Super Bowl Thoughts

What I saw was another routine NFL display of phenomenal Quarterback play. The history book will say that Eli Manning outplayed Tom Brady in the 21-17 Giants victory. Not so sure about that, but there was no doubt that the Giants receiving corps outplayed the Patriots. Remember how bad the Super Bowls used to be? Not any longer – not in the Quarterback era.

Here are the last 16 Super Bowl Quarterback Matchup results:

Eli Manning over Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers over Ben Roethlisberger
Drew Brees over Peyton Manning
Ben Roethlisberger over Kurt Warner
Eli Manning over Tom Brady
Peyton Manning over Rex Grossman
Ben Roethlisberger over Matt Hasselback
Tom Brady over Donovan McNabb
Tom Brady over Jake Delhomme
Brad Johnson over Rich Gannon
Tom Brady over Kurt Warner
Trent Dilfer over Kerry Collins
Kurt Warner over Steve McNair
John Elway over Chris Chandler
John Elway over Brett Favre
Brett Favre over Drew Bledsoe

Only twice (Brad Johnson backed up by a tremendous Tampa defense and Trent Dilfer backed up by a tremendous Raven’s defense) has a non-elite QB won a Super Bowl in this pass-happy era. Only a few more non-elites have even played in this game.

So after all the gnashing of teeth throughout the season, your team’s not getting to this game if you don’t have a QB from this group:
Brady, Manning, Manning, Brees, Rodgers, Roethlisberger

If you have one of the QB’s that are close, you may get there but everything else has to go right, (and I’m really not convinced): Matt Schaub, Joe Flaco, Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers, Alex Smith

And forget about it if Tony Romo, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Matt Cassell, Jay Cutler, a rookie, or a journeyman is your man.

Given this reasoning we can assume that next year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans will be the Giants, Saints, Falcons, 49ers, or Packers against either the Steelers, Chargers, Ravens, Texans, or Colts (or whatever team Peyton is playing for).

Taking this a step further, how good are the coaches, really?

Holmgren without Favre?
Belichick without Brady?
Coughlin without Eli?
Dungy without Peyton?
Shanahan without Elway?
Payton without Brees?
McCarthey without Rodgers?

Just wondering.

Exhibit A: Look at the revolving coach’s door in Miami since Marino retired. Is it because they have no QB, or no coach?
Exhibit B: Joe Gibbs who incredibly won with 3 different Quarterbacks, but couldn’t do it in this era.

Back to the game.
Thought Madonna was great.
Tom Brady needed some help.
The NFL is a war of attrition and Rob Gronkowski was the “Pierre Thomas effect” in this one. Injuries seem to determine the outcome so often and Gronk wasn’t a factor.
The Patriots need a deep threat and I suspect they’ll go after Robert Meachem if the Saints can’t re-sign him.
Eli has now been the beneficiary of two of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history and Brady has been the victim both times. Karma?
Speaking of Karma I heard one report that Brady and Belicheck, after starting 10-0 in the playoffs, are 6-6 since Spygate.
Speaking of Karma, Belichick actually cut a player last night. Imagine how that guy feels.
Actually, it’s the Belichick magic that’s missing on defense, especially the best way to defend, which is with a pass rush.

One thing I learned in my short career as an amateur coach – if you have a weakness it will get exposed in the big game. Always.

I just want to forget it all because I think the Saints were better than both these teams.

So, now it’s the offseason and I can get off the potato chips for 7 months, although I expect one night I’ll sit down to wallow in what might have been by eating 5 turnovers just to see what it feels like.
Popeye’s anyone?