Post Super Bowl Broncos Outlook

 With the Super Bowl now in the rear view mirror, it is time to take a break from the Broncos. Watching the Chiefs and Pat Mahomes win another Super Bowl is just brutal for Broncos fans. There really is no hope right now for Denver to get back to a Super Bowl any time soon. I've never felt so far away from the Super Bowl as a Broncos fan as I am feel right now. The only thing Denver can shoot for is the 7th seed and last Wild Card spot in the AFC. The AFC West will be owned by Mahomes and the Chiefs for the next decade as well. For now, it is time to take a break from the Broncos and the NFL. There won't be anything substantial until the Scouting Combine at the end of February/beginning of March and then Free Agency a few weeks into March. Otherwise, there is no need to break down what the Broncos are going to do this offseason. The biggest thing is that they need to find a QB. We know that they are going to release Russell Wilson in March, but we have a long way to go in the offseason to see how they will fix the QB. Until then, I'm going to take a break from the NFL. I've got the Rangers in first place in their division with a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup this year, and the Knicks are a contender in the East in the NBA. That will keep me going through the next two months. 

Super Bowl LVIII Recap and Reaction

 The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII 25-22 in overtime to win their fourth Lombardi Trophy and their third Super Bowl in the last four years. The Chiefs have cemented their status as their eras new NFL dynasty. Andy Reid is now in the conversation of all-time great NFL head coaches, and Patrick Mahomes was sensational once again late in the game to cement his status as one of the greatest QBs in NFL history-after only six seasons as a starter. The game came down to great finish and that is all you can ask for in a Super Bowl. I was rooting hard for the 49ers, but the Chiefs and Mahomes broke their hearts for the second time in five years on the biggest stage. Here are my thoughts and reactions to the game....

1) The 49ers defense dominated the Chiefs for the first three quarters. They forced a fumble, punts, pressured Mahomes and picked him off early in the third quarter. It was 10-3 at halftime and 10-6 midway through the third quarter and it felt like it should have been 20-3 or 24-3. That's how dominate they were playing.

2) It felt like the Chiefs were melting down the first three quarters. Mahomes was being pressured, receivers weren't getting open and there was constant bickering on the sidelines with members of the Chiefs. At one point, there was a shot of Travis Kelce bumping Andy Reid on the sideline. It felt like they were self destructing.

3) The biggest turning point in the game was when the Niners were up 10-6 in the third quarter and the ball hit a Niners player and then the returner Ray-Ray McCloud dove to recover it but missed it and the Chiefs recovered the fumble deep in Niners territory. The next play, Mahomes threw a TD pass and all of a sudden it was 13-10. Right there, you knew the Niners were in trouble. 

4) The next turning point was when the Niners answered right back with a Brock Purdy to Jawan Jennings TD pass to regain the lead early in the fourth quarter, but KC blocked the extra point to make the score 16-13 SF instead of 17-13. That one point played a pivotal role down the stretch. 

5) The game was kind of average for most of the three quarters but it ended in a flurry. The last five possessions of the game not including San Franc taking a knee were: Touchdown, touchdown, field goal, field goal, field goal. The game went from 10-6 with 2:42 to go in the third quarter to 19-19 heading to overtime. 

6) In overtime, the Niners took the ball first under the new postseason rules and had to settle for a field goal after driving down to the KC 9 yard line. Purdy got rushed on a blitz and forced an early throw and the field goal made it 22-19. You just knew that Mahomes and the Chiefs were going to come down and win the game on the next drive. Everyone in America knew it was coming.

7) Of course, Mahomes goes right down the field 75 yards in 13 plays and hits Mecole Hardman for a three yard TD pass to win the Super Bowl. Give Mahomes credit because in a game that he struggled for the most of it, he came up big on the biggest drive of the season. He didn't have an incompletion on the final drive and ran for two big first downs-including a 4th and 1. Classic Mahomes on that drive and it is what makes him great.

