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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl LI

The Super Bowl is just 1 day away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 1 year ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Houston hosted Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017. The game pitted the AFC champion New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football Conference.

Atlanta Falcons 1 Year Ago

“Rise Up” was team motto for the 1016 Atlanta Falcons. That is exactly what they did. Led by the great coaching of former Seahawks assistant Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons were fast and explosive. Quarterback Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP and his favorite target was the outstanding Julio Jones. The Falcons scored more points than other team in the NFL.

The Falcons were young, fast and inconsistent on defense. They gave up 30 points per game over the first month but found themselves in a clutch road win over the World Champion Broncos in Denver. They lost two consecutive heartbreakers to fall to 4-3. From then on, they were very difficult to beat.

Atlanta rolled into the playoffs with the three straight blowout wins. They played the veteran Seahawks in the Divisional round. The first half was a tight, back and forth affair. The second half was all Falcons. Atlanta carried their momentum in the championship game where they crushed the Packers. Jones caught 9 passes for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Falcons were on to the franchise’s second ever Super Bowl.

New England Patriots 1 Year Ago

Their opponent came as a surprise to nobody. They are called the New England Patriots. The path the Patriots took to the big dance was unconventional, however. Tom Brady was suspended for his involvement in the apparent deflating of footballs prior to the 2014 AFC championship game. Jimmy Garoppolo started the first two ball games and played lights out including a win at Arizona.

Jacoby Brissett started the next two and won one of those with an excellent job against the Texans. When Brady came back in week 5, he set the league on fire. In the regular season, Brady went 11-1 with 28 touchdown passes against only 2 interceptions. Unfortunately for New England, Rob Gronkowski was lost for the season with a back injury. Martellus Bennett stepped in and had a very productive year.

Patriot Power

In the playoffs, the Patriots played a very sloppy first half as an 18-point favorite over the Texans. Dion Lewis scored three touchdowns, but also fumbled twice. The defense came up big when each of their three Rutgers defensive backs picked off Brock Osweiler. The 34-16 win propelled the Patriots back to the AFC championship game for an unbelievable sixth consecutive season.

In that game, New England proved way too tough for the Steelers. In the third quarter, LeGarrette Blount had one of the great rushes as he carried about seven guys with him on the play. Then, Kyle Van Noy forced a fumble. Moments later, Julian Edelman found the end zone. The two stories from this game were: Chris Hogan’s amazing performance and Le’Veon Bell leaving the game with a groin injury very early. The Patriots were on their NFL-record ninth Super Bowl!

Atlanta Explodes to the Lead

This Super Bowl will be talked about as long as the NFL is an organized sports organization. The first half belonged to Atlanta. After a Blount fumble, the Falcons swept down the field easily. They followed that up with another very easy touchdown drive. Tight end Austin Hooper caught a wonderful pass from Ryan to go up 14-0.

Aided by several defensive penalties, the Pats moved down the field again. And, again the drive ended in a turnover. Bruce Alford ran the Brady interception back for a TD and the Falcons appeared well on their way to their first World Championship. They added to their lead in the second half. In fact, midway through the third quarter, Atlanta led 28-3! Then, history took place in NRG Stadium!

Comeback Key Plays 1 & 2

The first key play for New England on the comeback trail was a fourth down conversion to Danny Amendola. Subsequently, James White scored the first of three touchdowns to cap the drive. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed the PAT, so the score was 28-9 heading to the fourth quarter. The Patriots moved the ball on their next drive well also. Brady lofted a lovely third and one pass to Bennett to get the Pats into the red zone. However, Grady Jarrett sacked Brady on two of the next three plays forcing a field goal.

The second key play for New England on the comeback trail occurred on a third down for the Falcons’ offense. Dont’a Hightower forced a Ryan fumble recovered by Alan Branch giving the Patriots the short field. Amendola scored a few plays later and it was 28-18. On the 2-point play, the Patriots ran a play that worked during Super Bowl XXXVIII. The ball was snapped directly to James White for the two.

Still, it looked like Atlanta would escape. They got a giant play from Devonta Freeman and a spectacular sideline catch from Julio Jones to give them a first down on the 22. However, unsung Trey Flowers sacked Ryan and that was followed by a Jake Matthews’ holding penalty. Atlanta was now out of field goal range, so they were forced to punt.

Comeback Key Plays 3 & 4

The third key play for New England on the comeback trail happened on a third and 10 from their own nine-yard line. Brady threw a perfect pass to the far sideline to Hogan. First down. Three plays later, Edelman made the catch of the century two inches off the ground in triple coverage. On the next play, Amendola grabbed a 20-yarder. Eventually, the Patriots scored on another short White TD.

The fourth key play for New England on the comeback trail was the two-point conversion. On a designed play for Amendola, Atlanta jumped offsides. It did not matter as Danny just got in. Amazingly, the game was tied at 28. And, when the Patriots received the kickoff in overtime, everyone knew how this was going to end.

Brady threw some beautiful passes on the drive: two to White, one to Amendola, one to Edelman, one to Hogan, one to Bennett. The one to Bennett resulted in a DPI that left the ball 2 yards from glory. On second down, White ran a sweep right and landed with the ball on the goal-line. The Patriots did it!

Tom Brady broke a truckload of records en route to the most incredible Super Bowl victory in NFL history. His season started with a suspension and it ended receiving the MVP of the Super Bowl. But, he is not done yet!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XLIX

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The Super Bowl is just 3 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 3 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Glendale, Arizona hosted Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015. The game pitted the AFC champion New England Patriots against the defending World Champion Seattle Seahawks of the National Football Conference.

Seattle Seahawks 3 Years Ago

The Seahawks started their season with a bang by defeating the Packers on opening night easily 36-16. Two weeks later, they beat Denver 26-20 in overtime. They finished the season by winning nine of out 10 to claim the NFC’s top seed. Michael Bennett and Bobby Wagner emerged as superstars on defense.

In the Divisional round of the playoffs, Seattle humbled the Carolina Panthers 31-17. Safety Kam Chancellor was the player of the game. First of all, he made an all-world effort at blocking a Panthers’ field goal attempt right before the intermission. He followed that up with a pick six that put the game out of reach.

