ESPN Super Bowl XLVIII expert picks

— -- As the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos prepare to joust in Super Bowl XLVIII, ESPN's TV and radio experts boldly make their predictions for the big game.

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Skip Bayless, "First Take" commentator
Broncos 20, Seahawks 14 -- Because of Denver's defense.

Chris Berman, "Sunday NFL Countdown," "Monday Night Countdown" host
Seahawks 23, Broncos 21 -- Temperature at kickoff will be higher than the winning score. You could have had long odds on that one a week ago.

Tedy Bruschi, "NFL Live" analyst, three-time Super Bowl champion
Broncos 27, Seahawks 23 -- Peyton Manning has too many weapons for the Seahawks' defense to handle. The second half is when the Broncos' offense finds its groove.

Frank Caliendo, comedian, "Sunday NFL Countdown" contributor
Broncos 31, Seahawks 24 -- Peyton Manning will show he can play in cold weather and will finally be able to quit his second job at the pizza place.

Adam Caplan, NFL Insider
Broncos 24, Seahawks 20 -- The Broncos will win this game for one primary reason: They are the one team capable of spreading out the excellent Seahawks secondary and finding favorable matchups.

Cris Carter, Pro Football Hall of Famer, "Sunday NFL Countdown" analyst
Seahawks 24, Broncos 20 -- Percy Harvin chips in with 50 yards rushing, and Marshawn Lynch will be MVP.

Cari Champion, "First Take" host
Broncos 31, Seahawks 26 -- Peyton Manning is a surgeon. He will carve up the defense and go down as the greatest doctor in NFL history.

Colin Cowherd, Seattle native, host of ESPN Radio's "The Herd"
Broncos 26, Seahawks 20 -- The story of the game won't be the Seattle defense. Instead, it will be Denver's much improved defense.

Trent Dilfer, "Monday Night Countdown" analyst, Super Bowl XXXV champion
Broncos 27, Seahawks 24 -- In what will go down as one of the best Super Bowls ever, Peyton drives the Broncos down the field for a touchdown on the final possession to win it.

Mike Ditka, Pro Football Hall of Famer, "Sunday NFL Countdown" analyst
Broncos 21, Seahawks 17 -- I don't think it's going to be a high-scoring game, and I think that the Broncos will be able to score enough points on the Seattle defense.

Herm Edwards, "NFL Live" analyst
Seahawks 20, Broncos 17 -- The Seahawks' defense has been dominant all season, allowing just six touchdown passes. In a quarterback-driven league, that says a lot about how great this defense is. I still think you win in this league playing great defense.

Mike Golic, co-host, ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike"
Seahawks 27, Broncos 23 -- I'm going to take defense over offense. If the refs let the teams play physically -- and I think they will -- Seattle has the edge.

Mike Greenberg, co-host, ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike"
Seahawks 24, Broncos 23 -- Seattle forces three field goals with great red zone defense. Russell Wilson makes just enough plays.

Brian Griese, ESPN college football analyst, former Broncos QB
Broncos 24, Seahawks 20 -- Richard Sherman meets his match in Demaryius Thomas and Peyton Manning. The Broncos' defense, with its rebuilt front seven, limits Marshawn Lynch, and Champ Bailey makes a game-clinching play in the end to seal the victory.

Jon Gruden, "Monday Night Football" analyst, Super Bowl XXXVII champion coach
Broncos 26, Seahawks 24 -- I've got to go with Peyton Manning. I've never seen an offense with this kind of production. I think the tempo is something the Seahawks are going to have trouble preparing for and simulating on the practice field.

Merril Hoge, "NFL Live" and "NFL Matchup" analyst
Broncos 28, Seahawks 24 -- The Broncos have too much flexibility and versatility with their wide receivers and the formations they will be able to create, and Manning uses that to manage the game.

Tom Jackson, "Sunday NFL Countdown" analyst,  former Broncos LB
Broncos 24, Seahawks 13 -- If you give Peyton Manning and this Broncos team two weeks to prepare, they'll figure out a way to score 24 points.

Ron Jaworski, "NFL Live" and "NFL Matchup" analyst
Broncos 27, Seahawks 24 -- A fast start by Peyton Manning forces Seahawks to play from behind.

Keyshawn Johnson, "Sunday NFL Countdown" analyst, Super Bowl XXXVII champion
Seahawks 23, Broncos 21 -- This will be an even football game, and Seattle wins it late by a field goal.

