Tag Archives: NFL playoffs

Sports

NFL playoffs and Super Bowl 2023 expert predictions

Leave a comment

The notorious Serby Crystal Ball that before this wild and wacky NFL season foresaw a Bills-49ers Super Bowl matchup has been dusted off just in time for the playoffs. 

Much has changed for both teams, of course: Trey Lance (ankle) was lost Week 2 and Jimmy Garoppolo (foot) was lost Week 13 and the football world was introduced to Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. 

The Bills endured the emotional roller coaster of a near-tragedy to the uplifting, inspirational, heartwarming story of Damar Hamlin, who was remarkably released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Monday, one week after suffering cardiac arrest making a tackle against the Bengals’ Tee Higgins. 

Can the Bills be a Team of Destiny and win their first Super Bowl in five tries? Can Purdy be America’s Mr. Relevant? Can Tom Brady capture his eighth ring? Can Patrick Mahomes win his second? Will Joe Burrow be smoking postgame cigars? 

The Serby Crystal Ball has it all in clear focus: 

Super Wild Card Weekend

Saturday 

Seahawks at 49ers

Geno Smith, meet Nick Bosa. Kenneth Walker III, meet Fred Warner. America, meet young Mr. Purdy, who won’t melt under the searing hot playoff lights. In two losses to the Niners, the Seahawks scored one offensive touchdown. And the Niners rushed for 189 (without Christian McCaffrey) and 170 yards. 

49ers 31, Seahawks 17 

The full bracket for the 2023 NFL playoffs.
NY Post illustration
Brock Purdy won’t wilt in the bright lights of the NFL playoffs.
USA TODAY Sports

Chargers at Jaguars

A matchup of Golden Boys at quarterback, Justin Herbert vs. Trevor Lawrence. Brandon Staley opted to go more Tom Coughlin than Brian Daboll in the regular-season finale and might have dodged a bullet because WR Mike Williams (back) should be good to go. Herbert has had Williams (ankle) and Keenan Allen (hamstring) together for only four games start-to-finish. If Joey Bosa (groin) is OK to team with Khalil Mack, the Bolts will enjoy an experience pass-rush edge over The Other Josh Allen and rookie Travon Walker. Forever Trevor will need Travis Etienne to go off against the 28th-ranked run defense. 

Chargers 27, Jaguars 24 

Sunday 

Dolphins at Bills 

The Tua Tagovailoa Dolphins stood toe-to-toe and snow-to-snow with the Bills in their last-second, 32-29 loss on Dec. 17. That was before Tua’s latest concussion woes. Will Tua be cleared? If not, expect Teddy Bridgewater (pinky) instead of rookie Skylar Thompson. The long-range forecast is sunny and balmy (28 degrees) with 8 mph winds, so Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can eat. But Josh Allen threw for 4 TDs and ran for 77 yards last time. 

Win one for Damar. 

Bills 33, Dolphins 17 

Giants at Vikings

Daniel Jones will be armed with confidence facing the league’s 31st-ranked passing defense. Saquon Barkley is rested and ready for the 20th-ranked rush defense. Brian Daboll and Wink Martindale are dangerous the second time they see an opponent (see Commanders). Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams will contain Dalvin Cook, and Wink won’t let Justin Jefferson (12-133-1 TD) and T.J. Hockenson (13-109-2 TDs) wreck the game this time. Xavier McKinney is back (Adoree’ Jackson too?). This time, Graham Gano, not Greg Joseph, walks it off. 

Giants 27, Vikings 24 

Ravens at Bengals

Ja’Marr Chase and the Bengals air game are in for a cage match with the Ravens.
Getty Images

Their mantra Play Like A Raven is much easier when Lamar Jackson is the quarterback. He hasn’t practiced in five weeks (PCL). Burrow didn’t have Higgins in the early-season loss to Baltimore; he has him now alongside Ja’Marr Chase. The defending AFC champs have an eight-game win streak. The Ravens passing game never recovered from the trade of Hollywood Brown. The red zone has been a dead zone for them. If it’s Tyler Huntley or Anthony Brown at quarterback, everybody sing “Who Dey?” Let’s guess on a rusty Lamar return and a maniacal defense led by MLB Roquan Smith neutralizing Joe Mixon, and Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters limiting Chase and Higgins, and J.K. Dobbins and Mark Andrews doing enough in a vicious, chippy steel cage match. 

