NFL Championship Sunday Preview and Predictions

The stage has been set for some of the most talented teams in football to compete in the Conference Championship. They devoted over 1,500 hours, or six days a week from August to January, to train for a shot at an appearance in Super Bowl LII. The postseason isn’t just an extension of the regular season, it’s what teams grind for all season. In the playoffs fans and players are shrouded by the fear that there might not be another week to play. One mistake could end a season. It’s go big or go home. Fans and their teams mesh together to create an electric atmosphere, all equally knowing what is at stake. Regular season stats are thrown out of the window. When faced with a win or go home situation adrenaline takes over, causing players to dig deeper than ever.

We have seen a multitude of spectacular moments already in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Patriots will appear in their seventh consecutive AFC Championship game and are searching for their sixth Super Bowl ring. Their opponents, the Jacksonville Jaguars, have shocked the league by steamrolling their way deep into the playoffs after several failed seasons. In the NFC the Vikings and Eagles will square off after both securing late fourth quarter wins last weekend. Unfortunately, two teams must go home after this Sunday. This guide includes tips for betting on this weekend’s NFL championship games. These are the match-ups that we will be talking about all week:

AFC Championship: Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots

For the past five seasons the Jaguars were a laughing stock in the NFL. From 2012 to 2016 they failed to eclipse five wins on the season. However this year the Jaguars were on a mission. They finished with a winning record for the first time since 2007; coincidentally the last time the team appeared in the playoffs. In a low-scoring affair the Jags were able to survive the Bills, winning 10-3 in the Wild Card round. Critics scoffed at the idea that they would surpass the Divisional game in Pittsburgh. Their low offensive output in the first round of the playoffs was deemed futile against one of the AFC’s premier squads.

Everyone doubted the Jaguars except for themselves. The Steelers spent the week preparing for the Patriots rather than their current opponent. They seemed to forget that the Jaguars’ defense had a field day on Ben Roethlisberger back in Week Five, where he was picked five times. Last weekend “Sacksonville” was able to secure a 45-42 upset victory over the Steelers behind their running back corps’ four scores. The Jags’ defensive nightmare that they create for offenses is always something to worry about.

The Patriots played exemplary football so far in the postseason. They are held to high expectations because they are always able to ascertain them. It’s always hard to figure out what the Patriots are planning going into each match-up. They have the offensive weapons to pick apart any defense. Interestingly enough Tom Brady is the only quarterback left in the playoffs who has won a Super Bowl ring. The Patriots have the poise and experience to make another deep playoff run.

What is the most admirable about them is that Bill Belichick can remove a vital player on the opposing team from the game. Consequently this always makes the opponent squirm and eventually sputter out as the Pats skirt on by for a win. That was the case for their Divisional game last weekend against the Titans. Running the football is the basis of the Titans’ offense, and without Demarco Murray the running back corps was slim. Play after play Derrick Henry slammed into a wall of defenders and was only able to pick up twenty-eight yards against the Patriots. On the other side of the field Tom Brady outplayed Titans defenders through the air. The Patriots sailed to an easy 35-14 victory.

The Patriots will have their work cut out for them against Jacksonville’s stingy defense. The key to keep them afloat is for their offensive line to have a repeat of last weekend. Against the Titans the o-line didn’t allow Brady to be sacked once. On the other side Blake Bortles is always unpredictable and Leornard Fournette has been a huge cog for the Jags’ offense. They must strike early and keep Brady off the field as often as possible to pull out a win. The first defense to break down will dictate who will win the AFC Championship.

Prediction: 27-17 Patriots

NFC Championship: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles

The Vikings quietly had one of the best seasons in the league this year. Their defense was phenomenal behind Pro Bowlers Everson Griffen, Xavier Rhodes, and Anthony Barr. Also, despite all odds and injuries suffered on offense the Vikes were able to get to where they are today. The loss of rookie Dalvin Cook caused the run game to take a hit, but since then balanced out. Teddy Bridgewater, the team’s original starter, sat out with a brutal knee injury for one and a half seasons. His place was taken over by the man with the hot hand: Case Keenum. Keenum went from the bench in Los Angeles at the end of last season to a strong MVP candidate in Minnesota. Teams wrote him off but his leadership brought the Vikings to the conference championship for the first time since 2009.

In an insane chain of events the Vikings came out on top over the Saints 29-24 on the final play of the Divisional game. A last play touchdown by Stefon Diggs is now regarded as the Minneapolis Miracle.

The Eagles were the team to beat for the majority of the regular season. Their year was going perfectly up until when the injury bug took away their star quarterback (and probable MVP) Carson Wentz. Since then there has been a little turbulence for the Eagles since Nick Foles took the helm. The Eagles locked up the number one seed in the NFC despite losing Wentz, yet things felt different. The once dangerous offense the Eagles possessed became mundane. Those strikes down the middle of the field for huge gains became less common. Nick Foles has done what’s in his power to lead the Eagles through the playoffs, but their offense is not as dangerous as they once were weeks ago. Home field advantage has been a saving grace for the team.

The Eagles’ Divisional match up against the Falcons was a physical defensive bout. Though the Eagles failed to score a touchdown against the Falcons they snuck by with a 15-10 win. All credit for the victory goes to the defense, who shut down Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones.

