The Academy Road

The Academy Road

The Academy Road

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Get to Know Jenn Fredrickson Hutchins

January 6, 2024

For the last 25 years, Jenn Fredrickson Hutchins has been an integral part of The Albany Academies. Her tenure started with a paper copy of her resume sent to the address...

The Road to Success of our Middle School Robotics Teams

January 5, 2024

  Both of our middle school robotics teams competed this weekend at the FLL Masterpiece Challenge at Shenendehowa High School. “The Coding Turtles” and “The...

Throwback Thursday

January 4, 2024

Adam Penrose '02, played baseball for The Albany Academies under esteemed Coach Dorwardlt. Now, he follows in his mentor's footsteps as the Varsity baseball head coach, marking...

Snack Shack is Back!

January 3, 2024

Visit the Snack Shack and support the 9th grade's fundraising. Ms. Marchetti's Room (AAG 50-06) E Block Lunch H Block 3:00-3:30

Albany Academy Cadets Suffer Narrow 2-3 Loss to Voorheesville

Albany Academy Cadets Suffer Narrow 2-3 Loss to Voorheesville

September 29, 2023

*Albany, NY* – The Albany Academy Cadets soccer team faced a tough challenge against Voorheesville, resulting in a narrow 2-3 loss. Despite the setback, the team showed...

Super Bowl XLVIII Prediction

Think back to the time months ago before the NFL season had commenced. There were all sorts of speculation about how teams would fare, and about what teams were going to be left standing come a cold February Sunday at the Meadowlands. The two teams that came up most often in those conversations were the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. Lo and behold, those two squads will clash on Sunday for the Lombardi Trophy in what figures to be an epic clash of styles. There are so many narratives that can be and have been crafted around this game:there’s “Peyton Manning’s last stand,” “Richard Sherman vs. Peyton Manning,” “Richard Sherman vs. everyone,” and “Cold Weather Armageddon,” just to name a few. But ultimately, none of those narratives mean much when Denver and Seattle line up across from each other on Sunday. Without a doubt, it will be quite the spectacle.

One of the easy narratives to compose about Super Bowl XLVIII is that it is a battle of offense against defense, and there is definitely some accuracy in that analysis. Peyton Manning has engineered a Broncos offense that wasn’t just head and shoulders above the rest of the league, but ranks among the best offenses in football’s history. Denver, at a clip of 37.9 points per game, outscored the league’s second-best scoring offense (Chicago) by over ten points per game. While some of that success can be attributed to a mediocre schedule, there is no denying the absolute brilliance and efficiency of Denver when they have the ball. There are just so many ways that they can hurt a defense. Whether it’s by stretching the field with Demaryius Thomas, quick screens to Wes Welker, or pounding the ball with Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball, the Broncos have yet to be truly contained this year. They will certainly look to establish the run, to keep Seattle from bringing pressure on Manning, so the play of their offensive line against the Seattle front seven may be the night’s most important matchup.

Seattle, in contrast to the Broncos, embraces a defensive identity. No team can claim nearly as much talent as the Seahawks do on the defensive side of the ball, boasting quality talent at every single position. Richard Sherman and the rest of Seattle’s elite defensive backfield has (rightfully so) garnered tons of attention and accolades, but the defensive line and linebacking units deserve the same amount of praise. Defensive ends Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons are absolute menaces when rushing the passer, and Denver’s offensive line has been depleted to an extent by injuries. A successful game by Seattle’s pass rushers will go a long way towards winning the game for them. Seattle’s biggest questions come on offense, where their plethora of talent hasn’t always equaled production. Quarterback Russell Wilson brings so much to the table in terms of making plays on and with the run and coming through in the clutch, but he hasn’t been outstanding in Seattle’s two postseason games. However, the primary focus of Denver’s defensive efforts will be Marshawn Lynch, the powerhouse of a running back. The Broncos were middling against the run this year (15th in rushing yards allowed per game), and find themselves without all-world linebacker Von Miller (torn ACL). If Lynch has a big game, it will be Seattle’s game to give away.

To make predictions, I usually identify a game’s key battles and determine which side holds an advantage. In broad terms, the primary matchup is Denver’s offense against Seattle’s defense. While it is true that no team matches up quite as well against the Broncos passing options as Seattle’s physical, press coverage corners, Denver boasts too much offensive skill and smarts to be held completely in check. Peyton Manning and his cohorts will undoubtedly throw a wide variety of alignments and routes at Seattle, and the Seahawks are sure to slip up in coverage at least occasionally. Denver has managed to move the ball all year with little trouble, and though the Seahawks will provide the toughest challenge yet, I am confident that the Broncos will manage at least three touchdowns. That will place a burden on a Seattle offense that hasn’t always been a model of efficiency and effectiveness. However, Wilson, Lynch, and the rest of the Seattle offense will find themselves pitted against a Denver defense that will be missing numerous key contributors. In the secondary, Denver will be missing cornerback Chris Harris and, most likely, safety Rahim Moore. The aforementioned Miller will not take the field, and the Broncos will field a patchwork defensive line. Lynch should be able to get his fair share of yards, and I do think Russell Wilson will turn in a good enough performance to keep Denver honest and keep this game tight.

If there’s one thing about this Super Bowl I feel positive about, it’s that these two teams will be evenly matched. The Broncos will have to fight for every point they get against the league’s best defense, but they are good enough to get their fair share. Seattle has more than enough offensive competency to back up their defense and take advantage of Denver’s defensive injuries and shortcomings. The game could very well come down to which team has possession of the ball last. Ultimately, though, if there’s any defining characteristic about this NFL season, it’s that it has been Peyton Manning’s year. The 37-year-old quarterback cemented his spot as one of football’s best-ever quarterbacks long ago, but the lingering questions about his “legacy” have to serve as prime motivation to earn another ring. The spotlight will be on Manning come Sunday, and I don’t expect him to disappoint.