The United States is supposed to be the land of opportunity. A place where all that a plucky individual needs is an idea and/or a skill and some elbow grease to shake up the world. Growing up is realizing that the American dream is largely a bliss that feels amazing until the 7:00 a.m. alarm stirs a person from slumber. That person then sighs heavily before wiping away eye-crust and then gets ready to go to work for the real winners. Watching the Baltimore Ravens fall to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions cough up a 17-point, halftime lead to the San Francisco 49ers in less than a full quarter of play, was a reminder that most big victories are predictable.
The NFL has been America’s game for a while. Teams that win do so largely because it is their time. The biggest Super Bowl upsets in recent memory have been the New York Giants’ two wins against the New England Patriots — the Atlanta Falcons were not the favorite going into Super Bowl LI, in which they coughed up a 28-3 lead in the second half. Those were certainly shockers, but nothing about the Giants franchise gives off underdog. Both of their 21st-century championship teams were quarterbacked by football royalty — a Manning.
With the Lions and Ravens, we get two different American underdog tales that did not have happy endings. The Lions have lost consistently since before President John F. Kennedy was inaugurated. They followed up their fourth NFL Championship with a 4-7-1 record in 1958 and then went 3-8-1 in 1959. There have been 57 Super Bowls played, the Lions finished 36 of those seasons with a losing record. Their latest attempt to remedy that was to hire the most footbally of all the footbally people to be their head coach.
It is unusual to talk about biting kneecaps and taking hunks of who knows what out of opponents in an introductory press conference. Campbell might as well have shown up before the media in a sweaty hoodie with the glob of dip in his mouth that would become his typical work attire. Why should anyone take that seriously? What those of us who had jokes didn’t realize was that he was being sincere. A lot of guys fake that football talk. He lives by it.
Race is unavoidable when discussing the Ravens. Lamar Jackson has flaws, but so do all quarterbacks. For those who aren’t Patrick Mahomes, those flaws can be glaring. Jackson’s low throwing motion leads to balls being batted down, and his accuracy can be spotty. However, accepting the imperfections along with his mind-blowing talent that regularly wins games, can be difficult for some since it comes in his South Florida-raised package.
Former Indianapolis Colts GM Bill Polian still cannot accept Jackson’s passing talent from the pocket. He thought Jackson should have been a wide receiver as a prospect, and during a SiriusXM radio appearance two weeks ago, he said that the Houston Texans should not look to sack Jackson. Instead, they should be looking to confine him to the pocket.
First, by foot, Jackson is going to get where he wants to on the field. Second, the Ravens finally have pass catchers who are able to hurt teams when too much attention is focused on him as a runner.
As an American, being underestimated is supposed to be used as a spark to ignite personal fuel. Summer workouts and film sessions that stretch throughout much of the year are supposed to be enough for the unexpected winner to rise to ultimate victory. If not, why the hell did we watch all those Rocky movies? In II, III, and IV, Balboa overcame insurmountable odds to win the title. A statue was constructed in Philadelphia for a fictional character because of the, “you can be anything you want to be spirit,” encouraged by those movies. An average-sized human being, who trained by chasing chickens and used frozen meat as a heavy bag, knocked out young hulks like Carl Weathers, Mr. T, and Dolph Lundgren.
Real life is not a movie. Most of the time, the more established entity wins. Business is largely rigged that way, and in sports, that reality is also mostly inevitable.
Patrick Mahomes may have a bad day against Joe Burrow in an AFC Championship Game, but depending on that is not the way to beat the Chiefs. The 2023 Chiefs sent not only Mahomes at opposing teams, but a ferocious defense as well. KC matched up against a great quarterback who was the worst of the two on the field, and had been playing in his current offense for one season with a rookie as his pass catcher. With a playmaking defense at their disposal, the Chiefs were able to keep the Ravens at bay throughout the early game.
On Sunday evening in the Bay Area, the home team entered the game tied for the most Super Bowl victories. The visitor won its first playoff game in 30-plus years two weeks ago. At least one of Campbell’s fourth-down decisions was questionable, but there was no way to account for that interception that bounced into a 51-yard gain.
Much of the American public was rooting for the Ravens and Lions. While the modern-day Baltimore franchise has been far more successful than the team in Honolulu blue, both exuded the American dream. People who were assumed to not be good enough got to the doorstep of immortality.
They went on to lose to what is largely considered the apex of professional football. Mahomes made just enough plays to win, and Kyle Shanahan’s offense roared to life in the second half. The standard won out, while the disrupters were left with their hands in their heads.
Unfortunately, that is largely how life works. Occasionally, something, or someone, smacks the establishment upside the head and fights its way into the group. Mostly, though, the best the disrupters can do is either adopt many of the same establishment traits, like the 21st-century Giants. Every once in a while, a group like the Legion of Boom Seattle Seahawks forces bits and pieces of their way of life upon the masses.
There is nothing wrong with different, except for the fact that it is not guaranteed victory, nor encouraged. The status quo is both championed and also has largely a winning track record. During the 2023 NFL season, the Ravens and Lions captured the part of America that still has that dreamers’ mindset. Folks who want to believe that greatness will be rewarded even if it is wrapped in unfamiliar packaging.
Sometimes, what is different is so special that it cannot be ignored. But most of the time, the Ravens and Lions put up a valiant effort and eventually lose to what is conventional. Just like the American Dream, most people who achieve it operate like those who attained maximum success before them. The reason for the loss is not inferior creativity or judgment. Systems are simply more equipped to reward what is familiar.