8) There has been a lot of discussion about Kyle Shanahan taking the ball first in overtime with the new rules. I didn't have that much of a problem with it at the time. I thought he was resting his defense, but it retrospect, I think in the future the team that wins the toss should defer and get the ball second. I'm not going to kill Shanahan on this one.

9) For the Niners, it is another missed opportunity for them to win a championship. When they look back at this game, they are going to be sick that they couldn't put the game away after having a lead for most of the 60 minutes. Kyle Shanahan is a really good coach, and GM John Lynch has built a stud team but they just can't get that Lombardi Trophy-mainly because of Pat Mahomes.

10) This Chiefs team was the most vulnerable of all the Mahomes era teams and they still won the Super Bowl. Their offense struggled all season, their receivers were inconsistent. Mahomes had his worst season in six years statistically. They only scored over 30 points three times. Their defense was really good all year, but it just wasn't a vintage Chiefs team that finished 11-6. They went 4-4 at home this year. They went 4-2 in the division and lost to Denver and the Raiders. They were scraping to clinch to the division in Week 17 at home against Jake Browning and the Bengals. They were underdogs on the road in the Divisional Round against Buffalo and in the AFC Championship Game against the Ravens and won both games. They were underdogs in the Super Bowl and beat the Niners. This was the year to get the Chiefs and it still didn't matter.

10) The Chiefs are the toast of the NFL that is all there is to it. They were such a non-descript franchise for like 50 years. All they would hang their hat on was the fact that they were an original AFL franchise and played in the first Super Bowl. They also won the last Super Bowl before the merger and played at Arrowhead Stadium-which was a great homefield advantage. That was it. They were always competitive but lost a lot of playoff games-especially at home. They went from 1993 to 2015 without winning a playoff game. With the exception of 1993 and 1994 when Joe Montana finished his career there, they never had a big name QB. That all changed when they drafted Mahomes. They have made the AFC Championship Game six times in a row, been to four Super Bowls in the past six years, and won three-including back-to-back titles. Mahomes really just transformed this franchise, and now you have him and Travis Kelce and the whole Taylor Swift relationship and the Chiefs are the kings of the NFL world. I hate to see it, but it is the truth. 

11) Patrick Mahomes is right now the second greatest QB of all time and he only trails Tom Brady in that category and at 28, he has a chance to surpass Brady's 7 Super Bowl wins. Mahomes has one of the best starts ever to a career in any sport. He is approaching the Jordan level of sports figures. Of all the things that stands out about Mahomes, the part that gets me is that in his three Super Bowl wins, he was trailing by 10 points each time, and each time he brought his team back to win. In all three of those games, it looked like his team was done, and each time he played great down the stretch to win the game. It is unbelievable what he is doing right now. 

Super Bowl LVIII Preview

Super Bowl LVIII pits the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. It is a rematch from Super Bowl LIV which the Chiefs won 31-20. This is the first Super Bowl to be played in Las Vegas, and there is a lot of star-power and intrigue surrounding the game. There are plenty of All-Pros on both of these rosters. Both the Chiefs and the Niners have been two of the best teams in the NFL for the last five years, so it is no surprise that both of them are here in the Super Bowl. As I always like to do, I'll first take a look at the storylines that surround the game, then give a preview and make a pick.

Super Bowl LVIII Storylines:

I) The Chiefs Dynasty: Patrick Mahomes has two Super Bowl titles already, and the Chiefs are looking to add their third Super Bowl in the last five years. This is the Chiefs fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last five years. They can get three Lombardi Trophies in four years. They also can become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots in 2003 and 2004. The Patriots had a remarkable run as the NFL's modern dynasty, and the Chiefs are right there on their heels now.

II) The Mahomes Legacy: Patrick Mahomes in only 28 and he is on the verge of winning his third Super Bowl title. If he retired after this game, he would be a first ballot Hall of Famer. He is on pace with Tom Brady in terms of wins and Super Bowls. He legitimately can chase Tom Brady for seven Super Bowls. He is on the cusp of winning another Super Bowl, and putting himself in the top five of greatest QBs ever at the age of 28 with a lot of football left in his career.

