January, 2020 Athlete of the Month

2019 is here.

Joe Burrow. 

Runners-up: James Harden, Patrick Mahomes, Raheem Mostert.

Another decade of Athletes of the Month begins with LSU QB Joe Burrow.  A reasonable anticipation would be that the best player in SB54 will follow in February.

Someone's going to be the first Athlete of the Year of the 20s - the nominees are here:

January-Joe Burrow

Super Bowl 54 Pick

Well, I'm a Niner fan.

Metrics are split here - SRS likes the Niners, ELO and BPI like the Chiefs; the current line is KC -1 and my guess is the Chiefs will go off as favorites of less than a FG and that's reasonable and I like the Niners to win outright.

Better everywhere but QB, which admittedly is no small issue, I think there's a non zero chance the Niners to do the Chiefs what the Seahawks did to Denver in 2013.  It's SB Championship #6 for San Francisco; our first in a quarter century. 

Top 10 Super Bowl Matchups

Using ELO and SRS; I took my list of winner rankings and my list of loser rankings and here's the 10 best matchups in Super Bowl history

Through 53

1. Super Bowl 19: Niners (4th best winner) v. Dolphins (9th best loser)
2. Super Bowl 4: Chiefs (13th best winner) v. Vikings (4th best loser)
3. Super Bowl 48 Seahawks (10th best winner) v. Broncos (11th best loser)
4. Super Bowl 8: Dolphins (5th best winner) v. Vikings (22nd best loser)
5. Super Bowl 1: Packers (8th best winner) v. Chiefs (20th best loser)
6. Super Bowl 49: Patriots (21st best winner) v Seahawks (8th best loser)
7. Super Bowl 13: Steelers (26th best winner) v. Cowboys (6th best loser)
8. Super Bowl 2: Packers (28th best winner) v. Raiders (7th best loser)
9. Super Bowl 33 Broncos (20th best winner) v. Falcons (17th best loser)
10. Super Bowl 11: Raiders (24th best winner) v. Vikings (14th best loser)

Super Bowl Losers Ranked

By ELO and SRS.  Through 53.

1. 2007 Patriots (lost SB50 to Giants, Patriots were better)
2. 1968 Colts (lost SB3 to Jets, Colts were better)
3. 1983 Redskins (lost SB18 to Raiders, Redskins were better)
4. 2001 Rams (lost SB36 to Patriots, Rams were beter)
5. 1969 Vikings (lost SB4 to Chiefs, metrics are split)
6. 1978 Cowboys (lost SB12 to Steelers, metrics are split)
7. 1967 Raiders (lost SB2 to Packers, metrics are split)
8. 2014 Seahawks (lost SB49 to Patriots, metrics are split)
9. 1984 Dolphins (lost SB19 to Niners)
10. 1977 Broncos (lost SB12 to Cowboys, metrics are split)
11. 2013 Broncos (lost SB48 to Seahawks)
12. 2011 Patriots (lost SB46 to Giants, metrics are split)
13. 2017 Patriots (lost SB52 to Eagles, metrics are split)
14. 1976 Vikings (lost SB11 to Raiders, metrics are split)
15. 2012 Niners (lost SB 47 to Ravens, metrics are split)
16. 1997 Packers (lost SB32 to Broncos, metrics are split)
17. 1998 Falcons (lost SB33 to Broncos, metrics are split)
18. 2002 Raiders (lost SB37 to Bucs)
19. 1990 Bills (lost SB25 to Giants, metrics are split)
20. 2019 Niners (lost SB 54 to Chiefs, metrics are split)
21. 2015 Panthers (lost SB50 to Broncos, metrics are split)
22. 1973 Vikings (lost SB8 to Dolphins)
23. 2010 Steelers (lost SB45 to Packers)
24. 1966 Chiefs (lost SB1 to Packers)
25. 2016 Falcons (lost SB51 to Patriots
26. 1980 Eagles (lost SB15 to Raiders, metrics are split)
27. 2005 Seahawks (lost SB40 to Steelers, metrics are split)
28. 1972 Redskins (lost SB7 to Dolphins)
29. 2018 Rams (lost SB53 to Patriots, metrics are split)
30. 2009 Colts (lost SB44 to Saints)
31. 1975 Cowboys (lost SB10 to Steelers)
32. 1985 Patriots lost SB20 to Bears)
33. 1982 Dolphins (lost SB17 to Redskins, metrics are split)
34. 1970 Cowboys (lost SB5 to Colts, metrics are split)
35. 1989 Broncos (lost SB24 to Niners)
36. 1991 Bills (lost SB26 to Redskins)
37. 1971 Dolphins (lost SB6 to Cowboys)
38. 1974 Vikings (lost SB9 to Steelers)
39. 2006 Bears (lost SB41 to Colts)
40. 1999 Titans (lost SB34 to Rams)
41. 1993 Bills (lost SB28 to Cowboys)
42. 1981 Bengals (lost SB16 to Niners)
43. 2004 Eagles (lost SB39 to Patriots)
44. 1988 Bengals (lost SB23 to Niners, metrics are split)
45. 1992 Bills (lost SB27 to Cowboys)
46. 1995 Steelers (lost SB30 to Cowboys)
47. 1986 Broncos (lost SB21 to Giants)
48. 1996 Patriots (lost SB31 to Packers)
49. 1987 Broncos (lost SB22 to Redskins)
50. 2000 Giants (lost SB35 to Ravens)
51. 1994 Chargers (lost SB29 to Niners)
52. 2003 Panthers (lost SB38 to Patriots)
53. 2008 Cardinals (lost SB43 to Steelers)
54. 1979 Rams (lost SB14 to Steelers)

