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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl I

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The Super Bowl is just 51 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 51 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Green Bay Packers 51 Years Ago

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Super Bowl I was played in the Los Angeles Coliseum on January 15, 1967. The game pitted the NFL champion Green Bay Packers against the upstart Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League.

Green Bay was a perennial power coached by legendary Vince Lombardi. Lombardi’s offensive philosophy was simple, yet effective. In fact, he may be the greatest offensive coordinator in NFL history. He relied on the great talents of Jim Taylor and his offensive line. They ran lots of traps and power sweeps and said, “Stop us if you can”. Most teams could not.

Their best player may have been quarterback Bart Starr. Starr was unflappable in the big games and he rarely cost his team with poor decisions or errant passes. He was Joe Montana before there was a Joe Montana.  

To say the Packers of the 1960’s were strong would be an understatement. They literally had a Hall of Famer at every position. Indeed, six of their 11 starters were eventually enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Packers Path to Super Bowl I 

The Packers were the dominant team of the decade. This was their 4th NFL title in six seasons. The 1966 version of the Packers were as good as any team in NFL history and had an incredible midseason stretch of outscoring their opponents 104-10. Their 12-2 record earned them a spot in the NFL championship game against the East Division Champion Dallas Cowboys. Interestingly, Vince Lombardi and Dallas’ Head Coach Tom Landry coached together for the 1958 NFL champion New York Giants. Tom Landry was the defensive coordinator of that squad. 

However, coming into the championship game, Dallas had the top-rated offense while Green Bay had the #1 defense. Due to an annual rotation done back then, the title match was played in Dallas. 

It truly was a tremendous game. Bart Starr was deservedly named the MVP as he tossed 4 touchdown passes including a 28-yarder to little-used Max McGee in the fourth quarter. Led by “Dandy” Don Meredith, the Cowboys came back to within 34-27 late in the game. Tom Brown, though, picked off Meredith in the end zone with seconds remaining. Hence, the defense preserved the win. The Pack made it to Super Bowl I.

Kansas City Chiefs 51 Years Ago

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In the AFL, the Kansas City Chiefs would be the representative. The Chiefs had an amazing offense led by the innovative Hank Stram and Hall of fame QB, Len Dawson. Where the Packers were powerful, the Chiefs were fast and nifty. Tall and lean Otis Taylor was arguably the best wide receiver in the AFL and Mike Garrett and Curtis McClinton gave KC a change of pace from the backfield. Thus, KC was explosive.

Kansas City’s defense was young and improving. They had Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanon and Emmitt Thomas who were in the infant stages of their incredible careers 51 years ago. But, a cornerback nicknamed the “hammer” took hold of the headlines. During his period of playing for the Chiefs, Williamson became one of football’s first self-promoters. He would use his forearm to deliver karate-style blows to the heads of opposing players. Before Super Bowl I, Williamson gathered national headlines by boasting that he would knock out Green Bay’s receivers.

As good as Kansas City was in 1966, oddsmakers did not give them much of a chance labeling the Pack as a 14-point favorite.  

A Competitive First Half

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Things got off to an ominous beginning for the Pack. First, they lost starting wide receiver Boyd Dowler to a shoulder injury. Then, Starr was sacked on consecutive plays. However, Green Bay marched down the field the next time they had the ball for the first score in Super Bowl history. Starr was 4 for 4 on the drive hitting four different receivers. The last pass went to the veteran, McGee, who made a spectacular one-handed catch and ran untouched for a 37-yard score.  

McGee was out partying the entire night before the game. It turns out that worked for him. He had a great game replacing the injured Dowler. Incredibly, McGee had four catches over the entire regular season, but 7 for 138 on Super Bowl Sunday! 

The Chiefs were able to move the ball well the rest of the first half. They missed a field goal, scored a touchdown and made a field goal to end the half with ten points. Green Bay added one more touchdown before halftime as Starr continued his hot streak on third down. Once in scoring range, Jim Taylor ran the patented power sweep to the left and scored from the fourteen. 

The Pack Attack

While the first half was competitive, the second half went according to script. Willie Wood picked off Dawson on the first series and returned it to the five. Consequently, Green Bay went up 21-10 and the Chiefs never threatened again. Elijah Pitts scored twice, and McGee added one more to give the Packers a resounding 35-10 victory.  

The second half was not compelling. However, something interesting happened. Williamson took a knee to the head from Donny Anderson which knocked the big talker from the game.  

Both teams would be back. Green Bay won Super Bowl II and Kansas City notched a title in the AFL’s last ever game, winning Super Bowl IV over Minnesota. 

