The Super Bowl MVP will be a non-quarterback for the first time since 2009.
JOHN SCHEELK: Fiction -If the Broncos win, it is very likely that Peyton Manning gets the MVP. I also think Russell Wilson is a potential MVP candidate since the Broncos are so adept at stopping the run. A sleeper here is Knownshon Moreno, who could run for a bunch of yards if the Seahawks overcommit to the pass.
- DAN SALOMONE: Fiction -It would not be a shocker if it happened this year, given Seattle's defense, Denver's receivers, and the running backs on both sidelines. But the odds are against them. The Super Bowl MVP has gone to a quarterback 26 times. The next is running back, which has claimed the award seven times.
The game will be decided by a touchdown or less.
- JOHN SCHEELK: Fact -These are the two best teams in the league, and a classic offense/defense matchup. I can't imagine either team running away with it.
- DAN SALOMONE: Fiction -I just don't think Peyton Manning and the Broncos will be denied this year. They've been on a mission since Week 1 when they avenged their playoff loss to the Ravens by racking up 49 points and seven passing touchdowns. My prediction is an ugly first half with the two teams close, but then the Broncos pull away down the stretch.
If Peyton Manning's Broncos win, the Mannings will be the most accomplished sports family.
- JOHN SCHEELK: Fact -Four Super Bowl Championships, two likely Hall of Famers, and a ton of wins at the most important position on the field makes the Mannings the most accomplished sports family. I'm not putting NASCAR into the mix with the Earnhardts. The Bonds family could have been considered if Barry wasn't implicated in the BALCO scandal. The Boones in baseball have a good record but nothing as high level as the Mannings. I might be forgetting someone but I don't think they would surpass the Mannings.
- DAN SALOMONE: Fact -I'd pay admission to attend any family reunion with the last name Manning, Williams, Harbaugh, Andretti, Hull, Sutter, Earnhardt, Griffey, or Ripken. But which is the best? It's hard to argue against the Manning family tree. From local heroes to college stars to elite professionals, they have it all through multiple generations.
Playing the Super Bowl in a cold-weather environment is good for the game.
- JOHN SCHEELK: Fact -I'm not that obsessed with this like everyone else. It's cold. As long as the wind isn't terrible and there isn't a lot of precipitation to make the field slick, it will be hard to even notice. If temperatures fall into the single digits, it's a different story, but temperatures in the 30s is not a big deal. I do think adverse conditions that might give one team an advantage over the other would not be good for the game, but I don't think that will be the case on Sunday night.
- DAN SALOMONE: Fact -In many ways big-time sports have been sterilized to a certain extent. This can undo part of that. The sport is meant to be played outdoors, and battling the elements is part of the lore that defines football. I loved the idea since day one.
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