Championship Sunday

BUCCANEERS 31, PACKERS 26

Well, now we know. The NFL prefers Brady above all. 
Look, it wasn't the Saints-Rams call. The DPI that ended this game was not in itself a bad call. But all game long players were allowed to tug receivers jerseys, grab arms, even completely turn Davante Adams around on the penultimate drive, with no flags thrown. But at the key moment that either sends Brady to the super bowl or provides Rodgers a last chance at a game winning drive on his home field, the NFL made its preference clear.
The other key moments that decided the game were the appalling defense on that long touchdown before the half (set up by a pick the refs conveniently missed DPI on), and the Packers offense going 3 and out following the last 2 of Brady's 3 second half picks.
Lafleur is getting killed for kicking the late field goal down 8 and choosing to play defense. It was a bad decision both in the moment and in hindsight. We all knew the Packers offense would never see the ball again.
So it all works out wonderfully for the NFL and all their narratives. Brady gets to remain the lord of all football whose mere presence wills teams to greatness. The 3 picks get forgotten. The fact he did nothing at all in the 2nd half is forgotten. The fact his defense bailed him out is forgotten. I am frankly never going to enjoy the NFL again until this asshole retires.
As for Rodgers, this goes down as another playoff failure, but another where he will get no blame, so his own reputation remains intact. But this had the feel of a signature Rodgers season (he's going to be MVP) and to again fall short of an NFC title, you wonder if this was his last shot.

CHIEFS 38, BILLS 24

Well I went 0 for 2 today. I really did think Buffalo was going to keep this thing going, even with Mahomes. But after an early 9-0 Bills lead it was all Chiefs. The offense cut through Leslie Frazier's defense with ease. The defense was much stouter than expected. They held Buffalo to field goals a few times, and threes aren't ever going to get it done against Mahomes. It was 38-15 before a couple garbage scores made the final look a little more respectable. Diggs had a quiet game, then almost got in a fight. I don't think this Bills team is a fluke, but there's still a clear gap between them and the Chiefs.

Super Bowl pick:

Look, there is nothing from a logical football perspective that says anything other than a Chiefs repeat in 2 weeks. They are clearly the best team. Only 1 loss all year in a game they tried. The AFC is better. Mahomes has extra time to heal up. Tampa is one of the biggest frauds ever perpetrated on the sporting public. Nobody actually thinks them playing a home super bowl is legit, right?  
But all that matters is what the NFL wants. The most brazenly manipulated season in NFL history will conclude however the NFL wants it to.
So just as there was mystery about whether they preferred Rodgers or Brady, now we wait to see if they prefer Mahomes or Brady. Will the NFL choose to have this as the ultimate "proof" of Brady's GOATness, or as the official passing of the torch to Mahomes? Will the NFL allow Mahomes to lose to Brady and always carry that strain as he himself tries to win as many titles?

If the game is played straight up, Chiefs 38-20. If the NFL wants it s different way, Buccaneers 34-31. 

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