The moment has arrived. People across the country grab their bag of chips and head over to the TV to watch the most anticipated game of the NFL season: the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl is the most watched televised game in the world. People watch not only for the game itself but for the commercials and have time shows. Many viewer don’t even like football that much.

This year’s match-up between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks was predicted by some sports commentators to be one of the best match-ups in a while. Why? Denver Broncos are the number one offense in the league, and the Seattle Seahawks are the number one defense in the league.

What better recipe for a competition?

Well, if anything was proved by the game, it was this: good defense wins games.

Seattle scored with in the first twelve seconds of the game after a turnover by the Broncos. At the end of the game it was 22-0 going into halftime. The end was just as bad; the Seahawks blew them out by a score of 43-08.

If you’re reading this article, though, I haven’t told you anything you didn’t already know.

The after-game discussion has proved to be much more exciting than the game itself. Some were convinced the Peyton Manning was shaving points or getting paid a lot of money to throw this game away. Others said Seattle showed up and put a whooping on the best team in the league.  “It was a fluke,” and “That’ll never happen again” also emerged in the discussion

Another element to the story? Some speculate that Manning, who was thinking about retiring this year, planned on closing his professional career with another Super Bowl ring. He’d go down in a blaze of glory.

But that didn’t happen. So now what? Will he stay in the game so that his career ends up on a high note?

One thing that doesn’t work in his favor is his age.  Generally speaking, he most likely only has one more year left in him; of course, that’s if the doctors give him the okay to play.

The hallways of Hammonton High School were alive with reaction and theories about how the game went.

“I think Seattle played to a whole other level because they kept the ball from Peyton Manning’s hands and capitalized on everything,” said athletic director Marni Parks. “It’s a team effort, and the blame doesn’t go on Peyton Manning.”

Parks explained that no matter who it is, nobody can go out there and win a game with out a team backing them up. Seattle played tremendous defense and that’s what they needed against a team like Denver.

Mr. Gregg Silvesti, a physical education teacher,  sees the game as a sign that Manning should call it day.

“Peyton Manning is done. He’s getting to old and Seattle tortured him that game. He will still retire as one of the best quarterbacks to play the game,” he said.

It was evident to many spectators that Manning cannot move like he use to; perhaps he was weak and that explained why many passes were executed well.   And the Seahawks were shutting the running game down, which forced Denver to pass the ball.

“Seattle showed up and proved that they wanted it more then Denver. Seattle played till the end of the clock and didn’t hold anything back,” said history teacher Eric Shulman.

Seattle proved that defense wins championships. Every team is going to score but if your the team with the better defense that can turn the ball over and keep it in your hands, you will likely win. Seattle showed that because they scored mostly of turnover they got and kept the ball out of Manning’s hands.

Game aside, fans are waiting to hear if Manning will return or retire. No other player in the NFL changed the game as much as him when it comes to character; many regard him as the best in terms of being a positive leader.

Regardless, he will, without a doubt, go down in history for his character and sportsmanship.