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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIX

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The Super Bowl is just 13 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 13 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005. The game pitted the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles against the defending World Champion New England Patriots. The Patriots looked to become the first time to repeat since the Dallas Cowboys 11 years earlier.

New England Patriots 13 Years Ago

The Patriots made a significant change on offense during the offseason adding the powerful running back Corey Dillon. In 2004, Dillon rushed for a career-high 1635 yards. Consequently, the ’04 Patriots were the best of their teams to date.

On opening night, they dispatched their rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, yet again 27-24. When they defeated the Seahawks in the sixth game, New England recorded an NFL record 21st consecutive win overall. The following week, they were plastered on Halloween by Pittsburgh to end the run. But, they would store that performance in their memory banks.

Patriots Swagger

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In the playoffs, the Patriots would get another crack at the Colts and Steelers. Many pundits felt this could be the season Peyton Manning’s would conquer New England. It was not to be. The Patriots’ defense did something that had not occurred all season. They stonewalled Indianapolis’ top-ranked offense. In an absolute statement, the Pats embarrassed the Colts 20-3. In the following game, the Patriots would get their revenge on Pittsburgh.

The Patriots jumped all over the Steelers from the get-go at Heinz Field. The 15-1 Steelers led by rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger were behind the eight-ball all night. They had no answer for the third-year wide receiver out of Louisville, Deion Branch. Branch went for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. The dagger was Rodney Harrison’s 87-yard interception return before the break. That score gave New England a 24-3 lead en route to the 41-27 victory.

Philadelphia Eagles 13 Years Ago

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The 2004 Eagles were in the midst of their best stretch of football in franchise history. They were coming off three consecutive losses in the NFC championship game and clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a 13-1 start to the season. The Eagles had three Pro Bowl players on offense including QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook and All-Pro WR Terrell Owens. On defense, the Eagles were led by the fantastic Brian Dawkins and their stellar secondary.

In the playoffs, the Eagles proved way too strong for Minnesota and Atlanta despite Owens being out with a severe ankle injury. The Eagles held Mike Vick to just 136 yards passing and 26 rushing. Philly went 7 for 14 on third down conversions and that proved to be the difference as Atlanta just could not possess the ball enough for Vick to make something happen. Therefore, the Eagles advanced to their second Super Bowl!

Competitive First Half

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The first half of Super Bowl XXXIX was very interesting and competitive. The Patriots registered 27 yards and 4 punts to start the game. Philadelphia did slightly better when it came to moving the chains, but consecutive drives ended in turnovers. Likewise, Brady fumbled near the goal-line for a critical Patriots’ turnover. Both teams scored touchdowns on their final drives of the first half. The Eagles scored on a pass down the middle to tight end L.J. Smith. New England countered with a brilliant drive consisting of several screen passes. Brady made a magnificent pass to David Givens for the tying score just before the break.

Eagles Exhaustion

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New England took their first drive of the second half right down the field as well. Brady consistently hit Branch to get into the red zone on both of their second half touchdown drives. Mike Vrabel put the Patriots up 14-7. Philadelphia answered with a Westbrook score and the game went into the fourth tied at 14. The Patriots proved too tough in the final frame.

With the score 24-14, the Eagles used too much clock on their final scoring drive. After they did not recover the onside kick, they were forced to use their timeouts. They did not get the ball back until there were just seconds to play and they were stuck at their own goal-line. Rodney Harrison intercepted McNabb to seal the deal.

The Patriots were officially a dynasty as of February 2005. But, they had much, much more things in store under Coach Belichick. The Eagles, on the other hand, never captured a World Championship under Andy Reid. In fact, 2017 was the best Eagles’ squad since Super Bowl XXXIX. With Carson Wentz at quarterback, the future looks bright!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Relax, Tom Brady Will Be Fine

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BRADY WILL BE READY TO GO SUNDAY

Tom Brady cut his hand from hitting the buckle on someone’s helmet. He has four stitches around the knuckle and should not affect him. That is according to Mike Felger, who had a source close to Brady’s injury. Brady also missed practice yesterday but was throwing the ball around today. Fans, even myself, thought the injury was fake, but the players wouldn’t put that much effort in making up a story. They are playing the Jaguars. Brady could play with one arm and still beat them.

