Reaching the Super Bowl can be a surreal experience for those playing in the game for the first time, especially when that first Super Bowl appearance comes at the tail end of a player’s career. 15-year veteran Champ Bailey will be playing in his first Super Bowl, while 10-year vet Wes Welker will be playing in his third Super Bowl. Both understand the importance of preparation and focus at times like this.
Photo by Rich Graessle
“It has been a long road, but I’m just taking it in stride,” Bailey said. “I’m not trying to hype it up more than it should be. It’s still football.”
“I’m just trying to limit those distractions and go out there and just play [my] best game,” Welker told reporters Sunday.
One distraction that is unique to Super Bowl XLVIII is the cold weather. MetLife Stadium will host the NFL’s first cold climate Super Bowl, which has been the main focus of various media outlets throughout the past week.
The league has already publicized the fact that they are considering changing the date of the Super Bowl to avoid poor weather. The Super Bowl has never been forced to change its date and dependent upon the weather at Super Bowl XLVIII, the NFL will need to decide if having a cold weather Super Bowl truly is beneficial.
The Broncos are studying film on the number one defense in football. They are not however, studying weather forecasts.
“I think in order to be a championship football team we’ve got to be weatherproof, and I think our football team played in all different elements this year,” Broncos head coach John Fox said.
The Broncos seem to be on the same page regarding attitude towards the weather and any other potential distractions.
“I’m just slapping on the Warm Skin and Vaseline and go[ing] out there [to] play,” safety David Bruton said.
Bruton will certainly need to lather on some extra Warm Skin and Vaseline before the game as the current forecasts project a kickoff temperature in the mid 30′s with winds from 10-20 mph.
“We are looking forward to being here all week and, hopefully, playing a good game next Sunday,” quarterback Peyton Manning said.
This will be Manning’s third Super Bowl and his first as a member of the Broncos.
