Page 20 - aruba-today-20190119

A20 SPORTS
Saturday 19 January 2019
Sorry America, team you love to hate headed to Super Bowl

By BARRY WILNER thrives on it," receiver Phil- and with all their firepower,
AP Pro Football Writer lip Dorsett says. "Obviously, this one could come down
NOT THEM AGAIN! there's no elephant in the to one factor: experience.
Sorry America — at least room, we're 3-5 on the road That edge clearly falls to
outside of New England — and everybody is going to the hosts. New Orleans (14-
but the team you love to criticize us for that. We've 3) has been a postseason
hate is headed back to the got our backs against the regular since coach Sean
Super Bowl. wall and we've just got to Payton and Brees hooked
Sure, there are negatives go out there and play our up in 2006. This is the Saints'
to point out with these Pa- best game. That's the only third NFC championship
triots. They haven't looked thing that really matters." appearance — a loss at
much more than mediocre It also matters that Chiefs Chicago in January 2007,
on the road. Their defense coach Andy Reid rarely an overtime win over Min-
is vulnerable, especially outsmarts the Patriots. In- nesota at home three years
against dynamic passers, deed, Reid's only Super later. The Saints won the
and Kansas City certainly Bowl trip was spoiled by Super Bowl that season, as
has one of those in Patrick New England when it beat well.
Mahomes. Reid's Eagles for the 2004 Los Angeles (14-3) had the
New England's coaching title. Reid is 2-6 vs. the Patri- only unanimous member
staff tends to take away ots, and lost 43-40 on Oct. of the All-Pro team, defen-
an opponent's biggest 14 at Gillette Stadium. sive tackle Aaron Donald.
threat. Who is that with the The Chiefs are 3-point fa- And the Saints lost key DT
Chiefs, though? Mahomes vorites, which accounts for Sheldon Rankins to a torn
has Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce the home-field edge. Ex- Achilles tendon last week-
and Sammy Watkins as cept in the upcoming arc- end. Still, this side of the ball
dangerous targets. He has tic conditions, and with the looks like a wash.
a running game that hasn't In this Dec. 23, 2018, file photo, New Orleans Saints quarterback pedigree of the Patriots, The site of this game is more
really missed Kareem Hunt Drew Brees (9) against the Pittsburgh Steelers in New Orleans. this is a matchup Kansas critical than in the AFC. The
since he was released. Associated Press City won't win. way the Superdome rocks
Oh yeah, Tom Brady also is UPSET SPECIAL: PATRIOTS, can be disruptive to op-
41. At times, he's looked it lition of the Chargers, an seen pretty much every- 27-23 ponents, and uplifting to
this season. opponent many thought thing, and will particularly Los Angeles Rams (plus 3) the homies. Just look at the
And there are so many pos- was the most balanced like the looks of the spotty at New Orleans Saints Saints' win against defend-
itives to list, especially when team in the postseason; pass coverage Kansas City A 45-35 shootout victory for ing champion Philadelphia
the Patriots (12-5) get this though the Chargers' de- (13-4) provides. Drew Brees and the Saints last Sunday.
far. Such as being to eight fense looked from the out- The entire environment on Nov. 4 came in the Su- So give us Brees' calmness
Super Bowls with Brady at set as if it wanted no part of seems to work for New Eng- perdome. These two have and creativity over Jared
quarterback, winning five. frigid Foxborough. land. a return matchup Sunday Goff's relative newness.
Such as their superb demo- Oh yeah, Brady is 41. He's "Yeah, I think this team to get to the Super Bowl, BEST BET: SAINTS, 34-26.q

Linehan out as Cowboys offensive

coordinator after 5 seasons

coach Jason Garrett sent and success of a significant turned-analyst Troy Aik-
mixed messages about the number of our veteran and man, who won three Super
future for the oft-criticized younger players." Bowls with the Cowboys in
assistant. The Cowboys rebounded the 1990s.
Garrett, in a statement after a 3-5 start to win the The Cowboys were much
released by the team Fri- NFC East. They beat the Se- better offensively in the sec-
day, described the move attle Seahawks in a home ond half of the season af-
as a mutual decision after wild-card game before a ter sending their first-round
he and Linehan had some 30-22 loss at the Los Ange- pick in this year's draft to
open and positive discus- les Rams last weekend. Oakland for receiver Amari
sions this week. Linehan, Garrett said on his radio Cooper. But the Cowboys
who just completed his show Monday he thought were one of just four teams
fifth season in Dallas, had Linehan would return and to convert fewer than half
one more season left on his didn't expect any signifi- their trips inside the 20-yard
contract. cant changes to his staff. line into touchdowns.
"This was very much a mu- But at a news conference During the regular season,
tual decision, and there later in the day, Garrett was the Cowboys averaged
was a great deal of com- far from definitive and said 344 total yards and 21.2
mon ground and shared discussions about a coach- points a game to rank 22nd
understanding between ing staff hadn't happened. in the NFL in both catego-
In this July 28, 2018, file photo, Dallas Cowboys offensive
coordinator Scott Linehan talks with the media after morning both of us during our meet- Dallas' slow start this sea- ries. Their only loss the last
practice at NFL football training camp, in Oxnard, Calif. ings," Garrett said. "Scott son was largely blamed on half of the regular season
has had an incredibly posi- a misfiring offense. There was 23-0 at Indianapolis
By SCHUYLER DIXON han is out as offensive tive impact on our football were questions about cre- on Dec. 16, the first time
AP Pro Football Writer coordinator of the Dallas team. He has been instru- ativity, including from Hall in 15 years they were held
DALLAS (AP) — Scott Line- Cowboys only days after mental in the development of Fame quarterback- scoreless.q