Boston Super Blog

The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos both took The Road To MetLife Stadium by enjoying great success in the NFL Draft. The Seahawks built a Super Bowl XLVIII championship by drafting key players such as Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Malcolm Smith, Russell Wilson and Bruce Irvin, all of whom played a crucial role in helping Seattle defeat Denver in MetLife Stadium a week ago. The Broncos may not have turned in an impressive performance against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII, but they can rest comfortably knowing that the players they have drafted in recent history will play a key role in the future. Denver will go forward with Demaryius Thomas, Von Miller, Danny Trevathan and Julius Thomas continuing to have a major impact for the team heading into the 2014 NFL season. Clearly, drafting well is key, as is acquiring the right players. Signing the right free agents is important as well, as long as they are truly the right players for the organization. Going out and simply opening up the checkbook rarely equals a championship, as both the Seahawks and Broncos have proved, while watching the biggest spenders in the offseason often fail to even reach the playoffs.

In the spirit of full-disclosure, I’m working as part of the Road to MetLife Stadium Preferred Blogger Program. Throughout the year I’ll be receiving special access to MetLife events and be conducting reader giveaways, with prizes provided by MetLife and Sony Electronics. However, no payment was given or expected for posting about the program, and as always, all opinions given here are fully my own.

Seattle acquired Marshawn Lynch via a trade with the Buffalo Bills. Denver signed Peyton Manning as a free agent. The Seahawks also acquired Percy Harvin and the Broncos signed Wes Welker last offseason. Both paid dividends in their respective teams reaching Super Bowl XLVIII in MetLife Stadium, and will play key roles if both or either team is to reach Super Bowl XLIX in 2015.

But the Seahawks and Broncos were not the biggest spenders in any of the past offseasons. They watched the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans spend a ton last offseason, only to both miss the playoffs. The Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams also finished in the top five in offseason spending last year, only to also fail to qualify for the postseason.

But, the 2013 offseason is not the only one where the biggest spenders did not only fail to make it to the Super Bowl, but missed out on the playoffs entirely. The 2012 Buffalo Bills spent a fortune, but went nowhere. The same was true of the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, 2010 Detroit Lions, 2009 Washington Redskins and 2008 Browns. Spending the most money rarely works out in the NFL, or any professional sport, for that matter. look at the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers over the past few years. The Boston Red Sox finally did not spend a ton last offseason, but what they did spend went toward signing the right players who were the best fits.

The same is true in the NFL, perhaps even more so than any other sport. The Seahawks and Broncos both acquired key players through trades and free agency. But they did not simply go out and sign all of the most expensive players. They watched the other teams who are once again picking early in the 2014 NFL Draft spend unwisely, while they used past success in the draft to build Super Bowl contenders.

It will be interesting to see which teams decide to try to match the blueprint for success of the Seahawks and Broncos this offseason, instead of going out like the Dolphins or Bills and throw a munch of money at the wrong players.

I hope that you have enjoyed the coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII as well as all of the story lines leading up to The Road To MetLife Stadium. Make sure to stay tuned to Boston Super Blog for more coverage and recaps as well as analysis of last night’s game in MetLife Stadium, as well as a look ahead to where the Broncos and Seahawks will go from here.

Finally, in case you have not yet seen the video of NFL players – both past and present – signing a collaborative version of the National Anthem, then what are you waiting for? I must admit that I went into it expecting to have some laughs, but these guys were pretty impressive. Current players such as Justin Tuck and Josh Brown of the New York Giants, Greg Jennings of the Minnesota Vikings and Nick Mangold of the New York Jets, as well as former stars including Emmitt Smith and Eddie George all got together to put out quite an impressive rendition of the National Anthem. If you have not yet seen it, make sure to check it out by clicking here.

Make sure to follow all of the latest on Twitter by using the #Road2MetLifeStadium and tag @MetLifeCentral, as well as checking back early and often to Boston Super Blog for all of the latest information regarding Super Bowl XLVIII in MetLife Stadium between the Broncos and Seahawks!