THE PATRIOTS WILL BE FINE AND SO WILL BRADY

Let me show you how the Jaguars defense is a fraud. The Jaguars had ten-sack games against the Colts and the Texans. That’s twenty-eight sacks total in four games against those teams. That is half of the Jaguar’s season total according to Tony Massarotti. Tom Brady when asked if he was playing Sunday and with a smirk said “We’ll see” was the second most stupidest thing I heard all day.

He is obviously playing and wants people to think that he’s not. Now if Jimmy Garoppolo were here what would have his response been? He would’ve said that he was fine and that’s a fact and he’ll be ready to go Sunday. But because the backup is Hoyer he avoided the first response and said “we’ll see.” The first stupidest thing I heard all day was he is questionable to start Sunday. That is a clear note to the Jaguars that he’ll be off his game but really he won’t and will be fine on Sunday.

ROOT FOR THE PATRIOTS

If you’re a football fan you would want the Patriots to win on Sunday. Do you really want a Jaguars-Eagles or Vikings Super Bowl? It’s the biggest game of the year so be careful what you wish for. If the Patriots lose Sunday then it will be the lowest rated Super Bowl ever. Having said that the Patriots will beat the Jaguars and it really won’t be that close. Brady’s hurt yes, but he will be fine on Sunday afternoon.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Rest In Peace

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I have a confession to make. I take joy in other people’s pain. I’m not particularly proud of the fact, but I don’t think I’m alone.

I love that Roger Goodell’s NFL is dying in the ratings. The 2017-18 regular season marked the second consecutive significant decline. Last week’s divisional playoffs were down eleven percent nationally. Good.

And I love that ESPN continues to be a dumpster fire. From tanking ratings, to widespread sexual harassment by on-air personalities, and President Jon Skipper resigning over substance abuse issues, I have enjoyed every minute of their demise. I hope everyone on that network has to dive through Taco Bell dumpsters just to feed their families. Ok, maybe that was too much. I hope their families leave them before that happens.

But, as much as I hate Goodell and his mouthpieces in Bristol, I hate our enemies on the field even more. That’s why I’m taking almost obscene pleasure in the current state of affairs in Pittsburgh. You know, the team we were destined to play in the AFC Championship game this weekend.

The Symptoms of Disaster

How on earth did the Pittsburgh Steelers lose a home playoff game to the Jacksonville Jaguars? The answer is simple: they are not the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh is loaded with talent, yes. But, they are poorly coached, undisciplined, and childish. They are the anti-Patriots.

From the final whistle of their annual loss to New England in Week 15, Steelers players, coaches, and fans spent the better part of a month talking about their inevitable rematch in the AFC Championship Game. Hell, even a month before that December game, Mike Tomlin predicted the match-up in a ridiculous interview with NBC’s Tony Dungy.

But after Week 15 the chorus from the Tin City – sorry, steel is hard, you’re not – was loud and confident. Not only were they going to play the Pats in the AFC Championship game, they were going to win. They were the better team. According to Safety Mike Mitchell, it didn’t matter if the game were in hell, Haiti, or Foxborough.

The problem is, of course, that Pittsburgh has all the swagger and none of the game. New England was so in their heads that they forgot the cardinal rule of the NFL – on any given Sunday, anyone can beat you. Bill Belichick’s Patriots would never look past an opponent, certainly not in the playoffs.

Other symptoms of Pittsburgh’s season-long lack of discipline and focus include:

  • Le’Veon Bell threatening to retire in the off-season if the Steelers franchise tag him rather than sign him to a long-term deal.
  • Offensive coordinator Todd Haley shattering his pelvis after being involved in a “situation” outside a Pittsburgh bar that he and his wife had just been thrown out of.
  • Ben Roethlisberger throwing every possible coach under the bus all season long when things didn’t go their way.

The Wrong Overreaction

Pittsburgh’s response to their division-round loss to Jacksonville was typical of many bad franchises. They drew the wrong lessons and overreacted.

