Super Bowl 54

VS

Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers

Hard Rock Stadium

Miami, Florida, United States

Sunday, February 2nd, 2019

6:30 pm ET

     To end off the NFL’s 100th season, the 2nd seed Kansas City Chiefs who finished 12-4 will be taking on the 1st seed San Francisco 49ers who had a 13-3 season in Super Bowl 54.

     This will be the seventh Super Bowl appearance for the 49ers, their first since 2012. They have won 5 of 6 Super Bowls they have been in and look to capture their sixth championship which would tie with the Patriots and Steelers for the most in NFL history. 

     The Kansas City Chiefs will be heading to their first Super Bowl game since 1969 when they beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl 4 fifty years ago. 

     Let’s take a look at how we got to this point in time. 

     In the wild card round, the Texans capitalized on a quiet Bills’ offense in the second half and QB Deshaun Watson rallied his team back from a 16-0 deficit in the third quarter to win a thriller in overtime, 22-19 after a wonderful elusive play to avoid a sack which set up the game-winning field goal.

     The Patriots were upset 20-13 by the Titans, particularly stellar abilities of RB Derrick Henry who had 182 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and the Titans defense capitalized on a deflated Patriots’ offense that couldn’t keep drives alive because they had too many mistakes. 

     The 6th seed Vikings also had a stellar game especially on defense, given their secondary was depleted with injuries which caused them to readjust their formations. Their defense held the Saints in check on the ground and through the air and they won a thriller in overtime on a play where both the wide receiver and defensive back were battling with their hands.

     The next game was a battle of two injured teams. The depleted Seahawks against the even more depleted Eagles. The game was close for the most part, but when Carson Wentz exited the game with a head injury, Josh McCown was unable to take the Eagles to the endzone in a 17-9 loss. The Seahawks defense had 7 sacks in the win.  

     In the divisional round, the Titans weren’t done with their miraculous season just yet. The Titans came in with another run-heavy game plan and it worked. Derrick Henry rushed for over 180 yards in his second career playoff game and third straight game and had the only touchdown pass. The Titans got up early and kept their foot on the gas. The Ravens made many mistakes and couldn’t make a comeback. 

     Minnesota managed to beat the Saints, a Super Bowl favorite but was outright overpowered by San Francisco. The Vikings offensive line was no match for the elite 49ers defensive line and Dalvin Cook was eliminated from the game plan, rushing for only 18 yards. 49ers dominated in a 27-10 game.

     After falling behind 24-0 early in the second quarter to the Houston Texans, the Chiefs and their lifeless offense looked ready to roll-over and die. However, the lackluster play-calling abilities of Texans’ coach Bill O’Brien were a factor in this game. They faked a punt on their own 31-yard line. The Chiefs proceeded to score 41 unanswered points to win a game.

     Finally, the Green Bay Packers were able to use a well-balanced offensive game on the ground and through the air and they took a 17-3 lead into halftime. QB Aaron Rodgers had 243 yards and 2 TDs, RB Aaron Jones had 62 yards and 2 rushing TDs. The depleted Seahawks fought their way back scoring 20 2nd half points but lost 28-23 on a catch that was supposedly enough for a 1st down.

     In the conference championship games, the Titans led by 10 points on two different occasions: they were up 10-0 and 17-7. Despite this, they were not able to do what they do best, which is running the ball. RB Derrick Henry was shut down, only rushing for 69 yards and one TD, only ⅓ of last week’s output. Credit to the Chiefs’ run defense who played well despite a bad regular season. Mahomes had 3 pass TD and a rush TD in another comeback win in the playoffs.

     Green Bay’s excellent first season under new head coach Matt LaFleur ended short of expectations. They went 13-3 this year after going 6-9-1 last year, thanks to an improved defense and a career year for Aaron Jones. However, the 49ers, particularly RB Raheem Mostert torched the Packers’ run defense - which looked like an open gate - with 220 rush yards and 4 rushing TDs, the most in playoff history. This game was never close, the 49ers won 37-20. 

      And so, Super Bowl 54 will have a battle between the Chiefs' 2nd best offense - behind Baltimore - and the 49ers who have the best defense in the NFL. 

     As of today, January 30th, the Chiefs are 1.5 point favorites to win with an over-under of 54.5. If the Chiefs cover the spread, the money line is -120. If the 49ers cover the spread, the money line is even. 