Epic in Seattle

There are no words to describe the 2014-15 NFC championship game. The Packers controlled the action to the tune of a 16-0 lead. Frankly, the score should have been much more lopsided. Russell Wilson was throwing just as many passes to the players in a white jersey as he was throwing passes to people wearing a dark one. Finally, Seattle showed a pulse when a fake field goal resulted in a TD cutting the lead to 16-7. With the score 19-7, Wilson threw another interception. On this one, Green Bay’s Morgan Burnett downed the ball when he could have returned the pick for several more yards.

The Seahawks received the ball back with about four minutes to go. They drove the length of the field for a TD that cut the lead to 19-14. Seattle’s season was on the line now. On the onside attempt, Brandon Bostic mishandled the Stephen Hauschka kick. Seattle recovered and there was life. It only took Seattle 30 seconds to find the end zone on an easy Lynch run. The 2-point conversion was absurd. Wilson under much duress lofted a rainbow toward Luke Willson. Haha Clinton-Dix misjudged the pass and Wilson caught it. It was 22-19 for the Seahawks.

Aaron Rodgers calmly guided the Packers back to field goal range. Mason Crosby nailed the game-tying kick and it was on to OT. Wilson threw two gorgeous passes in the overtime period. The second one to Jermain Kearse propelled the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl. If you have not watched the last 15 minutes of this game lately, this is required viewing for a real football fan. Simply put, this was unreal. However, the Seahawks would have one more drama-filled affair at Super Bowl XLIX.

New England Patriots 3 Years Ago

The Patriots limped out to a 2-2 start. In a week 4 Monday Night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Tom Brady was flustered and off target. He played so poorly, Coach Belichick was even asked if he would consider benching him. Belichick scoffed at the notion.

Brady had a tremendous game the following Sunday night against the Bengals. In fact, New England would only lose one more meaningful game over the course of the 2014-15 season. The Patriots’ offense was at full-strength with receivers Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola. Rob Gronkowski, maybe the greatest tight end in NFL history, had a marvelous season. At running back, Shane Vereen was the pass catcher. The Patriots also acquired LeGarrette Blount during the season to add a power running dimension.

Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner were signed to bolster the defense. Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower and Vince Wilfork keyed a one-year rise in defensive rank from 26th to 13th overall. The Pats cruised to the top seed in the AFC and played Baltimore in the Division round. The Ravens were ready.

Patriots Back to the Super Bowl

They pounced to a 14-0 lead. New England tied it. Early in the third, Baltimore reestablished their 14-point lead. Again, New England nodded things up as they went to their bag of tricks. They used an unusual formation where they would line up a running back or tight end outside and then announce him as ineligible while using just four offensive linemen. It worked as the Patriots drove the field easily. Then, they allowed Edelman to throw a pass. He found Amendola streaking down the far sideline wide open and tossed a perfect throw. Gillette Stadium went off its gord. In the 4th quarter, Brady hit LaFell to put the Patriots ahead 35-31. They prevented Baltimore from scoring on their last drive and advanced despite another tough home playoff game verses the Ravens.

The AFC championship game was a smash down. The Pats humiliated Andrew Luck and the Colts in a driving rainstorm. The Pats won 45-7. However, the real story from this game was the accusation that the Patriots purposely deflated footballs below the legal weight limit. Brady, Belichick and owner Robert Kraft were inundated with press reports that they were cheating. For normal teams, this would have been a distraction. For these Patriots, it was merely noise on the outside. Belichick was distracted in the sense that he endeavored to figure out why the balls may have been underinflated. But, the Patriots look fully prepared to battle the defending champions tooth and nail.

Seahawk Power vs. Patriot Skill

In the first half of Super Bowl XLIX, the Patriots moved the ball handily against the might Seahawks. On their first scoring opportunity, though, Jeremy Lane picked Brady off in the end zone. Sadly, Lane broke his wrist on the play. Right away, Brady went after his replacement Tharold Simon. Lafell scored on a slant-in while covered by Simon giving the Pats the 7-0 lead. Seattle tied it on the strength of a tall receiver by the name of Chris Matthews of all people.

The Patriots regained the lead on a beautiful pass and catch from Brady to Gronk. The Seahawks used a linebacker in man to man on Gronkowski and got burned. Seattle, though, marched down the field on a remarkable drive in response. With 6 seconds left, the Seahawks decided to throw once to the end zone. Matthews could not be covered by Kyle Arrington. Hence, the Seahawks scored tying the game at the half 14-14.

The Seahawks owned the third quarter as Brady threw another interception. Doug Baldwin scored to put Seattle up 24-14. Things looked dire for New England. But, Rob Ninkovich got a clutch sack and Julian Edelman picked up a crucial third down. Thus, the Patriots had life.

Seattle switched to a zone defense and Brady like a great maestro went to work. Even Seattle’s top-ranked defense was not capable of stopping him when he reached this level of play. His two touchdown passes went to Amendola and Edelman on perfect short tosses. Gronkowski and Vereen were super-clutch as well. But, Seattle never goes away.

Butler to the Rescue

Thanks to a miraculous pitch and catch from Wilson to Kearse in which the ball bounced off of most of his body before he caught it, Seattle had a first and goal from the five-yard line with less than a minute to go. On first down, the ‘Hawks ran Lynch to the one. The clock kept ticking…40 seconds left…35, 30…no time out taken. Finally, the Seahawks lined up in shotgun. The Patriots brought in all their big bodies and three cornerbacks. Revis lined up on the right side. Browner coached Arrington’s replacement, rookie Malcolm Butler as the teams got set for the play. Wilson took the snap and fired inside. Butler jumped the route and made possibly the most significant interception in NFL history.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick captured their fourth Super Bowl championship in one of the most dramatic Super Bowls ever. Tons of controversy ensued following this game for both sides. However, watching these two teams with so many all-stars in their prime was a treat. The 2014 Patriots and Seahawks both deserved to win the Super Bowl.