The Eagles’ defense will be a huge test for Case Keenum and the Vikings. On the flip-side, the Eagles will have to put their running game into high gear to jump-start the offense. The key for this match-up will lie in the trenches. Foles will need a scapegoat to open up his passing game. Jay Ajayi also has to be a prime performer to make a dent in the Vikings’ defense. However Minnesota is one win away from being the first team to play in a Super Bowl that they are hosting, and they are going to fire on all cylinders.

Prediction: 20-14 Vikings

Follow Mike Clement on Twitter @MClementMedia

Cover photo courtesy of Todd Rosenberg/NFL.

A Look at Belichick’s Patriots in AFC Championship Game Action

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Bill Belichick has coached the New England Patriots for eighteen seasons. Incredibly, he will be coaching in his twelfth AFC championship game, including an unprecedented seventh straight. Let’s take a look back at Belichick’s first eleven appearances in the AFC title bout.

2001-02 Patriots 24 Pittsburgh Steelers 17

New England was the prohibitive underdog against Bill Cowher’s Steelers at Pittsburgh. Tom Brady injured his ankle midway through the second quarter so former starter Drew Bledsoe led the Patriots the rest of the way. The Pats notched two touchdowns on special teams and held off Pittsburgh 24-17. This great win is often forgotten as it came between the “Tuck Rule” game and the amazing upset win in the 2002 Super Bowl over the St. Louis Rams.

2003-04 Patriots 24 Indianapolis Colts 14

This game was hyped as Bill Belichick and his excellent defense versus Manning and the Colts’ high-powered offense. Patriots’ defenders harassed Manning and his receivers all day en route to a 24-14 victory. Manning threw four interceptions in the loss. Ty Law was so aggressive with his coverage that the Colts lobbied for stricter enforcement of defensive holding and illegal contact penalties over the offseason.

2004-05 Patriots 41 Steelers 17

The Patriots avenged a Halloween Day loss by exploding out of the blocks on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Deion Branch was the star of the game, posting 158 total yards and two touchdowns. Rodney Harrison nailed the coffin shut on the Steelers’ season with an 87-yard interception return off rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger. The 14-2 Patriots dominated the 15-1 Steelers on their way to their third Super Bowl championship in four seasons.

2006-07 Colts 38 Patriots 34

The Patriots lost a classic in Indianapolis. They jumped in front 21-3 in the second quarter, but could not contain Manning in perhaps his finest hour. The loss exposed a lack of talent and depth on the Patriots’ offense opening the door to the offseason acquisitions of Wes Welker and Randy Moss.

2007-08 Patriots 21 San Diego Chargers 12

Tom Brady and the undefeated Patriots struggled through the air against the undermanned, underrated Chargers. Thus, they relied on Lawrence Maroney and the running attack in a grind-it-out 21-12 victory over San Diego.

2011-12 Patriots 23 Baltimore Ravens 20

This game will always be remembered for the Ravens’ failures rather than the Patriots’ successes. Trailing 23-20 with under a minute to go, Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco found Lee Evans open in the corner of the end zone. At the last possible moment, Sterling Moore slapped the ball away. Two plays later, Billy Cundiff missed the field goal that would have tied things up. Patriots’ nose tackle Vince Wilfork had the game of his life in the win.

2012-13 Ravens 28 Patriots 13

Baltimore got their revenge on their way to their second Super Bowl title. The Ravens outscored New England 21-0 in the second half and scored four touchdowns in their four red zone appearances overall. Meanwhile, the Patriots were only able to come away with one touchdown in five red zone opportunities. The Ravens were also +3 in turnover differential. Belichick does not like stats, but these numbers point to an obvious Ravens’ victory.

2013-14 Denver Broncos 26 Patriots 16

The Patriots were no match for the historically good offense of the 2013 Broncos. Peyton Manning passed for over 400 yards as this contest was much closer on the scoreboard than it was on the field. The Broncos won 26-16 ahead of getting plastered in the Super Bowl by the Seattle Seahawks.

2014-15 Patriots 45 Colts 7

In the infamous “deflategate” game, LeGarrette Blount and the Patriots crushed the Colts 45-7. In a driving rainstorm, Andrew Luck and the Colts never could get things going in an embarrassing performance.

2015-16 Broncos 20 Patriots 18

This was probably the most intense championship game of the Belichick era. Denver’s incredible defense hit Brady incessantly. Manning threw two first half touchdown passes to give the Broncos a 14-6 lead. The Patriots dominated the second half with Rob Gronkowski scoring a touchdown with just twelve seconds remaining. However, the Broncos intercepted the ensuing two-point conversion attempt. Denver survived 20-18 and went on to win the Super Bowl over Carolina where they stuck with their 2015 formula: ugly on offense but tremendous defensively.

2016-17 Patriots 36 Steelers 17

The Patriots unleashed Chris Hogan on the unsuspecting Steelers in this one-sided affair. Le’Veon Bell was injured early in the game, putting a damper on the competitive aspect of the contest. The game was never really in doubt as the Patriots rolled 36-17.

The Patriots face the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday for the right to play in their eighth Super Bowl in the Belichick era. Win or lose, it is unlikely that we will ever witness a dynasty quite like the Patriots of the past twenty years.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Two Minute Drill: Every NFC Team’s Season in a Nutshell

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PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The Eagles were one of many pleasant surprises out of the NFC this season. They managed a 13-3 record despite losing Carson Wentz for the final three games of the season. Unfortunate injury for Philly, but solid play from Foles and elite defense has carried the Eagles into the NFC championship.