     The Chiefs were heavy Super Bowl favorites before this season started along with the Patriots, Rams and the Saints. That claim made sense after the MVP caliber year Mahomes had in 2018, his first full year as a starter. In 2018, Mahomes and the entire offense was clicking and Mahomes threw for 50 TDs and 5000 yards. This year is production decreased significantly. He threw for 4031 yards and only 26 TDs, but their receiver core was simply too fast and no-one could cover Travis Kelce, which allowed their offense to have a big play and quick-strike aspect that hurt many opponents. Their defense, both in the run and pass game was still questionable like it has been for almost a decade, but better play late in the season helped the Chiefs improve defensively, particularly in the secondary with the play of Tyrann Matthieu. They still weren’t elite, however. An injury to QB Patrick Mahomes had their fans a little worried but he returned in week 10 after only missing two games to help guide the Chiefs to a first-round bye. 

     The 49ers entered the campaign with +4000 odds to win the Super Bowl after an injury to their QB Jimmy Garaopolo led to a disappointing 4-12 record. This season, they obtained the first seed in the NFC after cruising to 13 wins. Improving by 9 wins in a single season is unheard of in the NFL but the 49ers were able to do it with a healthy roster and a team that knew how to close out close games. Their offense under Jimmy Garopolo was pretty good and they had a reliable pass attack with weapons like George Kittle, one of the best tight ends in the game; Kendrick Bourne and rookie Deebo Samuel. Their trade deadline addition of Emmanuel Sanders really added to their depth and speed at wide receiver and made the unit a scary one. Their run game proved effective too with the triple-headed monster in Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman. One thing the lackluster 2018 season gave the 49ers was a top 5 pick to draft an all-star defensive end in Nick Bosa. He solidified an already dominant 49ers defensive line - good at stopping the run and getting to the QB - that had 57 sacks, 9 of which in the playoffs, who created 27 turnovers and who gave up the second-fewest total yards allowed. 

     In terms of total offense, the Chiefs are ranked 6th overall with 6,067 yards and the 49ers are ranked 4th overall with 6,097 yards. 

     Both quarterbacks are very young, Mahomes is 24 years old, Garoppolo is 28 years old, and both signal callers have a plethora of weapons to pass the ball to. The Chiefs have several speedy wide receivers like Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Mecole Hardman and Travis Kelce, an elite pass-catching tight end. The Niners have plenty of experience at receiver with veteran targets like Emmanuel Sanders and Kendrick Bourne and speedy elusive youngsters like Deebo Samuel. The 49ers also have George Kittle, another one of the elite tight ends in the game. The Chiefs have the advantage in the receiving game, however, ranking 5th in the NFL with 4,498 yards and 30 passing TDs. Whereas, the 49ers rank 13th in the league with 3,792 yards and 28 passing TDs. In the playoffs, the Chiefs have the best passing attack with 608 yards, 8 TDs, and 0 INTs compared to the 49ers who rank dead last with 191 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. This clearly shows the 49ers are a rushing team, Chiefs are a passing team. Despite the lack of production from the passing game in terms of TDs and yards they are still capable of big plays and can burn a team through the air. Chiefs have the advantage in the passing game. 

     In the rushing game, the 49ers have a clear advantage. The 49ers finished 2nd in the league, only behind the Baltimore Ravens with an astounding team total of 2,305 yards on the ground equating to 144.1 rush yards per game. Not only that, but the 49ers are a physical team when running the football and their offensive line is top 5 in the league in creating holes to run through. Each of their 3 running backs has a different style of running the ball and they are able to tire out defenses very easily with long, meticulous drives controlling the line of scrimmage. On the other hand, the Chiefs are 10th worst when running the ball with only 1569 yards on the ground. They are a very pass-heavy team that relies on quick-strike drives. In the playoffs, the 49ers have the most rush TDs with 6 and the most yards with 471, which is 235.5 per game compared to the 7th best Chiefs with 4 rush TDs and only 230 rush yards and 115 per game. The 49ers are a physical team that controls the clock and line of scrimmage and hurts you with its strong run game. The 49ers have the advantage in the run game.

     In regards to total defense, the 49ers have the advantage. They are the 2nd best in the league, only giving up 4,509 yards and 310 points. The Chiefs are the 17th best total defense giving up 5,594 yards and 308 points. 

