Normally, this time of year is a sad time for football fans everywhere. Because the Super Bowl and the season have come to a close, meaning it is a time grounded in reflection as fans ponder upon the season that was and what their favorite team will look like in the fall as the days and weeks close in upon Free Agency and the Draft and eventually, those all-important preseason snaps. But apparently, the times they are-a-changing, and the void between important moments in the NFL postseason is going to be filled going forward with football after all because this past weekend saw the humble beginnings of a new football league.
 
For the Alliance of American Football kicked off its inaugural season this past Saturday and well, I have to admit that this was quite the pleasant and thrilling surprise. Because as I was flipping channels on Saturday, I stumbled upon this, and immediately texted others that I knew were hungry for a football fix like me, because I was genuinely surprised at how good the product on the field turned out to be. These were some quality games, the kind that featured some fun and risky plays that you don’t see in the NFL and I have to admit that I’m downright hooked on this new league and everything it has to offer going forward.
 
Because this league has a special feel to it, a certain hunger that you simply don’t see in the NFL since it is such a polished product, and that comes courtesy of the fact that a lot of players in AAF, just so happen to be NFL castaways. Which means they fully understand that this is their proverbial second chance to put some quality tape together and be noticed by the league once again and that brought out some serious effort come game time and it was just a blast to see a guy like Trent Richardson, who was labeled an NFL bust and now plays for the Birmingham Iron, play like a man with nothing to lose and dominate on the field as well, and while seeing players get a second chance is enough to warrant a viewing on its own, there are more wonders that this league has to offer.
 
For example, there are no kickoffs or PAT’s in this league. The ball is simply placed on the 25-yard line at the beginning of each half or after a scoring drive, and every team that does score is required to attempt a 2-point conversion, adding a new layer of excitement to the game that I’ve never seen before. And as an added bonus, we are also privy to parts of the sport that have traditionally been off limits since coaches, quarterbacks and referees are all wearing microphones, giving us inside access to the huddle, the sidelines and even replay for that matter and that makes for one incredibly immersive experience.
 
If anything, I have to admit that I am quite impressed with what this new league has to offer. But what truly has me excited about the AAF is its raw potential down the line. Because this league, could serve as a developmental league for the NFL, something that is desperately needed quite frankly, because some guys simply need the live reps and they don’t get them because they’re a second or third stringer and having them play here, might finally allow for better, long term quality play in the NFL. But all potential aside, in the here and the now, the AAF is a lot of fun to watch, and a fine way to ease into the NFL offseason and I know I’ll definitely be carving out time to watch whatever the AAF has to offer in the weeks to come, so I can partake in a little football history and see this league prosper and grow.

​When one thinks of the Super Bowl, perfection comes to mind. For the two best teams in the league take the stage in this game, and their special brand of football and incredible execution means we are often treated to memorable games that feature thrilling moments and outright stunning plays as both teams give it their all for a right to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and enjoy the title of Super Bowl Champions. However, the reality of the game is that not every single Super Bowl is going to turn out to be an instant classic and for proof, look no further than Super Bowl LIII.
 
Which is fascinating, since last night’s game appeared on paper, as though it was going to be an incredible battle between two quality quarterbacks, which meant the score should have been wild as Jared Goff took full advantage of the Patriots’ uneven secondary while Tom Brady slowly disassembled Wade Phillips’ quality and stifling defense. But instead, we were treated to a sloppy mess of a game, one that saw the Rams struggle mightily on the field as the Patriots worked their way toward their sixth Super Bowl Victory in the Belichick/Brady era and well, before we get into what made this particular game tough to watch, let’s take a moment and talk about what made it worth our while.
 
First and foremost, history was indeed made because the Patriots are now the second franchise in NFL History to win six titles, an honor they share with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tom Brady also made history since he is now the only player to own six Super Bowl rings and as an added bonus, this was quite the defensive showing through and through. For the Rams defense did make life hell for Brady for most of the game since they were able to sack #12 and pick him off and disrupt his timing. And the New England defense was no slouch in this game either since they confused Jared Goff to the point where he didn’t have a clue as to where to throw the ball.
 
Which brings me to what quite frankly, made this game a stinker. Because in essence the Rams offense didn’t show up in this game. After all, Todd Gurley and the running game as a whole were non-factors in this matchup, and I made mention of the fact that Goff looked confused in this game. Yet, while he struggled under center, I blame the coaching staff for not putting Goff in a position to succeed since they didn’t bother to make any adjustments, nor does it seem that any coaching happened on the sidelines either since #16 had trouble reading the Patriots defense and one of the coaches should have helped him to recognize weaknesses in the New England secondary.
 
