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Three years after Broncos’ AFC title game win, needs another masterful plan vs. By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post February 1, 2019

They hit Tom Brady with a three-man rush. Pressured him with a four-man rush. Sacked him with a five- man .

Three years ago, the Broncos beat Brady and the Patriots, 20-18, in the AFC title game, the penultimate game for a legendary Denver defense.

That game has been revisited leading into Sunday’s . Brady still leads the Patriots’ offense and former Broncos Wade Phillips is now running the Rams’ defense.

With a different cast of players — aside from — can Phillips author a second play- calling masterpiece against Brady?

“Each team and each year is different,” Phillips said.

“(The 2015 Broncos) were one of the great defensive teams of all time. When they talked about comparing them to the ’85 (Chicago) Bears — you know how good they were. I’ve had teams that played against (Brady) that didn’t do very well and that team did really well.”

Really, really well actually.

• Posted 23 total disruptions of Brady: Six pressures, 13 knockdowns and four sacks per a Denver Post review of the game this week. • Limited the Patriots to 44 yards rushing on 17 attempts (long rush of 11 yards on a Brady scramble). • Forced four three-and-outs (the Patriots were 2 of 15 on third ), ended two drives with fourth-down stops and intercepted two Brady passes. • And stopped the Patriots’ two-point conversion with 12 seconds remaining that would have tied the score. • (Watching the game replay is also a reminder of how much the current Broncos have to improve.)

Two weeks later, the Broncos used their dominating defense to smother Carolina in .

Creating pressure without blitzing was Phillips’ plan against the Patriots back then. The Broncos rushed five or more players on only 10 of Brady’s 63 drop-backs. They had one sack with a three-man rush (), two sacks with a four-man ( and Miller/DeMarcus Ware) and one with a five-man (Miller).

The Rams figure to be a rush four-and-cover defense against the Patriots, using linebackers to take shallow drops in an attempt to contain the steady diet of crossing routes by New England.

Phillips could call seven-man coverages in that AFC title game because he had Miller and Ware working the edges to the tune of a combined three sacks, four pressures, and six knockdowns.

The Patriots felt they could block the Broncos 1-on-1 (they couldn’t) and they only occasionally used a to chip Miller/Ware (bad move).

Miller and Ware creating trouble allowed Wolfe, Malik Jackson, and others to clean up in the form of sacks and knockdowns. That Broncos’ pass rush worked from the outside in.

The Rams’ defense under Phillips is the opposite. It works best from the inside out. Their game plan against Brady should be predicated on interior pressure from and . Donald, the presumed NFL Defensive Player of the Year, led the league with 20 1/2 sacks.

“He’s pretty much unblockable,” Patriots coach said of Donald.

“Wade does a great job of utilizing his personnel and putting his players in position to be productive. When he had Von Miller, he didn’t change what he did, just the volume and percentages shifted to accentuate a player like that or (now) Aaron Donald.”

Brady is effective sliding up in the pocket to throw, much more so than moving laterally. The Rams’ best bet is to get Donald free of double teams (and maybe triple teams) and Suh to win his 1-on-1 matchup to force Brady to move outside and into the path of rush linebacker .

This Patriots offense’ appears to be built better to attack and defend Phillips’ game plan than it was against that 2015 Broncos team.

New England’s offensive line is better now. The Patriots allowed no sacks to edge rushers /Melvin Ingram (Chargers) and /Justin ( City) in the playoffs.

And, they are more balanced — they rushed 34 times for 155 yards and 48 times for 176 yards against the Chargers and Chiefs, respectively, to get to the Super Bowl.

“That was just an incredible effort (against Kansas City) and we’re going to need it again because this (Rams) group is obviously exceptional,” Brady said of the offensive line. “The D-line is certainly a strength of theirs. We’ll be challenged. We’ll need those guys (up front) to play a great game.”

In the January 2016 Patriots-Broncos game, New England prioritized getting running back James White downfield outside against linebackers or Brandon Marshall.

Two weeks ago, running back Alvin Kamara had 11 catches for 96 yards as he worked over the Rams linebackers on the perimeter. That would seem like a natural point of emphasis for the Patriots in using White (team-high 87 regular season catches, third-most among NFL running backs).

The 2015 Broncos defense is likely to always be regarded as Phillips’ best group, but beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl could register as his biggest accomplishment.

“I don’t think we’re going to see like three new fronts and three new coverages that he hasn’t run in the last 30 years,” Belichick said. “They do what they do in their system, they do it well and they have a lot of confidence in it, which they should.

“Wade’s been doing it for 30 years in multiple organizations with multiple groups of players against every kind of offense he could see. You’ve got to get him credit for that.”

Super Bowl Journal: NFLPA already bracing players for 2021 lockout By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post February 1, 2019

Ten things from the Super Bowl on Thursday:

1. Per the NFLPA, the Broncos have elected to carry over all $8 million of their cap space to 2019. Buffalo was the only team not to carry over 100 percent of its space. Teams combined to carry over a total of $339.4 million. Most: Cleveland ($56.5 million). Least: Rams ($466,000).

2. The NFLPA held its annual Super Bowl Week news conference. A potential (likely?) lockout in 2021 was a primary topic of the conversation. The union long ago began educating players about a lockout, chiefly the importance of saving money. The 2011 offseason was wiped out because of a lockout and there figures to be another fight this time around. Each side wants a bigger piece of the revenue pie, period. But remember, there hasn’t been a stoppage that resulted in missed regular season games since 1987. Action in collective bargaining is not spurned until there is a deadline, in this case missed game checks.

3. Union president Eric Winston was asked what the players learned from 2011. “Every player is going to believe us when we say (we’re) going to be locked out,” he said. “It was such a foreign concept to a lot of guys (before 2011), it didn’t really sink in. We’ve always learned from things. We’re going to take all that knowledge and put it into a package guys can understand.”

4. Rams coach Sean McVay had high praise for owner , whose family also owns four Denver teams (Avalanche, Nuggets, Rapids, Mammoth). “I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to work for such a great owner,” McVay said. “He’s been nothing but great to me. He’s really an enjoyable guy to be around.”

5. Kroenke bought 30 percent of the Rams in 1995 to help facilitate a move to St. Louis. He bought the team outright in 2010. The Rams moved back to Los Angeles in 2016. “When you talk about looking for an owner that’s committed to investing and providing all of the resources you could ask for to be a successful franchise, it’s outstanding,” McVay said. “He has a quiet confidence but a humility. I can’t imagine having a better situation.”

6. Rams running back C.J. Anderson carries the same mindset as when he signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent. “When I was in Denver, it was (about) making the team and changing from (No.) 39 to 22,” he said. “Obviously, I had fun there and the career worked out well. As I’ve been through this league, being undrafted, being doubted, being overlooked, that has pushed me.”

7. Do the Rams call different run plays for Anderson and starter ? “It doesn’t appear that way,” Patriots defensive line coach Brendan Daly said. “I went back a number of games trying to answer that same question. (Anderson’s) skill set is definitely different than Gurley’s and his running style is definitely different than Gurley’s. But I don’t necessarily see them calling different plays. They run their offense.”

8. McVay and Patriots played against each other in college. Edelman was with Kent State and McVay with Miami () in 2006-07. “I just remember respecting him as a competitor,” McVay said. “He could really do it all.”

9. Edelman on McVay coaching in the Super Bowl at age 33: “Very remarkable. He’s a stud. He’s my age and he’s leading an organization to the Super Bowl. It’s a testament to how much he knows (about) the game and how hard he works. I love seeing it.”

10. Besides the Broncos’ pass rush, what stood out about their January 2016 AFC title game win over New England? They overcame five defensive penalties against the Patriots, including two personal fouls.