  

     Against the run, the 49ers are 17th best in the league, giving up only 1802 yards and 11 TDs. The Chiefs are 6th worst in the league, giving up 2051 rush yards and 14 rushing TDs. Both these teams are not in the top half in the league, but the real difference in this category is the 49ers defensive line is much better than the Chiefs’ defensive line. Sure, the Chiefs added Frank Clark and have veteran Chris Jones but the 49ers have the best defensive line in the league with players like DeForest Buckner, Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, who are skilled at stopping the run and getting to the QB. They have proven they can get after all quarterbacks, even mobile QBs like Mahomes which could help the 49ers in this game. The 49ers were tied for 5th most sacks with 48 in the regular season and have the most in the playoffs so far with 9. They can send power from the outside and inside of the defensive line. The Chiefs are 11th best with 45 sacks and 8 in the playoffs but struggle to generate a pass rush from the inside of the defensive line. The 49ers also forced 9 forced fumbles, the 5th best in the league, Chiefs have forced 6 and are in the bottom half of the league. The 49ers have more forced fumbles than the Chiefs in the regular season and in the playoffs with 7, compared to a mere 2 for the Chiefs. 

     Against the pass, the 49ers gave up the fewest yards in the league with only 2,707 yards, but they have given up 23 passing TDs and have created 12 interceptions, making them the 5th best secondary in the league. With lockdown cornerbacks like Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Moseley and strong ball-hawk safeties such as Jaquiski Tartt, teams won’t have a lot of luck racking up yards against this team. The Chiefs are the 11th best secondary giving up 3,543 yards but have only given up 21 pass TDs and created  16 interceptions. The 49ers have the advantage in terms of yardage but the Chiefs have given up two fewer TDs and got 4 more interceptions. This is in the regular season, however. In the playoffs, the 49ers gave up the fewest yards per game with 252.5 and the fewest rush yards per game with 41.5. Chiefs were 3rd best in rush yards per game allowed with only 89.5 and are 4th worst in total yards per game allowed with 368.5. The 49ers were 6th best against the pass giving up 211 yards per game whereas the Chiefs were 9th best giving up 279 yards per game. Also, the 49ers have 3 INTs and gave up 3 pass TDs, Chiefs have 0 INTs gave up 4 pass TDs. 

     Both coaches are good, both have their flaws and both are looking for their 1st Super Bowl championship. Kyle Shanahan was on the losing side of the infamous 28-3 comeback after his Falcons had the 2nd best offense in the league in 2016. Andy Reid has won a lot of football games, the only time he went to a Super Bowl was 15 years ago when his Eagles lost Super Bowl 39 to the Patriots thanks to atrocious game-clock management skills. However, Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid is the more experienced coach heading into this game, thanks to his long career, having more career wins and playoff wins than Kyle Shanahan who is a relatively new head coach. Coaches are like fine wine, they improve with age. Both are offensive-minded head coaches, and Shanahan has built a strong run game this season whereas Reid built an explosive passing game this season, but overall offensive abilities would favor Reid because he has had a longer career.

     The 49ers will win the Super Bowl if they are able to get off to a fast start and build an early lead by controlling the line of scrimmage and the clock with their strong, physical running game. Considering the Chiefs started slow in both of their playoff games - trailing 24-0 to the Texans and 10-0 to the Titans - if the 49ers can build a lead with a running game, the Chiefs don’t have the best defense against the run and the 49ers can run freely all game long, tire the Chiefs’ defense and keep Mahomes and company off the field. As long as the 49ers defense can prevent the Chiefs from connecting on big plays downfield - the Chiefs are known for their quick scoring ability - and force them to take 15/16 play scoring drives, it will take more time off the clock and force the Chiefs to use their lackluster run game to open up the passing game.

     The Chiefs will win the Super Bowl if they are able to stop San Francisco’s dominant run game. The 49ers are a run-first team and are dead-last in the passing game in the playoffs. If the Chiefs take away the run game and force Jimmy Garropolo to pass more than 25 times in the game, they will put the onus on the 49ers’ passing game to make big plays. They are able to do that, even against a Chiefs’ secondary that has improved in the second half of the year but are more comfortable running the ball. On offense, if the Chiefs are able to connect on their big plays downfield and score TDs on 3-4 play drives like they did against the Texans, it will play into Mahomes’ strengths and it will

help them wear down the 49ers’ top 10 secondary.  

