NFL
Save The Dates
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s all about the presentation.
In the past, when a recruit signed with a school, or a player announced he or she was turning pro, at the most they would hold a conference at their respective school to mark the occasion.
Now, it’s all about the theatrics; Instagram posts, professionally done videos, etc.
That same hype has trickled down now to the release of the NFL Schedule.
Instead of quietly releasing the upcoming season schedule, it’s all about the creativity from each team’s marketing and social media departments. I know I might come across like a millennial version of Archie Bunker, yelling at those “darn kids”, but I actually love it.
And thankfully for those of us in this area, both Atlanta and Carolina were the two videos battling it out for the top spot.
If you’re grading on the overall creativity and consistency of the video I think you have to go with the Panthers. Their idea to present the matchups as if they were competing in an actual video game was nothing short of brilliant.
As someone who spent the better part of the ‘90s navigating through his teenage years, I appreciated their nods to games like Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and Goldeneye. The only thing that could’ve improved their overall presentation was somehow slipping in a score of 28-3 for either of their matchups against Atlanta.
Now, since I am a big Game of Thrones fan, and even though it has become a popular trend of late, I can give the Falcons props for their homage to one of the most popular shows of my generation.
While you can debate the originality of the idea, the video did provide possibly the best five seconds put on film this year. There is certainly no love lost between Carolina and Atlanta, but the one thing both fan bases can agree upon is their complete disdain for anything associate with the New Orleans Saints.
So, when the Falcons video included a ram knocking over a Saints player, followed by a ref running up to the knocked player and waving off any infraction I almost gave them a standing ovation, in my living room. That’s pettiness at its finest, and I’m all in.
There will be numerous touchdown celebrations, quarterback sack dances, and taunts throughout the season, but I don’t know if any of them will be as brutal as that takedown the Falcons just performed on the Saints.
I do think there was some room for improvement though. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like they missed a golden opportunity by not including a “Jameis Winston running out of Publix” set piece.
I admit I haven’t actively searched out New Orleans or Tampa Bay’s schedule release video, but I doubt it compares at all to these two.
Oh, and as for the actual schedule itself, would it really matter all much if not for these videos? I mean, most of the games are already predetermined and no matter how difficult or easy we perceive a schedule to be, it all changes once the season begins anyway.
One thing the NFL does better than any other league- the NBA isn’t too far behind- is they’ve turned their season into a year around event.
The release of their schedule is just one more thing we as fans now have to look forward to. I know I sound like Meathead, but I almost don’t care how my team does this season; it’s all about the announcement video now.
Folded
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s been more than 30 years, and some people still haven’t learned their lesson.
For the better part of the last half century, football has been the most popular sport in America.
The Super Bowl has supplanted the World Series as the pinnacle of the sports-watching season and the last decade or two has seen college football rise to second place behind the NFL in terms of attention paid to any specific sports season.
But that still doesn’t mean that there’s room for more football.
The Alliance of American Football kicked off its inaugural season just a week after the Patriots defeated the Rams in the Super Bowl. The upstart league drew some ratings and attention in early weeks from folks who weren’t quite ready to settle into a winter of basketball, hockey and early-season golf.
The AAF assumed to fly high where other leagues, such as the USFL and the XFL had failed previously.
As it turns out, the AAF wasn’t even as successful as those previous failures.
Just eight weeks into its’ 10-week season, the AAF has shut down all football operations. The league didn’t even make it two weeks in before a desperate infusion of additional cash was needed to cover paychecks and even that couldn’t float the league through its first regular season.
There’s no shame to be had by the players and franchises of the AAF. A few hundred football players were out there doing their best to maybe catch the eye of a scout who could get them to the next level. Good for them for chasing their dreams.
But as for the executives and corporate-types who continue to hatch these ‘professional’ football leagues, it’s really time to take a step back.
The immediate failure of the AAF – and what can be assumed to be an uphill battle for the reiteration of the XFL next season – has served home the fact that there is a saturation point for even the most beloved sport in the country.
Fans go nuts over their favorite NFL team, but maybe that’s because they only have to make a 5-6 month investment.
College fan bases show up by the hundreds of thousands to tailgate and cheer and travel to far-reaching bowl game destinations, but that’s still just a few months of commitment.