We’ll discuss tomorrow how a superstar from the Denver Broncos’ defense stole the show at Super Bowl 50!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Can Tom Brady Pass Michael Jordan Sunday?

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Tom Brady or Michael Jordan?

It’s no question Tom Brady is already the greatest quarterback of all time. Tom Brady is going for his sixth Super Bowl win on Sunday. With a sixth Super Bowl win he will have had as many championships as Michael Jordan. The Patriots’ 18 year dynasty is unheard of and will never happen again. Michael Jordan won all of his titles before the age of 40. Tom Brady is still playing at a high level at 40. With a win on Sunday Tom Brady will pass Michael Jordan as the greatest athlete of all time.

What is a Bigger Dynasty?

Tom Brady came into this league as an underdog in 2000. That first Super Bowl win against the Rams ended their dynasty and began one for New England. The AFC Championship wins against the Colts in the early 2000s marked the end of their regime. Jordan won all his championships from 1991 to 1998. Tom Brady has won three out of four championships from 2001-2004 and has a chance to do it again with 2014-2017. The 18 year run this team is on is way more impressive than the seven year run the Chicago Bulls were on.

Tom Brady Has a Chance to Add to His Legacy Sunday

Tom Brady has a chance to stamp his legacy Sunday as the greatest athlete of all time. This may be the worst Patriots team that has been in the Super Bowl. The defense has struggled and the offense is different without Julian Edelman. Michael Jordan was fourth in career points. Brady is tied for third in career passing touchdowns. Brady was the 199th pick in the NFL Draft while Michael Jordan was drafted third in the NBA Draft. Comparing different sports is hard, but right now Brady is in talks with Jordan as the greatest team athlete of all time. He really has the opportunity to seal that deal Sunday.

Positional Group Comparisons for Super Bowl LII

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Amid the pomp and circumstance of Super Bowl week, there is actually a game that will be played. Let’s allow everybody else to focus on the pageantry of the event. We are going to dive into a position by position evaluation ahead of the big game. Let’s start with on the offensive side of the ball.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

If there is one clear-cut advantage for either team in this game, it’s at the quarterback position. Tom Brady is the consummate professional. He will demonstrate great poise throughout the game regardless of the literal and figurative noise around him. Nick Foles played perhaps the best game of his entire life in the NFC championship game against a stellar Minnesota Vikings defense. He will need to replicate that performance to give his team a chance.

RUNNING BACKS

The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles almost mirror one another in the way they use their running backs. As the season progressed, Dion Lewis saw his role expand. He is known for his elusiveness, but he runs with deceptive power as well. James White’s track record in the postseason speaks for itself. He was a savior in last season’s Super Bowl. White possesses great hands and his quarterback has the utmost trust in his abilities. Rex Burkhead is another solid option as he can spell either Lewis or White.

When the Eagles obtained Jay Ajayi, they showed the NFL they were all-in on this season. Ajayi would be a feature back on many teams like he was with the Miami Dolphins. However, Philadelphia has excellent depth in the backfield. LeGarrette Blount is the power option while Corey Clement specializes in the passing attack. Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars moved the ball easily at New England as they replaced Leonard Fournette with seldom-used Corey Grant. Look for the Eagles to keep the fresh back in the game and do a lot of different things with their halfbacks.

RECEIVERS

Rob Gronkowski is arguably the greatest tight end to ever play the game. He is hardly the lone threat for the Patriots on offense, though. As we witnessed last week, Danny Amendola is as clutch as it gets. Brandin Cooks added six receptions for 100 yards and one critical drop. Brady has been looking deep more regularly in 2017 than ever before. Hence, if Cooks gets behind the Eagles gambling defensive backs and Brady connects, that could be a game-changer. The Pats’ will try it at least once per half. Chris Hogan and Philip Dorsett are also versatile, useful receivers. New England will be ultra-tough to stop if this game turns into a shootout.

The Eagles have a few weapons of their own. Alshon Jeffery has seen his career rejuvenated by coming over to Philly. He was huge in beating Minnesota’s all-world defensive backfield. His 53-yarder proved to be the dagger in the Eagles rout of the Vikings. Nelson Algohar and Torrey Smith are good second and third options on the outside, but not great. The Eagles’ tight ends have been a strength this season especially Zach Ertz. How many times did Foles hit Ertz on third down in the NFC championship game? Ertz keeps improving and the Eagles will look to exploit this advantage Sunday.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The Eagles from top to bottom have the better offensive line. Their center Jason Kelce is a terrific athlete and perhaps the best screen blocker in the game today. Likewise, Lane Johnson is a powerful right tackle. Since Foles is not as much of a threat to move in the pocket as Carson Wentz is, Johnson’s play has taken on a more magnified role. When watching the film, he has passed with flying colors. Halapoulivaati Vaitai is the weak link on this strong line. Look for Bill Belichick to switch between Trey Flowers and James Harrison over Vaitai to keep the backup tackle off-balance.

The Patriots’ offensive line has experienced some inconsistencies. Cameron Fleming has struggled to step into Marcus Cannon’s large shoes at right tackle. On the other hand, the interior has been stout especially when run-blocking. David Andrews is a star in the making and surrounds himself with Shaq Mason and Joe Thuney. That trio means more time for Brady to pick his poison.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE

Simply put, Brandon Graham is superb. He is an elite pass rusher who garnered 9.5 sacks and 47 tackles while sharing time with former Patriot Chris Long at defensive end. The Eagles have a nice interior as well with high-priced Timmy Jernigan and Fletcher Cox. The Patriots have experienced multiple injuries along the line, but appear to be at their most healthy coming into the game Sunday.

Malcolm Brown, Alan Branch and Deatrich Wise Jr. all claim to be 100% ready to play. Trey Flowers is the unsung man on the Patriots. He was enormous in the Super Bowl last year. Twice, the Atlanta Falcons could have put New England in a world of hurt. The Pats’ failed to recover an onside kick giving Atlanta the short field. Flowers sacked Matt Ryan ending the threat. Later in the game, Flowers got Ryan again after a miraculous Julio Jones reception set up Atlanta nicely. Flowers will have another big game this year. Adding James Harrison was the most necessary and incredible move Coach Belichick made during the season. Harrison’s phenomenal play in the 2009 Super Bowl against the Arizona Cardinals is one of the greatest moments in professional football history.