Danny Kanell, ESPN college football analyst, former Broncos QB
Seahawks 24, Broncos 21 -- Seattle's front seven is physical enough to pressure Peyton and the secondary is the best in the NFL and has enough to match up with all the Broncos' weapons.

Suzy Kolber, "NFL Insiders" host
Broncos 24, Seahawks 17 -- I give the slight, intangible edge to Denver based on experience. Peyton Manning and all his weapons pull it out.

Ray Lewis, "Sunday NFL Countdown" analyst, two-time Super Bowl champion
Seahawks 21, Broncos 17 -- Overall, Seattle is a better team. Denver relies so much on Peyton that if he has an average day it's not enough. And I think the weather favors Seattle with its defense.

Steve Levy, "SportsCenter" anchor
Broncos 30, Seahawks 24 -- Two weeks for Peyton Manning is simply too much for the Seahawks' defense to overcome. Plus, no 12th Man here.

Chris Mortensen, ESPN NFL senior analyst
Broncos 23, Seahawks 20 -- The X factor in this game is Percy Harvin. He can flip that score, but in the end I'm going with Peyton Manning's ability to break down the defense just enough.

Wendi Nix, ESPN NFL studio host and reporter
Broncos 27, Seahawks 21 -- With this much time to prepare and his experience, Peyton Manning can audible enough to throw off the Seattle defense, especially if there's not inclement weather.

Bill Polian, NFL Insider, six-time NFL Executive of the Year who drafted Peyton Manning
Broncos 27, Seahawks 23 -- The metrics all point to Seattle, but my heart points me to No. 18.

Rick Reilly, ESPN.com columnist, "Monday Night Countdown" contributor, longtime Denver resident
Broncos 35, Seahawks 34 -- I picked Denver to beat Seattle before the season started, and I'm sticking with it. So ... just as nobody predicted, it's a shootout. Peyton Manning's unheard-of, earth-rattling, never-seen-before, 3-yard bootleg run to win it is timed at 11.3 seconds. Millions slap their forehead in unison.

Louis Riddick, NFL Insider
Seahawks 28, Broncos 24 -- Defensively, Seattle is uniquely equipped -- better than any team in the NFL -- to deal with Denver's offense both physically and mentally. Offensively, they have the kind of ability to be balanced that leads to time-consuming drives, limiting Denver's offensive possessions. As a team, I just don't see Seattle's resolve and fortitude allowing it to lose this game.

Ryen Russillo, co-host of ESPN Radio's "SVP & Russillo"
Seahawks 27, Broncos 21 -- The best secondary in the NFL.

Jeff Saturday, " NFL Live" analyst,  Super Bowl XLI champion, former teammate of Peyton Manning
Broncos 28, Seahawks 24 -- That's what I picked at the beginning of the season, and as you look at the Broncos, with the talent on offense and their defense playing as well as they have been in the playoffs -- not letting teams run the ball -- they really are a complete team.

Adam Schefter, ESPN NFL Insider
Broncos 30, Seahawks 20 -- This one's for Peyton.

Mark Schlereth, " NFL Live" analyst, three-time Super Bowl champion,  former Broncos OL, Denver resident
Broncos 31, Seahawks 17 -- As long as it's not windy out, I think the Broncos have too much offensively.

Stuart Scott, "SportsCenter" anchor, "Monday Night Countdown" co-host
Broncos 31, Seahawks 23 -- Because it's not going to be that windy, and it won't be that cold, and Peyton Manning doesn't have to look Richard Sherman's way.

Hannah Storm, "SportsCenter" anchor
Seahawks 24, Broncos 21 -- The Seahawks' stellar defense takes a half to adjust to Peyton Manning and then shuts down the Broncos in the second half. Defense wins championships and the Hawks win in a close one.

Mike Tirico, "Monday Night Football" play-by-play commentator
Broncos 27, Seahawks 23 -- I think Seattle has everything it takes to win the game, just having trouble seeing Peyton losing after all he has overcome getting back to this point.

Scott Van Pelt, "SportsCenter" anchor, co-host of ESPN Radio's "SVP & Russillo"
Seahawks 23, Broncos 20 -- Defense tends to trump offense in these spots. I'm leaning on that.

Trey Wingo, "NFL Live" and "NFL PrimeTime" host
Broncos 34, Seahawks 24 -- Peyton erases all doubts.

Steve Young, "Monday Night Countdown" analyst, Pro Football Hall of Famer, three-time Super Bowl champion:
Broncos 27, Seahawks 17 -- In a quarterback-driven league where defenses are handcuffed to a certain degree, and we have one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in Peyton Manning, it's offense over defense.