Tomorrow, we will be 50 days away from the Super Bowl, so we’ll talk about the game from 50 years ago…Super Bowl II between the Packers and the AFL champion Oakland Raiders.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_bills

Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

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Can the Jaguars Beat the Patriots?

After an absolutely wild Week 14 in the NFL, there is a lot of uncertainty now in both conferences. Jacksonville crashed the two-horse AFC race with a signature 2017 win over the Seahawks. We all know the Jags play sound defense led by their tremendous secondary. But, Jacksonville has contributions from everybody in their latest conquest including the much-maligned Blake Bortles. Can the Jaguars actually compete with Pittsburgh and New England come playoff time?

The fact is they match up well with any team in pro football. They can run the football with rookie sensation Leonard Fournette. And, they stop the run with their massive front seven. That alone is a recipe for success in the very mediocre AFC. However, there is one huge factor against the Jaguars and that is this: Blake Bortles vs. Bill Belichick & Matt Patricia in a playoff game. The Pats will completely sell out to stop the run. Belichick will force Bortles to beat his secondary and even as the Patriots’ defensive backs have struggled at times, the Jaguars’ QB is prone to mistakes when the game is in his hands. Huge advantage: Patriots.

Can the Jaguars Beat the Steelers?

Well, then, how would Jacksonville do against Pittsburgh? They beat them once, 30-9. However, it would be shocking if they could duplicate that effort. Why? Don’t count on Ben Roethlisberger throwing 5 interceptions again and having two returned for touchdowns. Don’t count on Fournette scoring on a garbage-time 90-yard run either. It is true that Jacksonville would probably rather get the Steelers than the Patriots. Shut down Bell and Brown and Pittsburgh does not have a chance. Obviously, that is easier said than done, but when it comes to January football, that is the easier recipe than trying to defeat a Belichick-coached team when the game counts.

Is there a path for the Jaguars to reach Super Bowl LII? It’s a long shot, but it will start by getting a bye. If they go 3-0 and Pittsburgh beats New England, they get it. With that bye, they’ll receive the bonus “gift” of potentially hosting the Patriots in the divisional round. Truthfully, Jacksonville is probably one year away from seriously competing for the conference championship, but much credit to Doug Marrone for getting his team in this position in 2017.

The NFC Playoff Picture is Zany

If Aaron Rodgers’ shoulder and Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension hasn’t created enough NFC havoc this season, Carson Wentz’ torn ACL has sent this conference into utter unpredictability. Philadelphia’s chances rest with Nick Foles. That is not as bad as it sounds. Granted, Foles does not have the improvisational skills Wentz possesses. Not many quarterbacks do. But the Eagles are a complete team and may end up with home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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Last Sunday in Los Angeles, the playing field was clearly neutral. It was amazing to observe tens of thousands of Eagles’ fans two thousand miles from their home city. They will not experience that same thing if they have to travel to Minnesota or New Orleans for a playoff game, however. They will have to rely instead on their running game and Foles’ game-management. Is Philadelphia still the NFC favorite? Maybe. But, without Wentz, they are not the conference’s best team. When Alvin Kamara is on the field for the Saints, they are the best team in the NFC.

Kamara gets better with each passing week. His injury severely affected the Saints’ game plan last week against Atlanta. Down the stretch, New Orleans called plays in an effort to win in regulation. That gamble backfired and the loss kept their division rival and defending conference champion alive.

Minnesota Almost Comes Back

Likewise, Minnesota almost pulled off what would have been a fantastic comeback at Carolina. Two mistakes killed them in the end. Down 24-21, with a first down at the six, the Vikings went nowhere. They settled for the three. Then, facing a second and five on defense, they used a spy to account for Cam Newton running the ball. The problem is Andrew Sendejo (the spy) took a poor angle in his effort to get to Newton on the run and must have been stunned by the quarterback’s extraordinary speed. Newton exploded for 62 and that was a wrap.

The point of all this is: the NFC is officially insane. This is going to be fun!

The Patriots Own Tomlin

There are three enormous games this week. Without a doubt, the top showdown features the Patriots at the Steelers. Coach Tomlin mentioned before the season started that his goal was home field advantage throughout the playoffs. To earn that privilege, they will need to win a home game. Unfortunately for Tomlin, his zone defense has been demolished through the years by New England. Rob Gronkowski almost always runs free. It does not help Pittsburgh’s cause that they have lost Ryan Shazier to a tragic back injury. He may be the fastest linebacker in the game today. The Patriots will look to exploit the several match up advantages they have on the offensive side of the ball.

