Supersonic Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII

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With all the attention on the force of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and his wealth of star receivers, the Seahawks stunned the number-one ranked offensive team from the outset - scoring within 12 seconds and never relenting.

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Russell Wilson was the definition of clutch for the Seahawks, converting his first five third-down passes to build the pressure on Denver, as he finished the match with two touchdown passes and a gain of 206 yards.

Conversely, Manning - after a stone-cold opening in the comparatively mild New Jersey surroundings - failed to find a first down in the first quarter, and ended the game with one touchdown pass, two interceptions and a gain of 280 yards.

If one had to pick a team pre-match to break the record for most consecutive points scored to start a Super Bowl, there would be no question as to who had the better credentials for such a task.

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Manning's Broncos had all the numbers in their favour when it came to scoring, being the number one ranked offensive team all season.

Yet it would be the defensive, nuggety, tough-as-nails Seahawks that were the scoreboard dominators, as well as doing so in general play courtesy of Wilson, despite his first touchdown pass not coming until the third quarter.

They had a little bit of everything - a safety, two field goals and five touchdowns, the latter coming via four different methods.

Firstly, a rushing touchdown to the relatively quiet Marshawn Lynch. That was followed by an interception TD to Malcolm Smith, a kick-return TD to Percy Harvin and finally, capped with two of those rare passing TDs as Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin.

The quickest score in any Super Bowl ever took just 12 seconds to be registered, and of all things, it was a safety.

The Broncos' first snap of the match flew out of Manny Ramirez's hands, past the stunned Manning and into Seattle's end zone.

Denver avoided conceding a touchdown, but the tone of the first half, and the match, was set there and then.

Harvin, in just his third game of the season after battling back from hip surgery and concussion, was hot early - claiming 45 first-quarter rush yards off two carries, having just one rush attempt for nine yards in his first two matches this campaign.

Manning, trying to get his point-scoring machine out of their slumber, could not find a first down, with the Broncos finally getting the ball 10 yards forward almost 20 minutes into the contest.

While Seattle were on top early, their lead at the first break was just eight points - Steven Hauschka preserving his perfect post-season run with the boot with two field goals - but they put Denver to the sword in the second quarter.

Lynch was not at his brilliant best early, but he was credited with the game's first touchdown - a one-yard run.

Malcolm Smith then produced the first-half highlight - a 69-yard interception touchdown off Manning's arm, after Cliff Avril put the pressure on the Denver quarterback to force the wobbly pass.

Seattle safety Kam Chancellor picks off Peyton Manning in the first quarter.

Late in the first half, Denver had their best chance to open their scoring account - but after shirking the opportunity for points via a field goal, Manning took a different kind of punt on the fourth down, and his gamble to play the fourth down did not pay off as the Broncos went to the break scoreless.

And any chance of a comeback for Denver was snuffed in a matter of 12 seconds, as Harvin returned Prater's kick 87 yards for a touchdown at the re-start as the Seahawks party kicked into gear.

Wilson then found Kearse, who not only completed the catch, but broke off would-be tacklers to enter the end zone as Seattle's on-field celebrations continued.

Manning got Denver on the scoreboard late in the third quarter, as he combined with Demaryius Thomas for a touchdown before finding Wes Welker in the two-point play to help the Broncos avoid becoming the first team to end a Super Bowl scoreless.

Wilson continued to torment the Broncos, taking Seattle from their own 42-yard mark to their fifth visit to the end zone for a TD.

The Seahawks' playmaker started the drive from a first-and-20, and ended it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin as the Seattle side took the honours and coach Pete Carroll earned himself a Gatorade bath.

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