Rather than listen to the finally rising chorus calling from Tomlin’s ouster, they fired offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Okay, technically he wasn’t fired, they just didn’t renew his contract. But, he was fired. So, the team that put up 42 points against the Jags didn’t have enough offense? Interesting assessment.

Haley had been the offensive coordinator since 2012, and in the last four seasons had guided the Steelers to no worse than the 7th best offense in the league.  This season, Pittsburgh finished as the third best offense behind only (you guessed it) the Patriots and the Saints. Offense isn’t Pittsburgh’s problem. Leadership and culture are.

As if to double down on their poor decision, Tomlin not only didn’t get rid of anyone on the defensive side of the coaching tree, he gave them a vote of confidence. This, of course, is a group that allowed Blake Bortles to hang 38 points on them.

As commonplace as it’s become for idiots like the CHB to claim New England plays in a division full of tomato cans, it’s ridiculous how Pittsburgh gets a pass for the quality of the AFC North. Tomlin is an awful coach. His teams have simply benefited from playing Cleveland and Cincinnati twice a year – who unlike Miami and Buffalo have neither a defense nor an offense.

Poor management of undisciplined and unfocused players is a recipe for disaster in the NFL. As Patriots fans, we should be thankful that the Pittsburgh Steelers are too dumb to recognize their flaws.

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVIII

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The Super Bowl is just 14 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 14 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Houston hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1, 2004. The game pitted the NFC champion Carolina Panthers against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. The Panthers were in their ninth season of existence. Yet, they already had one exciting ride to the NFC championship, two head coaching changes and one rebuilding project.

Carolina Panthers 14 Years Ago

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The 2003 Panthers coached by John Fox were in their second year of the aforementioned rapid rebuild project. In 2001, the Panthers finished 1-15. Head coach George Seifert was fired and Fox was brought onboard to replace him. The 2002 Panthers showed vast improvement. They were led by hotshot wideout Steve Smith and rookie defensive lineman Julius Peppers to a 7-9 record. Carolina finished in last place in a very competitive division behind the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Michael Vick-led Wild Card Atlanta Falcons. Carolina’s resurgence continued in 2003 when Jake Delhomme replaced Rodney Peete as the starting quarterback. Stephen Davis was added via free agency. Deshaun Foster was drafted to bolster their running attack. Therefore, they were much stronger on offense. On defense, Kris Jenkins was a First-Team All-Pro selection. Put it together and Carolina became a playoff team.

They upset Mike Martz’s St. Louis Rams in an epic double-overtime thriller. Carolina appeared to be in control with just a few minutes left leading 23-12. The Rams struck with a touchdown and 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 23-20. Subsequently, they recovered an onside kick. Them, of all people, Martz took the ultra-conservative “send it to overtime” approach by settling for a field goal and a tie. Both teams squandered opportunities to win in the first overtime. The Rams took the ball back and drove into Carolina territory, however an errant Bulger pass was intercepted by Carolina cornerback Ricky Manning . On the first play of the second overtime period, Delhomme needed only ten seconds to throw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith to win the game. It marked the first double-overtime game and longest NFL game since the 1986 playoffs.

In the NFC championship game, Fox’s defense completely stifled Andy Reid’s offense as the Panthers won in Philadelphia 14-3. The Carolina Panthers qualified for their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

New England Patriots 14 Years Ago

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The AFC was a three-team race between New England, Kansas City and Indianapolis. The Chiefs and Colts were offensive powerhouses, but weak on the defensive side of the ball. Thus, the Patriots were the most complete squad of the three. The Pats added veterans Rodney Harrison, Larry Centers and Ted Washington to an already stacked lineup.

The Patriots got waxed by former friend Lawyer Milloy and the Buffalo Bills 31-0 in the opener. In week four, they lost at Washington 20-17. They would not lose again. Many of their wins were tough, grind-it-out affairs. They won at Miami in overtime on a dramatic pass play from Tom Brady to Troy Brown. A few weeks after that, the Pats won at Denver in come-from-behind style on Monday Night Football. However, their grandest triumph during the regular year occurred when they knocked off Indy 38-34 using a goal-line stand at the buzzer for the win.