Ed Reed on the Hall of Fame and : “I’d rather give my space to him” By Joe Nguyen The Denver Post February 1, 2019

Ed Reed had high praise for fellow safety and Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist Steve Atwater: “If I get in and he don’t get in, I’d rather give my space to him.”

In an interview with Bleacher Report, the former Ravens safety praised the former Broncos standout.

“Just being in that talk (for the Hall of Fame) is enough for me. I pray to God that Steve Atwater gets in,” Reed said.

The two are among 15 finalists for the hall. Also on the list are former Broncos safety John Lynch and and , as well as former Fairview High School star tackle . Broncos owner is a contributor committee finalist.

The class of 2019 will be announced on Saturday, and inducted on Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio.

Atwater had more than Okoye hit in Hall of Fame-caliber career By Mike Klis 9 News February 1, 2019

When considering the merits of Steve Atwater as a Hall of Famer, the 48-member voting committee shouldn’t waste time discussing his candidacy.

They should simply put the video of his monstrous hit on Christian Okoye on a continuous loop. Several repetitive blasts on the Nigerian Nightmare should convince all that Atwater is worthy of having his bust bronzed in Canton, Ohio.

“That’s been played and played," Atwater said in an interview Thursday with 9News while taking a break from his own Orange and Blue radio show here on Radio Row. “That was definitely a highlight of my career – I think that’s what most people know me for. But there’s some other parts to it, too."

There were also eight appearances in his 10 seasons with the Broncos. He started on the Broncos’ back-to-back Super Bowl title teams in 1997-98.

Yet, for some reason, it took a while for Atwater to gain momentum as a Hall of Fame candidate. In his 15 years of Hall of Fame eligibility, he didn’t make it to the cut of 25 semifinalists through his first seven years. And while he has been a top 25 semifinalist each of the past eight years, Saturday will only be the second time he will receive consideration from the final voting committee as a top 15 modern-era finalist.

Which surprises many.

“I am, too," said Shannon Sharpe, the former Broncos’ and member of the Hall of Fame class of 2011. “Because he was one of the preeminent safeties of the 90s. I mean you go to eight Pro Bowls in 10 years it says something.

“He was All Pro (in 1991-92), led the team in tackles (1993, ‘95), played big in big games. If you remember that Super Bowl (XXXII) game, he got a sack that forced a on .

“Almost knocked everybody out in our secondary and knocked Robert Woods out in the Super Bowl. For me it’s a no-brainer. Great guy. He’s very, very deserving of going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame."

Atwater has said the No. 1 highlight of his career was when teammate John Mobley knocked away Favre’s fourth-down pass to clinch the Broncos’ first-ever Super Bowl title in January 1998 in . Only it took Atwater a while for his head to clear and truly appreciate the moment.

Atwater had delivered a hit so hard on third down with 36 seconds remaining, he knocked out Brooks, secondary mate Randy Hilliard, and himself. Atwater was in a fog watching from the sidelines when Mobley stepped in front of Packer tight end Mark Chmura for the game-clinching, fourth-down break up.

“It’s crazy because I wasn’t all the way there," Atwater said. “I didn’t realize that if he knocked the pass down we’d win the game. Right when he knocked the pass down I remember looking up at the clock and was like, “Wait a minute. It’s over. We win!” So I had a little bit of a delayed reaction because I was out."

That may be Atwater’s favorite moment. To other Broncos fans – and to NFL fans in general – to think Atwater is to think of that Monday night game at old in week 2 of an otherwise disappointing Broncos’ season.

The 260-pound Okoye, who was coming off a league rushing title with 1,480 yards, was running through a large hole off right guard at the Broncos’ 15-yard line.

Wham! The enormous and strong Okoye fell limp.

“YEAH! You tried baby!" Atwater yelled as captured by NFL Films.

“Just think what he would have done to me," Phillip Lindsay, the Broncos’ 184-pound rookie running back, said here Thursday off Radio Row. “He would take people’s lives.

I’m glad he’s on my side and he’s not playing any more."

Working against Atwater’s chances of Hall of Fame election is that two other safeties are considered cinches: Ed Reed and . A third safety would be difficult when there are other deserving players at other positions.

Still, Atwater was a Hall of Fame-caliber player who deserves election. What does he think about his chances for election Saturday?

“Well, I think of the five (modern-era) spots, Ed Reed should be first ballot, should be first ballot and Champ (Bailey) should be first ballot," Atwater said. “And I think you could really flip a coin for the other two, so it’s like buying a lottery tickets and there’s 12 tickets. I’ve got one in 12 chance.

“I’m excited. Can’t wait. Hopefully by 4 oclock eastern time Saturday we’ll know. I’ll either be crying and jumping up and down or I’ll be like, ‘all right, maybe next year.’’’

Observing Pro Bowl and Super Bowl has made Lindsay hungry to participate By Mike Klis 9 News February 1, 2019

A cast on his right wrist and his team’s dismal record left Phillip Lindsay as a VIP guest, but not a participant, to two special events the past two weeks.

Wrist surgery would not allow the Broncos’ rookie running back to fulfill his deserving honor as a Pro Bowl player last week. But he got to hang out with the AFC squad officially as a social media journalist but unofficially as a kid who simply wanted to be around great players and soak in the environment.

“I want to give a shout out to Von," Lindsay said about his Pro Bowl teammate Von Miller in an interview with 9News along Radio Row here Thursday as part of the Super Bowl LIII festivities. “Von really took me under his wing and helped me out a lot."

Lindsay’s words in digital or printed form don’t do him justice. You have to watch him deliver those words with his sweet smile, big hair (although he’s tightened it up in recent weeks) and his involuntary movements that release his boundless energy.

He comes across so genuine, you can’t help but fall for the guy.

After the Pro Bowl in Orlando, Lindsay also spent a couple days here conducting interviews and pitching products for sponsors for the enormous group of Super Bowl TV and radio outlets. He is not just a darling on infectious personality alone. The little guy can play. He rushed for 1,037 yards on 5.4 yards in his rookie season that otherwise ended with the bum wrist, and a Broncos team that slumped to 6-10.

What did Lindsay glean from being around so much greatness the past two weeks?

“I want to win," he said. “We want to win. It’s about that time for us to get back to winning. I’m from Denver so I know how the Broncos have been. When you talk about the Broncos you’re talking about a team that’s hard-hitting and win games. We have to get back to that. We have to."

Lindsay has spoken on the phone with new . He wants to meet with Fangio and new Rich Scangarello next week at team headquarters.

“Show face and see what we need to do to win these games," Lindsay said.

Otherwise he wants to get his wrist healthy and body stronger.

“Just get my mind back," he said. “Get ready to go for another long season. I want to win, man. I can’t wait to get around my teammates and push them, so we can get this thing started. We need to start fast and finish faster."

Our Hall of Fame votes: 48 NFL analysts pick their 2019 class By STAFF ESPN February 1, 2019

We asked 48 of our NFL analysts -- reporters, editors and former players -- which top five modern-era finalists they would vote into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That's how we ended up with our edition of the Class of 2019.

Here are our top five vote-getters; three appear to be sure things to get in while the other two are less certain. The class will be chosen by the Hall of Fame's board of selectors on "Selection Saturday" in . Read more about the 15 modern-era finalists here.

Point system explained: First-place votes are worth five points, second-place worth four, third-place worth three and so on. There are 720 total points available. Full results are at the bottom.

THE LOCKS

1. Tony Gonzalez: 213 points Tight end: 1997-2008, ; 2009-13,

The 14-time Pro Bowl selection is in his first year of eligibility. He ranks first in career receptions (1,325) and yards (15,127) among tight ends, and his receptions total sits behind only Jerry Rice among all positions. His streak of 211 straight games with at least one catch is the longest by a tight end, and he missed only two games in his 17-year career.

