it go wrong for Denver? The answer's simple: Denver weren't as good as people thought. Sure, they had a record breaking regular season, but they faced only three teams with a top-15 defence, and none of them were even close to the quality of Seattle. By contrast, the 2007 New England Patriots beat eight teams with top-15 defences in the regular season.
Seattle were merciless in pursuit of their first Super Bowl title and - to their credit - Denver never looked like they weren't trying; they just simply weren't good enough. The always-outspoken Richard Sherman was spot-on when he said that the San Francisco 49ers, and not the Broncos, were the second-best team this year.
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