The Big 12 has come to the NFL
Monday Night Football game between Chiefs and Rams was a spectacle
The Big 12 conference has come to the NFL. Without a doubt, the Mondaynight scoring extravaganza between the Rams and Chiefs was entertaining. It had more spectacular plays and head-spinning twists than a game of Madden or a matchup of teams from college football’s defence-challenged conference.
As for it being a pro football classic, no way.
And for those yearning to see a rematch in the Super Bowl, don’t count on it - unless each team finds a consistent defence. Yeah, we know, there were several big defensive plays that produced points in Los Angeles’ 54-51 victory, the highest-scoring Monday night contest ever and the only time two teams have each exceeded 50 points in the same game. Aaron Donald might have cemented a second straight NFL Defensive Player of the Year award with his stripsacks of Patrick Mahomes. There were three picks, though Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, right, hugs Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left, after an NFL football game, Monday, in Los Angeles.
two came when Mahomes was in desperation mode. There were four lost fumbles as each defensive line made its present felt for a few seconds.
The box score looks as long as one of Andy Reid’s play sheets. What America saw was Madden 19 at its most frenetic. And that’s exactly what much of the
current sporting public covets. Give them receivers running free like deer in a meadow ; light shows of points on the scoreboard; announcers fawning over the action while ignoring the quality of performance; and offensive records galore.
This was a home run derby with major league sluggers in a Little League park. It was a hockey shootout with NHL skaters facing amateur goalies. A dunk contest on 9-foot rims. Fantastic fun? For sure. But it can also be seen as an indictment of how the NFL helped along by college football’s evolution - has headed toward flag football.
How did we get to a point where the third-highest scoring game in NFL history, chock full of flying flags (21 accepted penalties for 195 yards), terrible coverage and some overzealous coaching is labeled a masterpiece?
“A couple of things are contributing,” says Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, now an analyst for NBC.
“The skills of the players on offence and the way the coaches are designing things is one. And the practice schedule that has been reduced really favours the offence now.”