NEW YORK — XLVIII valid explanations why the Broncos will win the Super Bowl:

I The weather will be mild with a kickoff temperature of about 45 degrees, and no snow.

II The Broncos will install two passing plays Seattle has not seen all year, and will score on both.

III The Broncos scored 41 points and the Seahawks 23 in their previous appearances at MetLife Stadium.

IV The Broncos have a decided advantage on kickoff and punt returns.

V The Broncos were penalized 183 fewer yards than Seattle in the regular season.

VI The Broncos’ offensive line is ranked No. 1 in the NFL. The Seahawks are 26th.

VII Peyton Manning has been sacked only 2.4 percent of the time on pass plays; he was touched, not sacked, once in each postseason game.

VIII Shaun Phillips is the leading sacker in the game with 10, and Danny Trevathan is the leading tackler at 124.

IX Richard Sherman had eight picks, but the Broncos had three players with three each. Sherman will have none in this game; Champ Bailey will have one.

X Adam Gase is creatively superior to Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Jack Del Rio has won a Super Bowl as a coach; Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn hasn’t coached in one.

XI Seven of the last 11 Super Bowl champions have scored at least 27 points. The Broncos will score more than 27.

XII When Eli Manning played the Super Bowl in Peyton’s home stadium, brother helped brother in the week before the game, and Eli won. Eli has been helping Peyton this week.

XIII Julius Thomas.

XIV John Elway’s fire-eating-dragon speech to the Broncos after they lost an exhibition to the Seahawks last summer.

XV Pot Roast (Terrance Knighton) will help hold Skittles (Marshawn Lynch) under 100 yards.

XVI Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball combined will rush for more than 125 yards.

XVII The Broncos are relaxed; the Seahawks are uptight.

XVIII No. 18 for the Broncos.

XIX There is no Seattle 12th man here.

XX The Broncos score touchdowns almost 8-of-10 times they reach the red zone.

XXI The Seahawks averaged only 23 points a game away from Seattle; the Broncos averaged 36.2 points in road games.

XXII Eric Decker. Sherman will not be on him.

XXIII The Broncos will put a spy on Russell Wilson to keep him from running.

XXIV The Broncos will play one deep safety and make Wilson try to throw over the top.

XXV The Seahawks will play cover 3, and Manning will beat them underneath.

XXVI John Fox has lost two Super Bowls. Third time’s a …

XXVII The Broncos will have no turnovers.

XXVIII Trindon Holliday will have one long kickoff return.

XXIX Wilson has thrown five interceptions in his last six games and has been sacked seven times in the playoffs.

XXX The Broncos owe the Seahawks for the last postseason game they played.

XXXI The Seahawks have three good defensive backs. The Broncos have four great receivers. Somebody will be open.

XXXII The Broncos have never lost to a former Rockies minor-league player.

XXXIII The Broncos’ third-down percentage in the playoffs is 61.5; the Seahawks’ is 35.7.

XXXIV The Broncos have a better punter.

XXXV Percy Harvin will have only one big gain.

XXXVI The Broncos’ brilliant offensive line consultant, Alex Gibbs, was the Seahawks’ assistant head coach in 2011.

XXXVII The Broncos will score touchdowns at the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third.

XXXVIII The Broncos have more postseason and Super Bowl experience.

XXXIX The Seahawks barely beat the Titans and the Texans; the Broncos crushed both.

XL With more than seven days to prepare, the Broncos are 6-0 this season.

XLI Manning will become the first quarterback to win Super Bowls and Super Bowl MVPs with two franchises.

XLII Madden 25 simulation picks the Broncos to win.

XLIII The Broncos will use some five-receiver sets, and Bubba Caldwell will catch a touchdown pass.

XLIV The Broncos will have 10 possessions and score four touchdowns. The Seahawks will have nine possessions and score two touchdowns.

XLV It’s the year of the horse in the Chinese calendar.

XLVI The Broncos are 4-0 against NFC teams.

XLVII The last time a Denver team played a postseason game in New Jersey, the Avalanche beat the Devils 4-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

XLVIII Forty-eight points will be scored in Super Bowl 48, and the Broncos will win 28-20.

Woody Paige: woody@woodypaige.com or twitter.com/woodypaige