DALLAS COWBOYS

At various points throughout the season Dallas looked like a force to be reckoned with. At other times not so much. When this team is healthy (and not suspended) they can be elite. The problem is Sean Lee can’t stay healthy and Ezekiel Elliott couldn’t hold together his temper off-field. When Lee plays the defense looks entirely better. When Zeke plays the offense can not be stopped. Dallas may finally make a late post season run in 2018.

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WASHINGTON REDSKINS

I hate making excuses for teams, but if someone deserves excuses it’s the Redskins. Let’s start with injuries: Chris Thompson, Rob Kelley, Spencer Long, Will Compton, Jordan Reed, Trent Williams and the list goes on. Also their schedule was brutal. They had to play the Eagles twice, Dallas twice, the Rams, Saints, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers, and Seahawks. Not many easy ones on that schedule.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Nothing to do but scratch your head about the Giants season. What appeared to be a promising year for the G-men turned out to be an abomination. To be fair losing OBJ and Brandon Marshall for the season is not an easy obstacle to overcome. Ultimately this team showed too much talent to only manage three wins. Time to wipe the slate clean and prepare for 2018.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Much like the Eagles, the Rams were a very pleasant surprise this year. After being the lowest scoring offense in the league in 2016, Goff and Gurley lead the Rams to be the highest scoring this year. They scored just fourteen points per game in 2016 and this year they doubled that total to 29.9. The Rams had an early playoff exit after a disappointing loss to the Falcons. However, with a young team and coach this team is poised for more great years.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Similar to the Redskins, the Seahawks were too banged up to dominate like they did in recent years. Despite losing Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman for the season, they still managed a 9-7 record. I expect the Legion of Boom to be back next year, hungry for a playoff appearance.

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ARIZONA CARDINALS

8-8 certainly was not the outcome Arizona had in mind this year. However this team deserves credit. They quietly played solid football most of the year despite season ending injuries to Carson Palmer and David Johnson. Not sure what to expect from this team next year, as they will be without HC Bruce Arians as well as QB Carson Palmer for the first time in a few years.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

Well, the 1-10 start was an underwhelming start to Kyle Shannahan’s head coaching career. However the five consecutive wins to close out the season with Jimmy G under center was impressive. San Fran averaged just under twenty-nine points per game during the five game win streak. With Jimmy under center they were able to score forty-four points vs Jacksonville and thirty-four points at LAR. Stoked to see what this team does next season.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Vikes have looked like Super Bowl contenders the whole entire season. Now they are just a win away over Philly to making it there. It is going to be a defensive showdown. Nick Foles and Case Keenum were once teammates and will now go head to head in the NFC Championship. It is really impressive to see how Minnesota has handled key injuries to Dalvin Cook and Sam Bradford this season.

DETROIT LIONS

Over the past couple years, it just seems like the Lions are one big play away from a postseason appearance. They are on the cusp of being a playoff team but for now remain just a “good team”. Perhaps adding Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as head coach will be enough to propel them into the playoffs.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Turns out, losing a Hall of Fame QB to injury is more than enough to ruin a team’s season. Packer Nation has to be frustrated watching their team look helpless without their beloved Aaron Rodgers. Oh well, onto next season for the Pack.

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CHICAGO BEARS

This team is showing some promise for the future. Still missing a few key pieces but the Bears defense is young and talented. Also, Mitch Trubisky looked better-than-horrible, which is a world-class compliment to a rookie QBs these days. Probably still a few years from being a good team, but Chicago fans have something to look forward to.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Finally the Saints managed to finish with a record of something other than 7-9. Turns out a dominant run game and a solid defense can be the difference between 7-9 and 11-5. Ingram and Kamara were nearly unstoppable this season, taking off a lot of pressure on Drew Brees. Unfortunately, the Saints came up one tackle short of an NFC Championship birth.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Panthers are so unpredictable, I don’t even know if this season was a complete success or utter failure. 11-5 was good enough to earn a playoff spot for Cam and company. Unfortunately all it led to was the third loss of the season to their division rival Saints

ATLANTA FALCONS

Little bit of a Super Bowl hangover for the Falcons. They were still a solid team, but never really looked like the team they were last year. Matt Ryan was not as good, just three TD’s from Julio, and the defense was less physical and aggressive. I am afraid the Falcons’ one shot slipped away. Prove me wrong, Matt Ryan.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Tampa was one of the biggest disappointments of the season. Winston was terrible and the defense was even worse. It is rather difficult to succeed in this league without a good QB or defense. Luckily, talent is present on this team and they have the potential to make a big turnaround next season.

*Questions or Comments? Find me on Twitter @MLBfromNH*

*Feature picture credit goes to kneenoh.deviantart.com*

Bruins Overtime Woes Continue in Loss to Dallas

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Monday’s matinée match-up against the Stars was a good news bad news situation for the Bruins. The good news is that the Bruins showed real mental toughness when battling back from a 2-0 deficit. The bad news is that they let another point slip through their fingers in overtime. While the Bruins’ effort to get back into the game was impressive, former Bruin Tyler Seguin was just too much in overtime.

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Bruins Looked Sluggish

It was apparent that the 1 PM start was not ideal for the Bruins on Monday afternoon. The Bruins opened the first period getting out-shot 12-1 by the Stars. They seemed to not be able to find any rhythm offensively. It took a bit but the Bruins eventually found their skating legs and were able to battle back to finish the period with the shot distribution being 12-10 Dallas. The effects of the bye week were quite obvious during the matinée game. After being away from the game for five days it’s hard to get back into battling for every single puck, especially after that roller coaster game in Montreal.