2. Ed Reed: 189 points Safety: 2002-12, ; 2013, ; 2013, Jets

Reed, who's in his first year of eligibility, was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 after picking off a league-high nine passes. The Ravens reached the playoff during seven of Reed's 11 seasons in Baltimore, helping them win four division titles and a Super Bowl title in 2012. He finished his career with 64 returned for an NFL record 1,590 yards and seven .

3. Champ Bailey: 104 points Cornerback: 1999-2003, Redskins; 2004-13,

Bailey, a 12-time Pro Bowler, was a key player in a secondary that led the Broncos to five trips to the playoffs, including four AFC West titles. Over the course of his 15-year career, he amassed 52 interceptions (returned for 464 yards and four TDs), as well as 203 passes defensed -- the most in NFL history.

ON THE FENCE

4. Tom Flores: 39 points Coach: 1979-87, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders; 1992-94, Seahawks President/GM: 1989-94,

Flores took over as head coach of the Raiders after retired. His Raiders teams won 11 or more games in a season four times, and he led the Raiders to victories in Super Bowl XV and XVIII, becoming the first minority head coach to win a title. Flores was also pro football's first Latino starting (in 1960 for the Raiders) and first Latino team president and GM (Seahawks).

5. Don Coryell: 36 points Coach: 1973-79, St. Louis Cardinals; 1980-86 San Diego Chargers

Don Coryell, a five-time Hall of Fame finalist, won the 1974 NFL Coach of the Year award after leading the Cardinals to the playoffs in his second season as coach. His offenses in San Diego led the NFL in passing six straight seasons -- capturing three AFC West titles during that time -- and amassed more than 24,000 yards from 1978 to 1983. Coryell was an originator of several concepts still shaping NFL offenses today, including the three-digit playcalling system, the one-back offense, and the "passing tree" of receiving routes used at all levels of football.

FULL RESULTS

Name Position First Second Third Fourth Fifth Points Tony Gonzalez TE 27 15 6 0 0 213 Ed Reed S 16 22 6 1 1 189 Champ Bailey CB 2 6 13 13 5 104 Tom Flores HC 1 0 6 4 8 39 Don Coryell HC 2 1 3 4 5 36 Steve Hutchinson G 0 1 5 5 3 32 Tony Boselli OT 0 1 5 4 3 30 Alan Faneca G 0 0 1 8 3 22 WR 0 1 2 1 3 15 C 0 1 0 1 6 12 Steve Atwater S 0 0 1 3 0 9 John Lynch S 0 0 0 2 3 7 Ty Law CB 0 0 0 1 4 6 RB 0 0 0 1 2 4 DL 0 0 0 0 2 2 Examining the chances of four Broncos up for Hall of Fame election By Nicki Jhabvala The Athletic February 1, 2019

Saturday in Atlanta, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 48-person selection committee will convene for a day of decision-making to determine its class of 2019 among 15 modern-era finalists, two contributor finalists and one senior finalist.

Anywhere from four to eight members — with no more than five modern-era candidates — will be elected. The Broncos, long a franchise with a minimal presence in Canton, could foreseeably add at least one more representative at the Hall, if not two or three, alongside their contingent of Gary Zimmerman, , , Shannon Sharpe and .

Owner Pat Bowlen is a contributor finalist along with former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt. And former Broncos defensive backs Champ Bailey, Steve Atwater and John Lynch are among the modern-era finalists. Each needs at least 80 percent approval from the committee to get in. The class will be announced Saturday evening during NFL Honors and enshrined in Canton on Aug. 3.

Here’s a closer look at the Broncos finalists and their chances of making it:

Pat Bowlen, owner The accolades and the numbers are simply astounding. Why — after nearly 35 years of owning the Broncos, after a combined 91 seasons on 15 different NFL committees, and after feats that include becoming the fastest owner (581 games) to 350 overall wins and earning as many Super Bowl appearances (seven) as losing seasons — is Bowlen not already enshrined in Canton?

That question figures to disappear this weekend. Bowlen may be the closest there is to a lock for election.

Consider his lengthy résumé:

During Bowlen’s ownership, the Broncos have the third-highest winning percentage (.598) in the NFL and the fifth-highest in all of U.S. professional sports.

He is the only NFL owner in history to have had four head coaches lead his teams to Super Bowl appearances.

Under his watch, the Broncos became the only NFL franchise to win at least 90 games in each of the last three decades (they are on pace to win 90 again in the 2010s).

In his 35 years as owner, the Broncos have sold out every regular-season and postseason contest (league- high 300 sellouts) as part of the franchise’s 49-year, 403-game sellout streak. It is the longest streak in NFL history in one city.

The Broncos have played in 349 nationally televised games, which include 164 in , during Bowlen’s ownership. Both are league-highs in that span.

Since he purchased the team, the Broncos have had 18 playoff berths (third-most among owners in that span) and 13 AFC West crowns.

As a steward of the league, he helped broker the NFL’s $18 billion TV contract in 1998, then the most lucrative single-sport contract in history. He was a visionary, with , in creating “Sunday Night Football”; he helped with the formation of the NFL Network; was a proponent of international expansion; and played a key role in the labor negotiations with players in 2006 and 2011.

And as a local ambassador, he has contributed close to $30 million to charitable organizations in Denver since the inception of the Denver Broncos Charities fund in 1993.

His work at the team level is Hall of Fame-worthy. Add in the work he has done in expanding the league’s presence and marketability, and his local contributions to the Denver metro area, and it seems there’s no way Bowlen can be denied.

His chances: Excellent. Since 2015, when the Hall of Fame added a provision for contributor finalists, only one has been denied entry: former commissioner . Tagliabue, however, was a polarizing candidate, in large part because of his initial view on concussions, which he infamously once deemed “one of these pack journalism issues.”

Although a dispute over Bowlen’s succession plan is brewing in the background, his tenure as owner has been met with praise and admiration from those who worked with him and played for him.

Simply put, Bowlen is overdue for election to the Hall.

“In reality, if you look at the modernization of the , the impact of Pat Bowlen was absolutely profound,” said , the former president of . “He had a very pragmatic way of looking at things. He wasn’t one to let the mantra ‘that’s the way we do things’ get in the way. He was always curious. He could see the media changing dramatically and he was probably one of the first owners to see the football team as a family business.

“I think Mr. Bowlen is a slam-dunk Hall of Famer. I get emotional kind of talking about it because he’s the type of owner that checked his ego at the door. He bleeds orange and blue. He loves his players, he loves his coaches, he loves the fans. He was so quick to give credit to everybody else, I think it’s time to give him a little bit of credit.”

Champ Bailey, cornerback Described by his peers as a generational athlete, Bailey spent 15 years in the NFL after a standout career at , where he was undoubtedly one of the game’s finest three-way players. He was a cornerback by title but could line up at receiver, at running back, at kick returner and punt returner.

The seventh overall pick by Washington in 1999, Bailey recorded a total of 52 interceptions, including three in a single game his rookie year and 10 in 2006 — a season deemed by many to still be the finest by a cornerback.

With 4.2 speed, an athleticism few could match and football instincts that allowed him to match up with top receivers, Bailey earned 12 Pro Bowl selections that stand as the most by a corner and the second- most among the finalists for 2019. (Former tight end Tony Gonzalez earned 14.)

The blockbuster trade that landed him in Denver in 2004 essentially offered him a chance to have a second memorable career. And he did. As a Bronco, Bailey had 34 interceptions and led the team in picks five times. His 162 return yards in 2006 rank second in franchise history and he is the only Bronco to have an interception in five consecutive games (2005). He was also voted first-team all-pro and second- team all-pro four times each and is remembered today as one of the original — and few — true shutdown corners.