     Both of these teams are very good and no matter who wins, this game will be close, but I believe the 49ers will be able to get a strong run game going. The Chiefs did a marvelous job completely removing Derrick Henry from the Titans’ game plan in the AFC Championship. Derrick Henry is the main part of the Titans’ run-heavy game plan and a dominant, quick and physical running back who rushed for over 180 yards in the wild card round and divisional round and averaged 196 rush yards per game in his last 3 games. He is a dominant running back and quick for his size. However, the 49ers have three talented and physical running backs and one of the best and most physical offensive lines in the league that can easily make space to run through. When you put that against a Chiefs’ run defense that is 17th best in the league, it is clear the 49ers will be able to control the clock and the line of scrimmage in this game and keep the Chiefs’ potent passing game off the field. If the 49ers defense can prevent the Chiefs from connecting on deep plays downfield, they should be able to win the game. I am taking the 49ers in a close game 34-28, covering the spread. 

     Tune in to Super Bowl 54 on TSN, CTV, CBC or your local FOX or CBS network on Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 at 6:30pm ET. The pre-game starts at 1:00pm ET.

NFL - 2019 Divisional Round Recap

By: Adamo Marinelli

January 15th, 2020

     What an incredible weekend of divisional-round games! Let’s break them down. Before we get started, keep in mind that last weekend, all but one road team won. This weekend, all but one home team won. What a difference a first-round bye can make.

Minnesota Vikings 10 @ San Francisco 49ers 27

     This is exactly the result most people expected despite the Vikings receiving some praise after dominating the Saints on the road. The Vikings were missing key pieces in their secondary and key linebackers against New Orleans and head coach Mike Zimmer had to switch up personnel on some coverages. Minnesota’s run game was too much for New Orleans and the Vikings’ defense took away the big play element for the Saints’ offense. But, it was time for a reality check. The Vikings were banged up on defense heading to San Fransisco, the 49ers eliminated Dalvin Cook from the game by running unique blitz packages and by lining up several guys on the line of scrimmage to rush the passer and cover the run simultaneously and Kirk Cousins reverted back to the real version of himself the big games and the playoffs: simply inconsistent. Cousins had 172 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT and Cook registered only 18 yards on 9 carries. Jimmy Garapolo had 133 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT, but their offensive line outpowered the Vikings’ defensive line which allowed the running game to shine. Tevin Coleman had 105 yards and 2 TDs, Raheem Mostert had 58 yards. Also, the 49ers had 6 sacks compared to 2 for the Vikings. The better team won this game. 

Tennesee Titans 28 @ Baltimore Ravens 12 

     Upset alert! The number one seed Ravens got eliminated already. The Titans were consistent on the ground, controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock and they played mistake-free football. The Ravens’ league-best run defense could not stop Derrick Henry, who exploded for 195 yards on the ground - this is his third consecutive game recording over 180 rushing yards. Henry also threw a TD pass on a wildcat formation. Their potent offense turned the ball over several times, including 2 interceptions thrown by Lamar Jackson and getting stopped on fourth and short twice. They simply could not rally back after a slow start. By the time their offense found any rhythm, the Titans had already run away with the game. Arguably, the best team in the playoffs, with lots of talent on both sides of the ball, just lost. The Titans’ formula is simple. Pound the ball to control the line of scrimmage and clock, then set up your play-action passing game downfield. Keep opposing QBs on the sideline! Lastly, what a game by Tannehill who had 2 TDs, yet recorded less than 100 passing yards for the second game in a row and only completed 50% of his passes. Also, what a catch by Jonnu Smith!

Houston Texans 31 @ Kansas City Chiefs 51

     Believe it or not, the Texans were up 24-0 early in the second quarter. But through that lead, shone Bill O’Brien’s inept coaching abilities to make decisions regarding game management, and the field position battle. He also clearly doesn’t know what momentum is. He elected to kick a field goal on a 4th and 1 at the Chiefs’ 10-yard line up 21-0. I understand this because it’s still early in the game and you take all the points you can get. But he stubbornly decided to run a fake punt on his own 31-yard line up 24-7 after the Chiefs scored a TD in 3 quick plays on the previous drive. The fake punt was stopped, the Chiefs scored another quick TD and at that point, everyone knew KC would win. That fake punt was the turning point. Against the Chiefs, you control the clock and the line of scrimmage by running the ball and when a drive fails, punt it away. You cannot give them any momentum, you have to make the drive down the field to earn points. The Texans did the opposite of this. Mahomes had 5 TDs on 321 passing yards and Kelce recorded 134 yards and hauled in 3 receiving TDs. The Texans’ defense was good in the first half, the Chiefs’ in the second half. The Texans have been inconsistent all year, especially their lackluster coaching and depleted secondary. It showed today.