Despite the sluggish start to the period the Bruins were able to escape the first period scoreless. Largely due to the efforts of Anton Khudobin, who was solid throughout the afternoon. Khudobin stopped twenty-nine out of thirty-two shots, but eventually looked helpless on Seguin’s eye-opening overtime goal. Although the Bruins were able to battle back from being down 2-0, when they got to overtime the team had nothing left in the tank.

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Overtime Continues to Be a Problem for the B’s

There has not been a lot to criticize the Bruins for the past few months. But one thing that is a notable weak point for the B’s this year has been their performance in the three on three period. After giving up the game winner to Tyler Seguin the B’s record in the extra session this year fell to 1-6. While it may seem like nitpicking, if the Bruins could have won a few more of those overtime games they would be at least in range of the juggernaut Lightning.

The big problem is structure in their own zone in overtime. It’s man on man across the ice. While the Bruins have plenty of talented offensive players such as Spooner, and Pastranak, they also struggle in their own zone. When a team is able to pin them in the defensive zone it almost always ends badly. Bruce Cassidy needs to work on defensive structure for his team in overtime so they can start getting two points instead of one.

Going Forward

In three games in a row the Bruins have faced someone who used to be a key part of their organization. Two games against Claude and one against Seguin. While Montreal has struggled this season and the Bruins just won up in Montreal, this is still a sneaky important game for the B’s. It would be nice to see the Bruins squash the Canadians and Claude Julien for good with a dominant showing on Wednesday night. Let’s see if Bruce Cassidy is able to refocus his team against a lesser team to earn two points.

Northeastern is a Team to Recognize

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The Northeastern Huskies are a team looking to take no prisoners in the college world. After sweeping UMaine this past weekend, the Huskies are one point shy of Boston College for first place in Hockey East. The Huskies are led by Hockey East Player of the Week, and NCAA Scoring Leader, Adam Gaudette. The Braintree native’s seventeen goals, and eighteen assists add up to be the most in the NCAA. Gaduette’s hat trick against UMass Lowell earlier in the season was a thing of beauty. The Vancouver Canucks’ prospect is someone to keep an eye on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_OvwCJJK8o

This Season

Head Coach Jim Madigan has led the Huskies to an overall record of 14-5-3, and a Hockey East Record of 10-3-1. Northeastern is putting the rest of the college hockey world on notice, coming in at #8 in the NCAA. Notre Dame has to keep up their pace with Northeastern firing on all cylinders. However Northeastern cannot let up. They have an important series against Providence College on the horizon. The Friars look like they are beginning to hit their stride.

Again, Adam Gaudette has been nothing short of spectacular this season. If Gaudette lights the lamp similarly as he has done all season, he will be a favorite for the Hobey Baker Award. In a similar manner there is another Husky up for the Hobey Baker Award that cannot be overlooked. Senior Dylan Sikura also has eighteen assists this season and twelve goals. Sikura comes in with thirty points on the year. The Chicago prospect is coming off his best season in which he scored twenty-one goals, tallied thirty-six assists, and ended with fifty-seven total points. If he continues to improve in his senior season, he’ll be looking like a steal for Chicago.

Of course, the Huskies are getting a big boost behind the play in net of freshman Cayden Primeau. The Montreal 7^th round Pick has a GAA of 2.03 and a SV% of .920. He has one shutout this season. Primeau had a season high 33 saves against the high-powered offense of the Boston University Terriers. Primeau looks like he can sew the wounds of Jon Gilles being lured away from Northeastern to Providence College.

Going Forward

The Northeastern Huskies’ break out season has been a long time coming. After making it to the NCAA postseason just once since Jim Madigan took over, a disappointing era of Northeastern Hockey could be coming to an end. Furthermore, the Huskies are ready to take over the top spot in Hockey East from the struggling Boston College Eagles. Last season Northeastern made it to the Hockey East Quarter Finals, and want more.

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIV

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The Super Bowl is just 18 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 18 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Atlanta hosted Super Bowl XXXIV on January 30, 2000. The game pitted the NFC Champion St. Louis Rams against the Tennessee Titans of the American Football Conference.

Rams Revival

The Rams came into the 1999 season off nine consecutive losing seasons. And, they certainly were not projected to contend for the Super Bowl in ’99. On the plus side, Head Coach Dick Vermiel had turned programs around before in his coaching career. He revived the UCLA football program in the early 70s and the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 70s. However, he suffered from burnout following the 1982 season and went into broadcasting.

In 1997, he came out of retirement to coach the young Rams. After two poor seasons, he realized that his coaching style needed to change. He needed to be more “player-friendly.” He also hired offensive guru Mike Martz to be his OC and added QB Trent Green and RB Marshall Faulk. So, St. Louis figured to be better on offense. Their defense was already competitive. They ranked tenth overall in 1998. With high draft picks all over the field, they were destined to improve and they did. Kevin Carter was a first team All-Pro along the defensive line. And Notre Dame-grad Todd Lyght was a stand out at corner. Veterans D’Marco Farr and Mike Jones along with youngsters Grant Winstrom and London Fletcher all made fine contributions to a unit that finished fourth in 1999.

St. Louis Rams 18 Years Ago

The story of the 1999 Rams, though, was all about their offense. In a preseason game against the Chargers, Green tore his ACL. Vermeil inserted a 28-year old name Kurt Warner and the rest is the stuff of legend. Warner was a Packers’ castoff. So, he tried his luck in the Arena League and NFL Europe before getting a backup job with the Rams in 1998.

