I’m a Pat’s fan, and while I’m upset they’re out, I actually couldn’t be more happy right now. I love TB12, and if this was his last game in New England, then I’ll shake his hand and wish him all the best with whatever team he decides to sign with.
Right now, though, I wanna throw a little flare into the mix right now and kinda break away from football and bring up some baseball real quick.
Now, please, just stay with me;
In 2004, the Boston Red Sox (yes, I know another Boston team, but just see where I’m going), became the first team to win a championship in baseball after being down 3 game to none. While it has been seen in other sports, like the Boston Bruins (yes, again, I know. I’m sorry) losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 playoffs, or even the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup after being down 3 to none in their series in 1942, and while teams have comeback from a 3-1 deficit in baseball, not 1 team came back from 3 games down until that series. As we all know, the Red Sox came back, won, and swept the Cardinals to win their first World Series title since 1918.
The 2004 World Series was the 100th edition (or 100th year, take your pick) of the event, which involved a team with the most infamous curse in sports history, The Curse of the Great Bambino, being broken after 86 years.
That leads me back to the NFL. This is the 100th season, a full century of the game. While the Patriots and their dynasty winning a 7th title and Brady basically becoming more powerful than Thanos sounds like a true story for the league’s 100th year, we need a team that has that underdog feeling, or even a redemption story, hell, even the full circle story.
Saints-Obviously, last year’s missed pass interference was horse crap. With them in the playoffs, they can make the huge run to the Super Bowl and erase the demons from last year.
Chiefs-The team that everybody thought would win last year and defeat the Pats. Mahomes is a beast and is leading the future of young QBs.
Seahawks and Eagles- 2 teams that I personally can’t stand, but I did love Philly’s Super Bowl win. The 2 of them are the definition of underdogs this season. I honestly didn’t expect either team to make playoffs, but here we are.
Vikings-They have been to the Super Bowl 4 times and haven’t won once. Diggs’ last second catch 2 years ago against the Saints was literally a fairy tale ending, until the Eagles slammed the book shut. Minnesota fans have been dying to see a Lombardi Trophy, with their last championship happening in 1969 before the AFL-NFL merger.
49’ers-With their last championship coming in 1994, they went a perfect 5 for 5 when they entered the Super Bowl until the Ravens stopped them from their 6th title in 2013. Nearly 6 years after their last post season appearance, they look to be in good shape, but the ghosts of Kaepernick past might still be lingering in them.
Texans-A team I’ve always had a soft spot for (don’t know why, I just do), they never could make it past the Divisional Playoffs, falling to the wayside thanks to the Pats twice in the past 8 years and once to the Ravens. With this year being their 20th anniversary (18th technically) and J.J. Watt returning after what was though to be a season ending injury, and him being legit one of the most charitable athletes in sports, this could be his run to the top.
Titans-“The Tackle”, “One Yard Short”, “The Longest Yard”. Whatever you call it, it was just heart breaking. For those that don’t know, Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackled Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson one yard short of a touchdown and potential game tying drive in the last seconds of Super Bowl 34. That was the closest the Titans came, legitimately, to a Super Bowl title, not having seen a championship game, or winning one, since 1961 when they were known as the Houston Oilers. Finally breaking the plane of the end zone and scoring in the Super Bowl will erase the memory of the 2000 Super Bowl.
Ravens-2 teams can say they’re undefeated at the Super Bowl, the Ravens and the Saints. With the Ravens having won in their only 2 appearances, if title #3 is coming, they don’t have to worry about the Pats stopping them again. However, they missed playoffs from 2015 until last year, with last year they were knocked out by the Chargers in the Wild Card round. This year the earned the bye and will face the Titans, so we just gotta wait and see.
Packers-Where do I start? Along with NFL100, it is also the Packers 100th year as well (99th season and 101st all around, but who’s counting). The Vince Lombardi Torphy being named after their former coach. The winners of the 47th AFL-NFL World Championship Game, which was also the first game under the Super Bowl moniker. This screams “full circle” and “classic”. They are back in the playoffs since missing them in back to back seasons, and with a new head coach and a bye, they can end the season the same way it all began.
History will be made in just a few short weeks, and I hope it’s an epic tale.