Ravens 24, Bengals 21 

Monday

Cowboys at Buccaneers

Brady (with his seven rings) is 7-0 against the Cowboys. Dak Prescott has a seven-game interception streak. Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t been eating much lately. Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence will be problems, but Brady will get the ball out quickly to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin against rookie corner DaRon Bland. Playoff Lenny Fournette can have success against 22nd-ranked rush defense, and if center Ryan Jensen (knee) can return, that would be a huge lift. Brady versus Dan Quinn … Falcons HC in Super Bowl 51 who blew that 28-3 lead to the GOAT, FWIW. 

Bucs 24, Cowboys 21 

Micah Parson and the Cowboys will be too much for Tom Brady & Co. to handle.
USA TODAY Sports

Divisional Round

AFC 

Ravens at Chiefs

Lamar ran for 107 yards and 2 TDs in a 36-35 win early in 2021 in Baltimore to beat Mahomes for the first time in four tries. Steve Spagnuolo and Chris Jones won’t let that happen again. Magic Mahomes no longer has Tyreek Hill and it doesn’t matter. Jerick McKinnon and Isaiah Pacheco give Andy Reid more balance, and while rookie safety Kyle Hamilton owns size and range, Travis Kelce will be too savvy for him. Kadarius Toney: 1 TD, 1 tweaked hamstring.

Chiefs 34, Ravens 17 

Chargers at Bills 

The long-range forecast is calling for light snow on Jan. 21 and snow Jan. 22. Austin Ekeler will need to be a passing-game weapon against the fifth-ranked rushing defense (104.6 yards). Allen, Devin Singletary and James Cook will lead a 150-yard rushing assault. Win one more for Damar. 

Bills 33, Chargers 21 

Devin Singletary and the Bills will rush their way through the Chargers.
Getty Images

NFC 

Giants at Eagles

It’s not easy beating a division rival three times in one season. 

Davis Webb lobbies to start this one, citing his chemistry with Kenny Golladay, and Daboll tells the media that he will sit down with GM Joe Schoen and discuss everything on Friday night (eye roll). Anyway, a healthy Jalen Hurts and the top-ranked pass defense proves too much for Jones without a true No. 1 receiver, even though Barkley catches eight passes and totals 130 yards. 

Eagles 27, Giants 17 

Bucs at 49ers: 

Brady versus his boyhood team. Brady versus Purdy. Brady’s last game as a Buc before leaving for Raiders? Brady’s last game before leaving for Fox? Purdy has George Kittle. Brady doesn’t have Gronk. Purdy has Kyle Shanahan. Brady does not. Demeco Ryans boasts the second-ranked (77.7 yards) rushing defense. 

49ers 31, Bucs 17 

NFC Championship 

49ers at Eagles 

Garoppolo beat the Eagles 17-11 at the Linc early in 2021. Will Purdy blink? Remember, cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry are no slouches. But if there is a team built to win physical battles on the road, it is these 49ers. Hurts will have some success against the Niner secondary targeting A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, but Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Arik Armstead will stifle Miles Sanders and make Nick Sirianni one-dimensional. 

49ers 27, Eagles 24 

AFC Championship

Bills vs. Chiefs 

The next Allen-Mahomes dream showdown. An eerie environment at a neutral site — the halfway point between Buffalo and Kansas City is Indianapolis FYI. Gabe Davis won’t catch 4 TD passes against the Chiefs this time, but Stefon Diggs will haul in a couple against a group of young, inexperienced cornerbacks, including No. 1 draft pick Trent McDuffie. Last one with the ball wins. Allen is the last one with the ball. 

Win another for Damar. 

Bills 33, Chiefs 30 

Josh Allen and the Bills will get over the hump this time and give Buffalo it’s long-awaited title.
Getty Images

Super Bowl 2023 

49ers-Bills 

During the two weeks between the NFC Championship game and the Super Bowl, Shanahan ponders the same question that Bill Belichick pondered prior to Super Bowl 36: Brady or Drew Bledsoe? For Shanny, it’s Purdy or Garoppolo, whose foot has finally healed enough. And like Belichick, he stays with the hot hand. 

