Denver Broncos

Super Bowl moment No. 35: Broncos' terrible start sets tone for Seahawks' romp

Published Dec. 21, 2015 9:00 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

As we count down to Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, it's time to look back on the magical and memorable moments in the 49 previous Super Bowls. FOX Sports senior NFL writer Alex Marvez has ranked the 50 greatest moments in the big game's big history, and every weekday from now until Feb. 7 we'll unveil the latest addition to our countdown. Today, we look back at moment No. 35, when the Broncos' terrible start set the tone in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Denver Broncos head coach John Fox dismissed concerns about crowd noise at MetLife Stadium prior to kickoff.

His team's lack of preparedness for Seattle's raucous "12th Man" came back to bite him.

A mistimed shotgun snap between Broncos center Manny Ramirez and quarterback Peyton Manning resulted in a safety on the first offensive play of the game. Besides marking the first time a safety was the opening score in a Super Bowl, the play also became a harbinger of what was to come as the disheveled Broncos had fallen behind, 36-0, by midway through the third quarter.

That play set the done for the entire game.

Final score: Seattle 43, Denver 8.