Sports

Super Bowl in NJ: Seattle Wins in Rout, Fans Face Chaotic Commute

Thousands of passengers at Secaucus Junction transfer station vented their outrage at overcrowded trains and stifling heat.

It was billed as a matchup of epic proportions: the National Football League’s top-ranked offense against its top-ranked defense.

What viewers got, instead, was complete domination and not much of a show, as the Seattle Seahawks routed the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, 43-8 Sunday night.

The rout culminated a week of festivities surrounding the first Super Bowl to be played in the New York and New Jersey area. While the game was lopsided, the weather did not disappoint, hovering close to 50 degrees all night.

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Transportation to, and from, the game was another issue.

NJ.com reported that some 400 fans were waiting in security check lines at the Secaucus train station not long after 4 p.m. The lines moved along quickly even as more and more people came into the station from arriving trains, NJ.com reported.

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Within a few minutes, most had made it through security and on to the platform. Then more trains came in and the cycle repeated, according to the report.

Fans of both the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos waited in line, but it was the Denver fans who stood out. "Let's go Broncos," they cheered. Some shouted "Omaha! Omaha!" — a reference to Quarterback Peyton Manning's complicated play call, according to NJ.com.

Earlier, thousands of passengers arriving from New York to the Secaucus Junction transfer station for the train to Super Bowl 2014 vented their outrage at the overcrowded trains and stifling heat, according to NJ.com.

"New Jersey sucks," some people shouted as they came off the New York trains, the report said. Many had peeled off coats and other outer layers of clothing, and were drenched in sweat from the high temperatures in the packed train cars, according to the report.

During the game, the true story was Seattle’s defense—steered by coordinator Dan Quinn, of Morris Township—stifling the Broncos' offensive attack, holding the AFC champions to just eight points on a touchdown and two-point conversion in the third quarter.

READ MORE: Seahawks’ Quinn Masterminds Perfect Game Plan in Super Bowl Win

The Seahawks defense came up with four turnovers—two interceptions and two fumbles—along with a safety in taking over the game. The offense did its part in managing the ball, not turning it over once, and taking a slight advantage in time of possession, holding the rock for 31:53.

Less than 24 hours before kickoff, Denver’s Peyton Manning was named the NFL’s MVP for the fifth time in his career, after setting single-season touchdown and passing yards records.

Manning couldn’t get anything going with his bevy of receivers after an errant opening-snap resulted in a safety, giving Seattle the quickest first score in Super Bowl history, just 12 seconds into the game. Manning finished the night with 280 yards on 34 of 49 passing, according to NFL.com. He tossed one touchdown to Demarius Thomas, but lost a fumble and threw two interceptions.

Denver’s starting running back and Middletown native, Knowshon Moreno, left the game with an injury in the third quarter, but was a non-factor throughout with just three receptions for 20 yards and five rushes for 17 yards in the game.

Denver safety Mike Adams was second on the team in total tackles, recording six before the night was through, but couldn’t stop Seattle from moving the ball at will. 

READ MORE: New Jersey Natives Come Up Empty in Broncos’ Super Bowl Bid

Seattle’s defense held Denver’s prolific attack to a total of 306 yards, according to NFL.com. 


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