In the playoffs, the Patriots held off Tennessee in arctic conditions 17-14. In the AFC championship game, the Patriots’ defense tormented Peyton Manning all afternoon long. Ty Law especially frustrated Colts’ receivers with his aggressive cover style. The NFL’s co-MVP threw four interceptions as New England prevailed 24-14. Bill Belichick led his team back to the Super Bowl.

Two Games in One

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Super Bowl XXXVIII had two games within one. There were the defensive duels of the first and third quarters and the offensive warfare of the second and fourth. Indeed, there was a little of everything in this very exciting football game. What cannot be denied, though, is the best player on the field in Super Bowl XXXVIII was Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady. He did not play a perfect game, but he was clutch in clutch city.

New England’s came out on fire limiting the Panthers to -7 yards over their first 20 plays. The Panthers responded well late in the second quarter with 10 points in the final 2 minutes. The score was 14-10 until early in the fourth.

Pat’s running back Antowain Smith bulldozed home for a 21-10 lead eleven seconds into the last quarter to set off a scoring spree. The Panthers scored the next twelve points including an electrifying TD pass from Jake Delhomme to Muhsin Muhammed. The play covered 85 yards. Carolina missed their 2-point conversions so the score was 22-21.

Tom Terrific

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Brady, unaffected by an earlier red zone interception, brought his team down the field in four minutes. The Patriots scored when Brady hit linebacker Mike Vrabel from the one-yard line for the touchdown. They successfully converted their 2-pointer on a direct snap to Kevin Faulk. The lead did not last very long. Delhomme brought his team down the field in just over a minute. Just like he did in Super Bowl XXXVI for the Rams, Ricky Proehl scored the tying touchdown.

Panthers’ kicker John Kasay made a critical error on the ensuing kickoff as the lefty pushed it out of bounds. Brady led his team into Adam Vinatieri field goal range. Despite a shaky first half, Vinatieri booted it home to give the Pats their second World Championship! But, they were not done yet.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Bortles

Bortles Is Definitely Not Trash at Quarterback

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Blake Bortles does not have a great reputation as a starting quarterback in the NFL. For example, Houston Texans’ defensive end Jadeveon Clowney famously called Bortles “trash”. Tennessee Titans’ defensive tackle Jurrell Casey claimed that Bortles “chokes under pressure”. Even Seattle Seahawks’ safety Earl Thomas labeled Bortles as “subpar”.

Does Bortles really deserve all this derision? Perhaps he did coming into the 2017 season. His career record was a dismal 11-34 as he threw 51 interceptions in just 45 starts. In fact, head coach Doug Marrone did not name Bortles as his starter until he won the competition over Chad Henne during preseason.

Bortles Stepped up His Game

However, Bortles has not played like “trash” in 2017. He has actually played very well when matched up against some of the game’s best. While he is not in the same category as Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson, his solid play when up against teams like the Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers helped his squad win those ball games. Instead of a liability, he has been a contributor.

Jacksonville crushed the Baltimore Ravens 44-7 early in the season. This is a Ravens team that finished the season with three shutouts. Late in the season, Jacksonville proved they were for real with a 30-24 win over Seattle. Bortles passed for 275 yards, two touchdowns, and most importantly no interceptions. He made Thomas and the Seahawks’ defense look “subpar.” Those wins enabled the Jaguars to improve from 3-13 in 2016 to a third seed in the AFC playoffs.

In the Wild Card round Bortles struggled in the passing game against the Buffalo Bills. Yet, he won that game for his team by rushing for 88 yards. In the Divisional round, Bortles was outstanding. He flawlessly executed the offensive game plan and consistently made wise decisions with the ball.

Brady Always Has the Advantage

To be fair, Blake Bortles will not be facing Tom Brady. He will be opposing the New England Patriots’ defense. The Patriots almost seem offended when it’s insinuated that Bortles is a poor quarterback. Certainly, there are several “elite” quarterbacks that wish they were headed to Foxborough for the AFC championship game this Sunday. If Bortles wins this game over Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the vaunted Patriots, he will likely shed his draft bust label once and for all.