His chances: Very good. It appears likely that Bailey will go in as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and, with Bowlen, expand the Broncos representatives in Canton to seven. If in the very, very small chance he’s denied, he is all but guaranteed he will go in soon.

Steve Atwater, safety In the week leading up to the Broncos’ Monday night game against the Chiefs in 1990, Denver safeties Atwater and Dennis Smith came up with a game plan to stop Christian Okoye, Kansas City’s 6-foot-1, 260- pound back nicknamed the Nigerian Nightmare.

They couldn’t hit him low, or try to jump on his back and hope he falls to the ground. Others tried that with little success. No, the Broncos had to hit him straight on.

So when Atwater got his opening, he lowered his shoulder and stopped Okoye in his tracks. Atwater is still asked about that hit more than 28 years later. But it was one of many hits that defined his career as a Ring of Fame safety for the Broncos.

During his 10-year career in Denver, Atwater started all 155 games he played, earned all-pro honors three times and was voted to eight career Pro Bowl selections, the second most by a player in Broncos history (his seven consecutive selections from 1990-96 tie a franchise record). He led the team in tackles twice, in 1993 and 1995; ranks second to only John Elway in career postseason starts by a Bronco (14 playoff appearances) and was instrumental in the Broncos’ first two Super Bowl wins. In Super Bowl XXXII, Atwater totaled six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two pass breakups.

His chances: Decent. Good luck finding someone who believes Atwater is undeserving of a Hall nod. He has been a finalist twice now for good reason. But the issue he may run into this year really has nothing to do with his career. It’d be more about the other finalists vying for one of those coveted spots in the Hall. Three safeties are finalists with Atwater, Lynch and Ed Reed, and the latter appears to be a sure-thing for the class of 2019. If Atwater is on the bubble, does he make it in over Lynch, who has a been a finalist six times? And do the four offensive linemen on the docket edge him out?

If it’s not this year, the fact that Atwater made it as a finalist in 2016 and then again in 2019 bodes well for his eventual election. Since 1970, a total of 89.3 percent of all finalists have eventually earned election to the Hall of Fame.

John Lynch, safety Lynch’s six times as a finalist are the most of this year’s modern-era finalists. Every year since 2014, his career has essentially been deemed worthy of making it to Canton, but each time his selection as a finalist has been simply a tease. Close but not close enough.

This time around he’s in a similar situation as Atwater as a hard-hitting, Super Bowl-winning safety on the edge for the Hall. With the competition at safety, the quartet of offensive linemen vying to get in, he too, could leave Atlanta hoping 2020 will bring more luck. But his résumé will give the voters plenty to ponder.

Lynch spent his first 11 NFL seasons in Tampa Bay, anchoring one of the finest defenses in NFL history, before signing with the Broncos in 2004 and playing his final four years in Denver. A member of both the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor and Broncos’ Ring of Fame, Lynch totaled 26 interceptions returned for 204 yards, 13 sacks, and more than 1,000 tackles in his career. He won Super Bowl XXXVII as a Buc, earned nine total Pro Bowl selections and was an all-pro selection four times.

His chances: Decent. Six times as a finalist — that’s a message that Lynch will get in. The fact that he earned four Pro Bowl selections with two different teams puts him in rare company — made up of mostly Hall of Famers. Maybe 2019 is his year. It’s possible he’ll have to wait a bit longer, but the end game appears pretty clear for Lynch. He’ll be a Hall of Famer at some point.

Past and Future: Wade Phillips back at Super Bowl with Rams By Greg Beacham February 1, 2019

Wade Phillips doesn't understand why everybody is so impressed by his ability to bridge generations of people and football knowledge with equal aplomb.

The ' 71-year-old defensive coordinator sees nothing unusual in his ability to quote lyrics from a month-old Future song right after walking off the team plane at the Super Bowl wearing his 10- gallon cowboy hat and an ancient, iconic sheepskin coat once owned by , his late, great father.

And though he eagerly makesgranddad jokes about his advancing age and his millennial boss, Sean McVay, Phillips is undeniably still at the peak of his profession.

The Rams (15-3) are coming off two outstanding defensive postseason performances as they get ready to face New England and Tom Brady, who had one of the worst outings of his playoff career against Phillips' defense.

During 41 seasons in the NFL, Phillips has survived multiple firings and several unsuccessful head coaching stints to become a well-traveled defensive mastermind. He isn't the type to lecture youngsters on his accumulated wisdom, but a few simple truths underline his life's work.

"You have to be able to adjust," Phillips said. "You have to learn and grow and get better. That's what coaching is about. Life, too. The game isn't waiting around for you. It's going into the future."

Part of Phillips' future is Future, the Atlanta rapper who gets played in the Rams' training complex. Phillips says he picked up a few bars from "Rocket Ship" this month and then dropped a verse — "I've been poppin' since my demo" — on a disbelieving Aqib Talib for a team video Monday.

But Phillips also carries the accumulated wisdom of his past into this late-career renaissance.

After making the Super Bowl once in his first 37 seasons of NFL coaching, Phillips is back in the big game for the second time in four seasons. He won his first with the Denver Broncos just three years ago.

"We try to let the guys know you have to appreciate this opportunity," Phillips said. "You don't know if it'll ever happen for you, and they're getting it now. Even if you're a younger player, you can understand that, I think. So we just remind them."

Phillips' clever expeditions into another generation's culture happen too often to be just a goof. He is genuinely interested in learning about his players' experiences, just as much as he was in the late 1970s as a 30-year-old assistant under his father with the Houston Oilers.

While Phillips listens to whatever music is playing at the Rams' training complex, he prefers Drake and likes Migos. He plays video games with his grandson, and he showed up at training camp last July with a "Fortnite Legend" T-shirt, claiming his squad would probably win a Battle Royale if he tried.

When the Rams took the arena stage at media night, Phillips gleefully shot video on his phone for his popular Twitter account, which is full of SpongeBob GIFs and self-deprecating humor .

"I love this," he said. "I love the camaraderie. Some of the guys from my Houston Oilers team, (safety) Vernon Perry and Dr. Doom (Hall of Fame linebacker ) and those guys, I'm still in touch with them. We do a thing where we buy bicycles for kids. All along the way, I've had players that I've been close to, and a lot of coaches. Those friendships are life's meaningful things, and that's what I've learned."

Unsurprisingly, Phillips is universally popular with his Rams. Talib agreed to move from Denver to Los Angeles partly because he would be reunited with Phillips, and he joked that his eventual retirement plan is to "just chill with Wade."

Cornerback Marcus Peters, who has clashed with coaches in the past, would love to get in on that.

"When you get to spend time with a guy who loves the game like that, and who's so honest and genuine, you love that," Peters said. "Yeah, we'll hang out. Have a few drinks, and let's groove."

Phillips jokes that having All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald on his roster has turned him into a genius, but he quickly assembled a solid unit this fall after the Rams made big offseason changes to his 2017 defense, including the departures of leading tackler and top cornerback Trumaine Johnson.

The Rams' revamped pass defense struggled at times during the season, but has been mostly solid ever since Talib returned from injury in December to renew his partnership with Peters. Talib excelled in Phillips' scheme for the NFC title game against New Orleans' Michael Thomas, who had only four catches after cutting up Los Angeles for 211 yards receiving when the Saints beat the Rams earlier in the year.

While the Rams' performance against the running game hasn't been dominant this year, they've stopped their two postseason opponents' ground games cold. Even while facing , Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, the Rams have allowed just 98 yards rushing in their two playoff games combined.

Phillips' defenses historically have struggled against New England — just like almost everybody else's defenses — but his Denver Broncos thoroughly stifled the Patriots three years ago to reach the Super Bowl. Phillips isn't promising a repeat with the Rams.

