The Seattle Seahawks as a whole deserved Super Bowl MVP honors Sunday night.
So it’s only fitting that Malcolm Smith — one of the no-name players on the Seahawks’ defense — came away with the game’s biggest honor. Really, the award could have gone to any of the Seahawks players who made big plays in the 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium.
Kam Chancellor set the tone early with some big hits. His interception was a game-changer at the end of the first quarter.
Smith had a pick six late in the second quarter. It was the first sign that the Broncos had an uphill battle if they were to mount a comeback against the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense.
Percy Harvin had two brilliant end-arounds in the first half and led the Seahawks in rushing with two carries for 45 yards. His 87-yard kick return essentially put the game away for Seattle. It was 29-0 after that, and Peyton Manning’s head started hanging lower, and lower, and lower.
Russell Wilson wound up with two passing touchdowns, but the game was over well before he got into the scoring action. His scores went to Jermaine Kearse, who wound up with four catches for 65 yards and one touchdown, and Doug Baldwin, who had five catches for 66 yards and one touchdown.
Even Richard Sherman, who shut down the left side of the field, or Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons, who did their part in pressuring Manning, could claim a share of the MVP.
Smith wasn’t an exciting choice for the MVP, but there was no clear-cut option. Wilson’s scores came too late. Harvin wasn’t involved in enough of the game, and Chancellor didn’t have a score.
From a legacy perspective, it would have been nice to see Wilson take home the MVP honors. But this could be far from Wilson’s only Super Bowl title. If the first two years of his career projects the next 12, he’s on his way to the Hall of Fame and more titles — despite being so short, of course.
Smith was the 242nd pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He started just eight games in 2013, and that was mostly because of injuries to other players. When you google his name, he’s not even the first “Malcolm Smith” who pops up.
So, congrats Smith, for being a member of the Seattle Seahawks and making the first big play.
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