Earl Fitch
January 31, 2019
Gunman barricaded in cop car outside Terrebonne jail
January 31, 2019
No, I am not boycotting the Super Bowl on Sunday.
And you know what? If I must be honest and frank about it, I don’t think that any of you are, either.
All I saw on social media this past week were posts about the NFC Championship game, the missed call and all of the things that’ve happened after — the petition, the lawsuit, the calls to replay the final minutes of the game and everything else.
On Monday, it was funny — wow, look at the passion of the people in our state.
By Tuesday, it was beginning to get old, but it was still not worth commenting on, because, heck, people love our Saints.
But now, it’s just overkill and embarrassing — it’s gone entirely too far.
The NFL missed a call at the absolute worst time to miss a call. I get that. I will not dispute that. If I were a New Orleans Saints fan, I would have been just as upset as you guys were in the heat of the moment.
But a full 10 days have passed. It’s now time to see reality.
That missed call was brutal, sure. But the Saints had chances and didn’t convert. That has more to do with the loss than any missed call.
Reality check: The Saints kicked three field goals and the longest was a 37-yarder. What does that mean? It means they were super close to scoring a touchdown three times in the game, but didn’t.
That loses games.
Reality check: The Saints won the first quarter 13-0, then lost the rest of the game 26-10. They were out-gained by 88 yards and also lost time of possession.
Reality check: The Saints had a 3-point lead with 1:41 left in the game. They didn’t stop the Rams from forcing overtime, instead letting them drive the length of the field for a last-second field goal.
Realty check: The Saints won the coin toss and had a chance to score in overtime and win. They turned the ball over instead.
Reality check: The Rams weren’t in field goal range at the time of their interception. The Saints defense had a chance to stop them from kicking the game-winning field goal. They didn’t and the Rams won the game.
It was a controversial ending and it will be one that we will
talk about in Louisiana for a long, long time. But this idea that the Rams don’t deserve to be in the Super Bowl is just hot air — about as ridiculous as this idea that people from Louisiana will actually boycott the big game.
Most all of you will watch the game Sunday — just like you always do. My Facebook will be filled with either slander for the Rams or slander for Tom Brady. It’s as predictable as the sun rising tomorrow to start another day.
Any talk of the contrary is just hot air — just like the talk of fans boycotting the league during the national anthem protests.
OK, so with that out of the way, let’s talk about the big game.
Usually, I enter Super Bowl Sunday with a clear inclination as to how I think the big game will go.
This year, I admittedly have no clue.
On paper, I think we all would agree that the Los Angles Rams have a better roster than New England does — top-to-bottom.
But, New England has just been here so, so many times. It’s hard to bet against that winning experience — especially against a team with such a youthful head coach and core roster.
I think there are two huge matchups to watch in Sunday’s game and I think whoever hoists the Lombardi Trophy will be the group who wins these matchups.
The first is the Rams’ defensive line against Tom Brady.
On paper, the Rams were supposed to be a fearsome foe up front, but they’ve been hit or miss. They started the season dominant, then slacked off heavily in the middle of the year. But since the start of the playoffs, that group has been massive again, dominating the Cowboys and Saints, limiting both offenses well below their season averages in back-to-back wins.
For New England to win, they have to control Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh in the middle. If they can plug the run and get in the face of Tom Brady, that’s a wrap.
But if New England can keep them blocked, they will be able to control the speed of the game with that power running game and those trademark short, quick passes.
The second matchup is New England’s linebackers and safeties against Todd Gurley.
In the postseason, Gurley has been slowed — likely because of a late-season injury that’s slowed him.
But some of his struggles are also because the Cowboys and Saints have quick, shifty linebackers who have taken him out of sync.
New England has no such luxury. This is a much better matchup for Gurley and I think he is in position to have a big game. If he does, that will also set up Los Angeles’ play-action pass game, which could mean bad things for the Patriots.
So if you ask me for a pick, I think the Rams have a better team, but I think the Patriots just are impossibly difficult to bet against.
New England lost in the Super Bowl last year and I think they get back to the top this year.
Give me New England 30, Los Angeles 23.
I think the running game for New England is the story of the day.