"Coach Wade always has something to show them," Talib said. "He's always planning, always thinking."

When told about Talib's faith, Phillips replied: "Oh, he knows I don't think a whole lot."

Four former Denver Broncos defenders up for Pro Football Hall of Fame By STAFF Springs Gazette February 1, 2019

Four former Denver Broncos defenders are among the 15 finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Pat Bowlen, who bought the Broncos in 1984, is up for induction as a contributor.

Steve Atwater, Champ Bailey, Ty Law and John Lynch all played for the Broncos. Atwater and Lynch were safeties and Bailey and Law played cornerback.

The selection committee will vote Saturday and the class of 2019 will be announced that day.

Atwater was considered one of the hardest hitters in the NFL. Although the sport no longer celebrates that type of play, Atwater’s accomplishments are hard to ignore. He started in three Super Bowls (winning two) and according to The Gazette’s Paul Klee he should have been named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXII. Atwater made the Pro Bowl eight times and had a streak of seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 1990-96.

- Steve Atwater tackles new NFL rules - and deserves spot in the hall of fame.

Champ Bailey made it to the Pro Bowl 12 times in his career (eight times with the Broncos). He was acquired by Denver in a trade for running back . Klee has said that Bailey is the best Broncos defender ever, but added that Von Miller could surpass Bailey under coach Vic Fangio’s guidance.

- All-time best on a Broncos defense. It's Champ.

- In retrospect, Denver's trade for Bailey was one for the ages.

Law, who played for four teams in his career, is best known for playing for the Patriots. He had three interceptions against ’ in the 2003 AFC Championship Game.

Lynch, who is currently the general manager of the 49ers, played for the Broncos from 2004-07 after spending the first 11 years of his career with Tampa Bay. Lynch was Denver’s defensive caption in 2006- 07 and made the Pro Bowl each year as a Bronco.

- Former Bronco John Lynch carved out a legacy. Broncos' Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists savor start of selection weekend By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com February 1, 2019

At the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Celebration of Excellence reception on Thursday, many of the finalists for the Class of 2019 joined together for a night of fun before the selection weekend.

The Broncos’ Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists kicked off selection weekend with one common sentiment: It’s an honor to be considered for the game’s highest recognition.

“I’m feeling great, like every time,” Broncos of Ring Famer John Lynch said at Thursday night’s Celebration of Excellence. “I’m becoming a seasoned vet, six years a finalist. But you know every year people say, ‘Isn’t this grueling?’ Yeah, but it’s also an unbelievable honor just to be here, and you’re in the same group with guys like Champ Bailey — who I played with in Denver — and Steve Atwater and Kevin Mawae and Tony Boselli.

“You pinch yourself, because who would have ever thought that? It would be nice to someday get in. Hopefully it happens this year, but each and every year I do pinch myself to say, ‘You know what, you did all right.’”

Lynch is just one of four Broncos who could be elected to the Hall of Fame when the selection committee elects this year’s class on Saturday, and he could find himself being chosen alongside the likes of Bailey, Atwater and Owner Pat Bowlen.

Bowlen, who is one of the Contributor Committee’s nominees for this year’s class, was represented at Thursday’s kick-off event by his daughters Brittany Bowlen and Beth Bowlen Wallace.

Both women acknowledged Bowlen’s potential election began to feel more concrete as they joined this year’s finalists, Hall of Fame president David Baker and current Hall of Famers at the Georgia Freight Depot for the event that marked the start of what could be a transformational weekend.

“It made everything feel a little bit more real,” Brittany Bowlen said. “It was really exciting and to see all the other incredible finalists, it was just incredible to hear about their careers, meet their families and know that my father could still be in the same class as them. It was really exciting and truly an honor.”

Bowlen Wallace, who called the evening “surreal,” said she thinks her father would’ve spent the weekend honoring those around him even as he stands on the doorstep of the Hall of Fame.

“I think he would be very shy,” Bowlen Wallace said. “He did not like a lot of the attention pointed toward him. I have no doubt that he would be giving a lot of credit to the people around him that helped him achieve this honor and get to where he is today as an owner. There were a lot of people that have played a significant role in making him successful as an owner, and I think he would most want to reflect on that.

“It was never about him, but I know our family thinks this moment is truly all about him, and that makes us extremely proud.”

But as Brittany mentioned Thursday, Bowlen’s election would mean the most to him if he could go into the Hall of Fame alongside a player like Bailey.

“It’d mean everything [to be elected],” Bailey said. “It’s a good reflection of what I’ve done. Obviously I don’t vote. I don’t have any control over anything going over, but if I’m in, it validates what I did in my career and I’d be extremely proud.”

That news, though, will not come until Saturday afternoon when each finalist awaits a knock on the door from Baker.

Before that moment, there will be more opportunities to honor the careers of Bailey, Bowlen, Lynch and Atwater. The Celebration of Excellence, which brought together many of the Broncos’ finalists, was just the start.

“I just really want to enjoy the process,” Bailey said. “I get to see a lot of guys I played with [and] against and just enjoy the moment. I’m just soaking it up and [letting] the process play out.” Five great moments from John Lynch's Broncos career By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com February 1, 2019

For the sixth consecutive year, John Lynch is a Hall of Fame finalist.

He's come close; he made through the cut to 10 modern-era finalists in 2016 and 2017. But the member of the Broncos' Ring of Fame and the ' Ring of Honor remains at the doorstep, although to his credit, he isn't fretting.

"If you like things you have absolutely no control over, it's awesome," he said with a laugh last week.

But Lynch understands that just being in the conversation year after year is an accomplishment worth savoring.

"I was just telling someone, to be on that list with guys like this," he said, gesturing to Ring of Famer and fellow Hall finalist Steve Atwater, "it's incredibly humbling, each and every time. And I'm never going to complain about it. I'm just going to enjoy it and who knows? Maybe someday it happens."

There are plenty of reasons why "someday" should be now for the nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro -- including his performances for the Broncos, which are highlighted by five games:

Broncos at Buccaneers - Week 4, 2004

Early in John Lynch's first and only game in Tampa after the Buccaneers released him in March 2004, he kept his feelings in check. He soaked in the raucous standing ovation that greeted him when he was introduced with Denver's starting defense.

But as the taut, hard-hitting game progressed, Lynch's steely demeanor began cracking.

"I felt the emotions wear on in the second half," Lynch said after the Broncos' 16-13 win. "I was struggling with cramping. It had nothing to do with the heat. It's just that sometimes when you unload that adrenaline early, it's tough to deal with it."

Despite the emotions and the searing 100-degree on-field conditions that left a slew of Broncos taking IV fluids on the flight home, Lynch had enough to deliver the most crucial tackle of the game. With 3:54 left in the third quarter, he stuffed Tampa Bay's perennial Pro Bowl fullback, Mike Alstott, on a key third-and- 2, providing the turning point of the game. The Bucs never got another first down, and the Broncos subsequently drove to Jason Elam's game-winning .

After the postgame handshakes, Lynch's cool facade crumbled. Cameras followed him as he walked through the northwest tunnel of , and he broke down in tears.

"I think finally everything hit me," Lynch said. "I anticipated that it might come at some point."

But it was the return he cherished, and it showed just how much more he had left to give. When the Bucs released him, some felt Lynch had nothing left. As it turned out, he became the only player in Broncos history to play at least four seasons and make the Pro Bowl each time.

Broncos vs. Colts - Week 17, 2004

Denver needed a win to seal its second consecutive postseason berth, and got it in a 33-14 romp that saw Lynch deliver the biggest blow, hammering Colts tight end Dallas Clark to force a football loose. Under the rules of the time, it was not ruled an illegal hit because Clark was judged to have completed the catch, but an instant-replay turned the pass into an incompletion and the play into a controversial 15-yard penalty.