LINEBACKERS

The Eagles appear to have the better group at linebacker. The underrated duo on the outside, Mychal Kendricks and Nigel Bradham, are solid tacklers who defend the pass expertly. The Eagles’ linebackers and edge rushers were flying around the field in the second half of the NFC championship game. For the true fan of the intricacies of the game, it was such a pleasure to watch Jim Schwartz defense in action. They play a smart scheme with throwback relentlessness.

New England lacks experience and depth. Julian Edelman’s injury made the headlines, but Dont’a Hightower’s absence is one of the underplayed stories of the week. People close to the organization recognize Hightower’s greatness. While it is more juicy to discuss a perceived riff in the relationship between Brady and Belichick or how the Patriots get all the officiating breaks, there is an actual news item regarding these Patriots. They miss the terrific Hightower. In both the 2015 and 2017 Super Bowls, Hightower made signature game-altering stops. The Eagles have the tight ends and receiving backs to out-man the Patriots linebackers.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Both teams look good on the back end. Everybody remembers Malcolm Butler’s iconic play as a rookie in the 2015 Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. That was a career-builder for Butler, not a one play wonder. Butler is scrappy, turnover-conscious and gives 100% on every play. Hence, Belichick loves him. On the other side, Stephon Gilmore is susceptible to penalties, but has big play ability as was on display in the last minute of the AFC championship game. Safeties Pat Chung and Devin McCourty are in their fourth Super Bowls. Along with Duran Harmon, they epitomize the bend but don’t break style of Patriot defense. New England gives up a lot of yards, but not a lot of points. That is a recipe for victory.

The Eagles are well-positioned at corner as well. Preseason acquisition Ronald Darby and lockdown guy Jalen Mills join nickelback Patrick Robinson to form a trio that stopped Atlanta with a goal-line stand and had a pick six against Minnesota. While the patriots do not possess the star power of a Julio Jones or Adam Thielen, their receiver by committee will be quite the test for Philadelphia’s backfield. Malcolm Jenkins is one of the best in the game at his position and will have his hands full deciding where to help out.

The Patriots typically plan an offensive attack that has not been seen before. Will they feature Gronk like they did when they won in Pittsburgh? Or will they try to get their backs involved in the passing game? Perhaps they will do something totally different. Your guess is as good as mine. When Schwartz was the defensive coordinator for the Bills in 2014, Tom Brady threw for 361 yards and the Pats’ scored 37 points against one of the best defenses in the league that year. The game will be decided by whoever wins the matchup between the Patriot receivers and Eagle defensive backs. One thing is for sure: Coach Schwartz will have a busy week and a stressful Super Bowl night.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Overall, the Patriots have the edge in the kicking game. Veteran Stephen Gostkowski has been doing his thing for New England for 12 seasons. He has a big, dependable leg. Jake Elliott’s highlight came in a Week 3 win for the Eagles over the New York Giants. He boomed a 61-yard field goal at the buzzer. Each team has a reliable, if not spectacular, punter. The Eagles Donnie Jones has a rocket for a leg while the Patriots lefty Ryan Allen does a great job pinning the opposition deep with his directional gems. He flew under the radar with a strong second half performance against the Jaguars. Belichick was content to get into a field position game and it paid off.

As if New England isn’t tough enough to defeat, the Eagles will have to be mindful of two veteran threats. Danny Amendola provided a spark in the punt game against Jacksonville when he set up his own game-winning touchdown with a 20-yard return. Dion Lewis returned a kickoff for a touchdown in last year’s playoffs and another one this season at Denver.

Obviously, these ball clubs match up well. The Patriots have the better offense, the Eagles have the better defense. However, only one of these teams has Coach Belichick. That is a pretty significant factor. The better overall team comes from Philadelphia. The better coach and quarterback come from New England. This should be a fabulous contest.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

New England’s Changing Talent

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The New England Patriots are once again in the midst of an incredible stretch of success. They’ve won two of the previously three Super Bowls, and are looking to make it three of four next Sunday. Historically, there is a core group of players responsible for this level of success. The 1970’s Steelers boasted an endless group of Hall of Famers on both sides of the ball. The 1990’s Cowboys had the trio of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.

Even the Patriots teams of 2001-2004 had Tom Brady and Troy Brown on offense to compliment Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Willie McGinest on defense in each Super Bowl. This iteration of the Patriots dynasty lacks that core group. There’s been an astonishing change in each Patriots team, which makes the success that more impressive. Different players keep coming through New England’s revolving door of talent, yet the success doesn’t stop.

New England’s Changing Talent

The Patriots Best Weapons Have Struggled to Stay on the Field – Image credit NBC Boston

The Offensive Core

In theory, the Patriots offense would run through quarterback Tom Brady, receiver Julian Edelman, and tight end Rob Gronkowski. When all three are on the field together, they’re practically unstoppable. The problem is keeping all three on the field. Brady is an ironman, but injuries have plagued both Edelman and Gronkowski over the years.

The trio was able to stay healthy for the entirety of the 2014 season, and unsurprisingly it led to the Patriots finally getting the elusive fourth ring. Since then, keeping both on the field has been a challenge. Gronkowski only played in eight games in the 2016 season and missed the entire postseason. Nonetheless, the Patriots still went on to win the Super Bowl without the big tight end.

2017 could post the biggest challenge of them all. Edelman tore his ACL in the preseason, ending his season before it began. Gronkowski suffered a concussion in the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He seems likely to play in the Super Bowl, but it’s not certain yet. Obviously, Brady is the most important piece of the core, but the fact that the Patriots could win three Super Bowls with that trio only playing in one is nothing short of amazing.

The Defensive Core

New England Has Had to Look to Several Different Players for Big Plays – Image Credit USA Today

Offensively, the Patriots have struggled to keep the core on the field together. Defensively, the Patriots have constantly rotated the heart of their defense. In 2014, the defense was led by the ferocious linebacker duo of Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, to go along with defensive linemen Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich. The secondary was held down by safety Devin McCourty and cornerback Darelle Revis.

