We've watched and re-watched the broadcast from Super Bowl XLVIII on FOX in order to put together a report card for the entire broadcast. How did Fox handle the biggest Super Bowl blowout in 20 years? Let's find out…
Joe Buck: C+
I really do like Buck, but I know he takes heat for not getting excited enough. In this case, that was noticeable. I can't believe how calm he was when the very first snap of the Super Bowl was botched, resulting in a safety. Strangely, Buck sounded most excited when Denver scored its only touchdown at the end of the third quarter of a game that was out of reach.
It was obvious to everyone that Russell Wilson was not guilty of intentional grounding when he flipped a pass in the direction of Luke Willson during the first quarter. But Buck and Troy Aikman gave too much credence to the possibility that a flag could have been thrown. The pass nearly hit Willson, so there was no chance for intentional grounding, but both announcers sort of missed it.
Troy Aikman: C+
Aikman isn't Cris Collinsworth, but he's a straight shooter who did a decent enough job Sunday night. I liked that he didn't buy into Buck's implication that crowd noise was a factor on that botched snap to open the game. He called the Broncos out on multiple occasions and was very critical at times.
At times, though, there was a lot of dead air. At one point, Buck set up a highlight package featuring Cliff Avril, but it took Aikman about five seconds to catch on and start discussing the defensive end's play.
I wonder if Aikman's quarterback connection with Manning was a factor when he suggested in the fourth quarter that this performance wouldn't have a negative impact on Peyton's legacy. Excuse me? You crap the bed in the Super Bowl, you don't get to come out unscathed.
I also can't believe Aikman supported Denver's decision to punt down by 29 points and in Seattle territory in the third quarter, citing "the odds" in a fourth-and-long scenario. I mean, c'mon!
Plus, there was this:
Troy Aikman VERY mad at the zero people who say Russell Wilson is a game manager.
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) February 3, 2014
Joe and Troy set up the second half before kickoff like champs. They both broke down some key stats from the first half, which I think is something people really appreciate. Buck mentioned that the Broncos ran 24 straight plays to finish the first half but came away with no points, while Aikman talked about Seattle's dominance on offense and defense. They both get points for the way in which they prepared fans for the second half.
You can also argue that the blowout nature of the game prevented something truly memorable from the broadcast. In the end they both delivered slightly above average performances.
The production: B
There weren't any major mistakes, although the score bug did actually read 3rd-and-15 on a second-down play during the Seahawks' first drive. That surely confused lots of casual fans who were probably trying to get acclimated at the start of the only football game they'll watch all year.
I liked the decision to bring officiating expert Mike Pereira on with Buck about 15 minutes before kickoff so that Pereira could break down the all-star officiating crew that would be doing the game. Smart, unique analysis and the kind of stuff football fans really appreciate. Pereira's tidbit about the crew being good at calling offensive holding is the type of detail you won't get very often.
They could have given us more replays, especially early in the game. They didn't do justice to the importance of that challenge on whether Russell Wilson gained a first down on Seattle's first drive, showing us only a few replays. They gave us zero replays of that potential intentional grounding penalty and none before a challenge flag was thrown on a questionable forward pass later on that drive. And they were so slow queuing up a replay on a crucial Max Unger penalty that they had to cut out of before the hold. Aikman's analysis there was also useless. Before halftime, Buck alluded to Manning exhibiting some passion on the sideline while talking to his offensive linemen, but we only got about a one-second shot before they had to pull away. They never followed up, which was disappointing.
We didn't really get an in-depth highlight package at halftime, which is frustrating considering they had as much time as they did. There were some specific packages looking at the pressure on Manning, Wilson's play and Percy Harvin, but a chronological look at the half's biggest moments was necessary. Still, they spent more time discussing Bruno Mars' performance than they did talking football.
The Seinfeld bit was really strong, though, and I liked Earl Thomas being mic'd live. Unfortunately, Thomas gave us nothing other than a lot of screaming.
Finally, I liked those big fat graphics. Not sure why they decided to expand them like that for this game, but they were crisp and clear and to the point.
That's a big banner, Fox. pic.twitter.com/LP1Mkje5uq
— Ken Fang (@fangsbites) February 2, 2014
Erin Andrews: A-
This was almost "no grade" because FOX did a hit with Chris Myers prior to kickoff but chose to stay away from Andrews and Pam Oliver until the start of the second half. The problem with those hits was that they came after the Seahawks took the second-half kickoff back for a touchdown, so context had already changed dramatically. What they said was essentially useless. That's not Andrews' fault, though, and she acknowledged the fact things had changed. Her postgame interview with Fox was solid. "Why were you guys running into problems with turnovers?" Not an easy situation or question.
Pam Oliver: A
It was weird that her hit at the start of the second half was all about John Fox saying the Seahawks can't let up and yet she didn't point out how on point that was based on that return touchdown to start the third quarter. I'm OK with her first question for Wilson after the game (regarding how satisfying the victory was) because that's all that really works in that spot. But she did a great job with an organic follow-up regarding Wilson's late father's use of the term "Why not you?"
Curt Menefee: A
He was strong throughout, as always. Good wrap-up with Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson at the conclusion of the broadcast. No hiccups.
Michael Strahan: B+
He didn't say anything that stood out at halftime but was pretty good during the trophy ceremony, which makes sense considering his experience on Michael and Kelly. I wonder if he was filling in for Terry Bradshaw there or if that was going to be his role regardless of Bradshaw's presence. He was smooth and funny.
Howie Long: C+
His breakdown of Wilson's first half was good, but nothing special. He used a big cliché, though, when going down the "game manager" path.
Jimmy Johnson: A
He opened up the halftime show by mentioning that Pete Carroll had told him they'd make an effort to get the ball in the hands of Percy Harvin, which was solid and very relevant.
Overall Grade: B
It was a solid night from the Fox team for the game broadcast. Unlike last year when CBS was caught completely off guard with the Super Bowl blackout and badly exposed, Fox had no major issues with the telecast. The nature of the game really tested the ability of the broadcasters to make it interesting and they did the best job they could. Some of the studio and sideline personnel did good work in particular. Overall, a night Fox can be fairly content with even though the game was a letdown.