Still, the message had been sent.

"You never try to hurt somebody, you always try to play clean, but you do want them to remember (big hits)," Lynch said at the time. "I just broke on the ball, tried to make a play on the ball and dislodge it."

Lynch played through a fractured thumb that forced him to wear a cast in the Broncos' wild-card loss to Indianapolis the following week.

Broncos vs. Patriots - Week 6, 2005

Although the playoff win over the Patriots three months later is what most Broncos fans remember about the season, it was Lynch's stellar performance in their regular-season meeting that made it possible for the Broncos to host that playoff duel, rather than play it in Foxborough, .

Lynch broke up four Tom Brady passes -- including three on third downs that ended New England drives - - in the first half as the Broncos built a 21-3 halftime lead en route to a 28-20 win. It marked a personal- best single-game total for pass breakups for Lynch in his Broncos career.

Broncos at Chargers - Week 17, 2005

Nothing was on the line when the AFC West rivals met to complete the 2005 regular season. Denver was locked into the No. 2 seed in the AFC postseason, while San Diego, despite a 9-6 record, was already eliminated from playoff consideration.

But Lynch didn't know any gear other than fifth.

"You owe it to yourself, your teammates and the people who pay to watch the game, to go play hard," Lynch said after the game. "My parents always taught me anything you do, you do it 100 percent, for so many reasons. First of all, you owe it to your organization and your teammates, but second of all, I've been around this too long, if we go out there and kind of be unsure, you're going to get hurt, so we made up our minds that we were going to go play hard."

Games in San Diego always meant something to Lynch, who grew up in nearby Torrey Pines.

Nine years earlier, his fourth-quarter interception against the Chargers helped the Buccaneers a staggering 16-year, 12-game losing streak in the Pacific Time Zone. In January 2003, he won a Super Bowl there.

"I used to watch Broncos-Chargers games in the stands," he said at the time. "Every time I look up I see the seats where we used to sit."

On New Year's Eve 2005, he was San Diego ' worst nightmare, posting strip-sack of both and .

The sack of Brees ended his season and forced him into subsequent shoulder surgery; it also led to a Broncos 1-yard run one play later. The sack of Rivers resulted in a safety that put the game on ice, as Denver went on to win, 23-7.

It marked the second consecutive game in San Diego that saw Lynch force two fumbles; he did it one year earlier in a 20-17 Broncos defeat.

Broncos vs. Bengals - Week 16, 2006

With the Broncos needing a win to stay alive in the playoff race and their secondary reeling from a string of injuries, Lynch delivered with seven tackles -- including two for losses -- and a clutch forced fumble from Bengals running back Rudi Johnson 4:10 into the fourth quarter.

Lynch's hit on Johnson jarred the football loose, allowing Elvis Dumervil to recover and stopping a Bengals drive that had seen them march 32 yards in five plays, putting them within range of a field goal. The play proved crucial, as the Broncos ended up escaping with a 24-23 win that kept their playoff hopes alive for one more week.

Lynch also prevented a touchdown by clobbering Cincinnati Chris Henry at the goal line in the first half.

"John Lynch was everywhere," linebacker Al Wilson said after the game.

Those were words that could have applied to Lynch for many of his four seasons in orange and blue, years that saw him add luster to an already sterling resume that is worthy of the Hall of Fame.

N.F.L. Players Union Says Retiree Benefits Are a Priority By Ken Belson and Kevin Draper February 1, 2019

The executive director of the N.F.L. Players Association, DeMaurice Smith, said Thursday that the union would push for more generous benefits for all retired players in the coming negotiations over the collective bargaining agreement, which expires after the 2020 season.

The union has been criticized for not doing enough to improve the pensions and health insurance for older retired players. and a group of other former stars sent a letter to Smith, N.F.L. Commissioner , and David Baker, the president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, saying they would not attend the annual induction ceremony until all members of the Hall of Fame receive health insurance and a salary.

In September, another group of prominent former players formed a nonprofit group called Fairness for Athletes in Retirement, or FAIR, that has a single goal: to gain pensions equivalent to those of players who retired after 1993. Before 1993, pension contributions were far less than for players who retired after that year.

Smith said that helping retired players had always been a priority, noting that in 2011, the league and the union established the Legacy Fund, which provided $620 million to improve the pensions of players who retired before 1993.

“We have always reached back and improved pensions,” he said. “I think it’s smart that former players understand that we can accomplish more in improving benefits. This is a union that is never going to select a certain group of players over another group of players.”

Dewey McClain, a former player and an executive committee member at the Players Association, added, “There are roughly 25,000 former players, and we need to take care of all of them.”

Improving retiree benefits will be one of many issues facing the union as it braces for negotiations to renew its labor deal. During the last negotiation, in 2011, the owners locked out the players, and the work stoppage lasted about four months.

The union has been diverting royalties from its deal with Electronic Arts, the maker of the “Madden NFL” series of video games, into a fund to be used in case of another lockout. Smith declined to say whether the union would sue the league if it diverted money from its media contracts into its own fund, a step the union took in 2011. But he did say negotiations were not a pretty process.

“It is one of the messiest, nastiest things you could ever do,” he said.

The union wants to increase the share of players contracts that are guaranteed, but Smith said that was not necessarily something that could be achieved through the coming negotiations. Rather, it could be gained more quickly by players demanding it in contract negotiations.

The union’s executive members were encouraged that , a quarterback on the Vikings, was able to sign a fully guaranteed, three-year $84 million contract last off-season.

“Would we love guaranteed contracts? Yes,” said Mark Herzlich, a member of the executive committee. “Is it something we will ask for? Yes. Is it the sole thing we will ask for? No.”

Super Bowl LIII Prediction: Our Pick Against the Spread By Benjamin Hoffman The New York Times February 1, 2019

This Super Bowl is a matchup of old and new: The 66-year-old Bill Belichick will be coaching against the 33-year-old Sean McVay. The 41-year-old Tom Brady will be starting his ninth Super Bowl, while the 24- year-old will play in his first.

A year after being upset in a Super Bowl that set an N.F.L. record for total yards, the Patriots will be looking for a record-tying sixth Trophy, while the Rams, having only recently moved back to Los Angeles, will be looking to earn the franchise’s second.

When the Rams Have the Ball There is more uncertainty to the Rams’ approach to this game than you would expect, and that uncertainty centers on the readiness of running back Todd Gurley.

No single player has benefited more from McVay’s tenure in Los Angeles than Gurley — not even Goff. Gurley, a former Georgia star, went from the verge of being called a bust for averaging an ugly 3.2 yards a carry in 2016 to becoming perhaps the N.F.L.’s most well-rounded running back.

In 29 games under McVay, Gurley has 3,924 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns. A lot of that is Gurley’s versatility as a runner and pass-catcher, but he also benefits from a system in which plays are cleverly disguised. Gurley is surrounded by a solid group of skill players, and that helped him face eight men in the box on only 8.2 percent of his carries this season, which was the third-lowest figure among qualified running backs, according to the N.F.L.’s Next Gen Stats database.

But Gurley sustained some knee inflammation in Week 15. That forced him to miss two games and most likely torpedoed his chance to be named the N.F.L.’s most valuable player. The Rams had to adjust on the fly in the playoffs, relying a great deal on C.J. Anderson, a veteran backup who was cut by both the and the Oakland Raiders this season.

Anderson, often running the ball with protection from two tight ends, has already far exceeded expectations, and in the divisional round, both he and Gurley thrived. In the N.F.C. championship game, however, Gurley essentially disappeared, blaming his lack of reps on his “sorry” play rather than his balky knee.