Two years later, only Hightower, Ninkovich and McCourty remained from that defense. Collins was replaced by Kyle Van Noy, Revis was replaced by Malcolm Butler (who had a pretty big impact against Seattle), and Jones was replaced by Trey Flowers. All three replacements were able to adequately fill the shoes of their predecessors, and helped New England get ring number five.

Once more, 2017 could be even more of a challenge. Ninkovich retired in the offseason and Hightower went down in week seven. With these losses, Devin McCourty is likely to be the only major star to have played significant snaps in all three Super Bowls.

Offensive Role Players Stepping Up

Receiver Danny Amendola Makes the Biggest Plays at the Biggest Moments – Image Credit Getty Images

With all of this turnover, how are the Patriots able to remain so successful? Having Bill Belichick as coach and Brady as quarterback obviously help, but they can’t do it alone. Each season, they have depended on their depth to step up. Each season, it’s been a different supporting cast stepping up.

In order to field this much success with that much star turnover, logic would dictate that the group of reserves would stay consistent. Logic would be wrong. Offensively, the only players outside of Brady to have seen all three Super Bowls are receiver Danny Amendola and left tackle Nate Solder.

The only running back left from the 2014 squad is James White, who wasn’t even active for Super Bowl 49. LeGarrette Blount and Shane Vereen starred against the Seahawks, while White stole the spotlight against Atlanta. This year, the backfield is likely to be headed by Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead.

Amendola has consistently served as Brady’s security blanket in the playoffs, but the pass catching depth around him has been constantly changing. Brandon LaFell was the guy in 2014 before Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell took over the outside roles in 2016. With Gronkowski sidelined, Martellus Bennett became the primary tight end in 2016. This year, the outside receivers are likely to be Hogan and Brandin Cooks. If Gronkowski can’t go, Dwayne Allen will become the top tight end on the depth chart.

Over the three Super Bowls, Brady is likely to lean on five separate running backs, six receivers, and possibly three tight ends. That averages out to a completely new starting cast every single season. No offense should be able to function at this level of efficiency with this much turnover. In spite of that, somehow the Patriots manage.

Defensive Role Players Stepping Up

The defense has gone through even more turnover. Hightower is the last player left in the front seven from the 2014 Super Bowl squad, and he’s missed the majority of the season. New England has completely redone its defensive front in four years, and still managed to put together a Super Bowl caliber unit.

The secondary has had relative consistency, but there’s still been moving parts. The safety trio of McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon have been a part of all three units. Butler’s been in all three Super Bowls, starting two. The opposite cornerback spot has constantly rotated. In 2014, it was Brandon Browner. In 2016, it was Logan Ryan. With Ryan’s free agent departure, Stephon Gilmore was signed to fill the role.

Success isn’t supposed to happen like this. Teams aren’t supposed to consistently dominate in the face of constant change. This ability to succeed in the face of a consistently different cast of players truly highlights what makes Brady and Belichick so special. It doesn’t matter who they put out there, as long as that duo is around, the Patriots will always be the team to beat.

Cover image courtesy of The Denver Post.

New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Preview

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It’s that time of year again. Once again the New England Patriots are playing the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. The last time these two teams played in the Super Bowl was in 2004, when coincidentally the Patriots also lost both coordinators following a win. It was their third Super Bowl win in three seasons. The Patriots could be looking at their sixth Super Bowl title since 2001. Simply amazing!

Familiar Faces

The Patriots will see two familiar faces on the field next week. LeGarrette Blount and Chris Long are former Patriots who both signed with the Eagles in this past offseason. Belichick was asked about Long and Blount in press conference and replied,

“Yeah, they’ve done a good job for them. Both guys have been productive, having good years along with a lot of other guys on the team; solid”.

The James Harrison signing has been great addition for this team. Brings some pressure from the defense that the Patriots didn’t have before. Belichick praised Harrison Wednesday saying,

“James has been great, really professional, works hard. There are a lot of things that we do that are different from what he’s done in the past, but he’s adjusted very quickly. I give him a lot of credit for that and has tried to learn and do everything that we’ve asked him to do to the very best of his ability”.

Brady Is Strictly Focused on the Super Bowl

Tom Brady has not talked about his documentary that was released on Thursday. Instead he’s talking about football and sticking to the big game. He said during his press conference Saturday that having Gronk back out at the practice was great.

“It’s always great to have him out there. He’s a great person great teammate, and a big part of what we do so it obviously hurts when he’s not out there for a lot of reasons.”

Brady is also excited to play in the eighth Super Bowl of his career. The Patriots should fly the Eagles all the way back to Philadelphia this Sunday.

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XLVI

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The Super Bowl is just 6 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 6 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Indianapolis hosted Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012. The game pitted the NFC champion New York Giants against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. This, of course, was the rematch of probably the most intense of all the Super Bowls, Super Bowl XLII when the Giants prevented the Patriots from going undefeated.

New York Giants 6 Years Ago

The Giants did not have a particularly strong 2011 season, but they did have a breakout defensive star in Jason Pierre-Paul. Joining Pierre-Paul along the line were Chris Canty, Linval Joseph and Justin Tuck. This was a true strength of the team that started the season at 6-2. However, the defense slumped down the stretch to finish 27^th in the NFL.

In week 9, the Giants defeated the Patriots in New England 24-20 on a last-second drive led by Eli Manning. The Giants’ best players on offense were wideouts Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Although the Giants went on a 4-game midseason skid, the Cowboys and Eagles could not catch them in the NFC East. Cruz and Nicks played outstanding football in the Giants’ late-season sweep of Dallas that clinched the division.

New York really seemed up against it heading into the playoffs. The Packers had an extraordinary 15-1 season and the top seed. The 49ers and their punishing defense and the Saints and their high-octane offense also had superb regular seasons. And, the Giants finished dead last in running the ball. Nobody had ever made it to the Super Bowl with such difficult odds. But, these were the Giants captained by Tom Coughlin that made history by defeating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII ending their undefeated season. So, they believed.