Seattle Seahawks 23 @ Green Bay Packers 28

     At halftime, the score was 21-7 for Green Bay. The Packers moved the ball well on offense and on defense and controlled the clock and the scoreboard. Seattle’s injured defense couldn’t stop Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay’s offense. However, Seattle was the dominant team in the 2nd half, outscoring the Packers 16-7. Despite this, the Packers strung together a long drive with mere minutes left in the game and were able to run out the clock after a controversial catch was confirmed as a first down even though he appeared short of the marker. Russell Wilson threw for 277 yards and only a single TD. Marshawn Lynch made up for Wilson’s lack of touchdowns and big plays with 26 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs. But Aaron Rodgers was excellent with 243 yards and 2 TDs and running back Aaron Jones controlled the clock with his effective running, recording 62 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. In the end, the game came down to who had the better defense. The Packers’ decent defense outperformed Seattle’s very depleted secondary and linebacking core, who was torched by Davante Adams who had 160 yards and 2 TDs. 

I cannot wait for the conference championship games! Tennessee will visit Kansas City in the AFC and Green Bay will visit San Fransisco in the NFC.

NFL Wild Card Weekend Recap

Today, I will recap and analyse all 4 games in the 2019 wild card round. 

Bills 19 @ Texans 22

      It looked like the Texans would lose another home wild-card game. They were down 13-0 at half and 16-0 in the third quarter to the Bills. But all of a sudden, Deshaun Watson and the Texans awoke. Sprung by a Watson rushing TD, the Texans scored 19 straight points to take a lead. Wide receiver Deandre Hopkins woke up after having less receiving yards than Josh Allen in the first half. The Bills drove down the field to tie the game 19-19 and send it to overtime despite a very mistimed fumble by Allen that was knocked out of bounds by tight end Dawson Knox. In overtime, both teams ended their first drives with a punt. On the second drive, Deshaun Watson avoided a sack where two Bills’ linebackers cornered him, rolled out of the pocket and found a man open 10 yards downfield which set up a game-winning field goal for Ka’imi Fairbairn. 

Titans 20 @ Patriots 13

     For the first time since 2009, the Patriots did not get a first-round bye after a week 17 loss to the Dolphins. They would host a red-hot Titans team that excelled at running the football with Derrick Henry, the leading rusher in the NFL. The Patriots drove down the field and scored a field goal. The Titans answered with a long, meticulous drive down the field that ended with a touchdown pass to the tight end Anthony Firsker. In the second quarter, after a few punts, the Patriots started to establish a running game and strung together a few drives that ended with a rush touchdown from Julian Edelman. The Patriots were able to move the ball well in the first quarter but were very ineffective for the rest of the game. They punted the ball 5 times, Brady missed open receivers for check-downs and downfield, and the run game came to a halt after the first quarter. The Patriots’ offense looked depleted and it showed on the field. Brady was ineffective completing 20/37 passes for 209 yards and 1 interception. He hasn’t thrown a TD in two consecutive playoff games. Both defenses played well. The Titans only allowed 13 points, the Patriots only allowed 14. The Titans held the Patriots to 1 TD on 3 red-zone drives, the Patriots allowed the Titans to score both times in the red-zone but did force 6 punts and an interception. With 30 seconds left in the game, a former Patriot, Logan Ryan picked off Brady and ran it two yards for a touchdown - after he dropped an INT earlier in the game - which was the only score of the 2nd half to seal the game. The difference in this game was in the effectiveness of the run game: Derrick Henry had 182 yards and 1 TD on 34 carries, singlehandedly wore out the Patriots’ defense, and Michel was shut down: only 61 yards on 14 carries. Henry made up for Ryan Tannehill’s mediocre game: 72 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. This is perhaps the end of an era. 

