Focus once again behind the center in NFC title game
For as much as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have accomplished in their Hall of Fame-caliber careers, they’ve rarely faced off on the field.
Never have they met with so much at stake.
When Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers (14-3) host Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-5) in the NFC championship game today, it will be just the fourth time they’ve squared off as starting quarterbacks, and first in the playoffs.
“I remember when I heard the news about him coming to the NFC, I thought this was a real possibility,” Rodgers said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to play against him one more time.”
The Bucs trounced the Packers 38-10 in Tampa on Oct. 18. They met two other times during Brady’s tenure in New England, with the Packers winning 26-21 at Green Bay in 2014 and the Patriots winning 31-17 in Foxborough four years later.
Both understand all eyes will be on them Sunday. Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL Network analyst, said that’s just human nature.
“When I played, I always knew who was on the other sideline,” Warner said. “I always said when I went into these matchups, at the end of the day, I know if we’re going to win this game, I’ve got to outperform that guy. I’ve got to be better than the quarterback on the other side.”
Brady, 43, has helped the Bucs earn a franchise-record seven straight road wins. A win at Lambeau Field clinches their first Super Bowl berth since their 2002 championship season.
“This is one of the coolest stadiums in the league to play in,” Brady said. “I know they’re excited, we’ll be excited, and it will make for a great football game.”
Brady is trying to join Warner, Peyton Manning and Craig Morton as the only quarterbacks to lead two separate franchises to a Super Bowl. He already won six Super Bowls and played in nine total with the Patriots.
Green Bay is making its fourth NFC championship game appearance in the past seven seasons, but Rodgers hasn’t reached a Super Bowl since leading the Packers to a title in the 2010 season. Warner said the postseason weighs heavily on where players stack up in history.
Bills travel to meet Chiefs for AFC championship game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ten years after firing Sean Mcdermott as his defensive coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid will stare across the field inside Arrowhead Stadium today and see his protégé trying to spoil his hopes of a Super Bowl repeat.
Funny thing: Even after firing him, Reid suspected deep down that Mcdermott was destined for big things.
“Very organized, very smart and very tough,” he explained this week. “He came from a coaching family — his dad was a heck of a coach. Sean just kind of picked up right from there. Very solid, very good.”
In fact, downright exceptional.
Mcdermott has the long-suffering Buffalo Bills playing in their first AFC championship game since beating Kansas City on Jan. 23, 1994, when they advanced to their fourth straight Super Bowl. They have won 11 of their past 12 games since losing to the Chiefs in Week 6, beating the Colts in the wild-card round and the Ravens in last week’s divisional round.
“He deserves coach of the year, man. He’s taken a franchise there, both he and his general manager, have put this thing together with some bold moves and production now,” Reid said.
“I think he’s done a tremendous job. What a great thing for the NFL and for Buffalo. They love football in Buffalo and he’s really done a nice job with that whole program.”
Not surprisingly, the job Mcdermott has done with the Bills neatly parallels the job Reid has done in Kansas City.
Track and Field
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Mississippi State track and field team had eight studentathletes record personal bests at South Carolina’s Carolina Challenge.
The Bulldogs had 10 freshmen compete in Saturday’s meet. Three of them updated their personal bests from the week prior in Terry Smith Jr., Trent Zelden and Jeremiah Pierce.
Mississippi State saw seven performances inside the top five marks of their respective events. This included freshman Rosealee Cooper finishing third in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Jesse Henderson finishing second and Smith Jr. finishing third in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, Pierce in third in the shot put, Francesca Chambers in third in the weight throw, and Peyton Mickelson tied for third in the pole vault.
Chambers’ finish of 18.05 meters was 1.57 meters further than her previous throw of 16.48 meters. With that personal best throw, she joins the top five all-time shot put distances for the Bulldogs, jumping into the No. 3 spot.
Freshmen Tierra Hooker, Danielle Brissett, Sema’j Daniels and Kareem Agostino each saw their first collegiate meet.
The women’s 4x400 meter relay ran for the first time, comprised of newcomers Nykah Smith, and Rosealee Cooper, San’toria Harris, Riley White. The ladies finished in 3:48.18, coming in third overall.
Women’s Tennis
Looking to build on a successful opening weekend, the Mississippi State women’s tennis team is set for its first road trip of 2021. The Bulldogs (1-0) travel to Greenville, South Carolina, today to face Furman (0-2) at the Mickel Tennis Center at 11 a.m.
The match will mark the first-ever meeting between MSU and Furman in women’s tennis.
Mississippi State blanked in-state rival Southern Miss 7-0 to open the 2021 campaign on Jan. 15 at State’s new Rula Tennis Pavilion. Against the Golden Eagles, MSU was undefeated in doubles and got singles victories from Tamara Racine, Magda Adaloglou, Emma Antonaki, Alex Mikhailuk, Marta Falceto and Sara Lizariturry. The 69th-ranked Antonaki holds an eight-match win streak dating back to last spring. Adaloglou has won nine of her last 10, the lone setback coming to the No. 13 player in the nation.