Be careful not to read too much into their lethargic performance on Monday night. Miami came to play. Their corners locked down against the Patriot receivers, Tom Brady was off and the play calling lacked continuity. If we know anything about New England, they will bounce back.

Two Other Huge Games

The other gigantic game in the AFC is in Kansas City. It would be “so Chargers” if they dropped this ball game. Kansas City started the season like gangbusters going 5-0 and beating the Pats and Eagles. Los Angeles could not do anything right going 0-4 including a home loss to the Chiefs. Everything has changed now. Yet, the teams are both 7-6 and a loss by Los Angeles could be a killer despite their resurgence.

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Finally, in the NFC, the other team in LA travels to Seattle. The game is so significant for the Rams that a win puts them in control of the NFC West while a loss not just hurts their chances of winning the division, but may keep them from getting into the postseason altogether. It is time for Jared Goff to put on his big boy pants. Win in Seattle against Russell Wilson and the Rams will have truly earned their playoff spot under first year man, Sean McVay.

A Look Back at Belichick’s History at Miami

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Bill Belichick is unarguably one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history. However, he has a pedestrian 8-9 record when his Patriots travel to Miami. Let’s look at some great and not so great moments from the Patriots’ recent history of playing in South Florida. Interestingly, Belichick has coached for so long, the stadium itself has underwent 5 name changes since he took over for the Pats!

BELICHICK & THE FIRST DYNASTY

Eliot J. Schechter

The first meeting between the teams with Coach Belichick on the sidelines was a unmemorable 10-3 loss. The 2000 Dolphins were a playoff team; the Patriots were not. They managed a meager 210 total yards on the day. New England finished 2000 with a 5-11 record.

In Tom Brady’s first loss as a starting quarterback in the NFL, the Patriots jumped out to a quick lead. However, they did not reach the end zone again. Miami routed the Patriots, 30-10. The loss dropped New England to 1-3.

No one in their right mind would have ever figured that this club would go on to win the Super Bowl that season. After the game, Coach Belichick buried the ball. The Patriots finished that season by winning 13 of their 15 and their first World Championship. The Dolphins also finished the season at 11-5 but were pummeled by Baltimore in the wild card game.

In 2003, the Patriots came back to win in Miami in overtime. Brady was sensational all game, but could not find the end zone until late in the fourth. He hit David Givens with just under two minutes to play to tie the game at 13.

The stage was set for one of the great moments of the 2003 season. Brady launched a terrific deep shot to Troy Brown about nine minutes into overtime. Brown caught the bomb in stride and was gone. The play went for 82-yards.

New England finished 2003 with their second world championship. Miami finished 10-6 and out of the playoffs.

Perhaps the most embarrassing loss of the Bill Belichick era occurred on a Monday night late in the 2004 season. The game is known in Miami as “the night courage wore orange.” New England came into the game winners of 27 of their last 28 games. Miami was 2-11.

The Patriots took a 28-17 lead with about four minutes left. Then, they collapsed. Brady was intercepted twice late in the game. Hence, Miami scored the tremendous upset, 29-28.

Who played well for Miami that night? Sammy Morris and Wes Welker. So, Coach Belichick must have taken good notes!

BELICHICK HAS HAD GREAT AND TERRIBLE GAMES IN MIAMI

Marc Serota

Brady may have had his worst game in the NFL when the teams faced in 2006. Hall of Famer Jason Taylor was all over the field in Miami’s 21-0 victory. Let this sink in: Brady threw for less than 100 yards on the day!

That bad taste must have lingered for Brady as he came back in 2007 and lit the Dolphins up. Brady was a phenomenal 21 for 25 for 354 yards and six touchdowns. Two of the scores went to Randy Moss on circus catches. As we know, New England finished 16-0 in 2007. How about the Dolphins? 1-15.

The Patriots again pounded Miami late in the 2008 season. Matt Cassel threw for over 400 yards and added a rushing touchdown. Moss caught three touchdown passes.

The win gave New England a 7-4 record. The loss dropped Miami to 6-5. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Dolphins did not lose another regular season game. Although both teams finished 11-5, Miami held the tiebreaker. They did not represent the AFC East well in the playoffs as Ed Reed and the Ravens destroyed Miami in the first round.

The Patriots suffered a horrendous loss in Miami during the 2009 season. Brady struggled much of the season rebounding from his ACL injury. Anyway, they blew a 21-10 lead, losing 22-21 on Dan Carpenter’s last-minute field goal.