The Patriots’ disciplined approach does not lead to a lot of mistakes, so for Los Angeles to be productive on offense, its success will probably have to come in large part from the running game. That makes Gurley’s health even more important.

Belichick has been known to focus his defense on eliminating the player he sees as the biggest threat, but with the uncertainty surrounding Gurley, the Patriots could go in a different direction and work on shutting down the Rams’ top wide receivers. New England is intimately familiar with both of them: played for the Patriots last season, and Robert Woods began his career in the A.F.C. East playing for the .

The Patriots’ defense played with fire a bit this season, allowing an average of 359.1 yards a game, which was 23rd in the N.F.L. But they were able to prevent teams from turning yards into points, allowing opponents just 20.3 points, which ranked seventh. That could be a very dangerous formula against Los Angeles when one considers both Gurley and Anderson’s ability to punch the ball into the end zone.

When the Patriots Have the Ball In these playoffs, the Patriots have made a point of starting strong. They scored on their opening drive against the Chiefs in the A.F.C. championship game, and on their first four possessions against the Chargers in the divisional round.

New England’s formula for success is not hard to decipher, but it has proved mostly impossible to stop. It all centers on moving remarkably fast, with Tom Brady alternating between short throws and handoffs in an approach best described as death by a thousand cuts.

Numerous times per game an opposing defense will appear to have New England stopped, only to have a swing pass to James White or a second-effort by Julian Edelman keep things going. Depending on one’s perspective, it is either infuriating or inspiring, but either way it works.

The differences from last season to this one are Brady’s having cooled off some in terms of throwing the ball deep (that’s largely a personnel issue rather than an indication that Brady’s arm has aged) and the Patriots’ having developed Sony Michel, a rookie running back, into a player who would be an every-down back on any team that didn’t like to mix things up as much as New England does.

That familiar approach will be going up against a Rams defense that produces a lot of game-changing turnovers but also has a propensity for giving up huge amounts of yards and points. Wade Phillips, the Rams’ defensive coordinator, has often proven to have a magic touch, and he certainly has a talented group of players, but there is a sense that they have yet to reach their potential. The unit’s reliance on exploiting mistakes could be an issue against an opponent not known for making them.

How It Will Play Out Thanks to the extended rest, Gurley should be ready to go, and that could make all the difference for Los Angeles. Establishing his versatility early in the game will open up everything else and allow Goff to get points on the scoreboard. That should keep the Rams from falling into the same hole the Chiefs and the Chargers did.

It is tempting to believe Brady can keep up even if the game turns into a shootout, but Aaron Donald, the Rams’ standout defensive tackle, is perhaps the perfect disrupter for New England’s offense. If Donald can generate consistent pressure up the middle, forcing even mild mistakes from Brady, then McVay, a coaching mind who has already been hailed as the future of the N.F.L., would be ready to be crowned king of the league’s present. The game will undoubtedly be close — the Patriots always seem to make it close — but the Rams should win.

Pick Rams +2.5

Roger Goodell Says NFL Will Look Into Expanding Use of By Andrew Cohen Sports Techie February 1, 2019

After a crucial officiating mistake helped lift the Rams over the Saints in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 20, the NFL will consider making changes to its instant replay rules this offseason. However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell doubts the changes being considered would have resolved the missed pass interference call late in the fourth quarter of that game.

“We will look again at instant replay,” Goodell said Wednesday at his annual Super Bowl news conference according to ESPN. “There have been a variety of proposals over the last, frankly, 15, 20 years on whether replay should be expanded. It does not cover judgment calls; this was a judgment call. The other complication is that it was a no-call.

“And our coaches and clubs have been very resistant, and there has not been support to date, about having a replay official or somebody in New York throw a flag when there is no flag. They have not voted for that in the past.”

The play in question came when Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman laid a helmet-to-helmet hit on Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis with under two minutes remaining and the score tied at 20-20 in New Orleans. The refs missed what seemed to be a blatant defensive pass interference call, and the Rams went on to win in . As a result, the NFL is expected to consider a plan that would allow limited coaches’ challenges for incorrect judgment calls according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He reports that the new rule could include a penalty or time run off if the coach is wrong.

“We have worked very hard to bring technology in to try to make sure we can do whatever’s possible to address those issues,” Goodell said on Wednesday. “But technology’s not going to solve all those issues. The game is not officiated by robots. It’s not going to be. But we have to continue to go down that path.”

SportTechie Takeaway The NFL’s competition committee will head into this offseason aware of the fine line the league must walk when deciding how far to expand instant replay usage. As long as human referees are involved, mistakes will be made, but find ways to reduce the possibility of mistakes, or reverse no-calls, could prevent future controversy.

However, for fans who might already feel NFL games are too long (the ball is only in-play for an average of 11 minutes during a three-hour game), more opportunities to use instant replay would create more stoppages of play and stretch games out further.

Ranking the Top 10 Super Bowls in NFL History By Kristopher Knox Bleacher Report February 1, 2019

Super Bowl LIII is shaping up to be a good one. The Los Angles Rams and are fairly evenly matched, and Bill Belichick and Sean McVay are two of the most innovative coaches in the sport.

After the last couple of Super Bowls, though, there is a lot to live up to. The back-and-forth battle between the Patriots and Eagles last year was incredible. Even it, though, takes a back seat to New England's unprecedented victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

The last two Super Bowls were great, but is their greatness a product of recency bias? It's a fair question, one that can only be answered by counting down the best of the 52 Super Bowls that have been played.

These are the 10 best—based on historical significance, standout individual performances, memorable moments and overall drama—preceded by some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17

This was a hard one to cut from the top 10. Super Bowl XXXVI marked the start of the Patriots' dynasty and essentially the end of the Greatest Show on Turf. The Patriots dominated for most of the game, though, and had 's now-legendary kick been missed, New England still would have had a chance to win in overtime.

Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens 34, 49ers 31

Super Bowl XLVII had plenty of memorable moments, the biggest of which being the 34-minute power outage that derailed the Baltimore Ravens' momentum. The scored 17 unanswered points after the blackout. They also had a chance to win late in the fourth quarter, but the Ravens made a 4th-and-goal stop to escape with a victory. This game was also a matchup between head coaching brothers John and .

Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots 32, Panthers 29

The second of New England's Super Bowl victories, this one was a tale of two (almost) halves. The Patriots and Carolina Panthers went scoreless for nearly 27 minutes before combining for 24 points inside the final four minutes of the first half. The back-and-forth continued until Vinatieri hit another game-winner with four seconds left. This game also features the infamous halftime "wardrobe malfunction."

Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31, Packers 24

Super Bowl XXXII was a close one throughout. The kept pace with the Denver Broncos up until Terrell Davis ran for the go-ahead touchdown with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. Davis won MVP honors, but this game is most notable for being the one that finally got the monkey off John Elway's back.

10. Super Bowl LII: Eagles 41, Patriots 33

Super Bowl LII represented one of the best back-and-forth battles we've ever witnessed in the NFL postseason. There were 74 combined points in regulation, and the Patriots didn't even punt in the game.

There were also wonderful moments throughout the contest, like the and 's strip-sack of Brady that put the in position to win. Of course, most will remember this game because quarterback —who went on to win Super Bowl MVP—only started because tore his ACL in the regular season.

With Foles under center, the Eagles came in as underdogs to the Patriots. They came out carrying Philadelphia's first Lombardi Trophy.

9. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16

There was no shortage of drama in Super Bowl XXIII. While 49ers receiver Jerry Rice dominated the defense throughout the game—he finished with 215 yards and a touchdown—the Bengals took a 16-13 lead with just over three minutes remaining.

Joe calmly moved San Francisco 92 yards in 11 plays and threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to John Taylor with just 34 seconds left.

