Our weekly Minnesota Sports Ramble articles are released on Tuesday (Wild related) and Thursday (Timberwolves related). Monthly content on inactive Minnesota pro sports teams is released during the first week of the month or when there's big news. We plan on expanding to coverage of high school hockey and the Gophers in the future as well.
Below, our contributors make their predictions for the Big Game (if the NFL doesn't want people to call it by its proper name, then screw them, we won't).
When Bill Belichick won a Super Bowl as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants on January 27, 1987, Sean McVay was just one year and one day old.
When Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl as quarterback for the New England Patriots in 2002, Jared Goff was only about eight years old.
Big Game LIII will pit the NFL's current Old Guard vs. this season's version of the NFL's New Guard or future generation. It will definitely be a 'battle of the ages', but whether or not it will be a 'battle for the ages', only time will tell. The last two Big Games, both of which included the New England Patriots, were very competitive, exciting, and even epic battles, and I expect Big Game LIII to be the same.
In the end I expect Belichick's and Brady's wisdom and mastery to out duel and outwit their younger counterparts, putting a sixth Lombardi trophy in the New England Patriot trophy case.
Man, I just don't care.
I can't put a finger on why, but the NFL has gotten boring to me. I've never been less excited for a Big Game, and I'm not the only person saying that.
It's the only elite team in the AFC for the last 20 years vs. a boring, one-dimensional offensive juggernaut whose city doesn't even care about them. Yawn.
My hot take: it'll be a low scoring game. The Patriots defense is good enough to keep down the Rams, and the Rams defense is good enough to keep the Patriots in check.
The narrative for Big Game LIII is clear: old school vs. new school, tried and true vs. run and gun, what the new NFL is supposed to look like vs. the way it was for a long time.
I expect the game to be close in the first half. The Rams will take an early lead, but experience will prove to be the difference in the second, with the Patriots winning yet another Big Game.
I second Erik: I really just don't care.
I'm skipping both, but honestly, I'd rather watch the NBA All-Star game. But I am the Timberwovles analyst after all, so I'm not paid handsomely to care about this anyway.
The Rams have a great defense that can get after the quarterback. They'll need to get in Brady's face making him uncomfortable to have a chance. The Rams run-first offense should help them control the clock.
The Patriots defense always ups their game in the playoffs, and if they can make the Rams one-dimensional by taking away the run game and making Goff beat them, their lives will be easier.
Essentially, the Patriots offense is Tom Brady. What else do they need? I suppose they also have James White, Gronkowski and Edelman. It will help a lot if Gronkowski is healthy and on his game. Regardless, Tom Brady has shown time and time again he doesn't need much. They will be ready.
​Jeff Hartfiel is a Minnesota sports analyst specializing in the Wild and Vikings. He's been a part of Rambling On since 2018.