Vikings 26 @ Saints 20

     Wow! I did not see that coming. The Saints were 8 point favorites to win this game at home and were real contenders for the Super Bowl. Both teams exchanged field goals on their opening drives and the Saints took a 10-3 lead after a 4-yard rushing TD. He finished with 21 yards on the day. He was kept in check by a strong Vikings run-defense. The Vikings would then score 17 unanswered points - a field goal, a TD before the half and on the opening drive in the third quarter - thanks impart to a pair of rushing TDs by Dalvin Cook, who finished with 94 yards on the day. The Vikings controlled the clock on the ground and Kirk Cousins made a throw when he had to. He didn’t turn the ball over, which was the key to victory. The Vikings’ defense was depleted in the secondary, which forced them to change up some formations on defense, yet it still limited the Saints’ passing and rushing attack very well. They picked off Drew Brees to set up the TD before half down 10-6. A momentum changer! The Saints didn’t score until the fourth quarter when Brees found Taysom Hill wide open in the endzone to cut the lead to 3. The Saints missed a lot of opportunities to take a lead. Will Lutz missed a field goal before half that would have tied the game 13-13, the Saints’ defense got a fumble recovery that was called back by a false start and Brees fumbled the ball after being hit, late in the 4th quarter, down 3 points, in field goal range. After that turnover, the Saints’ defense would stand tall and would strip the ball from Dalvin Cook with 3 minutes to go and run it back for a touchdown. Unfortunately for the Saints, after a booth review, Cook’s knee hit the ground before he fumbled. The Saints would eventually tie the game but in overtime, the Vikings would drive 75 yards - with the help of a huge 43-yard pass from Cousins to Thielen to set up a first and goal at the 2 - and on 3rd and goal, Cousins would find Kyle Rudolph in the endzone for the win. There appeared to be offensive pass interference on the play, but it was not reviewed, because according to the head refereeing office, contact was made by both players, so they let the ruling on the field stand. The Saints played well - particularly Tayson Hill who had 50 pass yards, 50 rush yards and 25 receiving yards and a TD - but they missed many opportunities to win this game. They forced a stop to get one last drive to tie the game but could not stop Cook and the Vikings’ run game.  The better team, the Vikings, won this game. Personally, I do think it was OPI, but its not the only reason why the Saints lost this ball game. 

Seahawks 17 @ Eagles 9

     Well, this was a low scoring game just as we all expected. Wentz went down on a hit from Jadeveon Clowney who appeared to be targeting Wentz’s head as he was diving for extra yards. Wentz did scramble, giving himself up as a runner and he did dive headfirst, and it is hard to tackle a moving target, however, that hit to the head should have led to an ejection. Josh McCown was serviceable, the Eagles’ basic playbook of running the ball, dump-offs to running backs and short screen passes helped McCown adapt but they were unable to score a touchdown on 5 red-zone trips (3 field goals, were stopped twice on 4th down) and 7 sacks from the Seahawks defense proved too much for the Eagles offense. It was an injured team vs an even more injured team and it showed on the field. Neither team was able to establish a run game with no players eclipsing 70 yards (Beastmode did have 7 yards and a TD on the ground, however). The difference was the Eagles’ secondary being unable to stop the Seahawks on several 3rd and longs which allowed Seattle to control the clock. Also, they were unable to contain an elusive Russell Wilson who did most of his damage through the air with the help of rookie receiver D.K Metcalf who had 7 catches, 160 yards, and 1 TD. He accounted for almost half of Wilson’s passing yards and had the game-ending catch with under 2 minutes to go, against an Eagles team that was in a cover 0, trying to stop the run. Another year without Wentz in the playoffs and another disappointing early exit for the Eagles. 

World Junior Triumph

By: Adamo Marinelli

January 6th, 2020

     For the second time in three World Junior tournaments, team Canada brought home the gold medal. Canada finished 3-1 in the preliminary round after beating the US 6-4, losing 6-0 to Russia, beating Germany 4-1 and beating the Czech Republic 7-2. They then dominated Slovakia 6-1 in the quarter-finals, steamrolled Finland 5-0 in the semi-finals and scored three third period goals to overcome a 3-1 deficit and beat Russia 4-3. A thrilling victory for Canada, whose only loss in the tournament was a 6-0 rout at the hands of the Russians. 

     Canada’s forward, Alexis Lafreniere was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, the Best Forward and a Tournament All-Star Team Member after recording 4 goals and 6 assists in 5 games played. He missed the second and third preliminary games with a knee injury. 

     This is arguably Canada’s best team, including Lafreniere, Veleno, Foote, Byfield, Hayton, Cousins, McMichael, and Thomas at forward, McIsaac, Bernard-Docker, Byram, and Drysdale as defensemen. Nico Daws and Joel Hofer played incredible in net the entire tournament, giving up only 11 goals, excluding the preliminary game against Russia. 

     This year’s NHL draft is arguably Canada’s best year of developing NHL ready prospects after the United States and Sweden dominated the 2019 and 2018 drafts respectively. Alexis Lafreniere, Quenton Byfield, Cole Perfetti, and Jamie Drysdale - all 4 players are Canadians - are projected to go in the top 5. Canada also has the majority of the prospects in the draft for the first time since 2017 and more prospects than the US, Finland Sweden combined, all excellent countries at developing amazing hockey players. 