Giants Upset Pack & Niners

In the opening round, the Giants outclassed the Falcons, 24-2 in the Wild Card round setting up a clash with the Pack. In the regular season, the amazing Aaron Rodgers helped the Packers come back to win a thriller at the Giants’ MetLife Stadium. This time, Rodgers never had a chance. The Giants looked like the 15-1 squad while the Packers played like a team that barely finished above .500.

Manning found Nicks for an exciting 66 yarder early and on a “Hail Mary” on the last play of the first half. Michael Boley, Chase Blackburn and the wily Osi Umenyiora tormented Rodgers in the second half as New York shocked the football world with a 37-20 victory in Lambeau Field. The Giants had another very challenging matchup ahead of them. The 49ers had knocked off the Saints in an absolute beauty and would host the NFC championship game.

San Francisco jumped ahead, but New York just kept hanging around. They managed to get the game into overtime where it turned into a punt-fest. New York benefited from a blown whistle on a fumble in their own red zone and a fumble by Niners’ punt returner Kyle Williams. The Giants prevailed 20-17 and were on to their 5^th Super Bowl.

New England Patriots 6 Years Ago

The New England Patriots got back to the big game with the second-ranked offense and the second-worse ranked defense. Brady started with a bang collecting 500 yards passing on opening night in Miami. Following that week 9 loss to New York, the Pats finished the season on a 10-game winning streak.

In the Divisional round, Brady was on fire as he threw 6 touchdown passes. Tim Tebow was on the other side for Denver and he completed nine total passes. New England routed the Broncos twice in 2011 by a combined score of 86-33!

Pats Survive Gutsy Ravens

The AFC championship game between New England and the Baltimore Ravens was a completely different beast. Baltimore challenged the Patriots all day. Brady struggled, and the defensive backfield was so depleted, New England was using punt returner Julian Edelman as a cornerback. The lead see-sawed back and forth until Brady snuck in on a 4^th down to put the Patriots ahead 23-20. Then, the fun reached a climax.

The Ravens got the ball back with about two minutes to go and easily moved the ball into field goal range. On a second down, quarterback Joe Flacco fired a perfect throw toward Lee Evans in the end zone. Evans caught it. Then, Sterling Moore swiped it away. After another incompletion, Billy Cundiff came in to attempt a game-tying field goal. He hurried on to the field and missed wide left. The Patriots advanced to their seventh Super Bowl. By the way, nose tackle Vince Wilfork played a game for the ages.

Even First Half

The Patriots did not get off to a great start in the Super Bowl. On their first offensive series, Tom Brady got flagged for grounding in the end zone. The Giants then drove to a Victor Cruz touchdown and a 9-0 lead. The Pats settled down and kicked a field goal early in the second quarter.

The Giants had something brewing in response but received an extremely questionable holding penalty on a third and one. Punter Steve Weatherford came on to punt and pin the Patriots deep. Weatherford, for the record, was outstanding in the most important game of his career.

Brady then embarked on a record-setting streak. Interestingly, this may have been his worst overall performance in a Super Bowl, but for what it is worth, over the course of two drives in the second and third quarters, he connected on 17 straight passes. The first scoring drive came with eight seconds left in the first half. Brady surveyed the field for eternity before firing a dart to Danny Woodhead for the touchdown.

Patriots Drop the Ball

In the second half, Tom connected with Aaron Hernandez. The score was 17-9 for the Patriots midway through the third quarter. It was now the Giants turn to strike back. For NY, the going was slow but steady. Two field goal drives cut the lead to 17-15. Brady also threw an interception on a promising Patriots drive. And, one other crazy thing about this game is the Giants fumbled three times but recovered all of them.

New England moved the ball well again in an effort to put the game away late in the fourth quarter. However, on a second and 11 at around the Giants 40 with four minutes to go, disaster struck. Brady had Wes Welker open in the seam. The pass was slightly high and behind Welker but was definitely catchable. Welker went up for it, got both hands on it and dropped it. On third down, Deion Branch missed what would have been a first down over the middle.

Manning to Manningham

New England punted. Then, Manning hit his third wide receiver Mario Manningham on a gorgeous throw and catch along the sidelines. New York drove into field goal range. So, Bill Belichick advised his team to let New York score. Ahmad Bradshaw endeavored to stop short of the goal-line but accidentally fell into the end zone for the 21-17 lead. Subsequently, the Patriots desperate last drive failed. They dropped a few more passes, converted a fourth and 20 and missed on two bombs. The Giants were champions for the fourth time.

New England would be back at it three years later while the Giants have fallen on some down times. They will always have the distinction of beating the dynasty Patriots not once, but twice in Super Bowl action.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_bills

Super Bowl LII Preview and Prediction

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Super Bowl LII

After all that developed during the 2017-2018 season, it will conclude with the two top-seeded teams squaring off in U.S. Bank Stadium. Fans and media have huddled around the drama, adversity and success (or lack thereof), of each NFL franchise since August. This year’s playoffs featured twelve teams which all had the potential to have their ticket to the Super Bowl punched. The Bills made their first playoff appearance in decades. Chiefs fans left Arrowhead Stadium disappointed after the Titans pulled off a comeback upset in the Wild Card. The Saints were one play away from advancing to the NFC Championship, until the Minneapolis Miracle happened. The postseason has been filled with surprises and highlights, but in the end, there can only be one victor.

On February 4th, the New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles, will battle to make history. All thirty-two teams in the NFL share a common goal: to win the Super Bowl. Every franchise grinds from August to January to earn a spot in the playoffs. The twenty that fail to make it plan accordingly to ensure that they will be present in January next season. The Super Bowl is the mecca of the football world, where sports and entertainment collide. Numbers, statistics and odds circle around the media in the two week break between the Championship games and the Super Bowl. This guide contains for betting on an array of props in the Super Bowl, ranging from points scored to the color of Gatorade poured on the winning coach.

