Championship Sunday provided us with four possible Super Bowl scenarios. The odds-makers favored a do-or-die battle between Drew Brees trying to get his second ring, and Andy Reid looking for his first. Fans who grew up watching the two, licked their lips at the thought of Brees vs Brady in the big game, while a new, younger generation clamored for a rematch of November’s century scoring affair. What we have on our hands, though, is none of that.
We’re left with the old school Patriots, who force the rest of the league to adapt to them, not the other at around. And the new school Rams, who have just the right amount of grit and grace to beat anybody. On the surface, it might seem like this Super Bowl lacks the storylines that the other three matchups might’ve provided, but upon further review, that’s just false. We might not have the desperation of any other matchup, but there are a lot of interesting moving pieces.
McVay vs Belichick
This is probably the most obvious headline that we’ll hear about in the next two weeks. Coming into the season most would agree that these are the league’s best two coaches, and that stands true after Sunday’s games. What’s interesting, though, is how they’ve proven themselves. Belichick has continued to casually hurdle each obstacle that teams have thrown at him for what seems like 100 years. McVay has proven to be one of the best offensive minds in the sport, which is a perfect balance of aggression and knowledge.
The interesting story to follow will be how Belichick attacks an offense like McVay’s. People don’t like to agree with this, but Bill got out-coached in the Super Bowl last year by a more-aggressive and opportunistic coach. If McVay can help simplify things for Goff and open things up for his offense, history may repeat itself.
Jared Goff’s Push For Supremacy
We know the Jared Goff story. He struggled in college. He has a big arm, was the first pick, was a potential bust, and now is a franchise QB. It’s a trajectory that’s different than that of any QB in the NFL, and he has a chance to take it one step further.
Only three QBs drafted since 2008 have started and won Super Bowls. Those three (Flacco, Wilson, Foles) were led by defensive units that did a lot of the heavy lifting. Obviously, it takes an entire roster to win a Super Bowl, but it’s no secret that the Rams second-ranked offense is the driving force behind this team.
Goff will have a chance to put himself ahead of guys like Mahomes, Wentz, and Prescott. Honestly, Goff has a chance to put himself ahead of guys like Matt Ryan and Cam Newton who couldn’t get it done, as well. Long story short, it’s more just a Super Bowl for Goff. It’s an opportunity for the first feather in a potential Hall of Fame cap that not many other guys can boast.
Will it be Todd or C.J.?
The Super Bowl should provide us with a fun matchup between RBs who passed by each other at Georgia back in 2014, but it’s not even guaranteed. From being a game-time decision in Week 16 (sorry fantasy owners) to missing Week 17, MVP-candidate Todd Gurley has essentially become a backup during these playoffs. The biggest question is: is Todd still injured or is McVay riding the hot hand?
Anderson has tapped into that late-season magic that got him a starting job in Denver and helped guide them to a Super Bowl themselves. I anticipate that Gurley will get healthier over these two weeks, but Anderson isn’t going anywhere. Expect a fairly even split, with C.J. in on short distances, and Gurley in on passing plays.
Tom Brady Going Full Circle
It was 17 years ago that this thing kicked off – 17 years of complete and utter dominance in the AFC. 15 out of 17 division titles is impressive, but nine out of 17 Super Bowl appearances is shocking. Tom Brady has guided the Pats to more than half of the last 17 Super Bowls, but where it all started was against the then St. Louis Rams, and the Greatest Show on Turf.
John Madden was on the call, U2 was the halftime performance, but there was one constant that we’ll get to call back to that game, and it’s Tom Brady. The Rams were favored by 14 on that fateful Sunday in 2002. I don’t think that will be the case this time around.
However, what will be interesting is that this might be the storyline that drags out the most anticipation. Should the Pas win, many will look for Brady, who shows no signs of slowing down, to call it quits after starting and ending with the Rams. Meanwhile, should the Rams win, critics will look to compare Tom launching his dynasty to Goff doing the same. It’s a very fun, coincidental story, but it might just be the one that we hear the most about, not only leading up to, but also following the game.
Ready for the big game? Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram @MS_Persources to discuss.