A Frank Discussion on the Super Bowl LIII

What did you think of the game?

Akaash: From a completely objective standpoint, this was a terrible game to watch. To rank as the lowest-scoring Super Bowl Game in history and still have the same winner, as usual, is just a heart-wrenching way to endure America’s biggest sporting event. If fans were forced to suffer watching this three-and-out filled and punt-after-punt game, the least they could watch is an underdog come out on top. The Rams matched up with Patriots throughout the game, with Brady only throwing only 33 yards more than Goff, and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman only racking up 20 yards more than Rams receiver Brandin Cooks. It was not worth it to watch three uneventful and useless quarters, all in hopes to watch the fate of the game unfold in the last 15 minutes. It’s impossible to say that we all signed up for a Super Bowl game where the end of the third quarter was a score of 3-3! The game was, however, especially exciting for people in pools with the number 3 and 3, who won twice.

Tyler: This was a spectacular Super Bowl defensively. For the underrated Patriots squad to hold the Rams, the 12th highest-scoring team in NFL history to only 3 points in the most important game of the season shows grit and determination made possible by the leadership and mastermind of Bill Belichick. And it’s not as if Brady played terribly during the game. Did he underperform compared to his previous appearances? Sure, but for a 41-year-old quarterback, he did what he needed in order to lead his team to victory.

Akaash: I understand that Tom Brady has a level of unprecedented fame with his mind-boggling six Super Bowl rings and has earned the title of “GOAT” rightfully; however, the win of this game only came through the hands of a competent Sony Michel who diversified the running game, in addition with a few key mistakes (like Goff throwing an interception on the Pats’ 4, turning the game around). Also, doesn’t it just get tiring to see the same team and same quarterback win again?

Tyler: The run game played a major role in the outcome, Sony Michel will be an issue for opponents for years to come. It was impressive for the Patriots to bottle up Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson the way they did. And the win puts the Patriots on par with other dynasties we’ve seen, like the NBA’s late-90s Chicago Bulls or the Gretzky-led Oilers in the NHL. The only difference is that Brady has been at it for almost two decades.

Akaash: I understand that Brady has led the Patriots to uncharted territory in the history of the NFL in terms of records, but it is important to understand that different time periods add a difference in the level of competition that reflects the achievement difficulty. The late-90s Chicago Bulls was stacked, with superstar Michael Jordan, but also an incredible list of shooters, rebounders, and level of coaching. This is all to say that Brady will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks, but the level of records and achievements he has collected was only possible with the players surrounding him. And Bill Belichick.

What did you think of the halftime show?

Tyler: Maroon 5, Patriots 3, Rams 0. The first half was uneventful, and the Spongebob intro for Sicko Mode was disappointing. I’m pretty sure security left the back door open and Big Boi from Outkast accidentally stumbled in and performed “The Way You Move.”

Akaash: Okay. Let’s talk halftime. It was a difficult Super Bowl to perform in because of all the controversy of performers turning down the gig in support of Colin Kaepernick. Even though fans were mad that the Spongebob intro was cut off for an intro to Travis Scott’s Sicko Mode, it does not do Scott justice to overlook his entire performance. He still was able to hype up the crowd and survive the last bit of hope for a good night after a terrible half of football. Additionally, although I did not agree with Adam Levine’s seemingly constant removal of clothing, Maroon 5’s balance between old hits and new tracks added a level of warmth for all of the Maroon 5 fans in the audience. The Atlanta native Big Boi, who is a member of OutKast, should have received a bigger introduction and most definitely should have performed “Hey Ya,” which is one of the defining hits of the group.

Were there any good advertisements that you saw?

Akaash: I was beyond disappointed with the advertisements for this year. Super Bowl ads are famous for their level of entertainment and ways in which they draw in the audience. The only purpose ads served this year was to create a period of time to take a break from the horrible game to refill your plate and cup. They were insufferably long with a few having no purpose at all that killed the entire vibe of Super Bowl night. There were a few gems in the advertising night, do you recollect a few of them?

Tyler: The Pringles ad with the sad device was probably my favorite from this year, but of course some of the stranger ones will stick with me, like the reversed dog show by Avocados From Mexico. What about you?

Akaash: It was really refreshing to see the NFL 100-year-anniversary ad. To see all of the current NFL superstars playing football with the Hall of Fame greats in a ballroom setting added that perfect balance of pure humor with the joy of seeing the old teammates and traditions in the game. Not to mention that Doritos did not fail their tradition of great advertisements with the introduction of a new flavor with a hot collaboration between the Backstreet Boys and Chance the Rapper with a remix to the classic “I Want It That Way.”