Super Bowl LII- Patriots vs. Eagles: Three Things to Know

1. Experience is Key

Nick Foles will be making his first Super Bowl appearance, to add to his four postseason starts, in his six year career. Though impressive, it is a ninth of Tom Brady’s thirty-six starts in the playoffs. This will be Brady’s eighth Super Bowl appearance in his career, he has only lost in two of them. Coincidentally, the last time the Eagles appeared in the Super Bowl was in 2004, and they lost to none other than Tom Brady and the Pats. Fast forward fourteen years, both teams are completely different except for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady leading New England.

Brady and Belichick might have the upper edge with Super Bowl experience, but they have not faced the Eagles since 2015. Head coach, Doug Pederson, is a crafty play caller and defensive coordinator. Jim Schwartz coaches a young and hungry defense, that leads the league in defensive scoring. Nick Foles might be rattled in his first few drives in a Super Bowl environment, but the Eagles’ planning prior to kickoff could cause a few surprises.

2. Offensive Maestros

Nick Foles unexpectedly became a starter for the Eagles late into the season, after Carson Wentz suffered an ACL injury. He started out rusty the first few games, but was able to pull out a win in each of his starts, except for one. Foles is a talented veteran, and a scary backup, to have on a team. He picked up right where Wentz left off, with little turbulence.

Carson Wentz might have locked up the first seed in the playoffs for the Eagles, but it’s no fluke that Foles has gotten the team to the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship, Foles tore apart the Vikings’ stingy defense. He posted 352 passing yards, and three touchdowns, in a blowout victory. The Eagles’ running back trio of Jay Ajayi, LaGarrette Blount, and Corey Clement, are all great weapons for Foles to utilize in the backfield as well. The Eagles’ boast a stacked receiving corp as well. Wrapping up the offense, Lane Johnson and his o-line, are one of the best in the league.

The best offensive tackle performances from the 2017 playoffs! pic.twitter.com/m69Q63IAlY

— PFF (@PFF) January 24, 2018

The opposing offense is extremely resilient. The Patriots are missing multiple starters to injury, but still cannot seem to lose. Dion Lewis is having a career year at the team’s primary running back position. Rob Gronkowski, whose availability is up in the air at the moment, can be a spark to the offense on every drive. Both Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola, are posting career numbers in the playoffs. Amendola has been a key receiver in the playoffs, and came in clutch on Sunday against the Jaguars.

Danny Amendola came up with the clutch plays as the Patriots completed the comeback to take down the Jaguarshttps://t.co/5k4Q9QCVzl pic.twitter.com/s6dHScZfSK

— PFF (@PFF) January 21, 2018

However, only one team has Tom Brady. He has mounted a whopping eight postseason comebacks, upon a plethora more in the regular season. He completed an MVP-worthy season, without one of his best receivers, and an occasionally faulty offensive line. Only Brady could make a season like this look like a clinic.

3. Protect the Throne

Coming into this year, almost everyone expected the Patriots to make a deep playoff run. No one held the Eagles to the same standard. The Eagles are hungry for a Super Bowl trophy. Despite losing their starting quarterback, they came out swinging in every playoff match-up. They are not scared of Tom Brady, or the Patriots, but rather they are excited to dethrone them:

The Eagles are coming for Tom Brady's crown. pic.twitter.com/mZuDrdbSgM

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 22, 2018

The Eagles want nothing more than to have a repeat of the beat-down they gave to the Vikings. Though they are the one seed in the NFC, they were written off in the Divisional Round. The Eagles embraced their underdog role, and played their hearts out throughout the playoffs. Now in the Super Bowl, the odds are against them once again. This time, however, they will battle one of the most methodical teams in the NFL. The Patriots are elite because of the preparation they put into each game. Their game-plan changes depending on what team they face. They have two weeks to study film, and see how the Eagles play. Bill Belichick is amazing at pointing out teams’ weaknesses, so it is safe to say the Patriots will be ready. We’ll all have to see how this match-up fares out on Super Bowl Sunday.

Prediction: 33-24 Patriots

Cover image courtesy of PennLive.com.

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XLII

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The Super Bowl is just 10 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 10 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Glendale, Arizona hosted Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008. The game pitted the NFC champion New York Giants against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference.

New England Patriots 10 Years Ago

Keith Nordstrom

Simply put, the 2007 Patriots are one of the most famous teams in NFL history. Their story starts at the end of 2006 when their stable of no-name wideouts was criticized for struggling in the AFC championship game. Thus, the Pats acquired Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Dante Stallworth to add firepower to their offense. They also added Pro Bowler Adalius Thomas to an already strong defense.

A funny thing happened in their Week One destruction of the New York Jets. The Patriots were caught “spying” on Jets’ signal callers. While videotaping in of itself was not illegal, the manner with which Bill Belichick did it was called out by Commissioner Roger Goodell as inappropriate. Indeed, all owners and coaches were warned of what they could and what they could not do. Belichick was slapped with the stiffest fine for such “gamesmanship” in NFL history.

Greatest Regular Season Ever

Al Bello

Belichick seemingly took his frustration over this situation out on the rest of the league. New England did not just win games in 2007. They pulverized their opponents like nothing ever seen. Quarterback Tom Brady played at an obscene level of greatness. Randy Moss was unstoppable, and Wes Welker was a revelation at slot receiver. The Patriots shattered offensive records left and right.

In the final game of the regular season, they put their undefeated streak on the line against the Giants. The G-men were locked in at a Wild Card spot and had nothing to play for. However, they did not rest their guys and gave the Patriots everything they could not want. In the end, Brady hit Moss for one of the most dramatic regular season touchdowns ever seen. The Pats won the ball game, but the Giants with their fight and resilience made a statement.

In the playoffs, Brady was on fire in a 31-20 victory over Jacksonville. He did not play well the following week against the Chargers. But, New England was the vastly superior team and prevailed 21-12 to earn the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl appearance.

New York Giants 10 Years Ago

Donald Miralle

While the Patriots dominated the ’07 season, the Giants flew under the radar. They started the season 0-2 losing to the two best NFC teams of the regular season: The Cowboys and Packers. They responded with a six-game winning streak behind the much-improved play of fourth-year quarterback Eli Manning and bulky runner Brandon Jacobs.

