Football (North America: NFL, CFL, Arena Football, minor leagues)

[wanderer2575]

My god, Green Bay can literally do nothing to stop the 49ers from running the ball. 

A shame ... I thought it would be more of a game!

It's not over yet.  49ers are trying to play mind games with the Packers instead of just playing the game, and it just bit them in the butt -- 4th and 1 just turned into 4th and 6 and the 49ers punting.

[ozarkman417]

My god, Green Bay can literally do nothing to stop the 49ers from running the ball. 

A shame ... I thought it would be more of a game!

It's not over yet.  49ers are trying to play mind games with the Packers instead of just playing the game, and it just bit them in the butt -- 4th and 1 just turned into 4th and 6 and the 49ers punting.

Turns out it was just about as much of a game as the AFC championship point wise, 37 to 20 in favor of SF.

SM-G965U

[webny99]

Turns out it was just about as much of a game as the AFC championship point wise, 37 to 20 in favor of SF.

The only difference is that the Niners controlled the entire first half and went into halftime ahead 27-0 - the Titans also controlled the entire first half (getting almost 20:00 of possession to the Chiefs 10:00) but went into halftime down 17-21.

Clearly the Packers couldn't stop the Niners great running game, but the Niners better know that they aren't going to beat the Chiefs on the ground like that. The Chiefs run D could perform that bad or worse and it wouldn't matter, the way their offense is built to pass their way out of deficits.

Should be an interesting Super Bowl, and certainly less of a dud offensively than last year. These two teams have certainly earned it: the Niners for a successful rebuild (and a great season; only three losses, all in the final seconds or overtime) and the Chiefs for enduring half a century(!) of postseason woes.

And it's the first non-Pats Super Bowl since Broncos-Panthers in 2016!! Wow, that feels like forever ago!

[amroad17]

The way the 49ers played today reminded me of the way the Miami Dolphins played in their Super Bowl winning years in 1972 and 1973.  In SB VII vs. the Washington Redskins, Miami threw the ball 11 times (13 pass plays overall with 2 sacks) and ran the ball 37 times.  In the 1973 AFC Championship Game vs. the Oakland Raiders, the Dolphins ran the ball 53 times for 266 yards and was 3 of 6 passing for 34 yards (with one sack for a loss of eight yards for a net total of 26 yards), winning 27-10.  In SB VIII vs. the Minnesota Vikings, again the Dolphins ran the ball 53 times (for 196 yards) and was 6 of 7 passing for 73 yards (with 1 sack allowed) and won 24-7.

It just brought back some memories of "grind it out" football that was played in the 1970's.  It was certainly not as exciting as what many of us started seeing in the 1980's until now with the advent of the passing game, however, it was a formula that worked in that era.

[nexus73]

SF-KC is a matchup that I see as too close to call.  Now that plenty of us expect a close game, watch us get a blowout instead!  The talking heads will have plenty to discuss...

Rick

[webny99]

But you're right: it is to close to call. Which team could get a blowout win? Both are great at getting points on the board and should score 30+ handily.

[amroad17]

Like webny99 said, it should be a more exciting game than the 13-3 Patriots victory over the Rams last year.  Unless one is a 49ers or Chiefs fans, most of the rest would be hoping for an exciting, close game--something like 27-24, 31-30, or 35-31.

[DaBigE]

Unless someone has a really bad day, I think it's going to be a close, but high-scoring game, with the 49ers eking out a victory. I think it'll come down to who has the ball last.

[Max Rockatansky]

Not that I trust the Kansas City defense but it would be hard to pick against them given that Patrick Mahomes seems to be able overcome any deficit.  I can't imagine running the ball constantly like the 49ers have done in the playoffs is going to be enough to compete with the Chiefs.

[ozarkman417]

Unless someone has a really bad day

If the Chiefs were to have a bad time, it would probably look like the fumblefest like they did during the Texans game.

[Max Rockatansky]

Unless someone has a really bad day

If the Chiefs were to have a bad time, it would probably look like the fumblefest like they did during the Texans game.

But the Chiefs have been having a bad time in the first half of the last two games and it didn't end up mattering.

[SSOWorld]

Looks like the red shirts win.

[Alps]

Unless someone has a really bad day, I think it's going to be a close, but high-scoring game, with the 49ers eking out a victory. I think it'll come down to who has the ball last.

The 49ers have looked really dominant on defense. The Chiefs have an explosive offense. They've scored 28 unanswered in between opponent scores in both of their playoff games. The difference, I think, is that if they give the 49ers a couple of scores before they get going, the Chiefs won't recover a third time.

[kurumi]

My hot take: Mahomes rhymes with Holmes, but Moriarty rhymes with Lombardi. SF has a Baker Street, while KC does not. Elementary, my dear Watson.

Also, a road-related joke from /r/nfl (paraphrased, because I can't find it):

Andy Reid lands in KC but gets lost on his first night, trying to find I-435. He stops at a gas station to ask for directions.

"Hi, can you show me how to get back to 435?"

Station attendant looks him up and down, "Uhhh... diet and exercise?"

I'm rooting for the local team (we can see Levi's stadium from our office building) but it's cool to see the Chiefs there and would not be the end of the world if they won.

[ET21]

Great Super Bowl matchup 

[Henry]

Congrats to the 49ers and Chiefs on making it to Miami! Now the big question is, who will Joe Montana root for in the Big Game?

[silkroad]

The Virginia Sailors/Roanoke Buckskins were a farm team for the Washington Redskins. As the Annapolis Sailors in 1965, they won the North American Football League title. They moved to the Atlantic Coast Football League for the 1966 season. Won league title for 1966 and 1967 seasons. Lost to the Hartford Knights in the 1968 title game. Moved to Roanoke and became the Roanoke Buckskins for the 1969 thru 1971 seasons.