The Patriots were far better in 2010. On an early season Monday night game, they walloped the Dolphins thanks to 35 second-half points. New England scored on a kickoff return, interception return, and a blocked field goal return. They also blocked a punt that led to a touchdown.

The 2010 season was a triumph and a failure for the Pats. They finished with a resounding 14-2 record destroying most teams in the process even while they traded Randy Moss. However, they were defeated in the playoffs by Rex Ryan and his New York Jets.

In New England’s 2011 game in Miami, Tom Brady went off. He recorded 517 passing yards including a 99-yarder to Wes Welker while the game was still in doubt.

The ’11 Patriots were all guts. Thus, they survived a very tough AFC to get to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins were terrible that season leading to Tony Sparano’s firing.

BELICHICK & THE SECOND DYNASTY

Steve Mitchell

The Patriots struggled in Miami from 2013-2015. Two of those losses proved to be very costly. Had the Pats won in Miami in December in the 2013 and 2015 season, they would have had home field advantage. Who knows? They may have gone to four straight Super Bowls had they not had to play in Denver for the AFC title.

The 2013 loss to Miami featured four shots from the Dolphins ten-yard line with New England trailing 24-20. The Dolphins held their ground dropping New England to a 10-4 mark. Notably, Rob Gronkowski missed that game due to his ACL tear. No doubt he could have helped during that red zone opportunity!

The Patriots opened their 2014 season in Miami and wilted in the Florida heat. Overall, New England had a lousy offensive month in September 2014 culminating in a beat down by KC later in the month.

Their poor start served as a catalyst to an excellent season, however, as New England went on to become Super Bowl XLIX champions. Miami went an uninspiring 8-8 in 2014.

The teams met in the 2015 season finale. The Patriots ravaged by injuries played and coached terribly. The Pats’ offensive line was owned by Miami’s pass rush. Unfortunately that served as a recipe for Denver’s powerful performance against the Patriots in the AFC championship game.

In many ways, Coach Belichick had his worst hour on that Sunday in Miami. He wanted to pound the rock with veteran Stephen Jackson, but it didn’t work. He wanted to protect Tom Brady from injury and that didn’t work. Likewise, he wanted to shut down Miami’s poor offense in the red zone late in the game. Yes, that did not work. Belichick has done some masterful work as New England’s head coach. But, on this day, he let his team down.

In last year’s season finale, Belichick did not let the same thing happen. He stepped on the gas from the go. And, when Miami made a mini-rally, New England jumped on their throats. Ironically, Martellus Bennett, Julian Edelman, Michael Floyd and Shea McClellin made the big plays in this game. Ironic because none of those guys will be on the field this week for the Pats just 11 months later. Floyd will be with Minnesota against Carolina, while the other three guys are out for the season.

What is in store for this week? With a win, Coach Belichick will be 9-9 in South Florida. I think it happens. New England 34, Miami 23.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

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Here are some Week 13 quick hits and tidbits around the NFL:

Jimmy G Report

49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was stellar at Chicago in his first start with his new team. In addition to passing the eye test, he made several accurate throws in leading San Francisco to their second win of the year. Make no mistake, he was not facing Richard Dent or Dick Butkus, but Garappolo was outstanding in marching his team down the field all afternoon. Obviously he will have to tighten some things up in the red zone. But that largely could be a product of a lack of weapons at his disposal. The Niners will make it a priority to surround Garoppolo and their excellent half backs with a stronger offensive line and a solid WR1. Those moves make the Niners a team that could compete for a playoff spot sooner than later.

Teammate Carlos Hyde acknowledged that Garappolo looked like he learned a lot from Tom Brady. If he did, he can look forward to a superb career. Brady backups don’t necessarily work out 100% of the time. Ryan Mallet comes to mind as an utter flop. But there is a lot of optimism in the Bay area. The 1986 Bills went 4-12 with Jim Kelly and the 1998 Indianapolis Colts went 3-13 with Peyton Manning. Yet their fan bases looked to the future (rightfully so), seeing that good things were ahead. Such can be the case this season with Garoppolo if he continues to look as good as he did this past Sunday.

Heart Meter – The Broncos 

One cannot get over the difference between teams that play hard for their coach and teams that do not. Last Sunday the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets were at the total opposite end of the heart meter. The Broncos were listless, emotionless, and pathetic in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. On the other hand, the Jets played with great guts and gusto in a 38-31 victory over Kansas City.

Denver’s season got off to a strong enough start. In fact, when they crushed Dallas in September, Trevor Siemian was being appointed as a real deal starting QB in the NFL. But, he crashed to the earth and his demise was as swift as his ascension. He has arguably been the worst passer in the NFL over the past two months. Brock Osweiler has been almost as bad. And Paxton Lynch was injured.