The Giants were mediocre down the stretch finishing 10-6 after their loss to the Pats. They did, however, have one major strength: pass rush. Michael Strahan and reserve Justin Tuck combined for nineteen sacks on the season. Their best player on defense, though, was Osi Umenyiora. He made the Pro Bowl thanks to his thirteen sacks, forty tackles, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown.

Clutch Manning

In the playoffs, Tom Coughlin’s team won rather handily in the Wild Card game over Tampa Bay. The win earned them a trip to Dallas to face the top-seeded Cowboys. The Cowboys lacked discipline on the big stage, committing eleven penalties. So, despite outgaining New York by 100 yards, Dallas found themselves in a dogfight. The Giants did not have many opportunities to score. But, their red zone trips resulted in 21 points. Tony Romo’s last ditch pass intended for Terry Glenn was off the mark. Hence, the Giants escaped with an improbable 21-17 victory.

In one of the coldest games in NFL history, the Giants played very well in Green Bay. They dominated in time of possession and controlled the second half. However, kicker Lawrence Tynes missed two kicks that could have won the game in regulation for New York. Brett Favre threw an interception early in overtime. This time, Tynes nailed the winner from forty-seven yards out. Red-faced from the extreme conditions, Tom Coughlin ran to the locker room with joy. Super Bowl XLII would be the New York Giants against the undefeated New England Patriots.

Defensive Stalemate

The Giants took the opening possession down the field and settled for a field goal. The Patriots answered by taking their opening drive all the way for a touchdown thanks to a DPI in the end zone against tight end Ben Watson. The score was 7-3 at that point and it remained that way for about two hours!

New England came closest to scoring in the third quarter. But, when faced with a fourth and thirteen at the thirty-one, Belichick decided to go for it instead of trying the field goal. Finally, in the fourth quarter, the Giants moved the ball. First, Manning found tight end Kevin Boss for a 45-yard gain. Then, on a 2^nd and 3 from the five, he hit David Tyree for the go-ahead touchdown. It was Tyree’s seventh catch of the entire season.

The Patriots responded by driving the length of the field with Brady going to Welker and Kevin Faulk for big gainers. On a third and goal from the ten, Brady threw a dart to a single-covered Moss for the go-ahead score. It was 14-10 Patriots with 2:35 remaining.

Helmet Catch

The Giants launched a drive for the ages. They converted a fourth and inches from their own 29. Next, Asante Samuel barely missed picking off Manning along the sideline when the Giants had some miscommunication. Then, Manning miraculously escaped pressure and lobbed one for Tyree who made his eighth catch of the season by pinning the ball to his helmet. Rodney Harrison unsuccessfully tried to dislodge the ball from Tyree’s grip.

The Giants converted a 3^rd and 11 to Steve Smith followed by the go-ahead touchdown from Manning to Plaxico Burress from the thirteen. Ellis Hobbs was isolated in coverage on Burress. Manning threw a perfect pass and the Giants took the lead. The Patriots almost completed a “Hail Mary” on their final possession, but it harmlessly fell from Randy’s grasp. The Giants won their third Super Bowl and denied New England’s place in the annals of sports history.

The Giants and Patriots would meet again in Super Bowl XLVI four years later. These would be the two most difficult losses of the Belichick/Brady era. On the other hand, these wins cemented Tom Coughlin’s place as a great coach and proved Eli Manning could beat anybody in the clutch.

Tomorrow, we’ll discuss another wonderful Super Bowl game between the Steelers and Cardinals.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Is a Brady-Garoppolo Super Bowl in the Forecast?

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JIMMY G TRADED TO SAN FRAN

In October of 2017, the Patriots traded away QB Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers for a 2018 second round pick. Prior to the transaction, Jimmy G was presumably New England’s QB of the future, as Tom Brady is nearing the end of his career. For this reason, many New England fans were troubled by the move. However, as I like to say “In Bill We Trust”. In other words, I personally did not question the move because as history shows, never question Belichick’s actions because he is always right.

49ERS PRIOR TO ACQUIRING GAROPPOLO

ninernoise.com

Since a brief run of being an elite team from 2011-2013, the 49ers have been one of the worst teams in the NFL. They have gone just 13-35 over the past three seasons. The offseason acquisition of former Falcons’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was a step in the right direction however the roster still lacked talent and experience on both sides of the ball. The first half of the season was evident that the Shanahan signing was not quite enough as San Fran started the season 0-9. Prior to starting Jimmy G, they were 1-10. During that span they allowed twenty-six points per game while only scoring seventeen. Luckily for San Fran, a savior was sent over from New England.

JIMMY G UNDER CENTER FOR SAN FRAN

mercurynews.com

The Niners were an entirely different team once Jimmy G took over at QB. For starters, they went 5-0. The most remarkable wins came in the final two games of the season. In Week 16 they took down the Jaguars while scoring forty-four points on possibly the league’s best defense. Then the following week they stormed into LA and beat the Rams 34-13. Granted, the Rams were resting some players but it was still a very impressive road win. During the five-game win streak the Niners scored 28.8 points per game. That total was just one point less than the league-leading mark set by the Rams. Also, the efficiency of the offense vastly improved the play of the defense. During Jimmy G’s starts they allowed a respectable 19.8 points which was six less than they allowed through the first twelve weeks.

TB12 VS JIMMY G SUPER BOWL?

For 2018 it may be a stretch due for this to happen due to the strength of the NFC. However it is certainly not out of the question. Though it was a short period of time, San Fran played exceptional with Garoppolo at QB. They played well enough to make me question what the ceiling for this team really is. They have some solid weapons on offense with Carlos Hyde, Marquise Goodwin, and Matt Breida. If they manage to make a few key moves on defense then this team could become legit as soon as next season. In all likelihood, it probably will not happen in 2018, but with other NFC teams getting older a Brady vs Garoppolo Superbowl could certainly happen. Such an event would certainly be all a New England fan could ask for.

*Questions or comments? Find me on Twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

*Feature picture credit goes to WEEI.com*