And, younger fans in particular can be excused for forgetting this, as the Vikings’ last appearance in the Super Bowl was in 1977.
Of the teams which were in existence at the start of the Super Bowl era (1966 season), only the Lions and the Browns have never played in the game.
Would be a sight to behold if the Bills, 0-4 in the Super Bowl, meet the Vikings, also 0-4 in the Super Bowl, in the Super Bowl.
I would love to see that. I barely remembered the Tarkenton years.
Hopefully, the Conference Championship games feature only the Bills, Chargers, Bengals, Lions, Vikings, and Falcons.
Those would be two very interesting games.
The Cowboys released their onetime star running back, Ezekiel Elliott, yesterday, with the intent that, once he clears waivers, he would be eligible to potentially sign on with another team for the playoffs. (That said, I’m not sure how many playoff teams are going to be in the market for an older, marginally productive running back.)
Elliott, who’s 29, was one of the best running backs in the league early in his career, but his production had diminished over the years, due to age and wear-and-tear. Dallas had released him in early 2023, and he played last season for the Patriots, before returning to the Cowboys this year; he had been in a part-time role for them, and has only rushed for 226 yards in '24.
It feels like he should be at least 35. In the elite running back debate this is the counterpoint to the Saquon Barkley side. Why spend big money and cap space on a running back if they are going to be washed up at 29?
Yeah, and Barkley is kind of the exception that proves the rule. Aaron Jones (who’s a few months older than Elliott) is also having a pretty good year for the Vikings, after the Packers decided to move on from a 29-year-old, but it’s a calculated risk.
Though there are some outliers, teams have realized that most running backs’ production falls off a cliff pretty rapidly. Elliott is probably the poster child for that effect: he went from being a great running back to just a good running back pretty early (age 25).
Right? That guy has been around forever (it feels like).
That would be Todd Gurley, drafted 10th overall by the Rams in 2015.
Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015.
Second Team All-Pro in 2015.
Offensive Player of the Year in 2017.
First Team All-Pro in 2017 and 2018 (and led the entire league in rushing TDs both years).
Was in the Pro Bowl 2015, 2017 and 2018.
In 2019 he was released by the Rams. He was picked up by the Falcons in 2020 and had a mediocre season, then was released.
Didn’t play in 2021 and retired in 2022.
He was one of the best RBs for 4 years (arguably the best for half of them) but was pretty much washed up after 5 years and only played 6 years.
That’s the poster child for a RB flaming out fast. He was practically done at 25 and his last year he played he was 26.
You guys are funny - you know we are getting Chiefs/Ravens and Eagles/Packers. Or maybe we will get the Bills and Lions in there just to lose in heartbreaking fashion.
Apologies in advance for a slight hijack of an NFL thread, but is anybody else creeped out when at the end of the Pop Tart Bowl a costumed Pop Tart mascot is lowered into a giant “toaster” and a giant “toasted” Pop Tart comes out the bottom? That the players on the winning team proceed to eat?
That’s ickier than dousing the winning coach with mayonnaise at the end of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
No, it’s amazing. The surrealness of the whole thing is outstanding - the “winning” pop tart even holds a sign reading “DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE” as it’s lowered into the giant toaster! Corporate sponsorship at bowl games has to this point been laughable and a point of embarrassment due to the utter boredom of it all.
Oh, the Orange Council filled the trophy with oranges! Bo-ring! Go kidnap the Syracuse mascot and put it through a massive press and have the winners feast on its juices!