Super Bowl Match-ups!

"Action" Jackson here once again.  Since I ranked my top NFL teams last week, I wanted to follow up with some Super Bowl match-ups, both realistic and ideal.  These are based on my views and my opinions based on the previous power rankings.  These are not accurate by any means and should not be used for gambling purposes (p.s. put it all on the Pats. Just saying.  Alllll of it.)

1. New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
   Let's kick it off with the most realistic match-up that any real NFL fan could predict.  The Seahawks represent the class of the NFC, the most consistent team over the past 3-4 years with an excellent roster, top to bottom.  That's not to say that the Carolina Panthers are not contenders; they also have an excellent roster, and while they did beat the Seahawks in their Divisional round game this past season, I feel that Carolina's defense has taken a step backwards.  Top 5 cornerback Josh Norman plays in Washington now, starter Bené Benwikiere is coming off a nasty broken leg, safety Roman Harper returned to his roots with the Saints, and there are now three (yes, 3!!!) rookies who are expected to be big time contributors.  Not a dream secondary by any means.  Seattle, however, got stronger this offseason by bringing Brandon Browner back in the form of a corner/safety/linebacker hybrid, something the physical freak could excel at.  He should help to make this defense historic once again.  Richard Sherman is still the best corner for that Cover 3 system, and Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor are the best safety duo in the NFL.  This secondary is one of the best in NFL history.  Name a better one.  I'll wait.  No seriously, I'll wait.  These guys are good.  Bringing Browner back into the equation gives them their swagger back at an important time.  Marshawn Lynch has retired, and while number 24 returns to his native Oakland, his heir apparent will have a tough time running behind a patchwork offensive line.  Their defense will be needed to make plenty of plays this season and make Head Coach Pete Carroll's life easier.  Hopefully the Seahawks make the right decision this time.
   
   On the other side, New England is going to be just fine whether or not Tom Brady is suspended for 4 games this season; it's looking like he will, but honestly, the AFC East has been theirs for the past 12 years.  Only when Brady was crippled has there really been competition in the division, and the team still won 11 games with Matt Cassel at quarterback.  Matt Cassel. Google him.  It was not pretty.  The playoffs won't be easy for the Patriots; Pittsburgh will undoubtedly be a top 3 seed if everyone stays healthy, Cincinnati will be there simply because their roster is too talented for them to mess up before losing their Wild Card game, Andrew Luck is finally healthy, making the Colts a factor once again, and Oakland will contend for a Wild Card spot at the very least, making them a team to pay attention to once again (#BlackHole #MackAttack).  None of that matters because when Tom Brady returns from his suspension, his vengeance will be swift and terrible and he will make the league suffer for ever disparaging his "perfect" image.  Not like the Patriots haven't been caught before (**cough cough** Spygate **cough cough**).  Head Coach Bill Belichick is a former defensive coordinator, and he knows exactly how to win close games with less than ideal situations (see: Tom Brady's early career).  Before he was Tom Terrific, he was a 6th rounder from Michigan who only got to play because Drew Bledsoe got hurt.  They won those games and those Super Bowls not because Brady was perfect; they won because those defenses knew how to win close games and the team as a whole was able to get win after win.  They are in a similar situation, and should be back in the Super Bowl ready to face their arch enemies from Seattle in a Super Bowl 49 rematch.  
   
   
   
2. Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders
   Y'all know I had to do it.  If not for obvious reasons (RAIIIDDDERRRRSSSSS), then pure nostalgia.  The Raiders and Packers played one another in Super Bowl II, which Green Bay won 33-14.  The Raiders are on the rise, and in this scenario, they go 11-5 in the regular season thanks to the Triplets Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Latavius Murray.  The Raiders make it past the Texans, hated old-school rival Pittsburgh, and finally survive a trip to Foxborough, A.K.A. Patriots Country, before returning to Houston for the Super Bowl.  They meet Green Bay in the Super Bowl after Green Bay gets a 12-4 record thanks to Aaron Rodgers, skinny Eddie Lacey, and an excellent secondary (HaHa Clinton-Dix's name is awesome!).  Green Bay survived battles with Seattle, Carolina, and Atlanta in the postseason, and meet up with Oakland in Houston for a rematch for the ages.  As much as it pains me, Aaron Rodgers gets his second Super Bowl Ring and cements his legacy as a Hall of Fame Quarterback.  However, the Raiders can be happy with the knowledge that they are a young team and their dynasty begins the following season in Super Bowl 52.  
   
   
3. Pittsburgh Steelers vs Carolina Panthers 
   Probably the second most likely Super Bowl based on just the strengths of roster this coming season, Pittsburgh will play for their seventh Lombardi trophy, while Carolina will repeat as NFC Champions in order to get their first.  With a deep offensive line, healthy Le'Veon Bell, and the best wide receiver in the NFL, Big Ben will guide Pittsburgh to the playoffs with a 13-3 record.  The youth revolution on defense will come on late in the season, allowing them to win with defense and a strong run game featuring Bell proving that he is the best running back not named Adrian Peterson.  They will defeat Houston, Oakland, and New England in the postseason to secure a spot in the Big Game and meet Carolina.  Defense wins championships, and no team plays defense when it matters like Luke Kuechly and company.  Despite the young guys starting at cornerback all of a sudden, the front seven makes life hell for their opponents all season, carrying Head Coach Ron Rivera to a 14 win season and Cam Newton to another MVP title.  Their postseason run gets them past Minnesota, Green Bay, and Seattle in an overtime thriller.  Carolina and Pittsburgh meet up in Super Bowl 51, and Newton puts on a show to avenge his loss against Denver the year before to secure the first of many Lombardi Trophies.  

These are my three Super Bowl scenarios, what are yours?  Please comment and let me know!

Next time: College Football! Heisman Rankings or College Playoffs? Check back next week!


---JAJ