With the New England Patriots 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII the 2018 NFL Season is in the books. Here are some of my thoughts on the game and football.
1. Before getting to the Super Bowl and other (more fun) football thoughts I have to tackle this. It's been on my mind for a while and especially since his State of the NFL address last week. Roger Goodell stepped into the role of the NFL Commissioner in 2006 on the premise that he was a man of the fans and the promise that it's all about the game. I believed him. I actually believed that he was representing me at the top of the league's flow chart. He lied. It's all about money. I should've known. It's always about money. Especially among men that already have tons of it. I know that the commissioner works for the owners. I've just always thought that if the commissioner and the league's decision-makers put the best possible football product on the field the money will come. It's football first and the money will follow. All Goodell had to do was not get in the way of the game. All that he's done since 2006 is get in the way. It's a testament to the terrific players on the field and the great game of football that the league has thrived in spite of him. Throughout it's history the NFL has been in great hands with Joe Carr, Bert Bell, Pete Rozelle, and Paul Tagliabue. The latter is often excluded from the league's list of great leaders for his mishandling of the concussion issues. Everyone, and I mean everyone: from the medical people to the players themselves, mishandled the concussion issue. Goodell isn't among the game's great leaders. From his random punishments to his complete bungling of the deflated footballs investigation to the current atrocious state of game officiating. Getting games to international sites has been a greater priority than getting things running well in the country in which all of the teams play. The league is a mess under Goodell. With him, I fear that a disastrous work stoppage is coming and I fear for the future of the league.
Enough with that clown.
Super Bowl thoughts.
2. I've seen and heard a lot of people bellyaching about the modest offensive showing in Super Bowl LIII. I realize that I'm in the minority but I prefer a game like last night to those 54-51 free-for-alls that get so many excited. Those games become a joke. It's as if the offenses are playing against air. Like it or not, defense is a part of football and I actually like games in which defense plays a part. Every football game is different. It's those differences that make the games interesting.
3. The punting in the Super Bowl was great.
4. The Rams offensive line was protecting Jared Goff and opening holes for Todd Gurley and the backs all season. It's one of the best offensive lines in the league. The difference in the Super Bowl was the pressure the Patriots were able to create with their front seven. They sacked Goff four times and hit him 12 times. They also had seven tackles for loss. When Goff was able to get a pass away the secondary routinely had tight coverage. A brilliant play by corner Jason McCourty prevented what looked like a certain Rams touchdown. With just over four minutes to play, corner Stephon Gilmore tipped away a potential Rams touchdown. A play later, Gilmore's interception pretty much sealed the game.
5. Julian Edelman (10 catches 141 yards) was named MVP. He was deserving as the Rams couldn't cover him. In a game decided by the defense it feels like it would've been more appropriate for a defensive player to take home that award. But who? Stephon Gilmore? Donte Hightower? One of the McCourtys? That's the thing with a strong defensive performance. It often takes all 11. If it was me, I'd have gone with Gilmore.
6. The Rams defense was terrific. The Patriots moved the ball but they had to really work for every yard. It took the Patriots 53 minutes to get into the end zone. And they only did so once.
7. This was a fun defensive game.
8. The were some offensive maniacs in the media that were trumpeting the league trending toward the offensive when the four highest scoring teams made up the final four teams. Last night, these two high-scoring teams combined for a single touchdown. Defenses can still win titles.
9. It might not feel it right now bu the Rams future is bright.
10. From ESPN's Field Yates:
How each Super Bowl team's 53-man roster was built:
Rams:
25 players drafted
10 free agents
5 players traded for
4 acquired on waivers
9 UDFA
Patriots
25 players drafted
14 free agents
6 players traded for
1 acquired on waivers
7 UDFA
11. Saw this little Super Bowl Scoring nugget on twitter (before the game):
Total points: NFC/NFL 1324, AFC/AFL 1110
PPG: NFC/NFL 25.46, AFC/AFL 21.35
Highest: NFC/NFL 55, AFC/AFL 38
Lowest: NFC/NFL 6, AFC/AFL 3
Below 10: NFC/NFL 7x, AFC/AFL 2x
30 or more: NFC/NFL 19x, AFC/AFL 11x
40 or more: NFC/NFL 8x, AFC/AFL 0x
50 or more: NFC/NFL 2x, AFC/AFL 0x
It was great to see the Rams knock the Vikings from the title of lowest scoring NFC team.
12. The NFL commercial with all-time and current football greats was the best of the commercial bunch.
13. NFL Honors thoughts. Steve Harvey was excellent as host.
14. Hall of Fame thoughts. Congratulations to the eight new HOFers.
Ed Reed
Tony Gonzalez
Champ Bailey
Kevin Mawae
Ty Law
Johnny Robinson
Gil Brandt
Pat Bowlen
I'll see them in Canton in August.
15. The longest discussions for the modern-era finalists:
Ty Law: 27:16
Tony Boselli: 26:10
Kevin Mawae: 24:52
Don Coryell: 22:37
Tom Flores: 18:54
I've never been quite sure if a long discussion is a good thing. It got two of the above into the Hall. Three are still on the outside. This was Don Coryell's fifth time as a finalist. It's interesting that he's still getting a lot of discussion. It sure looks like the voters are too divided to ever get him into Canton.
At the other end discussion spectrum:
Ed Reed: 2:20
I've heard that when Brett Favre was presented the presenter simply said his name.
16. Congratulations to the Patriots on a ridiculous sixth Super Bowl win, the Rams on a great season, all of the players that won awards at the NFL Honors, and the eight new HOFers.
17. With the Patriots Super Bowl win the 2019 NFL Draft Order is set.
1. Arizona Cardinals
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. New York Jets
4. Oakland Raiders
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6. New York Giants
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
8. Detroit Lions
9. Buffalo Bills
10. Denver Broncos
11. Cincinnati Bengals
12. Green Bay Packers
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Atlanta Falcons
15. Washington Redskins
16. Carolina Panthers
17. Cleveland Browns
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Tennessee Titans
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
21. Seattle Seahawks
22. Baltimore Ravens
23. Houston Texans
24. Oakland Raiders (from Bears)
25. Philadelphia Eagles
26. Indianapolis Colts
27. Oakland Raiders (from Cowboys)
28. Los Angeles Chargers
29. Kansas City Chiefs
30. Green Bay Packers (from Saints)
31. Los Angeles Rams
32. New England Patriots
18. The NFL never rests. It's on to the preparation for the 2019 season.
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