Brady rarely has a bad day at the office. His career mark speaks for itself. Teams have gotten to him like the New York Giants in the 2008 Super Bowl and the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game from two seasons ago. But, those situations are few and far between.

The 2015 Super Bowl was the last time Brady faced a top two ranked scoring defense in the playoffs. We remember how well he played that evening against the Seahawks.

In this match-up the Patriots should be able to win because of their running game. Dion Lewis is having a career year. Rex Burkhead and James White are the kind of multi-faceted players that Belichick loves. Bortles should have a strong game, but it probably won’t be enough to dethrone the champions.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVI

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The Super Bowl is just 16 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 16 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

New Orleans hosted Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002. The game pitted the NFC Champion St. Louis Rams against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. The game was played less than five months after the horrendous terrorist attacks of September 11th. So, there was an air of patriotism on Super Bowl Sunday. Low and behold, a team named the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl and made American football history.

St. Louis Rams 16 Years Ago

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The greatest show on turf was back and in many ways, they were even better than their 1999 World Championship team. After a lousy defensive campaign in 2000, the Rams hired Lovie Smith and acquired Aeneas Williams. They went from last place in points allowed to seventh and from 23rd in yards allowed to third! Williams’ impact was especially apparent. He finished the regular and postseason with 4 interception returns for touchdowns including two off Brett Favre.

The Rams’ offense was the Rams’ offense. They led the league in points for a third consecutive season. They had the best quarterback and best running back in football in Kirt Warner and Marshall Faulk. In fact, Faulk edged Warner for NFL MVP of 2001. Faulk finished with the incredible total of 2100 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns. The Rams also had two legends at wide receiver with Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt posting obscene numbers. Mike Martz’ team was a well-oiled machine.

They rolled to a 14-2 regular season record. Then, they embarrassed the Packers in the Divisional round 45-17. However, the Rams faced a formidable opponent in the NFC Championship game. The youthful Philadelphia Eagles, who would be playing in the first of 4 straight NFC Championship games, battled until the end. Philadelphia was an 11-point underdog, but led 17-13 at the half. The Rams scored the next 16 points as they switched from their “greatest show on turf” style to pounding Faulk into the line. Faulk scored twice putting the Rams ahead 29-17. Philly responded with a late tally, but their last effort ended in another Williams’ INT. And, the Rams were on to their second Super Bowl in three years.

New England Patriots 16 Years Ago

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While the Rams were preseason favorites heading into 2001, the Patriots aimed to get back to the playoffs. The 2000 Pats finished 5-11 under first-year coach Bill Belichick with the 22nd-ranked offense and 20th-ranked defense. Headed into his seventh season as an NFL head coach, Belichick made the playoffs just once. However, he had achieved great success as Bill Parcells’s assistant and defensive coordinator. Thus, Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft still had confidence that Belichick was the right man for the job.

Belichick’s most important move was to keep a fourth quarterback on the 2000 roster named Tom Brady. Brady was a sixth round draft pick out of Michigan and was not projected to be anything special. One position that was not a major concern heading into 2001 was quarterback. The Patriots had nine-year man Drew Bledsoe who had shredded team passing records in the ’90’s. That all changed in week two when Bledsoe got wrecked near the sideline by Jets’ defender Mo Lewis. Brady stepped onto the field launching one of the greatest careers in the history of team sports.

Brady was not great 16 years ago. But, he was dependable and mistake-free. Even when Bledsoe got healthy, Brady remained the starter.

A competitive loss to the Rams left them at 5-5. At this crossroads in the season, Belichick called upon his defense to turn up the intensity. His guys responded emphatically led by Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy. New England won their final six games including two tough, low-scoring games on the road against the Jets and Bills. At 11-5, the Patriots grabbed the #2 seed in the AFC when the Jets stunned Oakland in the season finale.

Tuck Rule

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Brian Snyder

The Divisional Round playoff game between the Raiders and Patriots became an all-time classic. First, it was the last game at old Foxboro Stadium. Second, it was played on a Saturday night in a steady falling accumulating snow. Third, it was decided on a call so controversial, the game is known to this day as “The Tuck Rule Game.” As far as game action is concerned, it did not get exciting until the Patriots finally scored a late touchdown to cut the lead to 13-10 on a Brady run.

