Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 1649 Cliché
Everyone's watching Brady, everyone's anticipating the Tampa Bay pirates—

As a result, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the New Orleans Saints, missing out on a winning start to the season and losing control of the division race in their very first game.

The alliance was in an uproar.

It was indeed unexpected, given that the offseason arms race was spearheaded by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; yet it wasn't unexpected at all, because that's the NFL—fierce, cutthroat competition throughout, where every team must stay on edge, or defeat can happen in the blink of an eye.

New Orleans Saints: Welcome to the League of Nations South!
This isn't the American League East, where you can relax in the sun and breeze, sip cocktails, and effortlessly snag the division title. In the National League South—and the North, East, and West—there are at least three teams vying for the championship within each division. A moment's lapse in concentration can jeopardize your entire season's performance. There's no time for frivolous banter here.

Brady and Brees, two elite quarterbacks, clashed in their very first game together—

This game attracted more than 40 million viewers, second only to the season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, and was filled with intense competition.

Naturally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not on the list of teams with an undefeated season.

So, what about the Saints of New Orleans?

The New Orleans Saints, who defeated Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, continue to rise in momentum and are undoubtedly the top seed in the league to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs. Sean Payton and Drew Brees carry the hopes of the entire village, but why aren't they among the undefeated teams in September?

The New Orleans Saints were a dangerous adversary to the Tampa Bay pirates; conversely, the Tampa Bay pirates were a dangerous adversary to the New Orleans Saints.

The entire team is keenly aware of the expectations the league has for them and the looming threat of the ultimate powerhouse, the Kansas City Chiefs. The pressure is constant, coming from outside, from the fans, and from within themselves. But they know their own situation best, and no one is more clear-headed than the New Orleans Saints themselves.

Since winning the Super Bowl in the 2009 season, the New Orleans Saints have not returned to the Super Bowl stage for a full ten years. Every season they have been top contenders and favorites to win the championship, but their repeated failures in the playoffs have become a pain they cannot forget. The victory against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFC Championship Game was taken away by a fatal refereeing error, which is still a nightmare they do not want to talk about.

The New Orleans Saints are more eager than anyone to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, or rather, to return to the Super Bowl and have a chance to compete for the championship.

Since the offseason began, the pressure has been piling up, and facing the intensity of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has put our nerves on edge.

After their final victory, the New Orleans Saints breathed a long sigh of relief, releasing all the pressure that had been building up for seven months. However, they were so relaxed that they couldn't get back into the swing of things for a while, and then suffered two consecutive losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers.

The alliance was in an uproar.

Currently in the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a record of three wins and one loss, are temporarily in first place. The New Orleans Saints, with two wins and two losses, and the Carolina Panthers, with the same record, are tied for first place. Only the Atlanta Falcons, who have lost all four of their games, are at the bottom – they still seem to be recovering from their painful Super Bowl defeat four years ago.

This situation was something no one had expected.

With three-quarters of the season remaining, what will happen next is still a big question mark, as are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints.

Oh, and what about the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams, with a record of three wins and one loss, including a defeat to the Buffalo Bills, show a fresh start to the new season and are back in the competitive arena.

The San Francisco 49ers have a record of two wins and two losses, losing to the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles, but beating the New York Giants and New York Jets, a performance that is far from satisfactory.

While everyone was debating whether the "Madden curse" could defeat Levi, the "Super Bowl runner-up curse" had already struck down the San Francisco 49ers. In their Week 2 game against the New York Jets, the 49ers suffered a massive injury blunder, facing a devastating blow at the start of the season. ESPN even ran a headline, "Injuries Destroy MRI Machines," highlighting the sheer number and severity of the injuries.

On social media, netizens criticized ESPN for its lack of professionalism, arguing that it was unethical to make jokes at such a time. They pointed out that injuries are a very serious matter, and that the San Francisco 49ers have more than just one or two injured players. They argued that the television station should not make witty remarks or show off its cleverness at such a moment.

But ESPN was not joking, because the MRI machine at the San Francisco 49ers really did collapse, preventing the injured from undergoing immediate scans.

This left netizens completely stunned.

Mostelt, Nick Bosa, Tevin Coleman, Solomon Thomas and other key players have all suffered injuries, some even facing the serious situation of missing the entire season.

This also includes quarterback Gallopolo, who aimed to redeem himself this season. Gallopolo suffered a tackling injury during a game, resulting in a sprained ankle and leaving the game. He will miss at least two games, casting a shadow over the start of the new season.

Rumor has it that Gallopolo smashed his own locker.

Who could have imagined that the "Super Bowl runner-up curse" would be so terrible? Looking at the Atlanta Falcons, who are still struggling, Shanahan is starting to have a headache.

However, it is precisely in this atmosphere that the Kansas City Chiefs' feat of starting four consecutive seasons with four wins becomes all the more precious.

Stable, strong, consistent, and inherited!
This is the true style of a top-tier team.

In the NFL, it is often said that short-term bursts of success in one or two seasons are not uncommon, but maintaining top competitiveness over a long period of time is what makes a true champion.

The term "long period" here is often measured in four-year increments, since rookie contracts are typically four years long, and there is a four-year cycle.

Now, the Kansas City Chiefs are demonstrating their consistent output over a cycle, especially against the backdrop of the strong performance of their first four opponents this season. The quality of their victories has skyrocketed, quietly but firmly showcasing the Kansas City Chiefs' determination and fighting spirit to win their fourth consecutive Super Bowl.

Thus, the familiar topic of monthly magazines resurfaced once again—

Who can defeat the Kansas Chiefs?

All the professionals and netizens started to look through the Kansas City Chiefs' upcoming schedule, filtering and evaluating them one by one, and finally focusing on their opponent in the sixth week of the regular season.

Buffalo Bill.

The anticipation continues to rise amidst a flurry of activity, with social media buzzing with excitement and everyone gearing up for the event.

Not only because it is the most recent and formidable opponent, but also because the Buffalo Bill is indeed a special opponent.

Does anyone here remember when and against whom the Kansas City Chiefs last lost at Arrowhead Stadium?
The answer is: In Week 12 of the 2017 regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs lost at home to... the Buffalo Bills.

(End of this chapter)