His ’99 season was as brilliant as it was unexpected. The Rams scored almost 300 more points than their opponents that season! Warner’s accuracy on long passes to Isaac Bruce and rookie Torry Holt was astounding. It was the greatest show on turf. Therefore, St. Louis marched into the playoffs huge favorites to make it to the Super Bowl.

In the divisional round, they ran away from Randy Moss and the Vikings in a shoot-out, 49-37. Warner was 27 of 33 for 391 yards and 5 touchdowns; not a bad at the office! In the NFC championship game, however, the Rams met their defensive match. Tony Dungy’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to play and took a 6-5 lead into the 4th quarter. St. Louis proved it was not just a finesse ball club as they went toe to toe with the Bucs. Finally, late in the fourth, Warner hit Ricky Proehl for the game-winning and championship-clinching score! The city of St. Louis would have its first Super Bowl representative.

Tennessee Titans 18 Years Ago

The AFC champion Tennessee Titans had a similar fairy tale-type season. The Titans as a franchise did not experience the horrible string of losing seasons that the Rams endured. They did experience perhaps the wildest decade, though. Before they were the Titans, they were the Houston Oilers. The Oilers were led by future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Warren Moon. In the early ’90s, Houston famously lost three heartbreaking playoff games. In 1994, with Moon gone, they imploded, finishing 2-14.

Buddy Ryan-disciple Jeff Fisher was hired to take over as Head Coach prior to the 1995 season. With the Oilers unable to generate enthusiasm in Houston, the team announced a move to Tennessee which would take effect in 1997. After spending a season in Memphis, the team moved to Nashville. They got their new name and their new stadium in 1999. Fisher posted just a 31-33 record over 4 seasons but was retained for the ’99 season. The Titans did very well in the draft grabbing a franchise QB in Steve McNair and the All-World RB Eddie George out of Ohio State. On defense, they had the sensational rookie from Florida nicknamed “The Freak.” Jevon Kearse was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie and wreaked havoc on offensive linemen throughout the season.

The ’99 Titans amazingly compiled a 13-3 record, but did not win their division. Jacksonville finished 14-2, but their two losses came…to Tennessee! Anyway, the Titans got the Wild Card game at home against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills had made a major move at quarterback earlier in the week when they replaced the struggling Doug Flutie with Rob Johnson. Johnson had killed Peyton Manning and the Colts in the season finale.

Music City Miracle

Wade Payne

In the first half, Kearse was dominant leading the Titans to a 12-0 lead. The second half was a different story as Johnson led the Bills back. They took a 16-15 lead on a Steve Christie field goal with just 16 seconds left. Tennessee would need a miracle to win. It happened. Christie popped up the kickoff. Lorenzo Neal fielded the ball and handed it off to Frank Wycheck. Wycheck “lateraled” to Kevin Dyson. Dyson ran untouched along the near sideline to score the miraculous go-ahead score. The win propelled the Titans to the 2nd round. In the divisional playoff at Indy, the Titans knocked off the upstart Colts 19-16. That was Manning’s first playoff game and foreshadowed his struggles in that situation for years to come.

In the AFC championship game, McNair was magnificent in leading the Titans to their third win of the season over the Jaguars. The 32-14 final put the Oilers/Titans franchise in their first ever Super Bowl.

Super Super Bowl

The Rams dominated the first half although the score was not indicative of that dominance. The Rams settled for five field goal attempts and 9-0 halftime lead.

The second half was gripping. The Rams finally found the end zone on a slant from Warner to Holt from the nine giving them a 16-0 lead. At that point, the momentum swung. The Titans scored touchdowns on their next two possessions cutting the lead to 16-13 with eight minutes remaining. They stuck with their game plan which was a lot of Eddie George. George was not stylish. He was a freight train helping the Titans claw back in it. It was vintage Titans.

After they tied it at 16 with just over two minutes left, the Rams responded with an unreal 73-yard TD pass from Warner to Bruce. Warner’s pass was underthrown because Kearse was hitting him as he threw. Bruce made the adjustment and weaved his way home. It was vintage Rams.

Tennessee had one last drive. In a possession that proved to be the signature one of his career, McNair led the Titans to the Rams’ ten-yard line with six seconds left. Tennessee drew up a play for Dyson cutting to the inside. He caught the ball in stride and looked like he would score. At the last second, Jones grabbed him around the waist and tossed him to the turf about two feet short of the goal line. The Rams had won their first Super Bowl!

After Effect

The Titans came back with a very strong 2000 season, but were knocked out in the 2000 playoffs by the eventual-World Champion Ravens. They have not been to the Super Bowl since.

The Rams’ offense of 2000 was amazing, but their defense was terrible. They were mistake-prone in their playoff loss at New Orleans. In 2001, the Rams got back to the Super Bowl only to get upset by the Patriots. Since then, they have moved back to Los Angeles. Their franchise is going through a revival as we speak.

The 1999 Rams had one of the great offenses in NFL history. Tomorrow, we will discuss one of the greatest defenses of All-Time!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Why the Bruins Need David Krejci

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The Boston Bruins are one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. The Bruins have earned points in thirteen consecutive games after Monday’s overtime loss against the Stars (9-0-4). During the Bruins’ hot streak many players have stepped into the spotlight. One of these players is David Krejci, who scored the game-tying goal in Montreal to force overtime. Krejci’s role with the team has become smaller due to recently returning from injury and young players stepping up in his place. If the Bruins want to reach their maximum potential they are going to need the thirty-one year old center to play to rediscover his niche.

