Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 1649 - 1648: The Same Old Story
Everyone is focused on Brady, everyone is anticipating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—
In the end, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the New Orleans Saints, missing the season opener victory and losing the initiative in the divisional competition in the first battle.
The League is in an uproar.
It was unexpected, truly unexpected, considering the off-season arms race was led by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; though not entirely unexpected, this is the NFL, where fierce competition is constant, and any team must remain tense lest they face defeat in the blink of an eye.
New Orleans Saints: Welcome to the National League South!
This isn’t the AFC East, where you can relax, enjoy the sun and breeze, sip cocktails on vacation while effortlessly securing the division championship; in the National League South—and it’s the same for the North, East, and West divisions—at least three teams are vying for the championship, and a momentary nap could render the entire season’s efforts futile; there’s no time for jest here.
Brady and Brees, two elite quarterbacks, clashed in their first battle—
This game attracted over forty million viewers, second only to the season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans.
Naturally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ name is absent from the list of undefeated teams this season.
So, what about the New Orleans Saints? 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
After defeating Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New Orleans Saints’ momentum continues to rise, undoubtedly the league’s top seed challenging the Kansas City Chiefs, with Sean Peyton and Drew Brees carrying the hopes of their entire community; but why aren’t they among the undefeated teams in September?
To the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New Orleans Saints are a dangerous opponent; conversely, to the New Orleans Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also a dangerous opponent.
The whole team is acutely aware of the expectations from the league, the fans, and themselves, as well as the menacing gaze of the ultimate Great Demon King, the Kansas City Chiefs; the pressure has always been there, both externally and internally, but nobody is more keenly aware of this than the New Orleans Saints themselves.
Since rising to the Super Bowl in the 2009 season, the New Orleans Saints have not returned to the Super Bowl stage for ten years, always top contenders and championship favorites, but their recurring playoff failures have become an unforgettable pain; the fatal misjudgment by the referee in the 2018 National League Championship against the Los Angeles Rams remains an unmentionable nightmare.
The New Orleans Saints desire more than anyone to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, or rather to return to the Super Bowl stage and seize the opportunity to win the championship.
Since the off-season, the pressure has been mounting layer upon layer, and facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has tightened their nerves to the extreme.
After the eventual victory, the New Orleans Saints let out a long sigh, releasing all accumulated pressure over the past seven months, resulting in excessive relaxation that temporarily prevented their nerves from tightening again, subsequently losing consecutively to the Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers, facing a two-game losing streak.
The League is astonished.
Currently in the National League South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead with three wins and one loss, the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, both with two wins and two losses, are neck and neck, while the Atlanta Falcons, with four consecutive losses, sit at the bottom alone—their painful Super Bowl defeat four years ago seemingly still lingering.
This situation was entirely unexpected.
With three-quarters of the season remaining, the next developments are marked by a big question mark, for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints.
What about the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams?
The Los Angeles Rams have three wins and one loss, losing to the Buffalo Bills, with McVay’s team demonstrating a new spirit in the new season, returning to the competitive ranks.
The San Francisco 49ers have two wins and two losses, losing to the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles, defeating the New York Giants and the New York Jets, delivering a less than satisfactory performance.
While everyone is discussing whether the "Madden Curse" will defeat Li Wei, the "Super Bowl Runner-up Curse" has already vanquished the San Francisco 49ers, suffering a wave of injuries against the New York Jets in week two of the regular season, with devastating impact at the start of the season.
ESPN went as far as to headline "Injuries Destroy MRI Equipment," emphasizing the sheer number and severity of injuries.
On social media, netizens criticized ESPN for lacking professionalism, making jokes at such times; injuries are a serious matter, and the 49ers’ injury situation is more than just a few cases, and TV networks shouldn’t make cheeky remarks at such moments.
No one expected ESPN was dead serious, as the San Francisco 49ers’ MRI machines really broke down, preventing injured players from immediate scans.
Netizens were all stunned.
Mostert, Nick Bosa, Tevin Coleman, Solomon Thomas, and other key players encountered injuries, some even possibly facing season-ending situations.
Among them, quarterback Garoppolo, aiming to prove himself and wash away disgrace this season, sustained an ankle injury during a tackle and left the game, missing at least two games, casting a shadow over the start of the new season.
Rumor has it, Garoppolo smashed his locker.
No one could have foreseen the "Super Bowl Runner-up Curse" being so dreadful; look at the currently struggling Atlanta Falcons, Shanahan now has headaches.
Yet, amidst this atmosphere, the Kansas City Chiefs’ feat of starting with four consecutive wins for four straight seasons becomes increasingly remarkable.
Stable, strong, unwavering, a consistent direction!
This is the true hallmark of a top-tier team.
In the NFL, it’s common wisdom that short-term success over one or two seasons isn’t surprising, maintaining a top competitive edge over time is the mark of real strength.
Here, "long-term" typically spans four years, considering rookie contracts last four years, representing one cycle.
Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs are showcasing their enduring output capabilities within a cycle, especially as the early-season victories over strong opponents add substantial weight to their victories, quietly yet decisively affirming their ambition and resolve to pursue four consecutive Super Bowl titles.
Therefore, the age-old monthly topic resurfaces—
Who can defeat the Kansas City Chiefs?
Experts and netizens alike start scrutinizing the Kansas City Chiefs’ upcoming schedule, evaluating opponents one by one, ultimately focusing on their week six regular-season opponent.
The Buffalo Bills.
The buzz and high expectations keep rising, social networks abuzz with excitement and anticipation.
Not only because this is the closest formidable opponent in terms of timeline, but also because the Buffalo Bills are indeed a unique adversary.
Who remembers when the Kansas City Chiefs last lost at Arrowhead Stadium, and to which opponent?
The answer, week twelve of the 2017 season; Kansas City Chiefs lost at home to... Buffalo Bills.