III) Kyle Shanahan's Quest: Kyle Shanahan has been a top 5 NFL head coach for the last five years, and he has done an amazing job in making the 49ers a powerhouse. The one achievement that alludes him is a Super Bowl title. He has been close, but losing as the offensive coordinator with the Falcons in Super Bowl LI to the Patriots, and losing Super Bowl LIV to the Chiefs as HC of the Niners are two big blemishes on his record, and he has taken major criticism for each loss. He needs to win a Super Bowl to cement himself as one of the best NFL coaches in this decade and era. He has another chance in Super Bowl LVIII.

IV) Mr. Irrelevant: The 49ers picked QB Brock Purdy with the last pick in the entire 2022 NFL Draft which earned him the nickname of "Mr. Irrelevant." After stepping in last season as a rookie after the Niners lost both QBs ahead of him, he has played great and never looked back. He was a MVP candidate this season, and now he finds himself in the Super Bowl going up against Patrick Mahomes. What a contrast: The face of the NFL in Mahomes against Mr. Irrelevant in Purdy. What a moment it would be if Purdy leads the Niners to a Super Bowl title.

V) Super Bowl Rematch: The Niners and Chiefs played a really good game only five years ago in Super Bowl LIV. Although the Chiefs won 31-20, the Niners outplayed them for three and a half quarters. They were up by 10 with about 7 minutes to go in the game, and they should have won that Super Bowl. They were the better team that year and they failed to get it done. Now, they get a chance five years later for revenge. It is kind of cool that these two teams are meeting up once again in a rematch. It reminds me of the Giants and Patriots. Those two teams met twice in five years in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI. 

VI) The Taylor Swift Era: Look, you can't talk about this Super Bowl without bringing up Taylor Swift. Ever since Swift started dating Chiefs TE Travis Kelce in September, the attention on the Chiefs and the entire NFL has expanded to a whole new level. You can't make up the irony of one of the biggest pop stars in the country dating a famous NFL player, whose teams happens to make it to the Super Bowl. Whether you like it or not, Swift's appearance at the Super Bowl will be a big story-as it should be. 

Super Bowl LVIII

Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers

Final 2023 Regular Season Record: 143-110-18

Last Week's Playoff Record: 2-2

Overall Playoff Record: 7-4

A Case for the Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes proved that even in a "down" year for the Chiefs, he is still good enough to get them to a Super Bowl. They finished 11-6, lost games to teams like the Broncos and Raiders, and yet still went on the road and beat Buffalo and Baltimore to get back to the Super Bowl. Mahomes is at an all-time level already, and I'm not betting against in this game. I also like the matchup with KC's defense going up against Brock Purdy. Steve Spagnuolo will have a great plan and I could see the Chiefs defense making the big stop at the right time. I think you have to give the coaching edge to Andy Reid in this case over Kyle Shanahan. If you have the advantage in coaching with Reid over Shanahan and with the QB with Mahomes over Purdy, you have to take the Chiefs to win this game.

A Case for the 49ers: They have been close in recent years. They lost the Super Bowl to the Chiefs in 2019, they have been to the NFC Championship four out of the last five years and now they are back in the Super Bowl. They have been close and are due to breakthrough and win the Lombardi Trophy. The Niners have so much talent and star-power that they can take the game over like we have seen many times before. Whether it is Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk on offense. On defense, they have Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, Javon Hargrave, and Arik Armstead. This team is just loaded with All-Pros that a guy like Chase Young, who they traded for at midseason, is a forgotten piece. The Niners can win this game on talent alone. I do feel like Kyle Shanahan will have a chip on his shoulder knowing that he has another shot to get a Super Bowl, and he should put together a masterful gameplan. Perhaps the Niners are just the better team overall.

Prediction: Kansas City (+2) over San Francisco: I'm not betting against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. In a solid, competitive game that should come down to the wire, I'll take Mahomes and the Chiefs to win their third Super Bowl in four years. 

Final Score: Chiefs-27 Niners-20