In just over 24 hours, the NFL will crown a new champion, though “new” might be a bit of a misnomer if the Patriots win. New England will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday to decide who the king of the professional football hill really is for the 2016 season. Atlanta is seeking the franchise’s first Super Bowl win, while the Patriots are going for their fifth in the past 16 years.
It wasn’t all that long ago that the Arizona Cardinals were in the same position as the Falcons. They were also looking for the team’s first championship of the Super Bowl era, and had to go through an NFL powerhouse to get it.