I am an NFL fanatic. Although most fans look forward to the Super Bowl, I find it a disappointment most of the time. The game is often one-sided and the outcome predictable. I have always stated that ‘Championship Sunday’ is the best day of the year.

This year the teams were so evenly matched that I expected two great games to decide the combatants in the 51^st Super Bowl. Sadly, neither game was contested.

In the NFC championship the Atlanta Falcons destroyed the Green Bay Packers, and the quarterback anointed by many “experts” as one of the greatest in NFL history, Aaron Rodgers was defeated without any display of greatness. Of course most of these “experts” were born far too late to have witnessed the truly great quarterbacks I was privileged to watch in my 70 years. Aaron Rodgers is an excellent quarterback, but the hyperbole of modern sports journalism is unrealistic and invalid.

Rodgers was never able to make his team competitive. His defense was unable to stop the best offense in football, and lost the game by a score of 44-21. Booooring.

In the AFC Championship game, the Pittsburgh Steelers were at the New England Patriots. Not only were the Steelers unprepared for the game by their coaching staff, they failed to display any sense of urgency or desire to move on to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers offense was inept, but the defense was far worse, as Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady was never physically challenged once in the entire game. The final score was 36-17.

This was the most boring Championship Sunday in my lifetime. I will cheer for the Atlanta Falcons in the biggest sporting event in history, but it is unlikely that I will watch the game. The officials are always instructed to favor the Patriots because of the very close relationship between New England’s owner, Robert Kraft, and Commissioner Roger Goodell. Brady has been protected by the officials for his entire career, and questionable decisions have always favored the Patriots. I could complete passes at 70 years of age if I had seven seconds to decide who was my receiver on every occasion.

There were distinct differences between the games. The Packers underestimated the Falcons’ defense. The Steelers were unprepared by their coaching staff, but the Patriots were once again aided by the officials.

Every time the Steelers had an opportunity to gain momentum to defeat New England, or when a decision affected the game, the referees ruled in favor of the Patriots.

I have watched all 50 Super Bowls, but I will not watch the 51^st. The outcome has already been decided by Commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners of the NFL. Patriots 27; Falcons 21.

I have Netflix, and that will be more fun to watch.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Follow me on twitter; @jamesturnagenov

My latest novel, “Four More Years,” is available on Amazon; the Kindle app is a free download.