Anyone who watches the Broncos knows the problems are not just at the quarterback position. It was just two years ago that this team with an armless Peyton Manning and the inconsistent Osweiler won the Super Bowl. The huge difference between this Broncos’ team and the great teams in years’ past is they lack passion and exuberance. A very unscrutinized move this past offseason by GM John Elway was letting TJ Ward walk. Ward is an excellent safety; a Rodney Harrison-type. His teammates loved him. And, they were not silent about his departure.

Hence, when things went south, the only thing that could get this defense the slightest fired up was Aqib Talib’s obsession with Oakland receiver Michael Crabtree’s neck wear.

It looks like Vance Joseph will last only one season. And it appears his players don’t care. Miami went up 33-9 and attempted an onside kick. Yet, not a single member of the Broncos seemed to worry about being disrespected. Nobody seemed aggravated with Adam Gase’s unsportsmanlike call. The Broncos are obviously just playing out the string.

Heart Meter – The Jets

With the Jets, their 5-7 record is far exceeding their preseason expectations. With a 38-year old journeyman quarterback and a group of no names playing along the offensive line, it is simply unbelievable what they have accomplished this season. When they fell behind a determined Chiefs’ team, it would have been easy for the Jets to reckon, “It’s not our day”. But, they fired back swiftly and defeated the befuddled Chiefs 38-31.

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Todd Bowles, as a player, was cool and quiet. That style fits his young team. Bowles has done an excellent job with this team and unlike the Broncos and the Giants for that matter, his guys play hard for him and each other.

Antonio Brown is Amazing

Speaking of playing with heart and guts, is there anybody in the NFL better than Antonio Brown? This guy brings it each week. Indeed, at his pace, he will a first ballot Hall of Famer. One would be hard-pressed to find a wide receiver in NFL history that has dominated so many games over such a long period time as Brown has done since 2013.

Aaron Doster

Therefore, Brown truly deserves MVP consideration. Other than Adrian Peterson’s other-worldly 2012 season, the league MVP typically goes to the quarterback with the best stats or on the best team. This season is not different. The national media has fallen in love with Carson Wentz so he will be a favorite. Russell Wilson has been incredible this season and Tom Brady is Tom Brady so they will be in the conversation as well. But, it is foolhardy to think the NFL has a more valuable player than the Steelers’ wide out. Brown makes terrific catches. He is an elusive runner in the open field. He is as tough as nails and has as much fun on the field as can be allowed by the league office. Those are the necessary traits to deem someone as valuable.

Can Green Bay Really Make the Playoffs?

The Packers are actually in pretty good shape to make the playoffs if Aaron Rodgers plays as great as he usually does down the stretch this season. He will not be eligible to play at Cleveland. But, Green Bay should be able to win that ball game even with back up Brett Hundley.

Rodgers can play next week at Carolina, which conveniently is a team that the Pack will need to catch. After that, Green Bay will host the Vikings on a Sunday night with revenge on their minds. They then close at Detroit. They hold tiebreakers over Dallas and Seattle, but not with Atlanta if it comes down to those things. If they “run the table”, they will likely get in and if they get in, look out!

The NFC has been much more exciting, interesting and competitive this season than the AFC. Their champion will have truly deserved it. Consider this: The teams in the hunt like Carolina, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas and Green Bay are vastly superior to the AFC teams in the hunt like Tennessee, Baltimore, Buffalo, Oakland, and Kansas City. What is the big deal? Pittsburgh and New England will truly have the easiest route to winning the Super Bowl this season. So, the more that things change, the more they stay the same.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

 

NFL Nails Gronk with a One Game Suspension

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In a world run rampant by Tweets and hot takes,  a singular moment from Sunday’s Bills-Patriots’ game will dominate the airwaves and headlines all week.

With five minutes left in their annual beat down of Buffalo in Orchard Park, Tom Brady attempted a pass deep down the far sideline. The pass was under thrown and a backpedaling Tre’Davious White leaped to picked it off. White made no effort to advance the ball as half his body fell out of bounds. For good measure, Patriots’ receiver Phillip Dorsett touched White’s back.

Gronk Lands WWE Move on White

One instant later, Rob Gronkowski, perhaps the greatest tight end in NFL history, seemingly went brain dead and launched a WWE-style elbow drop directly on to the back of the unsuspecting corner’s head. Gronkowski jumped to his feet, but White stayed down in obvious pain. And, to the side, Danny Amendola and Micah Hyde got into a slight scuffle. All three offenders got unnecessary roughness calls.  Despite two of those fouls coming against New England, they collectively offset.