The AAF – like other leagues before it – has crapped out on the same faulty line of thinking. The fact that America loves football doesn’t mean it has the ability to tolerate sub-par versions of the game through an entire calendar year.
A sea of players that plunged head-first into a new league shows that there is an ample supply of talent that is willing to keep toiling away in hopes of making it to the NFL someday. Unfortunately, the AAF was never the place for those players.
There may well be a league or program that can serve as a stepping stone for players to move from college into the pros, or that can provide a chance for former pros to get back into
the game. But the AAF was just another league that served the front offices and league owners far more than the players.
Just like the failed leagues before it, the AAF promised ‘FOOTBALL’ and not much else.
And unfortunately for the AAF, football fans have remained consistent in believing that there can be too much of a good thing.
The Missing Link?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It was a move that had been speculated for months.
The Jacksonville Jaguars landed their quarterback, Nick Foles, on the first day of the NFL free agency tampering period.
Foles signed a four-year, $88 million deal, including $50.2 million in guarantees. This comes one year after the team gave Bortles a three-year, $54 million extension. To make room for Foles’ contract, the Jaguars will cut Bortles and eat $16.5 million in dead money.
New Jaguar offensive coordinator, John DeFilippo, worked on the Eagles staff when Foles led the team to the Super Bowl win two years ago over New England.
It will be a reunion of sorts as DeFilippo already knows the strengths of his new quarterback’s game and the belief is that Foles can hit the ground running in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars were horrible on offense in 2018. Foles will be an instant upgrade, and Foles signing officially ends the Blake Bortles era in Jacksonville.
Bortles had a 24-29 record and tossed 103 touchdowns and threw 75 interceptions. He was an original third-overall pick by Jacksonville in 2014.
Kudos to Tom Coughlin and the Jags on the Foles signing. With this move, the Jaguars are telling their fan base that this team can win now, and now that the quarterback situation is settled the team can focus on the upcoming draft.
Foles was taken by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and played the first three years of his career with the franchise. He was traded to the then-St. Louis Rams prior to the 2015 season and spent the 2016 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He would eventually sign a two-year contract that would return him to the Eagles in 2017.
Foles earned his place in Philly sports lore when he led the Eagles to a 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52 for their first title 1960.
Foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass that changed the momentum of the game, and was named Super Bowl MVP.
He was loved in Philly by the loyal Eagles fans, but he needed an opportunity to lead his own team. Jacksonville came calling for his services.
Foles went 25-13 as a starting QB in Philly which happens to be the highest winning percentage for a QB in Eagles history. He is 30 years old and will bring leadership to a locker room in Jacksonville that can benefit from it at this moment in time.
Now that the Jaguars have Foles they need to get him some offensive line help, and some badly needed playmakers on offense. It would seem with the signing of a veteran QB that Jaguars may address QB in the 2020/2021 draft for Foles successor.
The Jags may bring a free agent receiving target to give Foles some help, or address that position in the upcoming draft.
Ok Jags fans, you have your quarterback now. You have a top five defense, and you are set up to win now. It’s time to get it done.
The Jaguars did not sit around with the Foles signing. This team is now a contender again. There will be doubters as well with this high profile move, but I ask this question in closing. How many NFL teams have a Super Bowl MVP Quarterback under center currently? I know the Jaguars do and that is a huge upgrade from where they have been.
Give Him An Inch…
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
If a defensive lineman can outrun a wide receiver, even though he’ll never be matched up with him one on one, should we really care?
If Kyler Murray’s first NFL pass is just out of reach of the outstretched arms of JJ Watt or Aaron Donald, will I yell out “Hell yeah, I told you that 1/10 of an inch makes a difference”? (Maybe, but that will have more to do with personal reasons rather than football ones.)
And if DK Metcalf can run a 4.33 40-yard dash while on the Thanos 30-Day Workout Plan, should it overshadow the fact he has the nimbleness and agility of an elephant?
Look, I think the NFL Combine can be extremely advantageous, if you approach it correctly; using it as an additional tool to assist in a team’s analysis of a player.
However, you know as well as I do that at least one general manager or coach is going to lose his job because he fell in love with a player’s combine numbers over his performance on the field.
I’m always taken aback, although I shouldn’t be by now, how as you go up through the coaching ranks (high school, college, professional) the coach’s arrogance towards being able to turn a player around increases.
