Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 844 - 843 Sweep the Charts
Chapter 844: 843 Sweep the Charts
Chapter 844: 843 Sweep the Charts
The 2018 NFL season has come close to its end, with only one ultimate showdown remaining—
The Super Bowl.
The National Conference’s No. 2 seed Los Angeles Rams and the American Conference’s No. 1 seed Kansas City Chiefs battled through fierce challenges to clinch their spots, transforming Week 11’s “Midseason Super Bowl” into the season finale’s “Battle at the Summit of the Forbidden.” It effortlessly ignited passion and commanded attention.
The discourse surrounding the Super Bowl showdown is already unfolding in full momentum; however, before delving into the in-depth analysis and predictions of the Super Bowl, league professionals momentarily divert their focus from the two spotlight teams to acknowledge the other thirty teams across the league by distributing awards.
Perhaps the wild card and divisional rounds were underwhelming, and perhaps the ultimate focus of the season still fell upon the final four teams in the conference championship games. Yet looking back at the regular season, the moments of brilliance extended far beyond that—veterans standing firm and rookies shining bright, the steadfastness of traditional powerhouses alongside the emergence of rising stars—all combined to bring together a spectacular season.
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Undoubtedly, this was a legendary season defined by offensive brilliance—
The Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, and New England Patriots occupied the top four spots in the league’s offensive rankings. Not only did these teams secure the top two seeds in their respective conferences during the regular season, but they also advanced through the playoffs to reach the conference championship games, continuing their dominant performance throughout.
In stark contrast stood the defensive rankings.
The Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans claimed the top four positions in defensive rankings, yet the Titans failed to qualify for the playoffs, while the other three teams delivered disappointing playoff performances, exiting early.
The long-standing adage “Offense wins games, defense wins championships” seemed ineffective this season. Instead, the league’s push for higher viewership by promoting “pass-first, offense-dominant football” swept through, fundamentally transforming the league and solidifying the trend of prioritizing offense.
Moreover, after last season’s low point for quarterbacks, this season witnessed a resurgence across the board. Although there were no performances at the level of dominance showcased by legends like Big Manning or Rodgers, quarterbacks of all generations had achievements worth noting.
Veteran quarterbacks like Brady and Brees upheld their reputations as ageless wonders.
Middle-aged quarterbacks, including Roethlisberger, Rivers, Matt Ryan, Rodgers, Luck, and Cousins, stepped up as reliable pillars for their teams. Among them, Rivers and Luck revitalized their careers with performances worthy of acclaim.
Young quarterbacks such as Goff, Mahomes, Watson, Prescott, and the late-emerging Jackson painted a promising picture for the league’s future.
Flourishing diversity and robust competition.
Though there may not be a single quarterback commanding unparalleled dominance across the league, the collective rise paints a picture of thriving vigor and growth.
Even more noteworthy is the widespread brilliance of wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs, reminding the league that stars are not exclusive to quarterbacks.
This season, star running backs played pivotal roles; following top-tier running back Bell’s boycott and holdout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, league-wide attention shifted to the position like never before. Running backs seized this moment to rise to the occasion and deliver explosive performances.
Standouts like Dallas Cowboys’ Elliott, New York Giants’ Barkley, Los Angeles Rams’ Gurley, Washington Redskins’ Peterson, Tennessee Titans’ Henry, and Carolina Panthers’ McCaffrey performed remarkably, each fulfilling distinct roles within their teams.
And then there’s Li Wei, who revolutionized the league’s perception. Delivering back-to-back seasons of epic, top-tier performances, Li Wei electrified the league with his sensational contributions, particularly his heroic efforts in the American Conference Championship Game, turning all eyes onto the position of running back.
The spotlight on him was unmatched.
All of this is reflected in the regular season’s major award lists.
The 2018 season’s All-America First Team/Second Team rosters were just unveiled.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive unit, having crafted one legendary moment after another this season, emerged as the highlight. Mahomes, Li Wei, Kelsey, and Hill—the Four Great Kings—along with offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, collaborated to claim five spots on the All-America First Team, creating a dazzling display of excellence.
Mahomes’ sudden rise to stardom placed him shoulder to shoulder with Brees on the All-America First Team roster while also earning recognition on the All-America Second Team’s starting lineup—a feat overshadowing other quarterbacks who failed to make the cut.
Including Los Angeles Rams’ Goff and New England Patriots’ Brady.
This reflects the immense acknowledgment of Mahomes’ performance this season.
Li Wei similarly earned his rightful place on the All-America First Team as a starter, tying with Los Angeles Rams’ Gurley for spotlight, leaving other skilled running backs unable to secure a spot.
Barkley and Elliott both made the All-America Second Team, while McCaffrey impressed with his dual-threat abilities in rushing and receiving, securing the Second Team’s flex position, a hybrid role few teams have at their disposal.
Additionally, defensive tackle Chris Jones earned his first career All-America Second Team nomination for his stellar performance, making him the sole defensive representative.
Although the defensive group saw only one player nominated, it still underscored that, despite the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive weaknesses, there were standout moments this season.
In total, Kansas City Chiefs players claimed six spots across the All-America First Team/Second Team nominations, surpassing the five achieved by the New Orleans Saints to lead all teams in nominations—undoubtedly making them the biggest winners of the season.
Looking back to the season opener, with the Kansas City Chiefs entering as defending champions amidst crises and challenges—the doubts and skepticism following their Cinderella run last season escalated fully into the new season. Yet, the team countered all criticism with an impeccable series of performances, delivering a convincing response even without factoring in their playoff run.
If the All-America roster represents professional acknowledgment, then the Pro Bowl reflects fan recognition.
Throughout this season, it seemed as though the Kansas City Chiefs attracted a fair share of negativity, facing continuous criticism, disdain, provocation, and attacks. Every minor incident seemed capable of igniting social media frenzy, as many continued to view the Kansas City Chiefs as “newcomers” or “underdogs,” withholding true respect.
Even as they kept winning, doubts lingered relentlessly.
Fans remained loyal to the traditionally popular teams like Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New Orleans Saints, which continue to boast immense nationwide support even outside their home cities.
However, social media discourse and online traffic can be misleading and biased. To truly gauge the Kansas City Chiefs’ popularity across the North American continent, we await the Pro Bowl roster announcement to provide evidence.
So, outside of Kansas City, can this emerging team that disrupted the league’s landscape gain widespread appeal across North America similar to the Seattle Seahawks or Denver Broncos? Or will they, like the Atlanta Falcons or Philadelphia Eagles, struggle to break through city barriers and establish a stronger presence?