When the Pats got the ball back, they drove into Raiders’ territory when it happened. On the play, Raiders’ cornerback Charles Woodson and Brady’s former teammate at Michigan sacked Patriots’ Brady. He fumbled and it was recovered by Raiders’ linebacker Greg Biekert. Officials reviewed the play, and eventually determined that even though Brady had seemingly halted his passing motion and was attempting to “tuck” the ball back into his body, it was an incomplete pass and not a fumble under the then-effective NFL rules. Subsequently, the Patriots moved the ball into field goal range.

With under a minute remaining in regulation, Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri booted an unbelievable 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 13, which sent the game into overtime. In OT, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game for the Patriots. New England rejoiced. In effect, a dynasty that has known no equal in NFL history, was born.

In the AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh, Brady hurt his ankle. Bledsoe came in and led the Patriots to a touchdown drive. Two special teams’ scores had New England up 21-3 before the Steelers rallied. However, they intercepted Kordell Stewart twice in the last few minutes to close out a 24-17 victory improbably sending the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXVI.

Patriots Day

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The Rams were 14-point favorites heading into the big game. The Patriots were not intimidated. They came out introduced as a team, ready to go to work.

St. Louis could not get on track offensively. The Patriots’ strategy to knock people around on every play was working. In the second quarter, Mike Vrabel made an uncontested rush toward Warner. Warner’s pass floated toward Bruce when Law jumped the play and darted to the end zone putting the Pats up 7-3. Another turnover led to a Brady to David Patten touchdown just before the half. Yet, another turnover by the Rams led to a second half field goal. Therefore, New England led St. Louis 17-3 heading to the fourth quarter.

The never-say-die Rams responded with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Ricky Proehl scored the latter with less than two minutes remaining. Brady now had his turn. For the first time on the international stage, he worked his magic. He calmly led the Pats from their own 17 to the Rams’ 30 in just over a minute. Vinatieri knocked home the game-winner and the Patriots won their first Super Bowl championship! It would not be their last!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

NFL Championship Sunday Preview and Predictions

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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

championship

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

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.

 

Tom Brady Plans Life After Football

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Tom Terrific’s Documentary

Earlier this week Tom Brady released a trailer for a documentary series on Facebook Watch called “Tom vs. Time”. The trailer features Brady saying, “There’s a warrior spirit about me”, and there is speculation that the documentary will be all about the Patriots. Some who believe that Brady is only thinking about himself instead of his team. Is he preparing his life after football with his TB12 brand?

Selling the TB12 Method

Brady has released a book, a special meal plan, and workout plan. Forty is the new thirty with the TB12 method. Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, and the reason why he’s still playing is because he wants to prove that even at forty he still can play football at a high level. So why stop now? Brady wouldn’t talk about his documentary during today’s press conference saying, “This is about Tennessee. We’re two days from the biggest game of the year”.

Brady Focused on the Playoffs

Tom Brady is locked in on the playoffs. It’s what is best for the team. His TB12 brand is important to him, and will probably develop into something more after he retires from football. Some people say that Brady is just doing the documentary so he can sell something.

Shannon Sharpe said on his show ‘Undisputed’,

“Now he wants to offer us a glimpse inside of Tom Brady? What’s he selling? People will always open up if they pitch him something. Got a book, got a movie, in this case got a documentary series. Really Tom Brady? You spent the better part of 18 years being private, it wasn’t until you started promoting these health and wellness centers, the TB12 method, now all of a sudden you want to open up. I want to show you what’s in my refrigerator. He wants to open up only after he started to pitch something. So what happened to Year 10, why didn’t he open up? What happened to Year 15, why didn’t he open up? Now as he starts to move past it, he’s not playing to 45, he wants to prop up this TB12.”

Ignoring the Noise

Sharpe and many others believe that Brady is more about selling his brand than being loyal to the Patriots this year. Patriots fans don’t think that’s true. He is focused on the playoffs. However he really has to start thinking about what he is doing after football. He will be forty-one in August and his TB12 method has worked for him, so why not sell the product? At least he has a plan for what might come next.