It probably shouldn't have come as much of a surprise to most football fans. After all, the New England Patriots WERE favored, though just slightly, to win another Super Bowl over the LA Rams.
And so they did. What WAS surprising was how both defenses were so effective. In what most, including yours truly, thought would be a high-scoring affair, it was anything but. A final score of 13-3 bears that out. Defense pretty much ruled.
Hats off to defensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Pats. Holding the high-octane offense of the Rams to a mere field goal was impressive indeed. Rumors have it Flores will depart next year to take over the head-coaching job of the Miami Dolphins. Sure, he'll get a huge raise in pay -- welcome to the multi-millionaire club -- but last time I looked the Dolphins were still in the same division as the Pats. Which means they have no chance of winning it.
New England is amazing in that way. They just keep getting it done with guys most football fans never heard of, besides Tom Brady, of course. Running back Sony Michel was Rams' running back Todd Gurley's back-up at Georgia, but look who's hoisting the Lombardi Trophy now. Receiver Julian Edelman isn't tall, fast, or tough. But he drives defenders with the scat routes he runs and catches he makes.
Quick, name somebody on the Pats defense, or offensive line, for that matter. Betcha can't. None jumps out as a "notable" but together they play superbly as a team. That's coaching.
One need look no further than the current head coach of the Detroit Lions. Under Bill Belichick's tutelage, Matt Patricia was highly successful as the defensive coordinator for the Patriots.
One he got to Motown, he fell flat on his face, racking up a 6-10 record in his rookie season. And it surely doesn't look like the Lions will be any better next year. Same with Detroit general manager Bob Quinn, another former Patriot employee. True, he was only a measly scout in New England, but the Lions' "brain trust", and I use that term with tongue planted firmly in cheek, somehow came to the genius conclusion that Quinn had the credentials to be a general manager. As a scout, this guy knew about as much about negotiating player contracts and salary caps as your average legal assistant would know about arguing a case in front of the Supreme Court. Is it any wonder he's crashed and burned so badly?
But in contrast to New England, that's the Detroit way. Hire an incompetent, and stick by him for years. It took the Lions eight -- count em -- EIGHT years to realize buffoon Matt Millen running the franchise was a bad idea.
Nevertheless, all hail the New England Patriots, Super Bowl champions -- again. They get to have another parade while 31 other NFL teams don't.
Is anybody really surprised?
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