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Center Depth

The key to any team in the NHL is strength up the middle. Many championship teams have great depth at the center position. Look at the Penguins, who are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. They have two of the best centers in hockey with Malkin and Crosby. That’s exactly what the Bruins are hoping they can get from their own centers. Krejci has been plagued a number of injuries over the past few seasons. The latest ailment he has is a concerning hip injury. As a result the Czech native has only suited up for twenty three games this year. But now for the first time in a long time Krejci looks healthy, which should have Bruins fans ecstatic.

If Krejci is able to stay healthy for the rest of the regular season and heading into the playoffs, then instantaneously the Bruins look a lot deeper at the center position. That allows Spooner to play a more offensive role at the wing. Also, playing with Debrusk provides Krejci to be creative with the puck playing alongside offensive oriented players. That would make the Bruins insanely hard to defend against with the depth chart of Bergeron/Krejci/Nash/Kuraly.

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Offensive Production

Throughout his career Krejci has been a reliable offensive weapon. However, in recent years with his inconsistent health and lack of offensive wingers his production has taken a bit of a hit. Now with his improved health and young linemates, the center looks rejuvenated and invested in each shift. The stability he provides into the second center spot every single game cannot be taken for granted. Krejci has great vision in the offensive zone, especially off the rush. He tends to create two-on-ones all over the ice. While he is not nearly as dangerous as he was a few years ago he still possesses elite ability. Especially when it comes to passing the puck. Sometimes it looks like Krejci has eyes in the back of his head with the touch passes he is able to execute.

One of Krejci’s greatest assets is his patience, however it can also be one of his greatest flaws. He currently has only forty-one shots on the season and seven goals. Neither are ideal for an offensive center, but Krejci has always possessed a pass-first mentality. While it can be frustrating when Krejci passes up open shots his 17.1 shooting percentage shows when he does decide to pull the trigger it is usually a good shot. His elite faceoff production has him winning 57.2%. Krejci’s offensive potential out weighs the few deficiencies.

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Defense and Physicality

Early in his career Krejci won two plus/minus titles for his stalwart defense. But time and injuries have caused number 46 to slip as a 200 foot player. Last season in eighty-two games Krejci was a -12 and this year he is currently an even player. Now playing alongside Debrusk and Spooner, he has added defensive responsibility. This leads to question if the center can still perform at a serviceable level defensively. Serviceable yes, but anything above that is a major question mark. With his recent injuries he has been noticeably tepid on the ice. He does not battle for the puck along the boards or go into the dirty areas. While that was never the center’s game he at least used to provide some level of physicality when it came to puck battles. Now bigger stronger centers can push Krejci around practically at will.

If the Czech native can get back to playing some respectable defense, then his presence in the lineup will be critical going forward. Defending the Bergeron line is hard enough, let alone defending a productive Krejci line. Maybe the Bruins will be able to mirror the Penguins formula for success.

Changing of the Guards

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SHOWDOWN IN MONTREAL

The Boston Bruins face a tough schedule heading into to the second half of the season. There’s no doubt that there will be a lot of emotion on the ice in Wednesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins and Canadiens hold what is considered to be one of the NHL’s greatest rivalries. This also marks the first time that coach Claude Julien will return to Boston to face his former team. For the past decade, Julien sat behind the Bruins bench and coached a team that made two Stanley Cup appearances in 2011 and 2013. To say Julien didn’t have an impact on the Bruins organization would be foolish. Coming into the first of many meetings between the two clubs, there’s a level of respect from both the players and Coach Bruce Cassidy. For some, like Patrice Bergeron, playing against his former mentor will carry some extra emotion:

” It’s going to be special. He’s been great for my career and for the organization. It’s going to be a special moment”

“..There’s a mutual respect for the player-coach relationship that they have..”

These last forty games are crucial for the Boston Bruins as they continue to push for a playoff spot. As for Montreal, a time for desperation calls for desperate play. Under Claude Julien, the Canadiens have been playing inconsistent and lackluster. They currently have a 2% chance of a clinching a playoff spot. There’s no question that the recent surge of young players has propelled the Bruins into second place with a +30 in the Atlantic division. Under Cassidy, there’s a great chance that the black and gold will emerge as one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup. In this week’s match-up against the Habs, all eyes will be on the bench as one curiosity arises. Just how would this young Bruins team be under Julien? Also, would he be able to put all his trust into a first-year player?

OLD SCHOOL

In the last few years, the NHL has morphed into a game more focused on speed and less on strength. Things change and to be competitive means adjusting to a different style. For the upper brass management (as well as fans), Claude Julien just wasn’t able to adapt productively. With personnel changes and the league’s expansion, the Bruins were two steps behind. Consequently rumors of tension between some players and Julien began to surface.

Both the media and Bruins fans were starting to believe this “myth” that Julien simply didn’t like the young players. It didn’t help that player Ryan Spooner made a remark that Claude didn’t like him. There were even whispers that Tuukka Rask didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Claude. If you take a look at the stats and what some of the young players had to say about Claude, you get a different story. Julien helped develop a lot of players such as Milan Lucic Patrice Bergeron, Dougie Hamilton, David Pastrnak, and Ryan Spooner. The difference between Cassidy and Julien is the way he developed them; you had to earn your ice time. The old school thought would have Julien put more pressure and trust onto a veteran rather than a first-year player.

