San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Give health edge to Hurts, take Eagles
Sez Me … More people will watch today’s Super Bowl XVII than the Trumpian count of 5 million-andcounting who attended Padres Fanfest.
But, by the time pitchers and catchers report to spring training (Thursday), more folks will remember Fernando Tatis Jr. signing autographs than the team getting today’s place money.
Unless you lose in spectacular or stupid, self-inflicted fashion, the sporting world tends to forget runners-up before the next cloud rolls by.
So sometimes it seems better not to go to the dance at all than stand in a stag line, looking down at the floor, hands in pockets, shuffling your feet, forever doomed to be lost in the land of losers.
Among the 32 NFL teams, 20 have won Super Bowls. That number isn’t changing today.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, the protagonists in Arizona, have been there before. And both have Lombardi trophies in their parlors. It doesn’t happen often, but they appear to be the best teams.
This thing looks pretty even, Steven/stephen. The Eagles are 1½-point favorites, which basically means pick-em — and not a thing, which is why prop bets are so popular.
Even? According to ESPN’S Field Yates, each team is 16-3, scored 546 points, has six Allpros (including a Kelce brother) and was its conference’s top seed.
Just remember this: When Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts starts a game giving points, he’s 21-3. If the brilliant odds guys ran the country, we’d be in great shape, but Super Bowls aren’t won on odds or stats or by whatmight-have-beens (preseason favorites have won six times).
They are won by defense. And the way I see this game going, the Eagles by far have the better defense, and the offenses — despite the Chiefs having MVP quarterback/wizard Patrick Mahomes — while different, are equally effective.
If Hurts hadn’t hurt his throwing shoulder and missed games 15 and 16, he probably would have been MVP.
The key to this game is Mahomes’ high ankle sprain, and those injuries heal like a Romanov. He is not going to be as mobile, and the Eagles, including the playoffs, have 78 sacks, most in The League since 1963.
Mahomes is the fourth MVP to face The League’s No. 1 pass defense in the Super Bowl — Cam Newton, Peyton Manning and Rich Gannon being the others — and they all lost. Patrick’s offensive line couldn’t protect him vs. The Bucs in Super Bowl LV, K.C. got hammered, and Mahomes, as Bobby Ross would say, had “some evade in him” then.
The Eagles have the finest O-line in the NFL, and they do the run-pass option (RPO) better than anyone. Hurts could start at tailback, his passing has dramatically improved, and will be throwing into a green secondary that somehow has held up.
The Eagles’ weakness is run defense. But will Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who loves the pass, lose his stubbornness and make more use of rookie tailback find Isiah Pacheco?
The Chiefs very easily might win despite Mahomes’ injury, but most of his wonderful innovation is conducted outside the pocket. His lone chance is the Eagles doing what so many K.C. opponents somehow can’t do — get after him enough and fail to cover Travis Kelce, The Invisible Tight End.
I can’t stand the Chiefs. I don’t like the way they’ve gone about their business, their I-don’t-care-what-you-did-offthe-field hiring practice. That aside, I like Philly, a real Broad Street bully.
But then, at the Waterloo Casino War Book, I took Napoleon and gave the points. …
The NFL will allow convicted felons to get a media credential for Super Bowl Week (not the game itself ), so it always makes fodder for “Mad’s Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions.” Such as this, directed to Eagles coach Nick Sirianni: “Is this a must-win game?” …
Nfl.com’s Jim Trotter ,a former U-T staffer with figs, asked his boss, Roger Goodell, at the Annual State of the NFL Address, why there isn’t more diversity in NFL newsroom management. It had Rog, not exactly Gregory Hines, stumbling like a drunk in a subway. Jim would have received the same answer if he asked: “Roger, are you responsible for the war in Ukraine?”
Goodell says NFL officiating “has never been better.” He’s right. It’s risen slightly above horrendous. …
To make his life decision,
Aaron Rodgers, no stranger to the strange, plans to spend four days in a little house in total darkness. The Dalai Lama told him that, once he emerges into light, he will receive total consciousness. …
After experimenting with psychedelics at the end of last season, Aaron moves into the perfect environment for growing mushrooms. …
Sean Payton, when asked why he took the Broncos’ job: “Ownership was important to me.” The Waltons have owned that team for 5 minutes. Walmart money was important to him. …
Late hits on the quarterback should be allowed in flag football. …
Abbott and Costello: “I hear we’ve signed Yu to a new deal.” “Me? Not me.” “No, Yu.” “I haven’t signed anything.” “Of course, Yu did.” “Who?” “He’s on first.” …
Let’s see. Agatha Christie’s favorite poisons are cyanide, arsenic, strychnine, Yoko Ono, Zola Budd, and Kyrie Ir ving .…
There have been few guards in history with Kyrie’s skill. So, pretty poison. …
Kevin Durant leaves the Nets, too? The NBA is an undrinkable cocktail. Its trade deadline is as stable as the bull run at Pamplona. …
It’s 2023. Lebron makes a shot and instantly is the greatest player who ever lived. …
When did SDSU-UTAH State become Ali-frazier ?…
Are they really telling kids not to share, because sharing is socialism? Sharing your idiotic thoughts is OK, I guess. …
CBS has revealed a new technology that predicts where a golf ball will land. I don’t want to know where one will land ahead of time. A little suspense, please. Hitchcock, who believed the “bang” wasn’t the thing but the leading up to it, didn’t begin “Psycho” with the shower scene. …
So sad to see my great niece crying at her birthday party when she heard the Chinese Spy Balloon(s) had been canceled.
Eric The Clown was a poor substitute. …
Twitter fodder: Did FDR order the Hindenburg shot down? …
If you ever get a chance to watch “Charlie Chan at the Olympics,” you’ll see Charlie traveling to 1936 Berlin on the Hindenburg. …
When 6.2 million viewers tune in for the Pro Bowl flag football game, that explains many things. …
I will be shocked if Tom
Brady is a better analyst than Greg Olsen. OK, I know he won’t be. …
Check what’s going on in Jackson, Miss. Appomattox never happened. …
Fashion police are asking the PGA Tour to ban joggers. I say, if people want to run around the course, let them. …
Lawnstarter.com ranks San Diego America’s 17 most glamorous city. Embarrassing, but there’s not much elegance to bikewear. …
For those who want me to get off Florida’s case: Biographies of Henry Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Rosa Parks now have been banned. So, the answer is, no. …
Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons around Jupiter, which means its college pranksters already are on spring break — but not in Florida, because Jovians are voracious readers.
sezme.godfather@gmail.com Twitter: @sdutcanepa