Well, now that we know who the SB52 teams will be, it was a bit surprising that the heavily favored Patriots struggled right up to the end against a staunch Jags team (that was a really clutch TD catch for the win by WR Amendola with 2 ½ minutes remaining) and that the heavily un-favored #1 seeded home team Eagles swooped in for the kill early and often in their clobbering of the Vikings.  Case (Keenum) closed.

The HSBT had some key winners, some who fell behind, and probably one who wished he had revered his Sunday picks.  More on that after the Championship Game analysis:

New England Patriots 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 20
If anyone had concerns that Pats QB Tom Brady would be hampered by the stitches in the thumb of his throwing hand, you can toss those out like his precision passing display all day long.  For a while it looked like the #3 seeded Jags might be able to pull this off, and held a 14-10 halftime lead.  With TE Gronk out with a concussion for the 2^nd half, there was need for concern among the New England faithful.  But as we’ve seen about 500 times over the past 15 years, Brady lit up the highly-rated Jags pass D with 290 yards and a pair of sweet TD’s at crucial times to secure their annual trip to the Super Bowl.

HSBT Results – JTB and 2018 Winner took honors in this game, each with 224 points.  Comeback Kid and Greg the Great also had a fine game, each with 206 points.  Fortunately, we had only 1 goose-egg.  Greg the Great continues to hold the lead with 694 points halfway thru the Sunday games.

Philadelphia Eagles 38, Minnesota Vikings 7
So much for the possible home field game for the Super Bowl…  Although Minnesota scored the 1^st TD on a nice toss by QB Keenum to TE Rudolph, it was downhill sledding (maybe at the speed of Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation…) for the hapless Vikes after that.  Eagles QB Nick Foles was lethal and the alleged terrific Vikings D was sent back to the Norse land with nothing to show for their efforts but those horned hats.  Eagles offensive lineman, Lane Johnson, is one win away from buying everyone in Philly a beer (his promise last summer).  That will be close to 1.2 million beers for those of legal age…  Hurry up if you want to establish residency in the City of Brotherly Love.

HSBT Results – In a repeat of the day’s earlier game, 2018 Winner secured the most points (233), with Greg the Great coming in 2^nd with 170 points and Henrico FiveOh in 3^rd with 170.  Speaking of Henrico FiveOh (who has been particularly quiet this season), had he reversed his score and instead had the Eagles as 38-10 winners (vs. the Patriots as 38-10 winners), he would be your new leader in the clubhouse.

HSBT Standings Update
10 games down and 1 to go…  Almost 1/3 of the points for the season will be earned on Sunday, Feb 4.   Interestingly, we have only 2 participants with a winning record (Greg the Great at 7-3 and 2018 Winner at 6-4).  In addition, only 4 participants have a shot at the SB Bonus 100 points and they are counting on a Patriots win, while the remaining participants are hoping for a “Home of the Cheesesteak” upset victory.

Here are the HSBT Standings after the Conference Championship Games:

• Greg the Great – 864 points (even with a 376-point showing on Sunday, his lead has been reduced)
• 2018 Winner – 753 points, and is really putting the pressure on the leader
• JTB – 704 points, and in solid contention for his 1^st trophy
• Buffalo Bill – 538 points, and that lousy goose-egg in the Eagles game did not help
• Pete the Terp – 441 points and the current trophy holder needs some help for a 3-Pete
• Ben the Butler – 394 points and maybe those very late score submissions (just in time) did not help
• Comeback Kid – 391 points (“More wings and Beef on Weck, please”)
• Henrico FiveOh – 347 points (he will have an interesting Super Bowl pick, for sure)

Our record for most points in the Super Bowl is 552, so everyone still has a shot…  Enjoy your week and look for my SB52 analysis and predictions just before the Big Game on Feb 4.

Until then, I am
~~ The Commish