Patrick Mahomes versus Aaron Rogers.
On the surface, the Super Bowl pick appears easy.
Defending champion Kansas City and NFC powerhouse Green Bay would make a sexy and prominent pick, notably because of the team’s inaugural meeting 54 year ago in Super Bowl I.
Even though they needed to convert a fourth down in the final minute to beat Cleveland last week, host Kansas City looms as a heavy favorite to beat a rising Buffalo team despite the Chiefs being just a three-point favorite in the AFC title clash Sunday evening.
Ditto for Green Bay, which will likely have some swirling snow and afternoon temperatures in the mid-20 at Lambeau Field for Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC championship to begin the day. The Packers are just 3.5-point favorites.
However, Vegas is rarely wrong.
The Bills and the Bucs will make it close. In fact, there is a good chance of a Bills-Bucs Super Bowl in Tampa Feb. 7.
Buffalo arguably is riding a building wave of momentum with the Bucs right on their tails.
Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen has shelved his previous miscues that led to plenty of second guesses about his abilities and has proven to be a MVP candidate this season.
In recent weeks, his line has given him the time, and Allen does manage to thrive well under pressure. He consistently has found an array of targets, and prime weapon Stefon Diggs has lived up to his reputation as a significant playmaker.
The Bills’ defense led by linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Mike Milano, continues to tight and jell each week. They knocked out Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson last week and carried the team in their 17-3 victory.
As for Brady, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down at age 43 and without Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels as well as the always effective Patriots’ offensive line.
His duel with Rogers will be logged as legendary, but how ironic would it be for Brady to take the step toward his seventh ring on the field and in the house that made Vince Lombardi legendary?
Brady has managed to tame Antonio Brown (he’s out with a knee injury) into one of his viable options with Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans and others, and running back Leonard Fournette is running as well as ever.
Ex-Jets boss Todd Bowles is doing what he does best in keeping the defense as one of the league’s overall top 10, and the best against opposing rushers. That could spell trouble for Packers’ running back Aaron Jones.
The Bucs’ secondary will be the key, as they will have to slow Rogers’ passing attack, which is especially potent with him out of the pocket.
These games promise to be two of the more entertaining league championships games in quite some time. The quarterback matchups alone are worth watching.
The world is waiting for Mahomes and Rogers to relish the present and relive the past.
Instead, Allen and Brady could steal the show.