There were other notable moments in the game aside from the incredible final 49ers drive. Bengals defensive lineman Tim Krumrie (broken leg) and 49ers offensive tackle Steve Wallace (broken ankle) both suffered major injuries early in the first quarter.

Super Bowl XXIII also marked the final time Bill Walsh would coach San Francisco.

8. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

There was buildup abound for Super Bowl XLIII. The were looking for their record sixth Lombardi Trophy. Quarterback , in the twilight of his career, had led the Cardinals to their first championship game.

The Steelers ended up winning on a touchdown pass from to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds remaining. This came after Cardinals receiver scored a go-ahead 64-yard touchdown with less than three minutes remaining.

Holmes' tightrope catch near the end of regulation is remembered as one of the top plays in Super Bowl history, as is James Harrison's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown with no time on the clock before halftime.

7. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23, Titans 16

Warner was nearing the end of his career when he took the Cardinals to the Super Bowl. He was just getting it started when he won one for the St. Louis Rams in XXXIV. Of course, he was never supposed to be the guy to do it.

Warner took over only after Trent Green was lost for the season due to injury. The former standout went on to form the Greatest Show on Turf along with receivers , Isaac Bruce and Az-Zahir Hakim and running back .

It would require every bit of Warner's 414-yard, two-touchdown MVP performance to beat the Titans in one of the most competitive Super Bowls ever. Mike Jones' game-saving tackle on Kevin Dyson as time expired—now simply known as "The Tackle"—remains one of the top plays in championship history.

6. Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20, Bills 19

Super Bowl XXV was one of the most hotly contested championship games of the modern era. For Buffalo Bills fans, it's also one of the most painful.

Buffalo had a chance to win in the end, but 's 47-yard field-goal attempt with eight seconds remaining went wide right. It remains the only potential Super Bowl-winning kick with under 10 seconds left from a team that was losing.

This game was great for other reasons besides the memorable miss, though. Thurman Thomas' 135-yard, one-touchdown performance in a losing effort was historic, as was the game itself. It marked the first of four straight title appearances—and losses—for Buffalo. It was the second Super Bowl victory for Giants head coach and the second and the last for Bill Belichick as New York's defensive coordinator.

Belichick was hired as head coach of the right after the Super Bowl and went on to join the Patriots years later. The rest, as they say, is history.

5. Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7

Super Bowl III is a greater game for what it represented than what took place on the field. It's not that the 16-7 defensive battle didn't have its bright moments, but it wasn't really that close. Eventual MVP didn't even attempt a pass in the fourth quarter.

However, this still represented one of the biggest upsets in sports up to that point. At the time, the NFL was perceived as a superior league to the fledgling AFL. Despite this, Namath's infamously guaranteed victory for the AFL's .

The Jets took a 13-0 lead over the Baltimore Colts into the fourth quarter. Down 16-0, the Colts scored a touchdown with just over three minutes remaining, but there was no two-point conversion at the time. Up two scores, New York was able to put the game away, and in doing so, the landscape of professional football was changed forever. A little more than a year later, the leagues officially merged into the modern NFL with two conferences.

4. Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31

There was plenty of buildup to Super Bowl XIII. The were the defending champions, and this was a rematch of , in which the Steelers won.

Pittsburgh pulled out the victory again this time, but there was a ton of drama along the way. The Steelers took a 21-17 lead into the fourth quarter and then scored 14 unanswered points. Dallas responded, though, scoring a touchdown, recovering an and then scoring again to pull back within four with just 22 seconds remaining.

A second onside-kick attempt failed for Dallas, and Pittsburgh ran out the clock by kneeling.

There were a number of firsts in this game. It was the first Super Bowl rematch, the first time a defending champion lost in the title game and the first time a losing Super Bowl participant scored 30. It also led to the first of two Super Bowl MVP awards for Steelers quarterback , who threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns.

This was a tremendous Super Bowl and an important one, but it lacked some of the true late-game drama of the next few on the list.

3. Super Bowl LI: Patriots 34, Falcons 28

All you have to do is utter the phrase "28-3" and most football fans will know you're referencing Super Bowl LI. That's the deficit the Patriots faced in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons before they stormed back to win in overtime.

This game is memorable as either the greatest comeback in history or the greatest choke job of all time— depending on how you view it. The Falcons mismanaged the clock in the fourth quarter, but that shouldn't take away from the comeback led by Brady (466 passing yards) and James White (139 yards from scrimmage, three TDs).

There were standout individual moments, too, like the amazing catch that should have sealed the game and the unbelievable diving Julian Edelman grab that kept New England's hopes alive.

2. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14

Who can forget Super Bowl XLII? It was supposed to be the year the Patriots produced a perfect season, as they went 16-0 in the regular season. The defensively driven Giants, however, had other plans. They harassed Brady throughout the game while holding to just 62 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Still, it took some clutch play from Giants quarterback down the stretch to deliver the go- ahead score. With just over a minute remaining in the game, Manning miraculously broke free of the Patriots pass rush and launched a ball that caught by pinning it against his helmet. Four plays later, Manning found Plaxico Burress for the winning score.

This was a monumental upset, and the Tyree catch remains one of the most memorable plays in league history. However, it wasn't the play that sealed the win—unlike the memorable play from our final entry.

1. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24

Super Bowl XLIX had just about everything you could possibly want from a title game—a place in history, a furious comeback and one of the most memorable sporting plays of all time.

The Seattle Seahawks were looking to cement their dynasty with a second Super Bowl win. The Patriots were looking to prove theirs wasn't over by winning their first title since the 2004 season. When the Seahawks carried a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter, it appeared they would come out on top.

However, Brady and the Patriots racked up 14 fourth-quarter points. They then sealed the game when the Seahawks decided to pass from the 1-yard line instead of handing the ball to .

"When that play was called, and I saw the expression on the other 10 guys' faces in there. ... When they heard the call, they looked right at me," Lynch later told UNINTERRUPTED's Matt Barnes.

Malcolm Butler picked off 's pass, and the Patriots ran out the clock to cap one of the wildest games of the modern era.

Von Miller says everything is good between his mom and John Elway By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk February 1, 2019

Von Miller‘s mom wasn’t happy about it when Broncos G.M. John Elway didn’t rule out trading Miller as part of the team’s rebuilding effort. But Miller says everything is fine.

Asked about his mom saying that Elway, not Von, is the problem in Denver, Miller said today on his visit to the PFT Live set that everything has been smoothed over.

“Everything is good. My mom, what makes her who she is, is her emotions. She’s never missed a football game I’ve played in my life, from little league to the National Football League. So when she heard what Mr. Elway said, I don’t think it was too harsh, but my mom took it the wrong way — I wouldn’t even say the wrong way, but she took it like she took it,” Miller said. “She’s my mom.”

As for the possibility that he could get traded, Miller said, “I want to be a Denver Bronco for life.”

Phillip Lindsay set to prove himself again next year By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk February 1, 2019

Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay‘s story of going from undrafted free agent to 1,000-yard rusher as a rookie is well known at this point and the next chapter will have to wait until Lindsay is healthy after season-ending wrist surgery.

Once he’s healthy, Lindsay will come into Broncos practices on much stronger footing than he was on when his rookie season got underway. He said that won’t make him complacent about where he stands in Denver because he knows that there might be another player trying to follow Lindsay’s path to the backfield.

“I’m proving myself again, every year is a new year, if you don’t produce you don’t play, you’re not the starter. … Who’s to say they don’t go get another [running back]?” Lindsay said, via ESPN.com.

Royce Freeman and Devontae Booker are both set to be back to join Lindsay in the backfield with new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello in charge of figuring out how to put them to the best use.