Long Shots No Longer

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Come to think of it, there wasn’t much buzz heading into the Super Bowl. There was more noise whether to watch Bad Bunny perform at halftime or Kid Rock on the other channel.

And maybe you’re saying now that the game itself lived up to the pregame anticipation, meaning no buzz before, no buzz during, no buzz after.

But I’m not saying that. No way.

The culture today is all about high scoring in all sports. Lots of home runs in baseball. A million 3-point shots in basketball, lots of touchdowns in football.

The more the merrier.

That’s entertainment.

But I’m here to say that there is drama and excitement in a taut pitcher’s duel in baseball, a grueling defensive battle in basketball, and a stifling defensive showing in football. The kind of game we witnessed when the Seattle Seahawks unleashed one of the greatest defensive exhibitions in Super Bowl history smothering the New England Patriots.

I had to look up the best defensive efforts in Super Bowl history and was convinced that what I was watching belonged with the others. This one sure did.

I recall the Steelers of ‘75, the Bears of ‘85, the Ravens of 2000, and some of the others.  This one didn’t have to take a back seat to any of them.  It was devastating the way Seattle’s front four put immense pressure on Pats quarterback Drake Maye. We saw a similar scenario in last year’s game when the Eagles defensive line rendered the great Patrick Mahomes helpless in their rout of the Kansas City Chiefs. Only this time there was more.

There was the unmistakable element of speed. Speed from the line, speed from the secondary on untouched blitzes to the backfield, and the speed covering downfield pass plays.

The Seahawks even displayed speed on offense, particularly running back Kenneth Walker III who saved his best game in a breakout year for the biggest game. Walker was a workhorse, gaining 135 yards on 27 attempts, and on the receiving end of two catches for 26 more yards. There have been defensive players who were named Most Valuable Player in a Super Bowl, but most of the MVP’s have been quarterbacks. Perhaps the MVP of this one should have come from that defensive group, but who?

Tough to single out any one of them, they were all superb. So, Kenneth Walker III won the trophy. Well deserved, especially on the day his father’s first NFL game.

Let’s discuss those quarterbacks. Seattle’s Sam Darnold, the journeyman who has played for five teams in five years. A losing first-round draft choice of the Jets. Unable to lift the mediocre Panthers. Sitting with the 49ers, but watching and learning which triggered his comeback, then last year leading the Vikings to 14 wins before fizzling in his last two starts. Darnold, who never lost his inner confidence, joined the Seahawks and led them to the best record in the league. Yes, the defense was the story, but somebody had to engineer points to win those games.

What Darnold accomplished in the Super Bowl is what every coach demands from his quarterbacks. Don’t lose the game, protect the football, don’t give the enemy easy opportunities to score. Darnold did just that. He didn’t make a mistake. No turnovers by the champs. Meanwhile that awesome D, forced three turnovers by the Patriots, one resulting in a touchdown.

You might also be blaming New England quarterback Drake Maye for the loss. True, he’s been at it for only two years. But when you saw how little time, (he was sacked 6 times) he had to execute anything for practically the entire game, you know that he alone could not shoulder the entire blame. Ask the veteran Mahomes what it was like a year ago.

If you want to pin blame on anyone, blame Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald. Only 38, and one of those rare defensive play-callers who become head coaches, McDonald saw ways in making Maye uncomfortable, hesitant, and not have the timing to make an offense work.

In watching the game unfold, I had the feeling the Patriots were not going to have an answer to Seattle and even when they were only two scores down in the fourth quarter, I felt the mountain was too tough to climb.

The final score of 29-13 was nowhere near as close as it looks.

If some team calls and wants to hire me to be a General Manager, I’ll tell my scouts that if we can find a franchise QB great, but make sure we have on offensive line that can protect him, and while you’re at it, find some elite pass rushers. Did someone say winning the line of scrimmage is the secret to football success?

I know folks like the spectacular aerial battles where the game comes down to who scores last. Who doesn’t?

But there’s a place for the defensive struggle where every play, every turnover, every penalty is magnified by its significance.

Of course, in Super Bowl 60, the game wasn’t that close. The Patriots defensive unit played well enough to win most games. But not this one. From now until next season, all the buzz will be about the Seattle Seahawks and their marvelous defense. Long shots to reach the Super Bowl this year, long shots no longer.

NFL Champs

MVP