The Bills ended up being the team losing yards on penalties due to Jerry Hughes’ verbal abuse of an official as he walked off the field.

If you follow Twitter, immediate backlash blew up from all sectors – national, regional, local, die-hard fans and bystanders all had some level of rage over the incident. Speculation ran rampant on the short and long-term implications of Gronkowski’s “unsportsmanlike” conduct?

The league handed down the verdict today.  One-game suspension.  He has already coughed up fines twice by the league for incidents such as throwing “haymakers” in Super Bowl XLIX and when he threw Sergio Brown “out of the club” in Indianapolis. Many the league laughed those things off as Gronkowski playing that big, goofy guy from Western New York.

Lingering Dangers of Cheap Hits

This latest episode, however, is no laughing matter. Tre’Davious White is an ultra-smart young man with a bright future who just suffered his first-career concussion.  The NFL has  well-documented its position seeking to protect people from brain injuries. A deliberate shot with such brute force from a big, strong man like Gronkowski can have terrible consequences on White’s future.

Using the Bears’ Danny Trevathan’s head-hunting hit on Davante Adams and the Buccaneers’ Mike Evans’ cheap shot against the Saints as barometers,  Gronk’s one- game suspension comes as no surprise. Some pointed to AJ Green not receiving a suspension as a precedent for Gronkowski’s situation. However, Green was ejected from that game. Gronk did not get tossed.  So even Sunday, a one-game absence loomed large.

To be fair, Gronk apologized immediately following the game and wanted #27 to know that’s not his style. Anybody who watches Gronkowski play week in and week out knows that’s true.  A good sportsman who suffered a terrible lapse in judgment battles on every play. He is a marvelous pass receiver who dominated his tiny counterparts in the Buffalo secondary. Likewise, he is a sound blocker who can match up with anybody.

Not ‘The Patriot Way’

One would guess he will learn from his transgression.  Proud of his Buffalo background, Gronk wants to represent his hometown well. He also wants to embody the “Patriot Way.” That means playing smart, fundamental football.   Rarely do Pats players get as emotionally unhinged as Gronk did on Sunday.

Gronkowski proclaimed holding against him all game long. Indeed, on the play that ended up in the interception, there was obvious pass interference. One quarter earlier, he notched an absurd offensive pass interference penalty. Apparently, these officiating decisions led to Gronk’s tantrum.

Sometimes, ill-informed enemy fan bases out of jealousy or frustration condemn the league for being partial toward the Patriots.  Hogwash. But, Gronkowski physically lashing out on a cornerback whose biggest offense was trying to cover him will not improve the team’s league-wide image. Sound fair? Probably not.

Gronkowski has played eight seasons on a team that competes for the Super Bowl each and every year. There will not be too many people shedding tears over his perceived lack of calls. The officials are going to miss calls and make bad calls every single game. There is no way the referees favor the Patriots and no way Gronkowski is a victim of poor officiating. It all evens out.

And, it evened out again this past Sunday. The Bills were outplayed and outcoached. Officials had their say, but made their usual share of good and bad calls for and against both teams.

And, can Gronkowski really be upset over the officiating on a day he racked up 147 yards?

Next Monday night, Gronkowski should have a real reason to be upset. He’ll be watching the game somewhere, but probably not in Miami.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Other Key Games This Week in the AFC

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We’ll be locked in on New England at Buffalo, but let’s take a peak at some other intriguing games from the AFC this week.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

Monday night is a pivotal game for the Bengals’ playoff hopes as they host their arch-rivals. The Steelers come into Cincinnati rolling right along on a six-game winning streak. They won the previous meeting 29-14 in Pittsburgh back in October.

The Bengals are 5-6, a game behind Baltimore and Buffalo in the wild card race. A loss will put their playoff hopes on life support. Last week in a win against the hapless Brown, Cincy finally got their running game going as rookie Joe Mixon recorded 114 yards.

They will need more of that in order to sustain drives keeping Pittsburgh’s powerful offense off the field. They also will look to exploit Pittsburgh’s inability to prevent big plays. Week after week, the Steelers have been sneaky bad on defense. Even quarterbacks like Jacoby Brissett and Brett Hundley have hit on multiple deep passes against Pittsburgh. Where the Steelers have been strong is in short yardage situations and against the run in general.

Where Pittsburgh is not struggling is obvious. Le’Veon Bell may be the best running back in the NFL; Antonio Brown may be the best player in the NFL. The Bengals are tough to run on, but have been beaten through the air. Good luck with #84.

