Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs drills during practice on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, in Davie, Fla., for the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs drills during practice on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, in Davie, Fla., for the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Pigskin Pick ‘em: Getting Mitchell Trubisky in a Super Bowl column

  • By NOLAN ROSE For the Clarion
  • Wednesday, January 29, 2020 10:49pm
  • Sports

We’ve finally made it to the end of the 2020 NFL road. This season, as much as any I can remember, was filled with wild story lines, crazy outcomes and good football.

Ex-Steelers, Raiders and Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown has played for more teams in the last year than Tom Brady has in his entire career! Brown’s repeated absurdities, while sometimes entertaining from afar, are actually troubling.

The NFL has a mental health problem on its hands, whether fair or not, and veteran players seemingly losing control of their faculties in real time, while on active NFL rosters, is not a great image for the league.

The league has come a long way on other fronts. Four of the final eight quarterbacks playing this season were African Americans. Just 20 short years ago that statistical nugget was a complete fantasy. Being a black quarterback is no longer seen as out of the ordinary. That’s progress. NFL coaching staffs should take note.

The NFL is a quarterback-driven league and football fans should be thrilled that so many young passers have stepped to the forefront of the league’s marketing machine.

Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers can’t play forever after all. With young stars like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson joining established players like Russell Wilson and Mitchell Trubisky, the league is in wonderful shape.

That was a joke. Trubisky is actually awful and the Bears are doomed.

49ers vs CHIEFS -1.5

What an exciting matchup for this year’s Super Bowl. The 49ers had the best defense in the NFL all season long. Frisco’s pass rush, led by Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, and DeForest Buckner, has terrified opposing QBs for over 16 weeks.

Ex-Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, one of my all-time favorite players, has led a strong 49ers secondary. This San Francisco defense is legitimately terrifying.

The Niners offense does their share of the work as well. Quaterback Jimmy Garappolo is wildly overrated but he’s made to look adequate by a strong supporting cast.

Without doing much research, I feel confident in saying this game is a top three tight end matchup in Super Bowl history. The 49ers’ George Kittle is a beast! It will be interesting to see if Kansas City’s Travis Kelce can match or exceed Kittle’s production.

Speaking of Kansas City. One name to remember, in case it was possible to forget, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes is next level.

He’s like the old John Elway Tecmo Bowl video game where you could just run go routes and bomb away with Elway for touchdowns every single play.

Mahomes is like a video game and his favorite target is the 99-speed rated Tyreek Hill. It’s not fair. The Chiefs have absolute burners all over the field and if there is one thing that gives the great Richard Sherman trouble, it’s speed guys.

It’s a tough game to pick. I think the 49ers have the better overall team, they were the best team, in the best division, within the best conference all season. That counts for something, but it just feels like the NFL torch is getting passed from the Brady and Brees to Patrick Mahomes. It’s Mahomes league now. Chiefs win 35-31


By NOLAN ROSE

For the Clarion


More in Sports

tease
Oilers, Twins open seasons this week

The American Legion Twins and Peninsula Oilers open their 2023 seasons this… Continue reading

The Kenai River Brown Bears mob Ryan Finch after he scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Browns Bears announce commitments for Holt, Finch

The Kenai River Brown Bears recently announced college commitments for Ryan Finch… Continue reading

Morgan Aldridge leads riders down a hill at the start of Week 3 of the Soldotna Cycle Series on Thursday, July 18, 2019, at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Sterling’s Aldridge wins Eagle River Duathlon

Sterling’s Morgan Aldridge won the women’s overall at the Eagle River Duathlon… Continue reading

Soldotna's Trenton Ohnemus delivers to Kenai Central in the Division II state championship game Saturday, June 4, 2023, at Wasilla High School in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
SoHi tops Kenai to repeat as Division II state baseball champs

The Soldotna baseball team retained the Division II state title with a… Continue reading

tease
Kenai, Soldotna baseball to face off for state title

The Kenai Central and Soldotna baseball teams will play for the Division… Continue reading

tease
Kenai Central ends run at state softball tournament

The Kenai Central softball team ended its season with two losses Friday… Continue reading

Jacoby shines on Mare Nostrum Tour

Lydia Jacoby, a 2022 graduate of Seward High School, recently picked up… Continue reading

Soldotna's Trenton Ohnemus fires a pitch against the Palmer Moose during the Division II state quarterfinal game Thursday, June 1, 2023, at Wasilla High School. (Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)
Kenai, SoHi baseball move to state semifinals

The Kenai Central and Soldotna baseball teams won Thursday to advance to… Continue reading

tease
State softball: Kenai goes 0-2 in round robin

The Kenai Central softball team went 0-2 in round-robin play Thursday at… Continue reading

Most Read