But when Purdy suddenly develops the yips, Garoppolo is summoned off the bench and brings the Niners back from a first-half hole. McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel begin imposing their will on the night, and Marv Levy and Jim Kelly are sweating bullets in the owners’ box. But Allen, in his huddle at the start of a late fourth-quarter drive, looks up in the stands and says: “Hey look, it’s Will Smith and Chris Rock!” It eases the tension, and Allen engineers a 98-yard drive that culminates in him leaping over the end zone third-and-goal from the 3. 

Won the Big One for Damar.

Bills 33, 49ers 27

Read original article here

Sports

Tom Brady hints at retirement for wife Gisele Bündchen’s sake

Leave a comment

Tom Brady seems to be seriously considering retirement, but he also doesn’t seem to be shutting the door on his football career quite yet.

On his SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go!” with co-host Jim Gray, Brady took us through his thought process on what factors he is considering. He continues to love the competition of football, but on the other hand he recognizes the sacrifices his family has made for his career and is cognizant of how his wife, Gisele Bündchen, feels watching him get hit hard by defenders.

After the Buccaneers’ playoff loss to the Rams on Sunday, Brady said he was going to take some time to figure out if he returns or retires. Gray asked him about the process of that.

“I think the point is there’s no real rush for me to figure out what’s next,” Brady said. “I’ll know when I know. It’s the day after the season. I think for all of us we can decompress a bit. It’s been six straight months of football. Every day, consumed by day in and day out football. Now is just the time to spend some time with my family and my kids.

Tom Brady
Getty Images

“As I’ve gotten older I think the best part is, football is extremely important in my life and it means a lot to me and I care about what we’re trying to accomplish as a team, and my teammates. The biggest difference now that I’m older is I have kids now and I care about them a lot as well.”

He talked about the sacrifices of his family.

“My wife is my biggest supporter,” Brady said. “It pains her to see me get hit out there, and she deserves what she needs from me as a husband and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad. I’m gonna spend some time with them and give them what they need, because they’ve really been giving me what I need the last six months — to do what I need to do and I said this a few years ago. It’s what relationships are all about. It’s not always about what I want. It’s about what we want as a family. And I’m gonna spend a lot of time with them and figure out in the future what’s next.”

Tom Brady said it ‘pains’ his wife Gisele Bundchen to see him get hit.
Getty Images

Gray asked Brady if he would like a farewell tour.

“I think that’d be distracting for me,” Brady said. “My enjoyment comes not from recognition of what I’ve accomplished as a player in the league. My enjoyment comes from the competition.

“More so than anything, even yesterday, I was thinking about competing. I wasn’t thinking about anything other than that. When the time comes to think about post-career and second career, I’ll think about those things. When you’re 44, I guess you get asked about that a lot. A lot of people thought I was done playing football in 2015. A lot of people in 2016, said you’re done. A lot of people when I left the Patriots …”

Brady said that every year requires major commitments, and that no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

“Every year I have to make sure I can commit to what the team really needs,” he said. “The team doesn’t deserve any less than my best. And if I feel like I’m not committed to that or can’t play at a championship level, then I need to give someone else a chance to play.

“We’ll see. There’s a lot of time between now and the start of next football season. I’ve got to figure those things out. We never know what’s gonna happen in the future. We really don’t. Kobe Bryant, a great friend of ours, God rest his soul. You think you’re gonna live forever. You’re not. You think you’re gonna play forever. We’re not. What can we do? We can enjoy the moments we have.”

Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe, at the 2010 NBA Finals
Getty Images

It is better to have played and lost than to have never played at all.

“As difficult as it was to lose the game yesterday, I was glad that I played in it,” Brady said. “As challenging as the season was, I was glad I played — because I’m living my life. I’m not just counting the days. My days are meaningful to me. I’m gonna try to keep them meaningful to me.

“In the meantime I’m just gonna try to enjoy the time I have not playing football, because that’s equally important. Playing football I get so much joy from, but not playing football there’s a lot of joy in that for me too, seeing my kids get older and watching them grow. All those things need to be considered, and they will be, and the funny part is most guys retire and then move to Florida. I’m already in Florida! So it’s very confusing even for me.”

Could he leave proud and satisfied, or would the loss to the Rams, falling just short, sting too much?

