Super Bowl Weeknd

  

One more game. One last attempt at the drawing board. One last matchup ... for all the marbles, to hoist the Lombardi trophy. 

We made it. We made it to the Super Bowl of the weirdest, yet most rewarding, NFL season in history. Maybe our appreciation and enjoyment for the game grew a little deeper this year. And maybe that stems from the thought that there was a high possibility of it being taken away from us. There was truly a point when we did not know if we were going to have an NFL season.

No matter the outcome, we get to witness history on Sunday. 
Not only is this the first time a team will compete for a Super Bowl title in its home stadium, but it's the first time a player will appear in their 750th Super Bowl. 

I had to get at least one joke in. 

Much of the hype for this big game has been centered around the quarterback matchup, and rightfully so. Tom Brady could win his seventh ring, at the age of 43 might I add. Patrick Mahomes is the youngest QB to appear in consecutive Super Bowls, at the age of 25. 
It's old vs. young. 

It's also not the first time these two have met each other on the field this season. During their Week 12 matchup these two QBs combined for 807 yards and six touchdowns in a 27-24 Chiefs victory. Whether you can rush and have a mean side-arm, or you make it look effortless from the pocket, these two know how to produce better than any other quarterbacks in the league. Even though their style of play may differ from one another, their stat lines sure do not. Brady threw for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Mahomes had 4,740 on the year, 38 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Oh, and both know how to win. It's just expected at this point. 

We all know everything there is to know about these quarterbacks, right? It has been the bulk of all Super Bowl conversation. Let's talk about something else. Somebody has to help make these guys look good, right? Fortunately for them they have more than enough. Tyreek Hill has almost 1,300 yards on the year with 15 touchdowns, and an average of 14.7 yards per reception ... he is averaging a first down every time he touches the ball. They don't call him Cheetah for nothing. Mike Evans is not too far behind him though. Evans has just over 1,000 yards this season with 13 touchdowns, averaging 14.4 yards per touch. 

Having reliable receivers is a blessing, but having reliable tight ends is just icing on the cake. Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce ... maybe you have heard of these guys before? Travis Kelce is having a historical year. Kelce became became the first tight end in NFL history with multiple 100-plus catch seasons and he also set the single-season receiving yards record by a tight end with 1,416. If you look at numbers and numbers alone, Kelce takes the crown from Gronk ... but it's Brady and Gronk. We all know how that goes. 

What I am trying to say with all of this is that defensive coordinators Todd Bowles and Steve Spagnuolo have their work cut out for them on Sunday. These two creative defensive minds have had two weeks to draw up the X's and O's. I know defense wins championships, but can Todd Bowles pull off the impossible and stop Kansas City? What does he have drafted up for Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul and Devin White?

Andy Reid and Bruce Arians are no strangers to the big game. Andy Reid is making his fourth Super Bowl appearance, third as head coach. Reid was on the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff in 1997 and in 2005 he led Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl as head coach. This was before the Philly Special was a thing. As wide receivers coach in one and offensive coordinator in another, Bruce Arians was a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XL & Super Bowl XLIII victories. 

Okay, it is clear that we have showdowns all across the board here. So, you want my prediction? I have been told that is against football's sacred religion to bet against Tom Brady, but the Chiefs will not be stopped. Kansas City will go back-to-back in a 38-34 victory against the Tompa Bay Buccaneers. Patrick Mahomes will have over 350 yards and Tom Brady will be held to under 270. Because well, Honeybadger.  

The Super Bowl Weeknd is here and it's the defending champs vs. the most successful player in league history. Get your popcorn ready ... and your chips, dips, wings, pizza, beer, and most importantly your nachos. 

6:30pm EST. CBS. 

Black Lives Matter. We will continue to fight for justice and for equality. For all. No one is free until all are FREE. Black Lives Matter, have always mattered and will always Matter.