Niner Noise
FanSided

5 lessons 49ers can learn from Patriots, Eagles’ Super Bowl run

By Logan Stanley

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 21: Head Coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates a 38-7 win against the Minnesota Vikings after their NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 21: Head Coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates a 38-7 win against the Minnesota Vikings after their NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 21: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws in the fourth quarter during the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 21: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws in the fourth quarter during the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

No. 1: When you have a quarterback, nothing else matters

Up until the fourth quarter in the AFC Championship, quarterback Tom Brady was being stifled by the Jacksonville Jaguars defense. And even though it felt like Jacksonville was dominating the game, they only held a 17-10 lead entering the final frame.

In the end, it did not matter how good the Jaguars were playing. Why? Because Tom Brady happened.

Now Brady is obviously an outlier, being one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks of all time. But the point remains: Brady’s performance highlights the importance of the position.

Jacksonville was playing swarming defense, getting to Brady as they pleased through the first three quarters. Still, the game was close—no mistakes from Brady was because why.

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Taking control of the ball is one of the most important components to playoff football, and it is something that Belichick preaches.

Brady took over in the fourth quarter, throwing two touchdowns to lead the comeback win. The Jaguars were too gassed at the point in the game to be effective enough to make an impact.

With a special quarterback, anything is possible. And the 49ers have one at their fingertips with Jimmy Garoppolo.

No price is too high for Garoppolo. Brady’s fourth quarter performance against the Jaguars performance cements that claim. Time to back up the Brink trucks, San Francisco.

Next: San Francisco 49ers: Early predictions for a possible 2018 playoff push

If the 49ers are to truly take the next step in entering the upper echelon of the NFL, they ought to be looking at how the Eagles and Patriots did it themselves.