“I would say I’m proud and satisfied of everything we accomplished this year,” Brady said. “I know when I give it my all that’s something to be proud of. I’ve literally given everything I have [every year]. I don’t leave anything half-assed. I leave it with everything I have. My physical being, I work really hard on that.

“I feel like I give everything to my teammates, although it is divided attention as you get older because there’s different priorities and responsibilities in life, and I have things happening outside of football that require time and energy. Not a ton. The kids require time and energy too, and that’s enjoyable for me.

“Again, I’ll know when the time is right and there’s no rush to make a decision. We’ll just see.”

Read original article here

Sports

Rams Hold on to Defeat Bucs 30-27, in What Could be Tom Brady’s Final Game – NBC Los Angeles

Leave a comment

The Los Angeles Rams are hoping history repeats itself.

Less than a year after Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl on their home soil, the Rams seek a similar destiny in 2022.

On an overcast and muggy winter day, the Rams held on to defeat the aforementioned Buccaneers 30-27 in the NFC divisional round, denying them the opportunity to defend their title, while simultaneously advancing to the NFC Championship game next week.

The Rams victory seemed inevitable for most of the game, but nearly never came to fruition following a furious fourth quarter comeback by Brady and the Bucs. Leading 27-3, Tampa Bay scored 24 unanswered points to tie the game with less than a minute left on the clock. Thanks to the NFL’s receiving triple-crown winner Cooper Kupp, Los Angles was able to march down the field and kick the game-winning field goal as time expired.

“

Los Angeles defeated Tampa Bay for the second time this season, sending Brady and the Bucs home for what could be the final game of the seven-time champion’s storied NFL career.


Mike Ehrmann

Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts after being defeated by the Los Angeles Rams 30-27 in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

“I haven’t put a lot of thought into it. I’ll just take it day by day and see where we’re at,” said Brady when asked if he was going to retire. “Truthfully guys, I’m thinking about this game and I’m not thinking about the future right now.”

As plenty of questions surrounded Brady’s future after the game, there were plenty of questions about Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford before the postseason even began. Despite being ranked alongside Brady statistically among the greatest quarterbacks of his generation, Stafford had yet to win a playoff game in his 13-year NFL career.

Despite exorcising some of those demons in the Rams 34-11 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Wild Card Game, Stafford doubters did not believe he could vanquish the greatest quarterback of all time in Brady.

But Stafford prevailed in the highly anticipated quarterback duel of aging veterans. The 33-year-old threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns, even rushing for a score in his battle with Brady.

The 44-year-old Brady threw for 329 and a touchdown in the loss.

The Rams will now host the No. 6 seed San Francisco 49ers for the third time this season at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. The rival 49ers have defeated the Rams six consecutive times, with their last win coming on Dec. 30, 2018.

“It’s a big challenge,” said Stafford on facing the Niners. “Hopefully it’s one of those games where it’s heavy blue and yellow and we have a nice loud crowd that makes it tough on them. I’m excited for the opportunity.”

The Rams jumped out to an early 10-point lead after Stafford found backup tight end Kendall Blanton on the play-action, for a a seven-yard pass for the game’s first score.

Los Angeles then broke the game open at the start of the second quarter when Stafford found Cooper Kupp wide open for a 70-yard touchdown pass that put the Rams ahead 17-3.

“Coach got us in a great call. We got the coverage that we wanted,” said Kupp of the touchdown. “We got a two-on-one on the front side safety. Matthew [Stafford] did a good job hanging in there, giving me an opportunity for the run after the catch. I felt like my best opportunity to was to cut back there and I was able to get in the end zone. My legs felt a little heavy on that one though.”

The Rams kept the Bucs out of the end zone in the first half, but missed an opportunity to go up 27-3 when Cam Akers fumbled the ball on the one-yard line, killing all momentum heading into the locker room.

But the Rams got the ball back to start the second half, and marched down the field, capping off a six-play, 28-yard drive with a QB sneak for the score and a 27-3 lead.

The lead was eerily reminiscent of Super Bowl LI, when the Atlanta Falcons led Brady and the New England Patriots 28-3. Brady rallied for the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history and nearly did it again on Sunday.

Leading 27-6, Kupp fumbled and gave Brady and the Bucs the ball back in their own territory midway through the third quarter.