Every Super Bowl Winner Ranked

Through 54

Rankings are a combination of SRS and ELO with a bent toward modern superiority, my current preferred ranking system.


1. 1985 Bears
2. 2004 Patriots
3. 1996 Packers
4. 1984 Niners
5. 1973 Dolphins
6. 1991 Redskins
7. 1975 Steelers
8. 1966 Packers
9. 1989 Niners
10. 2013 Seahawks
11. 1992 Cowboys
12. 1993 Cowboys
13. 1969 Chiefs
14. 1972 Dolphins
15. 1994 Niners
16. 1986 Giants
17. 1971 Cowboys
18. 2016 Patriots
19. 1979 Steelers
20. 1998 Broncos
21. 2014 Patriots
22. 2010 Packers
23. 1997 Broncos
24. 1976 Raiders
25. 2019 Chiefs
26. 2005 Steelers
27. 1978 Steelers
28. 1995 Cowboys
29. 1967 Packers
30. 1999 Rams
31. 1977 Cowboys
32. 2009 Saints
33. 2002 Bucs
34. 2017 Eagles
35. 2008 Steelers
36. 2003 Patriots
37. 2000 Ravens
38. 1983 Raiders
39. 2006 Colts
40. 1974 Steelers
41. 1990 Giants
42. 1987 Redskins
43. 1968 Jets
44. 2018 Patriots
45. 2015 Broncos
46. 1982 Redskins
47. 1980 Raiders
48. 1988 Niners
49. 1981 Niners
50. 2012 Ravens
51. 2001 Patriots
52. 2011 Giants
53. 2007 Giants
54. 1970 Colts

Approximate Value Super Bowl Champions

Offense

Starters

QB Steve Young 1994 Niners
RB Marshall Faulk 1999 Rams
RB Terrell Davis 1998 Broncos
WR Jerry Rice 1994 Niners
WR Michael Irvin 1995 Cowboys
TE Shannon Sharpe 1997 Broncos
C Jeff Saturday 2006 Colts
G Jahri Evans 2009 Saints
G Alan Faneca 2005 Steelers
T Orlando Pace 1999 Rams
T Jim Lachey 1991 Redskins

Defense

Starters
DE Simeon Rice 2002 Bucs
DT Warren Sapp 2002 Bucs
DE Rob Burnett 2000 Ravens
OLB Derrick Brooks 2002 Bucs
ILB Ray Lewis 2000 Ravens
ILB Pepper Johnson 1990 Giants
OLB Clay Matthews 2010 Packers
CB Richard Sherman 2013 Seahawks
FS Rod Woodson 2000 Ravens
SS Troy Polamalu 2008 Steelers
CB Darrell Green 1991 Redskins

PK Jan Stenerud 1969 Chiefs
P Sean Landetta 1990 Giants

Offense

Reserves

QB Peyton Manning 2006 Colts
      Kurt Warner 1999 Rams
RB Emmitt Smith 1995 Cowboys
      Emmitt Smith 1993 Cowboys
      Emmitt Smith 1992 Cowboys
WR Jerry Rice 1989 Niners
       Michael Irvin 1992 Cowboys
       Gary Clark 1991 Redskins
TE Travis Kelce 2019 Chiefs
C   Mike Webster 1979 Steelers
G   Larry Little 1972 Dolphins
      Nate Newton 1995 Cowboys
T   Keith Fahnhorst 1984 Niners
     Erik Williams 1993 Cowboys

DE Reggie White 1996 Packers
      Richard Dent 1985 Bears
      Kevin Carter 1999 Rams
DT Sam Adams 2000 Ravens
      Steve McMichael 1985 Bears
      Buck Buchanan 1969 Chiefs
OLB James Harrison 2008 Steelers
         Von Miller 2015 Broncos
         Lawrence Taylor 1986 Giants
ILB  Mike Singletary 1985 Bears
CB   Ronnie Lott 1981 Niners
        Lester Hayes 1980 Raiders
        Mel Blount 1975 Steelers
FS   Dick Anderson 1973 Dolphins
SS   LeRoy Butler 1996 Packers