The matchup between the Patriots and the Falcons in Super Bowl LI is a nightmare for anyone in Louisiana looking for a team to cheer for. Everyone loves an underdog, and the AFC Champion New England Patriots are anything but.
Regardless of the outcome of Super Bowl LI, the 21st century New England Patriots have already cemented themselves as the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Head coach, Bill Belichick, and quarterback, Tom Brady, are each arguably the best head coach and quarterback in the history of the game, and all the numbers back that up. Since Brady was drafted back in 2000, the Patriots have been to the super bowl seven times, winning four of them, which is two more appearances than any other quarterbacks have in the Super Bowl era. Brady is still playing some of his best football, proven by the fact that this season he broke the NFL record for touchdown-to-interception ratio with twenty-eight touchdowns to only two interceptions! Not only did he do this in only twelve games, but also he did it at the age of thirty-nine in a league where kickers are the only ones who typically play past their 35th birthday. Usually, a team known only for their offense, the Patriots have a sneaky good defense this year. The most important metric to measure defenses is who allowed the least points to be scored, and the Patriots young defense was number one in the NFL in this category. They held the elite Steelers offense to only seventeen points in the AFC championship and seemed ready for any challenge. This team should always be the favorite in any super bowl matchup, making them a very easy team to root against. This year, however, Saints fans find themselves with no choice except to root for the Patriots.
Ask any Saints fan whom their least favorite team is, and you will usually get the same answer or even the same words. If you talk to a die-hard fan, you will usually find yourself hearing trash talk about the “dirty birds”. This year, Falcons are also the best team in the NFC. The top-ranked offense in the NFL, led by veteran Matt Ryan, has torn up every defense it has faced, averaging over thirty points per game. Julio Jones is a man among boys, as made evident by his stellar performance against the Packers in the NFC Championship game. Devonte Freeman and Tevin Coleman are one of the best running back duos in the NFL, and the offensive line has drastically improved after a few key free agent signings. The defense, which for years has been abysmal, has improved, allowing only eighteen point eight points per game across their final six regular season games. This turnaround was due to strong draft classes over the last two years, including Vic Beasley, the young pass rusher, who led the league in sacks in only his second season in the NFL. The Falcons are a worthy Super Bowl team, which will only make it tougher for life-long Saints fans to watch.
This Super Bowl has all the components to be a legendary game, with a pair of MVP-caliber quarterbacks, two young defenses peaking at the right time, and for most of the country, a clear underdog to pull for. Unfortunately, for Saints fans, neither team is too attractive of a team to root for. For most “Who Dats”, all there is to do is sit back, and hope for a close game.