“It’s obviously tough,” Kupp said of the fumble. “You obviously try and to limit them as much as you can and to be in that moment, obviously you feel like you let your team down and put the defense out there in a terrible spot, you never want to do that. Literally, before that drive, we were preaching ‘ball security, ball security’ and that’s something I can’t do.”

Seven plays later, Leonard Fournette, who was activated off the IR before the game, ran the ball into the end zone and suddenly Brady and the Bucs were down just 27-13.

“I came in at halftime and told them, ‘We’ve been down before,'” said Fournette of the 27-3 deficit. “You have to take whatever you want, especially in this game. Nothing is given.”

The fourth quarter was packed with plenty of action as both teams fumbled on back-to-back plays. First it was Brady who fumbled after a strip sack by Von Miller.

Then a botched snap flew over the head of Stafford and was recovered by the Bucs.

The Rams became the first team in NFL history to lose four fumbles in a game they were leading by 20 or more points, yet still managed to win the game. It was also the first time a team committed four turnovers and still was able to defeat a Tom Brady-led team.

“Having four turnovers is absolutely something we have to clean up,” said Rams’ head coach Sean McVay. “But my favorite part is guys stayed together. Nobody flinched, nobody blinked.”

Brady showed why he’s the G.O.A.T when he delivered a dime to Mike Evans down the sidelines for a 55-yard touchdown pass that cut the game to 27-20 with just over three minutes left in the contest.

“After I hit Mike [Evans] on that deep one that was a pretty good feeling,” said Brady of the touchdown. “We were right in it at that point.”

The Bucs completed the comeback after Akers second fumble of the game gave Tampa Bay the ball back in their own territory. Fournette ran to the corner of the end zone to tie the game at 27-27. The Bucs ran off 24 unanswered points in the second half.

“I just tried to make a play to help the team,” said Fournette of the game-tying touchdown. “This whole week has been a very difficult week for me. Two days prior to the game my cousin got killed. I was just trying to keep everything together. I’m just happy I had a chance to go out there and fight with those guys.”

With just 40 seconds left in the game, the Bucs were preparing to go to overtime, but the Rams would have the last word. Stafford completed two deep passes to Kupp to get them into field goal range. That’s when Pro Bowl kicker Matt Gay, who was cut by the Bucs in 2019, drilled the game-winner as time expired.

The 2021 campaign hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the Rams. After a 7-1 start to the season, the Rams acquired Miller and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for the second half of the season. Instead, they dropped three consecutive games to the Titans, Niners, and Packers, appearing too look more like a pretender than a contender. But then they ran off five consecutive victories to right the ship down the stretch.

Now, after two straight wins against worthy opponents in the postseason, the Rams have their foot on the gas and could become the second straight team to play a Super Bowl on their home field with Super Bowl LVI scheduled for February 13 at SoFi Stadium.



Read original article here

Sports

Joe Burrow’s girlfriend celebrates Bengals’ win over Titans

Leave a comment

The postseason adventures will continue for the Bengals and their favorite fans.

Following Cincinnati’s stunning divisional-round win Saturday against Tennessee, the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff race, Olivia Holzmacher, the longtime girlfriend of quarterback Joe Burrow, got the celebrations started in Nashville.

Olivia Holzmacher (right) celebrates the Bengals’ playoff win Saturday against the Titans.
Instagram
Olivia Holzmacher (center) in Nashville with Morgan Mead (right) and Yasmin Quintana (left) on Saturday for the Bengals-Titans game.
Instagram/Morgan Mead

“Who dey!” Holzmacher exclaimed in an Instagram Story as she and Morgan Mead, the fiancée of Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson, hit the streets of the Music City.

In a separate post, Mead wrote, “We’re leaving Nashville winner winner chicken dinners!!!!”

The Bengals have been making history throughout the postseason, beginning last week when they snapped a 31-year playoff victory drought after defeating the Raiders in the wild-card round. Saturday’s 19-16 win against the Titans marks the first time the team has won on the road in the postseason.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and girlfriend Olivia Holzmacher
Instagram/Olivia Holzmacher

“We’re here to make some noise, and teams are going to have to pay attention to us,” Burrow said Saturday.

The first-overall pick in 2020, Burrow — who has been linked to Holzmacher since 2017 — completed 28 of 37 passes Saturday for 348 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. He was also sacked nine times throughout the game.