So just how was Claude with his young players? If you break down some numbers of those coached by Julien, they aren’t as bad as many fans would remember. And keep in mind, many of these players were under the age of twenty-two. In his rookie year, Brad Marchand scored twenty goals. Pastrnak also scored twenty-two goals at the age of twenty years old. Also, as a 19-year-old, Tyler Seguin scored twenty-nine goals, and 22-year-old Milan Lucic netted thirty. Many of these players credit Julien for helping them develop their playing style. A young David Pastrnak had a breakout year while playing under Julien in 2016. At one point he was second in the league behind Sidney Crosby in goal scoring and garnered high praise from Claude:

“He’s been our best forward since the beginning of the year. He’s coming into his own..”

Interestingly enough, a lot of these young players worked closely with former Providence head coach Bruce Cassidy. For David Pastrnak, it was Cassidy and assistant coach Jay Pandolfo who worked closely with the young Czech forward for three years. As a side note, Claude Julien coached in the AHL and was even a successful Junior coach.

While Julien and Cassidy may have similar backgrounds, their approach in working with young talent has produced different results. For Julien, limiting playing time for a young player was part of the learning curve and development process. However, Cassidy had a different plan; speed drills, picking up the pace and attacking the net more on the offensive end. As the NHL began to change and after the Bruins missed the playoffs in 2015 while under Julien, both general manager Don Sweeney and President of the Boston Bruins Cam Neely knew that it was time to move on and hire a new voice.

CHANGING OF THE GUARDS

The firing of the long-tenured coach drew a mixed response from players and the organization as well as hardcore fans. Many of whom immediately called for the firing of Neely and Sweeney. By the time Julien was let go from the Boston Bruins, the team record of 26-23 left them with little chance of clinching a playoff spot in the 2016-2017 season. As the interim head coach, Cassidy had his work cut out for him. At that point in the season, the Bruins were one point outside the Eastern Conference With a quick change-up in styles, the black and gold managed to clinch a spot. Cassidy’s playing style was what the Bruins needed as they headed into a playoff series against the Ottawa Senators.

Fans got the see a first glimpse of an astounding performance by first-year player Sean Kuraly and newly signed prospect Charlie McAvoy. Those who were unsure of how this team would be without Claude got to see a new resilient team that didn’t give up easily. In a hard-fought series, the Bruins made it difficult for the Senators to earn a spot in the playoffs. Even though the Boston lost, there was no question that given the short amount of time that Cassidy had coached the team there was something special about the upcoming group of “young guns”.

BUTCH CASSIDY AND HIS SUNDANCE KIDS

Bruce Cassidy had to deal with an onslaught of injuries affecting the team at the beginning of the season. With a tough task ahead of him, Cassidy continued to put trust in his young players while looking to his veterans for guidance. Sure, there have been a few hiccups and learning opportunities on the bench. However, the Bruins had managed to stay afloat in the standings. As the team started to become healthy, things started to rapidly change. For fans, one of the biggest stories in the NHL is how the recent youth movement propelled the Bruins into playoff contention.

Seeing this team jump twenty spots in the standings, one would have to think again how this team would fare Julien. In my opinion he would have a hard time extending his leash, continue his dump and chase game, with little emphasis on speed- a strategy that would not work for this year’s Bruins team. In order to be competitive in this sport you have to be willing to change. One look at the standings in the Atlantic Division, it’s not hard to tell which team will rise up to the top. Under Julien, the once powerful Canadiens are looking to miss the playoffs this year. With their recent 4-3 loss to the Bruins, Montreal continues to sputter down in the division, while the Bruins continue to shut down their opponents.

It’s clear Cassidy is the perfect fit for this young Boston team. He is currently 42-18-8 with the Bruins, keeping the focus on speed and puck control. Don Sweeney’s plan has come to full fruition. Signing young prospects, developing them in Providence and hiring a young coach that isn’t afraid to take chances. Sometimes change is good, and as the Bruins continue to be tested and pushed in the second half of the season, Cassidy and his Sundance Kids will no doubt be fighting to the end.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88

AFC Championship Going Through Foxborough Again

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Another Year Another Championship Game In Foxborough

The AFC Championship game will once again be held in Foxborough. This will be the seventh year in a row that the Patriots will play in the AFC title game. Unlike last year they will not be playing the Steelers. Instead they will be taking on Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars. I hate to say it, but the Patriots will crush the Jaguars. The same fate will be true for whoever they play in the Super Bowl. The four quarterbacks left in the playoffs are Tom Brady, Case Keenum, Blake Bortles, and Nick Foles. If that isn’t an easy road for the Patriots I don’t know what is.

Brady the Goat

Why would Brady even retire after this season? Though he’s forty he is playing at a high level and can still compete in the sport he loves. The Steelers overlooked their game against the Jaguars and were only focused on the Patriots. It’s the Patriots versus everybody else. They never overlook anybody, no matter how bad the team may be. The Patriots are the best team in football for a reason. At the end of the day everything works out for them.

Patriots-Jaguars is Almost Laughable

This eighteen year playoff run is really remarkable. It’s something that will not happen again for a very long time. The last time the Patriots played the Jaguars in the postseason was ten years ago on January 12th, 2008 in the Divisional round. The Patriots won that game 31-20, and Brady passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Ten years later the two teams meet again in the playoffs, and Brady is still the starting quarterback. Tom Brady spoke after the win against the Titans about the success they’ve had over the years:

“I mean, it’s pretty incredible to be a part of that. I think the thing is that we don’t really take it for granted around here I know how hard it is to get to this game. We’re very blessed to do it. It takes a lot of things, a lot of good fortune, a lot of hard work, but obviously a lot of great blessings.