Houston at Tennessee

Who scored the most points in one game this season? Houston. The first time the Texans and the Titans played seems like a lifetime ago. Deshaun Watson was a tremendous story early in the season, no doubt on pace to be rookie-of-the-year. But Watson tore his ACL. Enter Tom Savage and a rash of other injuries and this season has become a nightmare for Bill O’Brien and the Texans.

Tennessee is 7-4 but does not have the look of a team that can compete for anything more than a division championship this season. Marcus Mariota has been throwing an increasing number of interceptions and the Titans barely scraped out wins over the likes of Cleveland and Indianapolis. Still, with a favorable schedule ahead of them and a season-ending home game vs. Jacksonville, the Titans have it all in front of them.

Look for the Titans to ride their running game against the banged-up Houston defense.

Kansas City at New York

Anyone who saw these teams in September would have told you that their December meeting would be a lopsided conquest for KC. But a season in the NFL is a long haul.

The Chiefs have lost five out of their last six games. Their offense has played with anemia. In the last two weeks they’ve especially faltered as they’ve scored just one touchdown and a combined 19 points against the Giants and Bills. They obviously have to get back to establishing Kareem Hunt on the ground early and often. In fact, that is when Alex Smith is at his best – when he is not relied on to make the big plays. When Hunt is gaining yards in chunks, it allows Smith to get comfortable and find Travis Kelce his favorite target.

The Jets are just 4-7 but have actually exceeded expectations in their effort and performance. Other than an early season debacle at Oakland, the Jets have been in every game. The fact is, however, Josh McCown is Josh McCown and his fourth quarter play has cost the Jets multiple times this season.

Expect another very competitive game this week unless the “playoff” Chiefs get their mojo back. On paper, this should be one-sided. In reality, it likely won’t be.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Five Forgotten Classics of Bills-Patriots Rivalry

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The Bills and Patriots have been playing each other since 1960. There have been some very memorable match ups between the two ball clubs. The Patriots’ epic Monday Night comeback in the 2009 season-opener, Roland Hooks’ “Hail Mary” reception in 1981 and the teams’ respective 31-0 wins in 2003 are among those. However, these teams have played so many times, it is easy to forget some of the other great moments of this rivalry. Let’s look at five such games.

1963

The very first time that the Bills and the Patriots made it to the playoffs… they played each other. The teams finished the season tied atop the AFL East division with identical 7-6-1 records.

The playoff game was held in ancient War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo under a constant snowfall. Right off the bat, it was obvious which team showed up to play on this day. Bills’ star Elbert Dubenion fumbled on the opening kickoff, which led to a quick field goal by legend Gino Cappalletti. Moments later, Babe Parilli hit underrated Larry Garron for a long strike and it was 10-0 right off the bat.

Buffalo’s lone score came on a gorgeous pass play from Daryle Lamonica to Dubenion. “Golden Wheels” took the throw in stride and raced the rest of an AFL playoff record 93 yards for the score. The Bills faked the PAT and went for two as Lamonica rolled out and hit linebacker John Tracey to cut Boston’s lead to 16-8. 

New England dominated the 4th quarter with Parilli, Garron and Cappelletti hitting on two more big plays. Cappalletti added four field goals in the harsh conditions to give Boston the 26-8 win.

The Patriots went on to get crushed in the AFL championship game one week later. Sid Gillman’s San Diego Chargers carved them up to the tune of 610 total yards.

Buffalo won the next two AFL titles, defeating San Diego both times. The Bills’ defense stifled the high-powered Chargers attack in those games.

The Bills and Patriots have been in the same division since those AFL days, yet have not faced off in the playoffs since!

1973

A new era of Patriots’ football dawned in 1973 as Chuck Fairbanks coached his first game on the sidelines of Schaefer Stadium. This game became classic because of the individual greatness of one OJ Simpson. Simpson was not even supposed to be integral to Lou Saban’s game plan on this day. He wanted to use Simpson as a decoy while his new back Larry Watkins would shock the Patriots handling the ball frequently.

Well, the game plan worked, and Simpson still ran wild. In the first quarter, Simpson swept right and exploded down the sidelines for an 80-yard score. This type of dash became second nature for Simpson over the next four seasons.

OJ added another score in the fourth against a gassed Patriots’ defense. He ended up with a then-record 250 yards. Watkins added 105 of his own. Buffalo won 31-13 as a side note.

Later in the season, when New England traveled to snowy Buffalo, Simpson rushed for another 219 yards in a 37-13 Bills’ win.