Those problems on offense are what led to the Rams eventual downfall because that vaunted defense wore down as the game went on, allowing for Brady and company to exploit a weakness and their important accomplishment will be grossly overshadowed by the fact that this was a messy and often boring game. One that featured all kinds of sloppy play and while I understand the point that I made, in that…not every game will wow us, I really did expect more from this one. I wanted to see some kind of fight or drive from the Los Angeles offense, instead there was only frustration and mistakes and well, as a fan, I can safely say that this Super Bowl was disappointing to say the least because the Los Angeles Rams folded on the biggest stage, and all we can hope for at this point, is that the two teams that take the field in Super Bowl LIV, give us their all, so we don’t have to sit through an embarrassment like this again.  

There really is something special about Super Bowl Sunday. Because this is a day that is akin to a national holiday, wherein friends and family settle around the television to enjoy a hearty meal that features wings and various snacks in order to celebrate the wonder and majesty of football, and that kind of camaraderie is simply magnificent in its own right. But while it is a blast for us to put on our favorite jerseys and eat way too much cheese dip as we watch two teams duke it out for the Lombardi Trophy, it is easy to forget what this game and this day means to the players taking the field.
 
For there is no higher honor for a player, than being able to step out onto the field and know that this is it. All the two a days, all the aches and pains and horrible losses and sweet victories of the season, or a career, were building to this point; a chance to play in the biggest game in all of the land and hopefully walk away as a Super Bowl Champion. That drive, and that desire is why we have seen some incredible Super Bowls in our day, and tomorrow’s matchup looks to be no exception for that rule. For on this Super Bowl Sunday, we get to watch a young coach and quarterback, and a pair of living legends, fight to extend or create a legacy. So, without further ado, let’s take an in depth look at both teams, and what will need to happen in order for them to win, Super Bowl LIII.

THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – STRENGTHS 
While the Patriots are no longer stacked to the brim with talent quite like they used to be, this team is still able to accomplish wonders, thanks to their all-star quarterback, Tom Brady. For #12 has seen just about everything in this league, and once he knows what a team is up to, he will make plays happen and dissect their defense with little effort and that is a strength this team has utilized throughout the playoffs. For Brady knew when zone defense was coming in the AFC Championship Game, and he knew exactly what the Chargers were throwing at him before that. And Brady’s ability to read defenses and make the proper adjustments to the play before the snap, is something I expect to see plenty of in the Super Bowl.
 
THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – WEAKNESSES
While I do make it sound as though the Patriots are invincible with Brady at the helm, make no mistake about it, they are a beatable team thanks to a couple of key weaknesses. The most glaring one, is their defense, since their D lacks any real star power or quality players and their suspect secondary has cost them games on several occasions. Also, Brady is also a liability, provided of course the opposing defense does its job right. Because Tom doesn’t like to be hit during a game, nor is he a fan of man-to-man coverage and when teams bring the rush and lock down his receivers, Brady tends to lose and for proof, look no further than Super Bowl LII…
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THE LOS ANGELES RAMS – STRENGTHS
When it comes to this particular topic, I may have bitten off more than I can chew. Because the Los Angeles Rams are a wildly talented team in just about every phase of the game. They feature a dynamic offense that is able to move the ball by land or by air thanks to their versatile running backs and top tier quarterback and they also happen to have one of the finest defenses in the league, with a vaunted front four that make life difficult for opposing offenses and all of those elements will allow for them to come out swinging, with confidence, come game time tomorrow.  
 
THE LOS ANGELES RAMS – WEAKNESSES
Ironically, while the Rams boast one of the finest defenses in the league, that stout D is also a liability on the field at times. Because Los Angeles loves to blitz, and that sometimes puts their secondary in a vulnerable spot, meaning that it is quite possible to have a receiver torch their cornerbacks and oddly enough, the offense has its issues from time to time as well. Most of those problems rest with QB Jared Goff, who proved this season that he can in fact be rattled, and when an opposing defense gets under his skin, he’s definitely prone to mistakes and these issues may rear their head during tomorrow’s game.

THE KEYS TO SUPER BOWL LIII
If the New England Patriots want to win this game, well, they need to shore up that defense and find a way to confuse and confound Jared Goff in the hopes of forcing a few turnovers and they have to figure out how to neutralize Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson on the ground if they want any shot at winning this game and of course, they need to let Brady be Brady. That means he needs total freedom at the line of scrimmage to conduct the offense as he sees fit in order to make the proper adjustments to beat whatever the Rams defense is sending his way and if they are able to pull all of that off, the Lombardi Trophy will return to Foxboro for a sixth time.

For the Los Angeles Rams to win this game, two key things need to happen. First and foremost, they need to play stifling defense when Brady is on the field, that means sacks are a necessity as is man to man coverage to take away Brady’s use of the quick route and second, the offense needs to chew up as much clock as possible. They need their ground game to serve them well and move toward the end zone in long and sustained drives, in part to keep their defense fresh, but also, to flat out keep Brady off of the field. For the longer they take, the less time that Brady has to do anything of significance.