Watching the Super Bowl yesterday had a very familiar feel to it. I felt like I was watching the Bengals on both sides of the ball.
A dominating, big-play defense that disrupted timing and refused to the let the other team score.
A talented but mistake-prone offense that kept giving away opportunities in the biggest game.
From the opening snap that turned into a safety, you could feel Denver choking away the game. When it really mattered, the Broncos made critical mistakes.
On the other side of the ball, Seattle’s defense manufactured the win. Both of Peyton Manning’s interceptions were the result of him being hit as he threw. He fumbled when someone got a hand on the ball. It was fitting that a defender was named the game’s MVP.
And wasn’t the Super Bowl the Bengals’ season in a microcosm? Dominating, inspiring defensive efforts that often created wins. Unthinkable mistakes in the biggest games by an offense not performing to its potential that caused losses.
If anything, the Super Bowl made me think this: championships are lost more often than they are won.
I don’t want to take anything away from the Seahawks. They earned that win. Their defense played lights out against the best offense in the history of the NFL. But more importantly, Seattle’s offense didn’t make mistakes. The Seahawks had no turnovers. The Broncos had four. The Seahawks scored whenever they got inside the Denver 30. The Broncos got only eight points. On third down, Russell Wilson scooted away from trouble, got rid of the ball, and, more often that not, converted for a first down. The Broncos allowed Peyton Manning to be pressured and hit, resulting in incomplete passes, checkdowns shy of the marker, and turnovers.
I don’t know why a veteran team like the Broncos looked so rattled while a young squad like the Seahwaks played poised. But I do know there is no greater factor that wins games and championships in the National Football League than poise. Things went wrong for Seattle too. They didn’t let it get to them. The Broncos did.
There’s a lesson here for the Cincinnati Bengals. All the talent they need is on the roster. What they lack is big-game poise. Do what Seattle did. Stay on the attack, play the opportunities you are given, and don’t get rattled when things go wrong.
Because championships are lost more often than they are won. Last night, Seattle made Denver lose. The Bengals can do that too.
They just need to keep their heads in big games.
Who Dey Herald 