ROAD TO MINNEAPOLIS SUPER BOWL LII
For the Vikings to reach the Super Bowl …
Last week, we added clean play to the Vikings' to-do list for the Road to Minneapolis. Clean play, as in keeping penalties to a minimum. They had only two for 10 yards. Good, but they still lost. Obviously, with Dalvin Cook out for the season, the road to the playoffs got a lot bumpier. So this week's assignment calls on Latavius Murray to re-energize a running game that's had the life sucked out of it.
Super Bowl Dream Team?
Question: Which of the four 0-4 teams has the best chance to make the playoffs? Don't laugh. It has happened. Once. The 1992 Chargers started 0-4 and finished 11-5. This year, the Chargers, 49ers, Browns and Giants are 0-4. The 49ers have lost their past three by a total of eight points. The Giants were a trendy Super Bowl pick a month ago. The Browns? No. If I had to choose, I'd pick the Chargers.
Did you know?
Four people have won the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP: Roger Staubach (1963, VI), Jim Plunkett (1970, XV), Marcus Allen (1981, XVIII) and Desmond Howard (1991, XXXI).
Three up, three down
With 13 2-2 teams, the ups and downs seem to keep trading places each week. After another wild week, I'll take the first-place Bills, Rams and Panthers as my three "up" teams. The "down" teams are the Falcons, Titans and Cowboys.
Buffalo vs. L.A. Rams
Yeah, I know. The Bills haven't had a playoff season this millennium. And the Rams haven't been to a Super Bowl as a Los Angeles team since Jan. 20, 1980. But they're a combined 6-2 right now.
Why Buffalo (3-1)? The Bills overhauled their defense under coach Sean McDermott and coordinator Leslie Frazier. And things are clicking. After the upset in Atlanta, Buffalo leads the league in fewest points allowed (13.5).
Why the L.A. Rams (3-1)? After upsetting the Cowboys in Dallas, the Rams lead the league in scoring by five points. Coach Sean McVay's revamped offense averages 35.5 points per game. K.C. is next (30.5).
My preseason pick: Seattle (2-2) vs. Pittsburgh (3-1). Now, that's better. Antonio Brown might not be happy, but the Steelers got back on track against Baltimore. Seattle still has issues but was able to crush Indy in the second half.
