By TJ Troup 
When the Chiefs scored the first touchdown last Sunday afternoon, thought well they have a 75% chance to win the game, and they did! When the Lions scored the first touchdown last Sunday afternoon, thought well the Niners now have a 25% chance of winning, and they did.
The rest of this column will not be a scouting report, but thoughts on each team.
When Dick Vermeil stepped down as coach after 2005 the Chiefs went 38-74 until Andy Reid took over. Is there any doubt he has proven his acumen as a coach? Reid's record in his last fifteen games in the playoffs is 13-2!
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| Andy Reid |
We all can evaluate the players, and surmise what the Chiefs game plan will be, yet from the game last Sunday at half-time Kelce had 9 catches for 96 yards!
Thought is it possible if they needed him to continue his ability to get open and catch the ball, he might be the first tight end to have 18 catches for 200 yards?
Possibly the 49ers might want to come up with a coverage to at least limit him on Super Bowl Sunday?
Three penalties called on Kansas City, and none for defensive holding or pass interference. Now that is one helluva job by the young men in the Chiefs secondary or we have officials that missed a few penalties. Does that continue in the Super Bowl?
After reading my narrative today, you will be able to surmise that I want the 49ers to win and believe they will.
Last Sunday McCaffrey had 10 carries for 29 yards in the first half, and 10 carries for 61 yards in the second half. The Lions gained 148 rushing in the first half, and 34 in the second half. San Francisco made the correct and necessary half-time adjustments last Sunday, will they be able to do that in the Super Bowl? Would relish hearing from all of you who you believe are the "key" player or players for each team, and why?
Watch Fred Warner play and you see why he is All-Pro, and as the game unfolds will be watching to see how he defends the run and if he drops into coverage towards Kelce? 
Kyle Shanahan needs to have his game plan force Kansas City into untenable match-ups, so when he hoists the silver trophy he can finally look his dad in the eye. His statement to his team at half-time last Sunday is the title of today's narrative, and his players responded.
The last time San Francisco won a Super Bowl their quarterback was Steve Young, and that man is now 62 years old, is this the time for the Niners to again be champions?
Over the years have been humbled and honored to be interviewed by the folks at NFL Films, and tomorrow night on "NFL Films Presents" will be a segment on the "Playoff Bowl", a Rozelle masterpiece of public relations where he had the two second place teams from each conference play in Miami. .
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| 1962 NFL Playoff Bowl |
3 observations: 1. I would really appreciate it if somethere there was a publication which explains in detail how "analytics" derives it's conclusions. Methodology? It seems to the "civilian" eye that in football (11 on 11 as compared with baseball's 1 on 9 ) has too many variables in order to quantify (other than trends). There is also the issue of context....there is a significant difference between a 4th down "go for it" in a 3rd quarter against the Cardinals in October and one (or more) on the road in the Conference Championship game.....
ReplyDelete2. looking forward to your next article but Vince Lombardi had it right: "Loser Bowl"....albiet, you know who should be mentioned in your comments on 1962
3. I was struck by the doppleganger of the Lions-49ers game on Sunday.....the game to get you to the title game.....1957: Kezar in San Francisco...at the half, 49ers up 24-7.....second half, Lions roar back (yup, conscious word choice) and/or 49ers collapse, and Lions go on to title....2024: game in SF (or SC but still Bay Area), Lions up at the half 24-7.....and the rest, as they say, is history......
From Brian wolf ...
ReplyDeleteThanks TJ ...
Should be a great SB game and I am certain the 49ers will run the ball as the Ravens didnt against KC.
I won money on the Chiefs in the 2019/20 game but was incredulous of the holding of Nick Bosa during the game. This time I am taking the 49ers and Bosa should be a force again. That Chiefs secondary is tough though, and got away with non-calls against the Ravens in the 4th Qt, who were pathetic on offense in front of their home fans.
We all feel for Detroit and as Richard Bak pointed out during the previous Lions-Cowboys game, sometimes Dan Campbell's willingness to be the riverboat gambler might come back to bite the Lions and it did in this championship game. If it works, he's the hero but with a 24-10 lead, let your kicker build the lead. Once they failed on 4th down, the 49ers sprung into action and Detroit's defense, like we all knew before the game, relented.
Haha ... like Lombardi, not a fan of the 60s Loser Bowl ... can you imagine the Ravens and Lions players having to play a meaningless game after losing these games? They wouldnt show up ... hell, in the 1969/70 game, the Rams seemed to have more energy playing against Dallas in the playoff bowl, than they did losing to the Vikings in that great playoff game. The Vikings just took it from them.
BW ...
ReplyDeleteAs a Bears fan, congratulations Coach Troup.
With Hester, McMichael and Peppers getting voted in, a great night for Chicago, while also watching a Detroit coaching legend get snubbed.
You probably know Steelers history more than anyone. Did getting rid of receivers Jimmy Orr and Buddy Dial hurt Buddy Parker's chances to win more in Pittsburgh, or was the team simply not good enough, period?
From Brian wolf ...
ReplyDeleteGreat SB game but with a chance to go up 17-13, the 49ers miss the extra point and cant keep the Chiefs from tying and going into overtime, where they win it on a TD drive.
The Chiefs defense did a great job keeping them in the football game and its back to the drawing board for Shanahan ...