Just some thoughts here in no particular order.

I think being the host of the Super Bowl was Stephen Ross’s dream.  He poured sooooooo much heart and soul and his own money into making yesterday’s spectacle a grand entertainment showcase.   Unfortunately, it shows how off-base his aims are.  If only he put that much effort into the Miami Dolphins, instead of the grand showmanship.  How often do you see Robert Kraft out there begging the league to bring a Super Bowl to Boston?

Our Damien Williams should have been MVP.  While Patrick Mahomes was missing wide open receivers and throwing interceptions for most of the game, Damien Williams rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns.   Mahomes played well in the 4th quarter, but otherwise he looked like a bundle of nerves and he hurt his own team.   By comparison, Williams was steady, and his scamper over the pylon was the touchdown that really invigorated the Chiefs.  Did I mentioned he rushed for over a hundred yards. (By comparison, last year’s MVP was Julian Edelman, who got 140 yards passing and Zero TDs.)

While we’re happy for Damien Williams, Matt Moore, Chad Henne, and Jordan Lucas, it’s so sad to face the reality that the Dolphins front office fails so so often.  Williams was our third-stringer behind Ajayi and Drake.  Dolphins didn’t think he was good enough to be a third-string RB, but the Chiefs knew him to be a #1 starter.  Who is accountable for these repeated failures.

You all know my opinion about Kyle Shanahan blowing the 28-3 lead against the Patriots a few years ago, and he obviously learned no lessons.   Up 10 points with about 7 minutes left, Shanahan blew another Super Bowl…in the same identical pattern!  Troy Aikman was in the middle of saying “We know Kyle Shanahan is just going to run the ball,” when we saw Jimmy G fade back and throw an incompletion.   Aikman’s timing was perfect!  And Shanahan’s lack of common sense is getting pretty routine.

Speaking of Aikman, he is okay, but Tony Romo is far superior.  Romo has a knack for dissecting a play before it happens, recognizing a situation and saying what play is about to unfold.   Meanwhile, Aikman says things like “Here’s an important play.  Let’s see what they do.”

I saw one instance where the Chiefs had 2 WRs lined up off to the right, and the 49ers had two defenders there with them.   Damien Williams went in motion and then lined up on the right also. But no defender went with him.  It was 3 on 2, and I was waiting for Aikman to notice it, but he was rambling about something else.  Romo would have been all over that.  (By the way, KC false started on that play so we will never know how it turned out).
Right before halftime, the 49ers did not take a timeout, and some people criticized Shanahan.  But it wasn’t a bad move.  The 49ers were content to run out the clock and start with the ball after halftime.  They ran a play and kept the clock moving.   They ran the ball again, and this time, Andy Reid called a timeout.   This was a poor decision by Reid.  Shanahan actually played this correctly, and Reid failed.   Now facing third and long, the 49ers picked up a first down around midfield.  The 49ers themselves now used a timeout.  They were all set to go into halftime with 10 points, but now suddenly, thanks to Andy Reid, they were in scoring range and no longer willing to settle.
Reid got greedy, and that forced the 49ers to throw the ball and pick up the first.   If not for the pass interference by Kittle on the next play, the 49ers were poised to go into halftime 17-10 or at least 13-10.   All because Andy Reid gave the 49ers the urge to make that first down.
That being said, I understand the other side of this.  John Lynch in the luxury box called for a timeout before halftime.  It would not have been a terrible decision.   But I think saving those timeouts was the better option.
Speaking of Reid, here comes all the talk of him being among the best ever, a Hall of Famer, blah blah blah.  He’s a nice guy and all, but hardly among the best ever.  His coaching ability did not get him Patrick Mahomes. Much like Bill Cowher, if you stick around long enough with a ton of playoff losses year after year after year, and you have a softy owner who refuses to fire anyone, eventually the circumstances align to give you a title.
Best commercial:  The Facebook ad for the Rock climbers, Rock lifters, Rocking chairs, etc.  Chris Rock showing up at the end, only to be upstaged by Rocky?   Plus Twisted Sister blasting throughout it all?  Great stuff.
Hottest halftime performer:   It’s a tie.

1 Comment

  1. First of all I agree with what your saying …I also thought Damien should of gotten MVP …as far as Ross goes, that’s why he been sending the dolphins overseas for the last 10 years in hopes of getting a super bowl …and your right ..if he took the amount of time in the dolphins as he does to host a superbowl we wouldn’t be in the state we are in now ….hopefully now the ship gets corrected but they have have to nail this draft and the next .

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