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By: Keith Dobkowski, NFL News Writer
February 3, 2005
We are mere hours away from the 39th edition of the Super
Bowl. There is so much riding on this game and so many
questions being tossed around:
Will Terrell Owens play?
Are the New England Patriots a dynasty?
Is Tom Brady an all-time great?
Is this the Patriots last run as they will lose offensive coordinator
Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel after the
season?
Has Freddie Mitchell got as much press as possible for a player
who only caught 22 passes during the regular season?
Will Paul McCartney one up Janet Jackson now that Michael Powell
is stepping down from his position at the FCC?
And of course, who will win Super Bowl XXXIX?
And the answers…
TERRELL OWENS: Philadelphia Eagles wide out Terrell Owens
broke his leg and sprained ligaments in his right ankle just six
weeks ago. Every expert on this exact type of injury has stated
that at least 10 weeks of rest is necessary before one can play
again. Yet Owens is resisting conventional wisdom and will most
likely play on Sunday. Owens has been participating in practice
and stated on Tuesday that he was at 81% and by Sunday would
be at 181%.
While Owens will play and will most likely catch a few balls,
Owens will be severely limited because like three-time male model
of the year Derek Zoolander, Owens is “not an ambi-turner.”
Owens will only be able to cut right because he will not be able to
push off his right leg to cut left. This severe limitation will allow
the Patriots to play a more aggressive defense or even rely on
zone that forces Owens to break left.
DYANSTY: With a win the New England Patriots will become only
the second team in Super Bowl history to win three
championships in four years. Only the Dallas Cowboys of the mid-
nineties did the same. However the Cowboys went to the
playoffs seven consecutive seasons and lost in the NFC
Championship in the one year they did not win the Super Bowl.
The Patriots may win their third Super Bowl in four seasons but
cannot boast having made the playoffs all four years and that
does not come close to compare to the dynasties of the 1970s,
1980s and 1990s.
In the 1970s the Steelers made the playoffs nine consecutive
years, won four Super Bowls, and lost in the AFC Championship
game twice.
In the 1980s and 1990s the 49ers made the playoffs 9 straight
years not including the strike year. During that period the Niners
won four Super Bowls and lost twice in the NFC Championship
Game. After posting 10 wins in 1991 and missing the playoffs, the
Niners went to the playoffs seven consecutive times winning the
Super Bowl once and losing in the NFC Championship Game three
times. And in the 1990s the Cowboys made the playoffs seven
straight years, won three Super Bowls and lost one NFC
Championship game.
Many will declare the Patriots a dynasty with a win on Sunday,
while their accomplishment is great it does not compare with the
great dynasties of decades passed.
TOM BRADY: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is on
the verge of joining a very unique group of quarterbacks to win
three or more Super Bowls. Only Troy Aikman, who won three,
and Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, who won four, are in this
exclusive club. With a win, Brady will secure his legacy as one of
the greatest all-time playoff quarterbacks. Brady has never lost a
playoff game and in both Super Bowl victories led last second
drives into successful field goal makes.
There is a natural desire to make comparisons between Brady
and his childhood idol Joe Montana. However, Brady is still two
Super Bowl victories short of Montana and Brady’s numbers do
not compare. Montana never threw an interception in a Super
Bowl and completed over 72% of his Super Bowl passes. Brady
has completed less than 60% and already has thrown an
interception.
It will take more than Brady winning his third MVP to truly start
the comparisons. Brady must either blow out the Philadelphia
Eagles with a monster game or in classic “Joe Cool” style, Brady
must lead a last second drive for touchdown to win a come-from-
behind Super Bowl. Until then, the comparisons should be made
between Brady and Aikman.
PATRIOTS’ COORDINATORS: Much of the focus on the Patriots has
centered on head coach Bill Belichick. However a coach is only as
strong as his supporting cast. Belichick is in his third Super Bowl
in four years backed by his defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel
and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. Weis has already
accepted the Notre Dame head football coach position and will
resign his duties with the Patriots after the Super Bowl. And
Crennel is rumored to be on his way to Cleveland to coach the
Browns and replace the fired Butch Davis.
Whether this will be the Patriots last run will be answered next
season and not this Sunday. Belichick’s legacy is set. However to
be considered amongst the all-time greats Belichick will have to
win next year. And to challenge Bill Walsh at the top of the totem
pole, Weis and Crennel will have to successful as well, just as
Walsh’s assistants George Siefert, Mike Holmgren and Mike
Shannahan combined to win five Super Bowls.
FREDDIE MITCHELL: Freddie Mitchell has been the talk of the
town over the past two weeks. From his Mohawk Corn Rows to
heavy weight championship belt to his inability to recognize any
defensive backs on the Patriots to his calling out of Rodney
Harrison to his criticizing of the media, Mitchell has been the Super
Bowls biggest newsmaker.
Any person who decided to start following football over the past
two weeks could easily be convinced that Mitchell is the games
biggest star. Yet Mitchell, a former first round pick, has been an
NFL bust. He is only starting because of an injury to Owens and
can’t even break past Todd Pinkston, who is deadly afraid of
contact, on the depth chart.
Mitchell has taken full advantage of the lights and cameras. While
he only caught 22 passes on the year, he is sure to play a big role
in Sunday’s game. Mitchell has also secured his place with the
media as a great interview. One team is sure to hoist the
Lombardi trophy this weekend and Mitchell is sure to have
secured himself a career after football.
PAUL MCCARTNEY: Paul McCartney will be the halftime performer
and we will just assume that Paul will keep his pants on…
THE PICK
The games best player is clearly Donovan McNabb. And the
games best all around team and the defending champions are the
Patriots. Rumors in Jacksonville state that the Patriots need a
blowout to secure their place amongst the greatest teams of all-
time. The Patriots have won two Super Bowls by a combined total
of six points. And the Patriots players know what a statement a
big win would be.
The Patriots have been making statements all postseason as they
held the leagues best offense to only three points and then put
up 40 against the leagues best defense.
The Eagles are also coming off two very impressive wins, yet they
were against two very flawed teams. McNabb shined in both
victories and will need an all-time great performance to will the
Eagles to victory. Problem is that the best player seldom wins the
game. Ask John Elway who lost his first three Super Bowls and
did not win until a better team surrounded him.
The same will hold true, as the Patriots will win their third Super
Bowl in four seasons:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 31, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 17
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