I remember watching my high school football team go up against an opponent whose middle linebacker had signed with North Carolina. He was very imposing- about 6-2, 215 lbs- and was incredibly fast.
He was also manhandled by our offensive line and fullback, whose one combined college scholarship offer came from a Division III team.
In fact, not only did he get schooled by our offensive line, but he didn’t have a tackle all game; a pretty impressive feat for a middle linebacker.
Of course, his actual play on the field didn’t matter, he had plenty of athleticism and the UNC coaches were convinced they could turn him into a collegiate player.
He never played a minute for Carolina, as far as I remember. Any of this sound familiar?
As for this year’s combine, all the conversation about Murray and his height leading up to the combine was the pinnacle of how ridiculous this whole thing can be.
Yes, height is important, but had he been measured at 1/16 of an inch shorter than 5-10, all the talk about his height would have amplified.
Instead, he measures what equates to about 4 millimeters taller and it looks like he’s the favorite to go to Arizona with the number one pick. That whole ⅙ of an inch will affect whether or not he’ll be a success NFL quarterback as much as an offensive lineman’s 40-yard dash time.
Still, those results were “breaking news” on just about every sports talk/radio show.
Like most things, the combine started out with good intentions and has devolved over the years into somewhat of a sideshow, albeit a very entertaining one- especially when you consider some of the interviews that take place.
The combine may not be the best way to evaluate a player probability of success at the next level, but as long as guys are running sub 4.4 40’s and walking around with 1.6% body fat, teams will still be placing an emphasis on the whole experience.
The NFL used to be a game of inches. If the combine is any indication, it looks like the league has become a game of millimeters, for now.
Back To The Future At QB
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It is well documented that the Jacksonville Jaguars need a QB going into the 2019 season.
Nick Foles will not receive the franchise tag in Philadelphia and that may set the wheel in motion for Foles to become a Jaguar.
Even if the Jags get Foles, he will be just a bridge to the future. Jacksonville with its top 10 pick needs to draft a QB to groom for the future.
Let’s take a look at this QB draft class:
Dwayne Haskins: The former Ohio State Buckeye is the top rated QB in the draft.
Haskins set 28 OSU records at a school that has produced some quality quarterbacks over the years.
He has a strong arm and is confident in a traditional pro-style offense. He has good mobility and can make things happen when the pocket breaks down.
When you pass for 50 TD’s and 5,000 yards in a 14-game season you are a special talent.
It seems like the New York Giants like Haskins at the number 6 pick. Will teams like the Miami Dolphins trade up to try and get Haskins.
If Haskins falls to Jacksonville will the Jags take him? Haskins seems to be the most pro ready quarterback at this moment in time.
Kyler Murray: Murray had a Heisman winning 2018 season at Oklahoma, passing for over 4,000 yards, rushing for 1,000 and propelled the Sooners into the College Football Playoffs.
Murray is just 5′ 10″ and 195 pounds. The shortest signal-caller in the NFL right now is Russell Wilson at 5′ 11″.
Murray only had 5 passes batted down last season. Baker Mayfield shut up the critics last year after the Browns were heavily criticized after taking Mayfield with the number pick in the draft because of his size.
Mayfield had the Browns in playoff contention last year. The Jaguars have more pieces on defense and Murray is a dynamic playmaker. Murray walked away from $5 million from the Oakland Athletics to play baseball, and will focus on being an NFL QB. Murray is a generational talent.
While the critics chime in on size this kid just makes plays that leave you scratching your head. Murray to me is a better talent than Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have pinned their future on Lamar Jackson.
Drew Lock: The Missouri QB has a gunslinger mentality and throws the best deep ball in the draft. After the Tigers started 1-5, Lock took over and led his team to six straight wins and tossed 44 TD’s.
Lock will turn the ball over sometimes, but he is a natural leader. Lock is tall at 6’4 and will be a steal for a team that is on the cusp of being a playoff contender. Lock reminds me of a Matt Stafford, who is super talented but plays on a bad team.
Who do the Jaguars select?
My pick today is Kyler Murray. The Jags offense needs an infusion of excitement.
Murray will sell out the stadium and would bring a wow factor to the city. You can’t go wrong with Haskins, Murray, or Lock, but the pick is Murray and the Jags are set for the future.
Murray would almost guarantee that no tarps will ever cover upper deck seats in Jacksonville again and end the relocation rumors that are always floating around.
A future trip to Super Bowl would be in reach also.
AFC South Draft Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL Draft fast approaches. After free agency ends, we will have a clearer picture on the direction teams will go in for the draft.
I’m going to examine the AFC South and who will be selected in the first round. This is one of the weaker divisions in the NFL with only one team ever winning a Super Bowl (Indianapolis).
Houston and Jacksonville have never been to the big game and Tennessee has only been once.
Jacksonville (5-11): The Jaguars looked poised to be one of the best teams in 2018. They had an elite defense in 2017 and relied on the ground game with Leonard Fournette. That formula led them to the AFC Championship game where they led New England in the fourth quarter.
We know how that played out. Quarterback Blake Bortles was the obvious weak link of the team. He was rewarded last offseason with a three year contract extension worth $54 million. It seemed to pay off early after they got off to a 3-1 start. That included a victory over the Patriots. Then they had a seven game losing streak.
Quarterback is the position that must be addressed. If they don’t acquire Nick Foles in free agency they will draft a QB with the 7th pick. Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray will get selected. The Heisman Trophy winner has great talent but lacks ideal height.
Tennessee (9-7): The Titans have had two consecutive winning seasons. They have several needs they can address with this pick like wide receiver, guard, edge rusher or quarterback. Their franchise QB Marcus Mariota cannot stay healthy.
One possible pick is NC State receiver Kelvin Horne. He could be paired with Corey Davis to make a dangerous passing attack.
If they go with a pass rusher Jachai Polite of Florida could be the pick. Last season he had 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles.
Houston (11-5): The Texans won the division but lost in the Wild Card round to the Colts. They finally have a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson but they can’t protect him.
He has one of the best receivers in the game (DeAndre Hopkins). They should draft an offensive lineman to help with that problem.
Offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (Florida) would be a good pick. He would be a day one starter. If he is not available tackle Greg Little from Ole Miss will be picked. He looks like he will be the fifth o-lineman picked in the first round but he still has good value. He’s a good pass blocker but he needs to be more consistent.
Indianapolis (10-6): The Colts have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Andrew Luck. He missed the entire 2017 season and came back in 2018 with a vengeance. They have a pretty good offense and they need to get better on defense. The biggest needs are at cornerback, defensive line and wide receiver.
Washington corner back Byron Murphy would be a good pick if available. He had four interceptions and 58 total tackles in 2018. He’s physical enough to help stop the running game and he can cover.
Receiver D.K. Metcalf of Ole Miss is also a possibility if they do not add another WR in free agency.
I’m excited to see if one of these teams can become a serious contender after the draft.
NFC South Draft Report
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2019 NFL Draft starts April 25, 2019. For the 31 other teams that didn’t win the Super Bowl they have a chance to add players and improve their franchise. Let’s take a look at the NFC South and see who they might select in the first round.
Tampa Bay (5-11): The Buccaneers have the fifth overall pick. They had a bit of quarterback controversy to begin the season before Jameis Winston came back from his four-game suspension.
It looks like the Bucs will stick with the troubled young QB. Bruce Arians has taken over as head coach and he will try to give Winston protection.
Left tackle Donovan Smith will be a free agent. On the right side, Demar Dotson is entering the last year of his contract and turns 34 in October. That is why Alabama’s Jonah Williams should get picked to protect Winston’s blind side.
Atlanta (7-9): The Falcons are coming off of a disappointing season that had many injuries on the defense. They need to drastically improve on that side of the ball and on the offensive line.
Head coach Dan Quinn is on record saying he is only comfortable at center and left tackle.
With the 14th pick guard Cody Ford from Oklahoma makes sense. He’s extremely physical and he would help change the identity of the line. He played guard and right tackle so he might also be shifted to that position.
If defensive tackle Ed Oliver (Houston) is still on the board he should get selected. He reminds me of Aaron Donald because he can totally disrupt an offense.
Carolina (7-9): The Panthers started off the season hot before the seven-game losing streak. They are in an interesting position because star quarterback Cam Newton had surgery on his injured shoulder. Some time tables have predicted him to miss the 2019 season.
They also need help on defense. Mario Addison led the team with nine sacks. They need help getting to the quarterback and that is the direction they will go with the 16th pick.
