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Best of Yardbarker: Everything you need for Super Bowl LI
Atlanta Falcons fans are set to watch their team take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. Portland Press Herald/Getty Images

Best of Yardbarker: Everything you need for Super Bowl LI

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Football fans, we've reached the most bittersweet time of the year. Super Bowl Sunday is essentially here, which is exciting, both for the championship game itself and the myriad parties people will attend. It's also sad, because it's the last competitive football game for months, turning all talk toward the 2017 NFL Draft.

Soon enough, we'll know whether Roger Goodell hands over the Lombardi Trophy to the New England Patriots or Atlanta Falcons at the conclusion of Super Bowl LI, but there's still time to cram in the preparation if you're a little behind for Sunday.

You can start with the role players laying the foundation for a Super Bowl run: “Chris Hogan is a perfect example of how the Patriots know how to make role a player work in their system.”

Then there’s the terrible advice Bill Belichick has given to Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff (probably): "Now, Thomas, I know you have your eyes set on hiring Dan Quinn to replace Mike Smith as the head coach. Yeah, he helped lead one of the best defensive teams of his era to a Super Bowl win and (if I'm being totally honest here) would've gotten two if they gave Marshawn the ball, but he's totally not the best man for the job. You know who is, though? That Rex Ryan guy. He'll lead you to the promised land, for sure."

There’s also been talk of teams interested in New England’s Jimmy Garoppolo, who is among the 12 forgotten backup quarterbacks of the NFL: “Being Tom Brady’s backup is a blessing and a curse. You get paid a pretty penny, but you’re permanently on the bench unless Brady goes down. That leaves a lot of talent wasted.”


Tom Brady's backup Jimmy Garoppolo is allegedly a hot commodity on the trade market. Scott R. Galvin/USA TODAY Sports

Garoppolo, of course, is far younger than Tom Brady, who will turn 40 in the offseason. Given Brady’s age and Bill Belichick’s long tenure, it’s fair to ask, is this the last go-round for the Patriots dynasty? “If Brady can stay healthy — and with the limited amount of hits he takes, that could be a given — then they are at worst still the team to beat in the AFC East.”

We also have you covered on the Pats’ and Falcons’ most impressive wins and highlights this season: “The NFC Title Game was probably best performance that the Falcons had all year when you consider the situation (a trip to the Super Bowl on the line after coming so close five years ago) and the opposition (Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on an eight-game win streak).”

“Back on Christmas Eve, the Patriots basically did whatever they wanted to the poor ol' Jets, and Tom Brady was a huge part of that.”

Given the two teams in this one, will Super Bowl LI provide an exciting game? "If nothing else, it's always nice to watch top offenses play, and it'll be very interesting to see how (and if) Brady will be able to keep up with Matt Ryan."

We also asked if you’d rather watch the Super Bowl with Patriots fans or Falcons fans? “This will sound like hating, but do you really want to watch the Supah Bowl with New England fans that already have been doing this for nearly two decades and who already have a chip on their shoulder about Deflategate?”

Speaking of watching the Super Bowl, TailGreater has your official, custom, team-specific Super Bowl playlists:

Patriots

Falcons

Oh yes, and TailGreater provided the dos and don'ts for your Super Bowl party: "Do go to the gym early on Sunday; don’t eat a full lunch."

Enjoy the game — it's the last one of the season.

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