[webny99]

The difference, I think, is that if they give the 49ers a couple of scores before they get going, the Chiefs won't recover a third time.

I agree, because the Niners have a great run game and a great defense. That's an advantage on both sides of the ball, that they can use to protect a big lead (as they have done the last two weeks). The Texans had neither of those advantages, and the Titans only had 1/2.

[Max Rockatansky]

The difference, I think, is that if they give the 49ers a couple of scores before they get going, the Chiefs won't recover a third time.

I agree, because the Niners have a great run game and a great defense. That's an advantage on both sides of the ball, that they can use to protect a big lead (as they have done the last two weeks). The Texans had neither of those advantages, and the Titans only had 1/2.

But can the 49ers open the game up if need to be?  I have a hard time believing that Jimmy Garoppollo can really match scores if the Chiefs start making players through the 49er secondary. 

[webny99]

The difference, I think, is that if they give the 49ers a couple of scores before they get going, the Chiefs won't recover a third time.

I agree, because the Niners have a great run game and a great defense. That's an advantage on both sides of the ball, that they can use to protect a big lead (as they have done the last two weeks). The Texans had neither of those advantages, and the Titans only had 1/2.

But can the 49ers open the game up if need to be?  I have a hard time believing that Jimmy Garoppollo can really match scores if the Chiefs start making players through the 49er secondary.

I look at Jimmy G's season as a whole and I'm pretty skeptical. But then I look at that 48-46 win over the Saints in the Superdome and I think, absolutely! I guess time will tell!

[KEVIN_224]

GO KANSAS CITY!

I have to remember that Miami will go to San Francisco (and Arizona) next season. The AFC East is playing the NFC West.

[ilpt4u]

The difference, I think, is that if they give the 49ers a couple of scores before they get going, the Chiefs won't recover a third time.

I agree, because the Niners have a great run game and a great defense. That's an advantage on both sides of the ball, that they can use to protect a big lead (as they have done the last two weeks). The Texans had neither of those advantages, and the Titans only had 1/2.

But can the 49ers open the game up if need to be?  I have a hard time believing that Jimmy Garoppollo can really match scores if the Chiefs start making players through the 49er secondary.

I look at Jimmy G's season as a whole and I'm pretty skeptical. But then I look at that 48-46 win over the Saints in the Superdome and I think, absolutely! I guess time will tell!

The Saints-9ers game was the example of the 9ers keeping up in a shootout. Jimmy G has the ability and weapons to run up the box score

[nexus73]

Even the bookies had a hard time picking a Super Bowl favorite according to this article from Yahoo Sports:


LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Even the bookies are having a problem figuring out a favorite in the Super Bowl.

Odds opened at pick 'em Sunday at many Las Vegas sports books, though the Kansas City Chiefs quickly moved to 1-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers. Early bettors favored the Chiefs in a game that will almost surely set new legal betting records.

The combination of an attractive matchup, close odds and the spread of legalized sports betting means hundreds of millions of dollars will exchange hands over the next two weeks.

Bettors at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook got an early start after they were offered the pick 'em odds at halftime of the NFC championship game. Oddsmaker Jay Kornegay said about 80 percent of the early money was on the Chiefs and the line moved to Chiefs minus-1.

The over/under total started at 51 1/2 and was at 53 after a bettor put $110,000 on the over.

Odds and point spreads can fluctuate up until the kickoff Feb. 2 in Miami, largely because of heavy bets on one side or the other.

At the new Circa sports books, the game was pick 'em with a 52 total to open. Sports book director Matthew Metcalf tweeted that bettors could bet up to $100,000 a side on Sunday with limits of $500,000 a side beginning Tuesday morning.

Most books limit bets early to see if the point spread moves while being tested by so-called sharps.

Legal betting in Nevada's 200 sports books was down last year at $145.9 million after setting a record the year before with $158.6 million in bets. A big percentage of Super Bowl betting is in so-called prop bets, which have become increasingly popular as they multiplied in recent years.

Books will begin releasing hundreds of different prop bets during the week, from who will win the opening coin flip to how many penalties each team will have.

Kornegay said he expects a new record to be set in Nevada on the game, largely driven by a good economy. Bets are now legal in 13 other states, too, though not in the home states of either team or in Florida.

Rick

[amroad17]

The Virginia Sailors/Roanoke Buckskins were a farm team for the Washington Redskins. As the Annapolis Sailors in 1965, they won the North American Football League title. They moved to the Atlantic Coast Football League for the 1966 season. Won league title for 1966 and 1967 seasons. Lost to the Hartford Knights in the 1968 title game. Moved to Roanoke and became the Roanoke Buckskins for the 1969 thru 1971 seasons.

Ahhh!  The days of the Pottstown Firebirds, Orlando Panthers, and the Norfolk Neptunes.  I would like to see something like the ACFL or the Continental Football League again.  Unfortunately, I do not believe having an AAA or AA football league is feasibly economical anymore.

Oh well, at least I have Madden Football with the Create-A-Team and Tournament functions on it for my own fantasy minor leagues.

[dvferyance]

Aaron Rodgers is 1-3 in NFC championship games and that one win came against a Bears team with Jay Cutler and then Caleb Haney at qb. Two of those losses were blowouts to Atlanta and San Francisco. I think Rodgers is overrated even that one super bowl win was really because of the defense that picked off Rothlisburger a couple times that put the Packers up big early. The reality is Rodgers is just a one super bowl qb he is not a Tom Brady or a Joe Montana.