Super Bowl Sunday has come and gone. What a dud. The game stunk, the commercials stunk, the half-time show was an insult to the word "entertainment" and the evil empire claims another Lombardi Trophy. On a positive note my beer was ice cold while the chili and hot wings were delicious.
I wasn't sure how I was going to write this post. You all saw what happened. So I'm trying something new. Every week when I watch the games I take notes on things I see and hear during the games. Usually just a couple of points about all the different happenings around the league and then I expand on them for my past. I did the same for the Super Bowl, boy I have got a lot of stuff written down.
So what I'm going to do is share my notes written down in chronological order (mostly, I got distracted a few times during the game). Reading over them today I'm reminded of the classic Ozzy song "Diary of a Madman". Plus I can tell I was eating wings during the second quarter because there are hot sauce stains on the page. This way I can best share my thoughts of what was going on as the game progressed. Also there are some comments about the commercials and the half-time show. Read on at your own risk.
1st Quarter
Rams win the toss and defer. I guess they can't wait to start taking shots at Brady.
Brady's first pass attempt is intercepted. HAH! I love it.
Refs called B.S. penalty on Roby-Coleman first time he hits a guy. Too little too late NFL. Way to piss Saints fans off even more.
New England blows 2 timeouts in the first quarter. That's odd for a squad that is usually the best prepared in the league.
Doritos commercial usually good for a laugh, just some dumb rap song this year. So disappointing. Better get ideas from the fans again.
Bud Light is a fancy name for pee water, but at least their commercials are entertaining.
Gostkowski has missed 4 kicks in the last 3 Super Bowls. Maybe the Pats should have never let Vinatieri go. He's still money.
Rams offense can't get out of first gear in 1st quarter.
Brady nearly picked off again. Old man is not sharp to start out.
Brady fumbles first time he is hit. Pats recover. Geez AFC, how did you let this team make the Super Bowl again?
Patriots spend nearly the entire 1st quarter in Rams territory and come away with squat.
1st quarter ends Patriots 0 Rams 0.
2nd Quarter
Is Pepsi OK? No. If it was I wouldn't have ordered a Coke.
C.J. Anderson hit with a clothesline, but no penalty flag thrown. Why? Does anything go after a false start? NFL referees are the worst.
3 possessions for the Rams and Gurley has one touch. Something has to be wrong with him. Rams need him bad.
Gostkowski breaks the tie, barely. Pats better hope they don't need a game winning field goal kick because he looks shaky.
Patriots 3 Rams 0
Rams get away with one. Patriots should have challenged the catch.
Did the Rams leave their offense back in L.A.? Pats D isn't this good.
Good job Planters. Charlie Sheen cameo made me laugh.
Gurley finally back in the game. 3rd & 2 and the Rams try to pass. Run the ball! Goff is lost, looks way in over his head.
The "Dude" and Sara Jessica Parker's big rack. Excellent work Stella Artois.
Pats can't convert 4 & 1, they always seem to score in the final two minutes of the half.
Goff goes down again.
6th punt of the half for Rams, only two first downs.
Halftime is here. Patriots 3 Rams 0. This is an awful game so far.
Half Time
NFL 100 commercial is pretty good. Good job having players from multiple generations. Although I can't imagine Raiders fans are happy to re-live the immaculate reception. Haven't they suffered enough this year?
Half time show is worse than the game. Way worse. And that is saying something.
3rd Quarter
Yeesh, Goff is lucky his first pass of the second half wasn't intercepted.
Gurley getting going. Rams need him to take over game.
Patrick Chung injury is huge loss for Pats. Might be their best defensive player.
Nice CBS graphic after Rams punt following first second half possession : Total Yards Edelman 93 Rams 78.
Add 27 more to Edelman's total. He is having his way with the Rams.
Halfway through the third quarter, Rams are 0 for 8 on 3rd down. Ouch.
New England flat on offense too to start second half.
4:20 left in the 3rd quarter, Rams finally convert a third down. Yay!
Rams so excited by converting they have to call a time out to avoid delay of game penalty.
Zuerlein hits 53 yard field goal, Rams finally on the board.
Nice 19 yard run by Sony Michel.
End of 3rd quarter, Patriots 3 Rams 3. Some pitiful offense on display today. I don't think this one is going to hit the over. Ha.
4th Quarter
First Super Bowl ever with zero TDs through three quarters. Congrats guys!
Patriots still can't get going on offense.
Rams are very lucky C.J. Anderson fumble rolls out of bounds.
Rams receivers can't get open all night. Goff has nowhere to go with the ball.
Patriots keep Rams drive alive with a penalty and Rams are starting to take advantage.
Nevermind, dubious offensive holding penalty kills the Rams drive.
Somebody got paid for coming up with that dumbass Burger King commercial. Good grief.
Rams lucky Gronk can't run anymore or he might have taken that catch a long way.
A Brady chant? I'm gonna be sick.
Big catch by Gronk, 1st and goal Patriots. First red zone play of the day coming up.
Sony Michel runs for touchdown. It only took 3 hours for the game's first TD. Yawn.
Patriots 10 Rams 3. Game over?
Goff hits Cooks with 19 yard pass, longest play of the game for L.A.
Rams finally moving the ball.
Goff picked off after zero coverage blitz. Time to flush this turd of a game.
Big Sony Michel run. New set of downs for the Pats with 3 minutes left.
Rams have to start burning timeouts.
Burkhead busts off 26 yard run. Rams D is out of juice. Can't stop the run even though they know it's coming.
Belichick caught by camera yelling "What's going on?" to the refs. Ain't he watching?
Pats drive stalls with 4 & inches.
Gostkowski to ice it. He does. Barely.
Zuerlein misses 48 yard field goal attempt. Badly. Sums up the day for the Rams perfectly.
Mercifully this game is over.
Final Score: Patriots 13 Rams 3.
That in a nutshell is the story of Super Bowl LIII. What a lousy game. I figured the Rams would adjust at the half like the Chiefs did to make the second half better, but it didn't happen. Rams offense was thoroughly outcoached in this one. Their running attack never got going and the Pats D shutdown the passing game. The defense played well despite spending nearly the entire game on the field.
Congrats to the Patriots, they earned it. Brady didn't play great, but he made enough throws to pull it out. Julian Edelman deserved that MVP award and Sony Michel had a good game as well. The defense played great, they join the 1971 Dallas Cowboys as the only teams to not give up a touchdown in the Super Bowl. You knew I was going to sneak a Cowboys reference in somewhere.
Final Words
This post wraps up the 2018 NFL season for the Chops 316 MMQB. I enjoyed putting it together every week and I want to say thank you to all the members of scorum who have read, commented and upvoted it. It is appreciated. I need this break from football now. Another Patriots victory has killed my spirit. On to the Daytona 500 and spring training!
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