OJ Simpson’s 1973 season is among the greatest individual efforts in NFL history. He annihilated Jim Browns’ single-season rushing record. His mark stood for eleven seasons with the Rams’ Eric Dickerson eclipsing his mark in 1984.

1991

The Bills and Patriots were in completely different worlds by week 12 of the 1991 season. The Patriots were coming off their worst season ever in 1990. They finished at 1-15, were involved in the Victor Kiam fiasco, and hired Dick MacPherson as head coach.

The Bills, on the other hand, had an offense which was firing on all cylinders led by all-world and eventual NFL MVP, Thurman Thomas. Buffalo came into this game at 10-1 and looked like they would roll early. Thomas made an incredible catch across the middle and darted to the goal putting Buffalo up 10-0.

Late in the half, though, Jim Kelly started to have issues in the passing game. He got picked off four times by the strength of this Patriots’ team, their defensive backfield. Maurice Hurst jumped two in-routes and New England just kept hanging around.

Right before halftime, Hugh Millen connected with Irving Fryar for a 50-yarder cutting the lead to 10-9.

The Pats finally went ahead late in the fourth when Millen ran it in himself. The TD put the Patriots up 16-13. Kelly uncharacteristically struggled in the two-minute offense which culminated in an errant fourth-and-9 throw and a New England victory.

This would be the high point of the two-year MacPherson-Millen project. The good news for the Patriots was this nightmarish era paved the way to the hiring of Bill Parcells and the drafting of Drew Bledsoe. Better days were ahead!

For Buffalo, they did not lose a meaningful game again until Super Bowl XXVI, when they were beat up by Washington. This was their second of four straight Super Bowl seasons.

This was indeed the “Golden Era” of Bills football.

1994

The 1994 Patriots were a thrilling team to watch. Bledsoe was as advertised and Parcells was doing what he did with the Giants; building a tough, defensive-minded team that won more than it lost. In its way was the AFC’s Goliath of the previous four season, the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills came into their week 15 game against New England at just 7-7, but still would make the playoffs by winning out. They were short-handed, however, as Jim Kelly suffered a brutal knee injury one week earlier in their game vs. the Vikings.

Surprisingly, Buffalo jumped all over New England in the first half. Frank Reich hit little-used fullback Nate Turner on a beautifully designed wheel route and tough Carwell Gardner scored from the three, giving Buffalo a 17-3 lead. Then, the roof caved in.

In a game eerily reminiscent of their Super Bowl XXVII loss to the Cowboys, once the Bills got unnerved, they self-destructed. Reich threw two interceptions and Andre Reed added two fumbles. To their credit, New England jumped on the Bills’ throat scoring an incredible thirty-eight straight points. Bledsoe was on point all second half and Ricky Reynolds added a pick six.

The Patriots were on their way to the playoffs for the first time since 1986, while Buffalo would fail to qualify for the first time since 1987.

The Parcells’ era reach its crescendo after the 1996 season with an appearance in the Super Bowl. Buffalo made the playoffs four of the next 5 seasons but would never reach the success of their teams from the early-1990’s.

2000 

In 2000, the Patriots were in their first season under Bill Belichick and the Bills were in their last season under Wade Phillips. New England came into the game with a 2-6 record, while Buffalo was 4-4.

Buffalo starter Rob Johnson was injured so the popular Doug Flutie got the start and since he was beloved in the Boston area, nobody seemed to mind. As he did much of the 2000 season, Flutie struggled, however, going only 18 of 37 in the passing game.

The 2000 Bills were very strong defensively. They knocked out Drew Bledsoe and tormented back up John Friesz the rest of the afternoon. New England finally tied the game with nine minutes left on a fourth down run by JR Redmond. The score was 10-10 at that point.

New England Patriots

With two minutes left, Adam Vinatieri nailed a clutch 43-yarder. Steve Christie answered with a 49-yarder for the Bills at the buzzer. And, in overtime, after a long Shawn Bryson run, Christie nailed the winner giving the Bills a 16-13 victory.

While this game was not beautiful by any measure, it does serve as a significant historical barometer. Nobody was throwing around “genius” when talking about Bill Belichick as a head coach. And nobody could have watched this 2000 Patriots’ team and guessed this would be a World Championship team just one season later.

At the same time, nobody could have guessed that the proud Bills’ franchise would be in their first of now 17 consecutive non-playoff seasons. For those who covered the Bills and Patriots in 2000, it seems like forever ago that these two teams have stood on equal ground.

Buffalo hopes a win this week helps them get back to the playoffs. New England, of course, would prefer its dominance continue.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills