Eagles win Super Bowl, Alex Smith trade and more
The Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl, while the New England Patriots are stuck to ponder some tough questions moving forward.
The confetti — shaped like little Lombardi Trophies — fell on their heads. The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots both engulfed by the celebration in Minneapolis, but with emotions on the opposite ends of the spectrum.
For the Eagles, a dream realized and a weight lifted. For the Patriots, a missed opportunity in the latter stages of the NFL’s greatest dynasty.
It wasn’t supposed to end this way in a multitude of respects. Tom Brady was supposed to be standing on the podium at game’s end. Bill Belichick was expected to be celebrating his sixth Super Bowl victory as head coach, perhaps this time of an undefeated team.
Instead, it was Nick Foles, a journeyman who almost retired a year ago, holding his seven-month old daughter as the applause cascaded off the walls of U.S. Bank Stadium. It was the storybook ending for the unexpected hero, an MVP award given to the man who defeated the other MVP.
It was Doug Pederson, relieving a city of a torturous football past. Pederson, who was coaching in high school football only a decade ago, now etched in history as one of only two coaches to ever beat Belichick on Super Sunday.
Both Foles and Pederson delivered on the sport’s biggest stage, for a city that will pick up their tabs for life.
Then there are the Patriots, the stunned losers despite more than 600 yards of offense. There is Brady, the vanquished champion looking for other ring. Brady, 40, won’t have many more chances to charge at this challenge, despite talk of wanting to play until he’s 45 years old. At some point soon, Father Time will come calling.
Belichick will also have to answer questions, both from external sources and internal voices. Why was Malcolm Butler a healthy scratch after starting all year long, even when Foles was carving up New England’s defense for 373 passing yards. What needs to be done to that unit in the offseason with limited cap space, projected to be only $13.9 million. Even when the Patriots release Dwayne Allen, Martellus Bennett and David Harris, they will still hover around $30 million, middle of the pack.
As great as Brady and Belichick are, they will have a tough time winning another Super Bowl unless the defense drastically improves. The loss of Butler is coming, and while both Dont’a Hightower and Derek Rivers will return from injury, more must be done.
Yet for this moment, it’s about the Eagles. For the first time since 1960, Philadelphia will enjoy a spring as NFL champion, enjoying a title many believed they would never see.
And so the questions of next season must be tucked away for the time being. In the case of a winner, there is no time like the present, especially when little Lombardi Trophies are falling down like rain in the night, washing away years of anguish.
Power rankings
My top 10 favorites to win Super Bowl LIII
1. New England Patriots
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Los Angeles Rams
6. Atlanta Falcons
7. Philadelphia Eagles
8. Minnesota Vikings
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Houston Texans
Quotable
https://twitter.com/L_Bell26/status/959148361742864384
– Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, tweeting that $60 million isn’t enough to play for the New York Jets
Bell reportedly turned down $60 million from the Steelers last year, so he’s not lying. With the 25-year-old star potentially hitting free agency in March, it will be fascinating to see the deal he reels in. Smart money says the Steelers either make him the highest-paid running back in league history by a significant margin, or he goes out and tests the market.
If that’s the case, he won’t be hurting for suitors. The San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns have the most cap space and both have needs at the position. The 49ers would be an especially intriguing fit considering the emergence of Jimmy Garoppolo and the offenses scheme under Kyle Shanahan.
Podcast
Matt Verderame and Josh Hill will talk all things Super Bowl LII this week, while taking a look ahead into the offseason. Moving forward, Stacking The Box podcast will be available on Facebook Live as well in video form. Make sure to give the FanSided page a “LIKE” and get notifications when the show is airing every Monday afternoon!
Random stat
The Los Angeles Chargers have only been to one Super Bowl, but they were dominant in the American Football League. During the league’s first six years, the Chargers played in five title games. However they just won once, beating the Boston Patriots in 1963.
Info learned this week
1. Chiefs, Redskins pull off blockbuster trade
The Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins stole the lead-up to Super Bowl LII. Kansas City sent Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith to Washington for slot corner Kendall Fuller and a third-round selection in the 2018 draft, a deal that left many enraged in the nation’s capital.
The deal has a litany of impact on both sides. The Chiefs now move to Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback, one year after drafting him No. 10 overall. Kansas City also lands one of the best young corners in the game in Fuller, a third-year pro out of Virginia Tech.
As for the Redskins, they wasted no time in extending Smith’s contract, which initially only ran for another year. Washington gave Smith a four-year pact for $94 million, including $71 million guaranteed. With that trade, the Redskins are moving on from Kirk Cousins, whether or not they are ready to admit it.