They can draft a local player like Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell. The defensive end registered 50 career tackles for loss and 27 sacks in three seasons. He added 56 total pressures and 30 total stops during his final year. He’s 6’4, 265 pounds with great first-step quickness.
New Orleans (13-3): The Saints had a great season, advancing to the NFC Championship game. They should have won the game but a terrible no call for pass interference against the Rams cost them. They traded their first-round pick in the 2019 draft to move up and select Marcus Davenport.
The biggest needs are tight end, defensive tackle, running back and linebacker. Running back Mark Ingram will be a free agent so that may create a need. Alvin Kamara is great but he works best paired up with a physical runner.
New Orleans will pick 62nd in the second round. I think they will want a pass catching tight end. I’m not sure who will still be on the board by the time they make the pick. The best-case scenario is Irv Smith from Alabama. The best available might be Dawson Knox of Ole Miss.
Prior to last year the NFC South was the toughest division in the league. The Saints were the only playoff team so the other three teams need to get better. It will be exciting to see how everything plays out.
The Empire Strikes Back
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NBA had Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics. Major League Baseball has the New York Yankees. The NFL has the New England Patriots.
Now, before I get too deep into this rabbit hole I’m about to go down, let’s go ahead and get the obvious out the way. After five months and over a few hundred games played, that was the game that is supposed to get us through until September? The only thing less entertaining than the game itself was the halftime show, except for the Big Boi/Sleepy Brown appearance.
Now that those four hours I would’ve rather spent watching Wolf Blitzer doing “Breaking News” segments on Adam Levine’s tattoos have passed, what does it all mean for New England?
As much as it pains me to say, what the Patriots have accomplished over the past eighteen years has to be one of the most impressive feats in sports, if not the most impressive.
The run the Celtics had in the 60’s when they won eight NBA titles in a row, and ten in eleven years, is something I feel pretty confident won’t be happening again anytime soon.
However, it did take place in a period where the level of competition wasn’t quite like it is today. It’s similar to the dominance UCLA had over college basketball for all those years.
The Yankees have been the standard in baseball, but they have a number of advantages that have played in their favor, mainly the market they play in and the lack of a salary cap.
I’m not taking anything away from either of those franchises, but when you are talking about the greatest dynasty in sports history, those type of things matter.
In New England’s case they have achieved unrivaled success over the past two decades in a league that is set up specifically to prevent that type of dominance.
To have done what they have been able to do, with the cavalcade of players over that time frame just adds to the legacy.
Yes, the two constants just happen to the two people who are arguably the best at their respective titles, but it doesn’t dampen it any less.
And look, I get it, I have a hard time saying anything nice about the Patriots. They’re about the most pretentious franchise I’ve seen, and I’m Duke fan for crying out loud.
But if I’m being completely objective, this run they are on- no matter how much longer it lasts- is probably the most impressive run in professional sports history.
This particular victory wasn’t pretty by any means, but it was vintage Bill Belichick. Make no mistake about it, the Rams offensive struggles were not self-inflicted; the Patriots shut down the league’s second ranked offense and made it look easy.
Even though the game gave us all plenty of reasons to turn away, or turn the channel for that matter, New England was the better team, once again.
So here we are, six Super Bowl victories in nine appearances, over an eighteen-year span. As much as Tom Brady wanted to tell us the Patriots are “still here” and that nobody believed in them, are any of us really surprised with the outcome?
It may not have been the outcome most of us wanted to see, but based on history it was the outcome most of us predicted.
And much like the final score and the game itself, we may not be fans of the Patriots, but they are doing something we may not see again in our lifetime.
Foles Flying To Jacksonville?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we embark on Super Bowl weekend, I think back to just one calendar year ago when the Jacksonville Jaguars got “Bradyed” just like the Kansas City Chiefs did two short weeks ago.
Everyone was talking about how close Jacksonville was to being an elite team and many, including this writer picked them to go to the Super Bowl this past season. Unlike Jason Bishop this writer owns up to his bogus predictions.
After that playoff run the Jaguars gave Blake Bortles a contract extension through 2020, and banked their future on continuity with Bortles, instead of making an upgrade at the QB position at the time.
That move was a disaster as the Jaguars finished in last place in the AFC South. It got so bad the Jaguars benched Bortles at the end of miserable 5-11 season. Now, it appears almost certain that the Jaguars and Bortles will part ways.