“That’s a really, really good team. Unbelievable defensive line,” Burrow said. “They had a great plan on defense. Credit to them, we found a way at the end.”

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws a pass during Saturday’s game against the Titans.
Getty Images

Bengals rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired, punching Cincinnati’s ticket to next week’s AFC Championship game.

The Bengals will now face the winner of Sunday’s showdown between the Chiefs and Bills.



Read original article here

Sports

Aaron Rodgers’ career may have just ended in shocking thud

Leave a comment

The end.

That’s what Saturday night looked, felt and sounded like at Lambeau Field.

It was definitely the end of a Packers season that looked like it had potential to end in the Super Bowl a few weeks from now.

Of much greater magnitude, though, the night very possibly marked the end for Aaron Rodgers.

This postseason was always going to be about legacy for the Packers quarterback, whose pedestrian playoff numbers have never been commensurate with his remarkable personal accomplishments, nor is the one Super Bowl ring he owns.

The Packers’ stunning 13-10 loss to the 49ers on the final play of this NFC divisional playoff game on a frigid and tense night put an abrupt end to Green Bay’s season and put the spotlight on the 38-year-old Rodgers’ future.

A year ago, after Rodgers and the Packers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers in the NFC Championship and Rodgers was asked about his future, he famously called it “a beautiful mystery,’’ igniting all sorts of speculation that bled into the entire offseason.

After the loss to the 49ers, against whom he and the Packers offense managed only three points after scoring a touchdown on the game’s opening possession, when Rodgers was asked about his future, he became very introspective and acknowledged that he might very well be finished.

Aaron Rodgers
USA TODAY Sports

Rodgers said he felt a “little numb’’ at the loss, adding, “I didn’t think it was going to end like this.’’

Asked how he would describe his future after Saturday’s loss, Rodgers said, “I’m going to take some time and have conversations with the folks around here and take some time away. It’s fresh right now, a little shocking for sure. I thought we had a Super Bowl-caliber team. I haven’t really let the moment really sink in yet.’’

Rodgers, who finished the game 20-of-29 for 225 yards and no touchdowns, was done in by one of the worst special teams performances in postseason history.

The Packers had a 39-yard field goal on the final play of the first half that could have given them a 10-0 halftime lead blocked. They, too, had a punt blocked that was returned for a touchdown, tying the game at 10-10 with 4:41 remaining.

Still, though, Rodgers and the Packers got the ball back on their own 29-yard line with 4:36 remaining in a tie game. These are moments made for superstar quarterbacks like Rodgers. But he and the Green Bay offense went three-and-out, with Rodgers missing receiver Allen Lazard with a third-down pass he’ll forever want back.

That gave the ball to maligned San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with 3:20 remaining and he would drive the 49ers into field goal range for Robbie Gould to finish Rodgers and the Packers off with a 45-yard dagger-through-the-heart game-winner as the clock bled to :00.

The great Aaron Rodgers, who’s now 0-4 in his career against the 49ers in the playoffs, lost to Jimmy Garoppolo. It’s going to take a lot longer for Packers fans to digest that than the brats they consumed in the pregame tailgates.

Asked how much personal responsibility he takes out of this loss, Rodgers, to his credit, didn’t run and hide. He took full accountability.

Aaron Rodgers is sacked by Arik Armstead during the Packers’ 13-10 loss to the 49ers.
Getty Images

“A lot,’’ he said. “I didn’t have a great night. I definitely take my fair share of blame.’’

As Rodgers was peppered after the game with questions about his future, he spoke very much like someone who was saying “goodbye’’ to the place he’s called home for the past 17 NFL seasons.

He spoke a lot about the eventual changes that are certain to take place on the Green Bay roster, saying, “This thing is definitely going to look different moving forward. There a lot of decisions to come in the next couple months.’’

Then came this telling statement: “I don’t want to be a part a rebuild if I’m going to keep playing.’’

When he was asked what he believes his legacy is if this is it for him, this is when Rodgers sounded like this was an exit interview.

“It’s raw right now,’’ he said. “But I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish here, deeply thankful for so many years here and all the incredible teammates and coaches I’ve had. Man, so much gratitude for this city and this organization, such a long career here.’’

In his next breath, though, Rodgers left the door ajar for more.