2. Ozzie Newsome readying for retirement
On Friday, the Baltimore Ravens announced that longtime general manager Ozzie Newsome would be retiring after the upcoming season, making way for Eric DeCosta to replace him. DeCosta has long been a top candidate for the role, groomed within the organization since the mid ’90s in a variety of roles.
Newsome has been one of the most successful general managers in NFL history, winning two Super Bowls with the Ravens. The Hall of Fame tight end came to Baltimore after the franchise moved from Cleveland in 1996 and set the tone in his first draft class, landing Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis with his first two selections.
3. Odell Beckham Jr. wants his money
The New York Giants are projected to have $22 million in cap space this year, a figure that could dramatically increase if the franchise moves on from Eli Manning. Regardless, the Giants have more than enough money for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., should they want to pay his demands.
Beckham talked about his contract situation on Saturday at the NFL Honors, stating he is hoping to get an extension before the upcoming season. New York has Beckham through this year and next assuming it picks up his player option, so the former LSU star is without much leverage.
It will be interesting to see if new general manager Dave Gettleman makes Beckham the richest receiver in NFL history, or if he is a highly sought-after free agent after the 2019 campaign.
4. Colts’ Jackson tragically dies
On Sunday morning, word broke out of Indianapolis that linebacker Edwin Jackson was killed in an auto accident, reportedly being hit by a drunk driver. Jackson was 26 years old. Jackson was standing by a vehicle alongside Jeffrey Monroe, a 54-year-old gentleman who was also killed. The suspect is 38-year-old Alex Cabrera Gonsales, who tried to flee on foot before being apprehended.
Jackson played college ball at Georgia Southern before signing with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. After being released by the Cardinals, the Colts picked him up, giving him a large role in 2016. Jackson was able to rack up 66 tackles and a pair of sacks. He spent all of last season on Injured Reserve.
5. Cap casualties will come in ensuing month
The NFL is cruel business, something we see annually with the cutting of veteran players who can still produce. However, when the cap number outweighs the production, it’s all over.
We could see a handful of major names hitting free agency in this vein, including Aqib Talib and Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos. Blake Bortles is also a potential cut, with the Jacksonville Jaguars owing him $19 million on the fifth-year option. In Green Bay, the Packers could move on from Jordy Nelson, who would save them $10.2 million if released.
The Oakland Raiders are almost certain to cut Michael Crabtree, who is due $7.7 million but is without any guaranteed money. Oakland could potentially say goodbye to Marshawn Lynch as well, netting $5.9 million.
Finally, keep an eye on the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle has serious decisions to make on Richard Sherman, Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor. Avril and Chancellor both had career-threatening injuries this season, with head coach Pete Carroll stating it would be unlikely that they play again.
If the duo does want to return, Seattle may part ways, saving $9.2 million between them (Chancellor does carry $7 million in dead money). As for Sherman, the 29-year-old has a $13.2 million cap hold, with Seattle retaining $11 million if he’s released.
History lesson
In the 52-year history of the Super Bowl, only twice has the game gone without a touchdown pass. In Super Bowl III, the New York Jets shocked the world by beating the Baltimore Colts. Incredibly, Joe Namath was named MVP of that afternoon without throwing for a score.
The other occasion was Super Bowl XXVIII, with the Dallas Cowboys trouncing the Buffalo Bills for the second straight year. Troy Aikman, fresh off a concussion in the NFC Championship Game, relied heavily on the Dallas defense and Emmitt Smith, resulting in a 30-13 triumph.
Parting shot
Before we get to free agency, there is the matter of franchise tags. The range to apply the tag is from Feb. 20 to March 6, giving teams two weeks to make a final decision. By the start of the new league year on March 14, all teams must be cap compliant.
Last March, we saw a litany of notable names get the tag including Le’Veon Bell, Kirk Cousins and Trumaine Johnson. This time, players who could find themselves in that situation include DeMarcus Lawrence, Ezekiel Ansah, Jarvis Landry, Bell and Garoppolo. Of the five names, Lawrence and Garoppolo are going back to their current teams either on the tag or through a long-term deal. Ansah and Landry are the biggest mysteries, while simple economics say it will be hard for the Steelers to retain Bell on a $14 million tag.
The other situation to watch is in Minnesota, where the Vikings have to choose between three quarterbacks. Sam Bradford is gone, but would general manager Rick Spielman slap the tag on Teddy Bridgewater or Case Keenum? The guess here is yes on Bridgewater, who is the youngest of the trio and with the biggest upside.