     After Finland upset Canada 2-1 in overtime in last year’s quarterfinal game, the team knew with all the talent they had, the mentality would be different. They were playing for gold. After winning their group in dominant fashion - a group that consisted of several powerhouse teams like Russia, the United States, and the Czech Republic - even with a few crucial injuries including a knee injury to their star player Lafreniere, they proceeded to dominate Slovakia 6-1 in the quarters and get revenge on Finland in the semis, shutting them out 5-0. They had a golden opportunity for a gold medal and revenge against Russia, who routed Canada 6-0 in the preliminary round. 

     There was no shortage of controversies for Canada during the tournament. First off, Alexis Lafreniere, the projected #1 pick in the 2020 NHL draft, left the preliminary game against Russia with a knee injury and many thought Team Canada’s chances at gold were finished. Secondly, Canadian captain, Barrett Hayton did not remove his helmet for the Russian national anthem after the 6-0 loss. Thirdly, in the same game, center Joe Veleno, a force in the faceoff circle and a key part of Canada’s powerplay and penalty kill was given a one-game suspension for a clean hit against a Russian defenceman. The officials thought Veleno hit the Russian defender’s head, which explains the suspension, but he clearly hit his shoulder. Canada responded well to this controversy, winning their next 4 games in dominant fashion and booking a spot in the finals.

     Despite all of this controversy, Canada still had a chance for revenge and the gold medal against a bitter rival in the Russians. There was one problem. Team Canada wasn't sure that their whole roster would be healthy for the gold medal game. Canadian captain Barrett Hayton was questionable to play in the gold medal game after crashing into the boards hard in the semi-finals. It wasn’t until the morning of the gold medal game that he was cleared to play. Canada started off slow, both teams got into penalty trouble and Russia took a 2-1 lead into the third period before quickly made it 3-1 in the third period. Powered by their dominant power play that scored twice in the game and their elite talent on offense and defense, McMichael and Hayton scored to tie the game 3-3. And with less than 4 minutes left, an unlikely hero, forward Akil Thomas made a great play to outspeed a Russian defender, deke around the goalie and bury the puck into the net to take a 4-3 lead and secure the win. 

     With all the talent on Team Canada and all the amazing Canadian prospects prepping for the 2020 draft, this was Canada’s year to win the gold medal. They did just that with one of the most dominant teams in World Junior history. They had a lot of depth and a lot of talent on offense, defense and in net and were motivated to get revenge after last year’s disappointing early exit. 

A New Landscape in the NBA

By: Adamo Marinelli

December 31st, 2019

     We are almost at the halfway mark in the 2019-20 NBA season and so far we have seen some teams exceed their expectations, some teams that have underwhelmed their fans, some teams have been as dominant as we thought they would be and some teams that we all knew wouldn’t have much success. 

     Powerhouses in the NBA: 

     Teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Denver Nuggets have all been blessed with plenty of success.

     The Lakers are winning games at ease with Lebron James and Anthony Davis and are sitting atop the Western Conference with a 26-7 record despite losing 4 of the last 6 games after winning 17 of 18. Lebron is healthy again and they continue to be good on both sides of the ball even with the Kyle Kuzma social media drama floating around. 

    The Clippers are another championship favourite this year. Sitting third in the western conference at 23-11, they are a force to be reckoned with, especially with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Clippers are finally relevant again and have amazing talent on both sides of the ball, especially on defense with Kawhi Leonard and Pat Beverly. Lakers vs Clippers will be a great playoff series. 

     In the East, the Bucks are sitting atop the conference for the second consecutive season with a 30-5 record, 5.5 games ahead of the Celtics. I don’t know how it’s possible but I believe the Bucks are better than they were last year. They are dominating the best of opponents, even the Lakers and at one point had an 18 game win streak. They’re looking to avenge their playoff loss last year and get to the finals this season.

     The Nuggets are another western conference powerhouse. At 23-9, good for second place in the Western Conference, they are a team with lots of young talent with players like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and have proved they can score lots of points and shut down opponents. They have won 9 of their last 10 games and have won several close games this year.

     The Boston Celtics are sitting 2nd in the Eastern Conference with a 23-8 record. With lots of young talented players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylon Brown, a healthy Gordon Hayward and a superstar in Kemba Walker, they are able to play great defense and can move the ball around very well and score a lot, especially in transition. They should be championship contenders.

     The Philadelphia 76ers are 23-13 and are sitting at 6th place in a very tight eastern conference. They are only 2.5 games behind the 2nd place Celtics. Joel Embiid only gets better every season, Ben Simmons can now hit a three-pointer and is even more lethal as a point guard and Tobias Harris and Al Horford have done well replacing Jimmy Butler. The 76ers are consistent on offense and on defense too.

Teams who exceeded their expectations: 

     The Houston Rockets have taken a loaded western conference by storm. People didn’t believe Westbrook and Harden - two ball-dominant point guards - would develop chemistry, however, the Rockets used their two superstars to score lots of points; they have only scored less than 100 points once this year. Their supporting cast of Eric Gordon, Clint Capela, and P.J Tucker help the Rockets out defensively. However, they are more of an offensive-minded team. 

     When the Toronto Raptors lost Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, no-one expected them to be championship contenders, and many people expected them to barely make the playoffs. However, the Raptors are 23-11, 4th place in a talented Eastern Conference, only 1.5 games back of 2nd place. They have continued to win even with Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol injured for significant periods of time. It’s all thanks to Nick Nurse and his defensive-minded mentality, their strong defense leads to transition points. 

     The Miami Heat faced serious concerns during the summer, even after signing Jimmy Butler. Butler was their only superstar and their core still consisted of guys who couldn’t make the playoffs in a weaker Eastern conference last year. However, they are now 3rd place in the Eastern Conference with a 24-9 record, 5 games back of first place. They have a great offense and defense.

     The Dallas Mavericks are 21-12 and 5th place in the Western Conference thanks impart to an MVP caliber season from Luka Doncic, who is averaging 30 points, 10 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game this season, while shooting 62.5% from the field. Team Europe, with Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and Boban Marjanovic have all impacted this team offensively and have given a spark to Dallas fans for a potential long playoff run. 

     Finally, the Brooklyn Nets even without Kevin Durant - who has been injured all season - have done great with Kyrie Irving. Even after signing both superstars, the expectations weren’t all that high in Brooklyn because of KDs long term injury and how Irving would play considering he wasn’t at his best in Boston. They are sitting at 7th place in a tough Eastern Conference with a record of 16-16. This year isn’t the best, but when healthy, they will be talented for a long time. 

Teams that underwhelmed their fans: 

     The Golden State Warriors lost to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals last season. This season with no KD, no Andre Igoudala, Klay Thompson injured, Steph Curry injured, the Warriors sit dead last in the Western Conference with a 9-26 record. On the bright side, at least their young guys are developing for the future, because this dynasty is over. 

     The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson, an elite power forward from Duke University, with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. They were expected to compete for a championship this season. However, with Zion getting injured before the season started and only being questionable to make his season debut in January, the Pelicans have too many holes on both sides of the basketball. 

     The Charlotte Hornets have lots of talent on both sides of the ball, yet cannot find a way to win close games. They are 13-23, 10th place in the east and have lost 6 straight games. They are unable to finish games and struggle in the paint defensively giving up an average of 51.1 points a game and give up almost 18 points a game off turnovers. 

Teams that are just bad: 

     The New York Knicks planned to land Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and planned to land Zion Williamson with the first overall pick. Well, the Knicks lost KD and Kyrie to their southern neighbors and the Pelicans scooped up Zion. Their consolation prize is Canadian R.J. Barrett, Zion’s teammate at Duke and 4 power forwards. They are 14th in the East with a 9-24 record, only ahead of the Hawks. The Lolcow continues. Sell the team, Dolan!

    The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the best dynasties of the 2010s along with the Warriors and Heat. Since Lebron James left before the 2018-19 season, the Cavs have been disappointing. This is their second season finishing in the Eastern Conference basement and are 10-23 with no signs of improving. Although they are 5-5 in the last 10 games, the best stretch of their season. Their core of Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and Larry Nance Jr. are aging but they have young players like Darius Garland and Collin Sexton hopefully bring a bright future.

    The San Antonio Spurs’ record tells they’ve been having a decent season with a 14-18 record holding onto the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. However, they are stuck between eras and despite losing many of their superstars that brought them success in the early 2010s - like Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobli and Tim Duncan - they refuse to start a complete rebuild with young talent. This may be the first year since 1997 that they miss the playoffs. 

     There is still more than half a season left in the NBA and lots of time for teams to improve and make a run at the playoffs, contend for a championship or just focus on the future. It will be exciting to see how the rest of the 2019-20 season will unfold. Happy New Year everyone!