“I still super-competitive,’’ he said. “I still know I can play at a high level, so it’s going to be a tough decision. A lot of people feeling shock. We didn’t expect this. But that’s life sometimes. Just got to keep on moving on.’’

The question that will linger until it doesn’t is this: Will Rodgers be moving on from a brilliant football career that feels like it left some valuables on the table?

Read original article here

Business

Budweiser to pass on Super Bowl commercials this year

Leave a comment

The “king of beers” won’t be reigning over the Super Bowl 2021 commercial space this year.

Budweiser is the latest corporation to back out of advertising during this year’s broadcast, choosing instead to join a public awareness campaign for the COVID-19 vaccine.

For the first time in 37 years, the company won’t air its game-stealing commercials, Anheuser-Busch, which owns Budweiser, announced Monday.

“Like everyone else, we are eager to get people back together, reopen restaurants and bars, and be able to gather to cheers with friends and family,” said Monica Rustgi, vice president of marketing at Budweiser. “To do this, and to bring consumers back into neighborhood bars and restaurants that were hit exceptionally hard by the pandemic, we’re stepping in to support critical awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Thirty-second ad spots for the Super Bowl reportedly go for about $55 million a piece. Budweiser will instead route some of that money to the Ad Council’s efforts to raise public awareness about the vaccine, as well as a 90-second COVID-themed “film” called “Bigger Picture” narrated by actress Rashida Jones. It will air digitally leading up to the Super Bowl, which airs on Feb. 7, 2021 on CBS.

Other Super Bowl commercial giants such as Pepsi, Coke and Hyundai will also take a step back from this year’s game, reallocating their funds in light of the pandemic. Pepsi, for instance, will focus primarily on its halftime show, headlined by The Weeknd.

“Instead of buying a traditional 30-second in-game Super Bowl ad, we decided to double down on the 12 minutes Pepsi already has in the middle of the game — the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show,” vice president of marketing Todd Kaplan said in a statement.

Coca-Cola execs said they will no run ads in this year’s broadcast to “ensure we are investing in the right resources during these unprecedented times.”

Coca-Cola, which has featured endearing polar bears in past years’ Super Bowl commercials, said it will not run ads during this year’s CBS broadcast.
Coca-Cola

Many others are struggling to figure out how to strike the right tone amid the devastation caused by the virus.

“There is trepidation around Super Bowl advertising this year,” Bill Oberlander, co-founder and executive creative of ad agency Oberlander recently told The Post. “For the Super Bowl, you generally go big or go home. I think brands are going home rather than spending tens of millions of dollars and not getting it right. They’re saying, ‘Let’s wait until this s – – t storm clears.’”

In years past, Budweiser’s Super Bowl commercials have stolen the show, with ads featuring singing frogs and stately Clydesdales. Last year, their crowd-favorite ad challenged stereotypes of a “Typical American” by showcasing the extraordinary actions of ordinary Americans.

Read original article here

Sports

Packers’ gaffe allows 39-yard TD for Bucs’ Scotty Miller with :01 before half

Leave a comment

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken a four-point game and turned it into an 11-point game at halftime against the Green Bay Packers with quarterback Tom Brady airing it out to Scotty Miller for a stunning 39-yard touchdown to make it 21-10 Bucs.

Miller reached 20.6 miles per hour on the play as he outran Kevin King with 8 seconds left on the clock. Just one play before, the Bucs converted on fourth-and-4, on a short pass to Leonard Fournette.

In the first half, Brady completed 13 of 22 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns, with Fournette spinning his way to a third on the ground. Brady was particularly effective on the deep ball, going 2-of-2 on throws 30-plus yards downfield in the first half, tying his best for most such completions in a game all season. He was 0-of-2 on those throws in the Buccaneers’ first two playoff games combined, according to ESPN Statistics & Information.

There was plenty of swift reaction from social media on the Packers’ defensive lapse.

Meanwhile, on the Bucs’ first drive of the game, Brady connected with Mike Evans twice on the opening drive to give the Bucs an early 7-0 lead. Brady hit Evans for a 27-yard catch on a corner route working against Chandon Sullivan on third-and-4.

Evans then leaped up in the end zone working against Kevin King for a 15-yard touchdown grab.

A win today would send Brady to his 10th Super Bowl and the Bucs to their second.



Read original article here