“I think our team has proven over the course of the year we can win important games against good teams and we did that tonight and that’s why you keep moving on. The reality of the NFL is what we did this week will have nothing to do with what happens next week. We’re going to have to go repeat it, so you’ve got to get right back to work, right back to the process of trying to figure out how to breakdown our opponent. Everyone’s got to feel good physically and mentally and go out there and try to cut it loose one more time in a huge game.”

It’s now on to Jacksonville for a chance to play in another Super Bowl.

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIII

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The Super Bowl is just 19 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 19 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

South Florida hosted Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999. The game pitted the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons against the defending World Champion Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference. The Broncos, who had a sorry Super Bowl history in the 80’s, came into the 1998 season footloose and fancy free. They won their Super Bowl; they won the AFC their first Super Bowl in 13 seasons. And, in 1998, they were loaded.

Denver Broncos 19 Years Ago

Coach Mike Shanahan realized that he had a confident and fast offensive line, an experienced quarterback and a strong defense coming into 1998. However, his engine was Super Bowl XXXII MVP Terrell Davis. And he rode that workhorse to a 13-0 start. Davis finished the regular season with 2008 on 392 carries! Simply put, it was one of the greatest seasons a running back has ever experienced. Add to that an additional 468 in his three playoff games and there is little wonder Davis was enshrined in Pro Football’s Hall of Fame despite his premature retirement.

One of Denver’s two losses on the season occurred on a Monday night in Miami. The Broncos in return punished the Dolphins in the divisional round of the playoffs, 38-3. In the AFC championship game, the New York Jets coached by Bill Parcells challenged Denver early but ran out of steam in the second half. It was Davis’s 31-yard score late in the third that put the game in Denver’s win column and in their sixth Super Bowl!

Atlanta Falcons 19 Years Ago

There were four standout NFC teams in the 1998 regular season, but none better than the Minnesota Vikings. Their resurgence was keyed by the transcendent Randy Moss. Comeback player of the year QB Randall Cunningham seemed to just throw the ball 60 yards in the air and Moss would come down with it. He broke a litany of rookie receiving marks during the Vikings’ 15-1 season. Minnesota was able to leapfrog Green Bay for AFC central supremacy. However, the Packers qualified for the wild card after another impressive season.

In the NFC West, Atlanta usurped San Francisco with a dynamite 14-2 season. They were led by veteran head coach Dan Reeves and a power running game. Their best player was the Jamal Anderson who carried the ball a whopping 410 times for 1846 yards. He became just as popular for his “Dirty Bird” celebration as he did for his excellent play in 1998.

In the Wild Card game between Green Bay and San Francisco, Brett Favre and Steve Young battled back and forth in one of the best playoff games of all-time. Young hit Terrell Owens on the final play of the game. With the win, the 49ers earned a trip to Atlanta. The Falcons jumped on San Francisco early. Unfortunately for the Niners, they lost running back Garrison Hearst to a torn ACL one play into the ball game. The Niners kept fighting, but fell short in a 20-18 victory for the Falcons. Atlanta’s underrated defense picked off Young three times in the second half to clinch the win.

Atlanta Stuns Minnesota

Matthew Stockman

Atlanta would have to travel to Minnesota for the NFC championship game and were prohibitive underdogs. If they were intimidated, it sure didn’t look that way as they took their opening possession the length of the field for a 7-0 lead. Minnesota responded with 20 consecutive points and looked well on their way to their first Super Bowl in 22 years. But, a funny thing happened in Minnesota that day. The Vikings made just enough crucial mistakes and the Falcons, especially quarterback Chris Chandler, made just enough big plays, to propel Atlanta to the upset.

The game’s most memorable moment occurred late in the fourth. Minnesota led 27-20 and brought on Gary Anderson to attempt a 39-yard field goal. Anderson had not missed a kick all regular season! This time, however, his kick was wide left. The door was open for Atlanta and just over a minute later, Chandler found Terance Mathis for the tying score. The dirty birds won it in overtime on Morten Andersen’s field goal and the Falcons were about to participate in the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

“This One’s For John”

Atlanta certainly did not play their “A” game in Super Bowl XXXIII. That may have had more to do with the Broncos’ greatness, however. Atlanta was able to generate scoring opportunities over the first three quarters. They just could not take advantage. Andersen missed a chip shot. The Broncos stuffed Anderson on a fourth down. Chandler threw three interceptions that resulted in long returns for Denver. So, this was not a fun day for Falcons’ football.

Denver, on the other hand, got a great day from their venerable quarterback. Elway’s biggest play came in the second quarter when he found Rod Smith for an 80-yard strike that gave the Broncos a 17-3 lead. Atlanta’s highlight came in the second half when they were trailing 31-6. Tough Tim Dwight returned a kickoff to give his fan base something to cheer about on an otherwise dreary Florida night.

This game, this night was the “Football God’s” gift to one its sons, John Elway. While this season and the previous Super Bowl belonged to Terrell Davis, Super Bowl XXXIII was all about the magnificent #7. And team president Pat Bowlen acknowledged this as he accepted the Lombardi Trophy by announcing, “This One’s for John.” Elway retired following the 1998 season.

Tomorrow, we will discuss another remarkable quarterback story, that of Kurt Warner of the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills