Why this Super Bowl was Exactly what the NFL Needed

14 punts, 36 first downs, sixteen total points, one combined redzone play.

If someone described a game like that to me with no prior knowledge, my first instinct would be to assume it was a Week 1 or 2 contest between a couple of basement dwellers. Perhaps a couple of rookie quarterbacks on teams with strong defenses duking it out in the rain. The last game I would have predicted these facts to occur in would be the Super Bowl… particularly in today’s NFL.

“Today’s NFL.” Why particularly in today’s NFL? The short answer to this is simple…

This is exactly the type of game the NFL has been trying to eliminate.

The NFL’s style of play has changed a considerable amount just over the past couple decades. In 2005, there were 6 teams that threw the ball on over 60% of their plays, and half the league (16 teams) threw less than 55% of the time. Compare that to this season, where 14 teams threw it over 60%, and only 7 came in under 55%. Passing is sexier, it creates more points, and, most importantly, its what the league wants, as evidenced by a sequence of rule changes that leaves the avid observer wondering why Roger Goodell hates defense so much.

There was nothing sexy about Super Bowl LIII.

On one side you had the GOAT. The underrated kid from Michigan who seems to live with a lifelong chip on his shoulder despite the supermodel wife, the 6 rings, and the love and admiration of most football and even non-football fans alike, whether they’re from the Boston area or not. The man named Brady who orchestrated touchdown drive after touchdown drive in a demoralizing first half against the Chargers to send them packing. Then went on the road to Arrowhead and took down arguably the most exciting player to ever enter this league in Patrick Mahomes.

The Pats put up 41 against the Chargers, 37 in KC, only 13 in the Super Bowl.

Wade Phillips might just be the most disappointed man on the planet right now. He was gifted an all-star team of a defense over the offseason, but could never seem to make it work. With Donald and Suh on the interior, along with Peters and Talib at the corners, the sky was the limit for the Rams’ defense. Aaron Donald was brilliant all year to be sure, but if not for the offense putting up over 30 points 13 times during the regular season this team isn’t even in the playoffs. This defensive performance seemingly came out of nowhere. It was a truly beautiful display of the “bend but don’t break” defensive mentality that Belichick’s teams have mastered year after year. They gave up their yards, but kept the red zone safe.

The Rams made their way to the football’s grand finale by outscoring teams. Not once did they give any indication they could win a game with their defense if need be. Well, the Rams defense did more than enough to win this football game, and they still lost by ten.

The Patriots’ defensive philosophy in this game was not “bend don’t break,” it was absolute domination.

They blitzed more often than not, they made sure tackles, and the play of the defensive backfield was nothing short of spectacular.

Were the lights too bright for Jared Goff? Possibly. But that isn’t the point here. The point is that in an era where the top offences in the league are making scoring touchdowns look laughably easy at times, we somehow ended up with the lowest scoring Super Bowl in history.

There isn’t a lot of space on a football field with 22 world-class athletes manning it. It’s supposed to be hard to score. I’m not actually sure if I’m in the minority here or not, but I found myself feeling more disgusted than excited watching the Rams beat the Chiefs 54-51 on Monday Night Football this season. 90+ points is not an NFL football game. If that’s what you’re in to, may I recommend getting yourself a subscription to the Big 12?

What the Super Bowl demonstrated is that it takes a lot more than nifty offensive play designs to move the ball against the best-prepared teams. Bill Belichick offset the new-age NFL by making the Patriots an old-school looking team for the playoff run, and it netted him a sixth ring. I really respect Sean McVay for admitting to being outcoached. For me, this was an admission of more than the results of one game…

It was admitting that great coaching doesn’t have to mean who can orchestrate the most points on the scoreboard, it can also still mean keeping them off. While when considered in historical context this is a tremendously obvious statement, the same cannot be said for the modern NFL. It’s all about scoring, which is exactly why teams are frantically searching for the next McVay.

In case anyone forgot, there are 11 guys opposite of the offence that are there to prevent points. Roger Goodell and the NFL rule makers seem to be doing everything they can to phase these men out of the game. We needed a Super Bowl that proved that great coaching and defensive scheming can still out-duel even the most innovative offensive game plans. Thus, for me, the Super Bowl was perfect. A gritty, punch you in the mouth type of game, where every single inch was earned.

That’s football, folks.