I have come to believe that the NFL now evolves faster than can be quickly comprehended by most of us. Conventional wisdom isn’t conventional anymore.
What I mean by that is look at how so many of the old NFL cliches have diminished.
1. A QB without height can’t win in the playoffs. (Then Drew Brees and Russell Wilson won SBs.)
2. Defense wins championships- (then the 2006 Colts, 2009 Saints and 2016 Pats win with mediocre defenses)
3. College “spread” offenses don’t translate to the NFL- (Now all NFL teams run some version of this at times)
4. If you lose more than 3 starters to injury, you’re screwed. (Then Philly wins a SB last year with 4 starters out with injuries)
5. If you don’t have a #1 receiver, your offense is deficient- (Look at recent SB winners who had no big stars at WR- Philly, NE twice, and Seattle- Julian Edelman and Doug Baldwin? Lol!)
My point is thinking that winning a SB is tied to a simple formula- like having a great OL or having a dominant defense, is no longer as relevant as in the past.
So what is a “new” formula for winning a SB?
1. The FO Drafts and develop young, cheap talent at multiple positions (before they get too expensive),
2. Hire a talented HC that can adapt (during the games and all season)to what opponents do to attack your strengths, and to motivate the team to stay together to overcome adversity.
3. Have a team culture that can withstand the ups and downs of an NFL season. That’s done by having quality leadership at the top all the way to the locker room.