Where do the Jags go at the QB position in 2019? There are rumors that Jacksonville is in talks with Philadelphia to acquire Nick Foles.
The Eagles confirmed that Carson Wentz will be the starting QB once he returns from the back issues he suffered in 2018.
Where does that leave Nick Foles? Apparently as a back-up in Philly, unless the Eagles make a trade. Foles makes perfect sense for the Jaguars. Foles is an instant upgrade at the position for Jacksonville and with the pieces in place already on defense the Jags become a playoff contender again in 2019.
Bringing in Foles could allow the Jaguars to draft a future QB like Drew Lock in the first round and have him learn and develop under a seasoned veteran like Foles. With Foles the team could win now and also be a bridge to the future until the future is ready. That proposition is a win-win for Jacksonville moving forward.
If you watched the Eagles last season you know that Foles was the best performing QB on that roster. Yes, we all know Wentz is the future in Philly, but Foles just has an “it” factor when he is inserted into a football game.
He started five games down the stretch for the Eagles, got them into the playoffs, beat the Bears on the road, and gave the Saints fits in the divisional playoff game. FYI, in case you forgot, Foles was the MVP of Super Bowl LII, as the Eagles upset the Patriots to win Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl.
What would the Jags have to give up to land Foles? Many are speculating that Leonard Fournette could be part of a deal to land Foles. Fournette appears to be on shaky ground in Jacksonville.
Fournette had an injury plagued 2018 season and some of his sideline antics appear to make him expendable at this time. Time will tell on how it will play out. The Eagles need help at running back.
One thing is for sure, if the Jaguars want to be a playoff team in 2019, they need to seriously address the QB position. Yes, I’m stating the obvious, but the obvious has been the obvious for three seasons now. The Jacksonville Jaguars need a playoff quality quarterback.
Make a deal Jags and bring in Nick Foles and trade Fournette if you have to. You can find a quality running back in this year’s draft. The NFL is a QB driven league.
Super Running Back U
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
When the Patriots selected Sony Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft you just knew he would come in and have a great year with the franchise of the century.
Michel along with Nick Chubb had great rookie seasons in the league which is no surprise as the both came from the University of Georgia or better known as Running Back U.
Now, you have a marquee matchup with Running Back U legends in Super Bowl LIII in Sony and Running Back U legend Todd Gurley or TG3 as superstars have their own tag line.
Other than Herschel, I have never seen a more talented back at UGA than Gurley. He has the size, speed, and vision that is makes him a generational running back.
TG3 is currently the best running back in the NFL, which makes him the best running back in football period.
TG3 just has a knack for scoring touchdowns. Gurley has been a major factor in the resurgence of the Los Angeles Rams as they make their first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years.
Sony Michel is a beloved player in UGA circles. The Rose Bowl performance against Oklahoma makes him an all-time great with just that game alone. Sony always had a knack for making big plays a key time in big games during his UGA career.
My wife has his #1 UGA jersey hanging in the closet and puts it on every Saturday for UGA games. Sony is not big, sneaky fast, but has great vision and just seems to always make someone miss and he just makes plays.
Now the two RBU legends face each other in the Super Bowl next week. TG3 had a huge 100-yard performance against a Dallas Cowboy run defense that looked like Swiss Cheese in the divisional series, which sent the Cowboy nation back into their 23-year annual hibernation.
That alone makes him a hero in my book. He didn’t play much due to being banged up in the NFC title games against the Saints, but he will be ready in the Super Bowl. Look for him and the high-powered Rams offense to have a good day.
Sony, in my opinion is the biggest reason why the Patriots are back this year. Sony has been a steady threat in the run game and teams can’t just focus on stopping Tom Brady they now have to stop a balanced offense. That makes New England ever more dangerous as the Chargers and Chiefs just found out. Sony ran wild against the Chargers and Chiefs with back to back 100-yard games.
Running Back U will be on full display in Super Bowl LIII with Gurley and Michel. Any high-profile high school running back looking for a place to get ready for the NFL, look no further than the University of Georgia. RBU puts backs in the league.
I don’t really care who wins Super Bowl LIII, so I will be pulling for Running Back U to have huge games. Wouldn’t it be great if UGA produced another Super Bowl MVP?
What college has produced more Super Bowl MVP’s than UGA? Gator and Auburn fans look that up and let me know.
