Super Bowl LIII Preview
It’s a familiar story for the Super Bowl as the powerhouse of the NFL takes on a team that hasn’t been here in a while.
What makes this game a little different from the games of the past is the stark difference between the people leading the charge for either team.
On one end are the veterans who put together a dynasty that is among the best ever and the other side is a group who are looking to establish something different.
The two sides could not be more different as this game will be the perfect microcosm of the current NFL.
The Patriots represent the old guard of the league and they have represented that old guard for the better part of two decades.
The combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady began in 200 and since then they have won five Super Bowls.
They seem to be only getting better with time as this year will mark the third straight with a Super Bowl appearance for the Patriots.
They aren’t as much of a powerhouse as they used to be but there is no doubt that they just find ways to win games.
Belichick was always a defensive coach and he has consistently built the teams from the defensive side of the ball.
When it comes to the offence, the Patriots don’t necessarily bring a lot of new thoughts to the field but the execution is on point.
Brady is not what you would call an athletic quarterback but his arm remains strong and his mind for the game is better than anyone on the field.
He knows how to read a defence and he will pick them apart if given the opportunity and when things get difficult he can find a way.
They have been able to sustain greatness for longer than any other team in league history but the game evolves fast and the Patriots have not evolved at the same rate.
They are still a great team and still win games, as evident by their third straight trip to the Super Bowl and five straight appearances in the AFC Championship game.
The Los Angeles Rams are on the opposite side of that equation as they are the new look of where the NFL is going.
Sean McVay has been the biggest part of that as he has become the new hot coach in the league.
His offensive schemes area part of the revolution that is taking over the NFL where offence is king.
This offseason teams hired his assistants at a rapid rate with coaches that coached under him for even just one year getting a head coaching job.
He has led a change in the league and at 33 years old is the face of the new NFL where defence is still important but is nothing without a good offence.
McVay has an offence that is among the best in the league and he got a little lucky when he started inheriting a ground game and drafting Jared Goff.
That offence is supported by an underrated defence if only underrated because the offence takes the headlines.
They are a team that looks to offence first and tries to make sure they are keeping things fun and interesting for their players.
The Patriots don’t care if things are fun or interesting in fact they like when things are boring.
They may be the most boring team in the NFL as Belichick has established an environment that is defined by the moniker “Do Your Job.”
It’s a simple theory and one that essentially tells the players to do what they are told and success will follow.
This usually doesn’t work with this new generation of players but the success of the Patriots means that players don’t care.
Heading into Super Bowl LIII these two teams will bring two entirely different theories on how to run a team into the biggest game of the year.
This isn’t a new theme for the Super Bowl but this year it seems to mean a little more in this era of the league.
Offence has long been growing in importance but this year seemed to be a tipping point when it became the thing.
More teams than ever had high-powered offences and were able to move to the top of the divisions.
There are still teams like the Patriots who aren’t focusing as much on the offensive side despite having great offences.
This Super Bowl seems to be the time when the new era of teams can take over and rise to the top of the league while the old guard falls off.
That is a lot harder said than done though as the Patriots have proven to be a resilient group that is never out of a game.
Meanwhile, the Rams bring their high-powered offence and an underrated defence to try to unseat the best dynasty in the history of the game.
One side will win out and take the crown as it could be the beginning of the new dynasty or the continuation of the most dominant dynasty in NFL history.
The Sport Addiction 