Over the previous 5 years, the Payments and Chiefs have turn into the NFL’s premier rivalry, albeit a one-sided one. For Drew Brees, a Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback and future Corridor of Famer, the Payments-Chiefs rivalry reminds him of a legendary rivalry that came about in a distinct sport 30-plus years in the past. 

Kansas Metropolis’s present run is nothing wanting historic. The Chiefs are one win from turning into the primary staff to play in 5 Tremendous Bowls over a six-year span and two wins from turning into the primary staff to win three straight Tremendous Bowls. Their success has particularly come on the expense of a number of groups, together with the Payments, who’ve misplaced three playoff video games to Kansas Metropolis since 2020. Brees, nevertheless, looks like that the Payments might flip the desk on Sunday whereas mimicking what transpired within the NBA again within the early ’90s. 

“What Kansas Metropolis has achieved, you respect it a lot,” Brees stated throughout a one-on-one interview with CBS Sports activities. “It is unprecedented. On the similar time, you’ve got bought Josh Allen on on the opposite aspect. … I am going to make the Bulls-Pistons comparability. It is attempting to recover from the hump, attempting to get previous form of the massive bully. Kansas Metropolis’s solely loss (with Mahomes beginning) this yr was to the Payments. Now that was in Buffalo … however you simply really feel like, man, Buffalo is true there. It is their alternative.” 

The Michael Jordan-led Bulls misplaced three straight playoff sequence to the “Unhealthy Boy” Pistons, together with consecutive years within the convention finals. Chicago lastly introduced by in 1991, sweeping the Pistons within the convention finals en path to profitable their first of six titles over an eight-year span. The catalyst for the Bulls’ success was Jordan, who would win MVP honors in every of Chicago’s NBA Finals sequence wins through the Nineties. 

How did Chicago flip the script? Together with being a younger staff on the rise (in contract, the Pitons had been getting oder and had been in decline), the Bulls began to dam out what the Pistons had been doing whereas focusing extra on themselves. As a substitute of reacting to Detroit’s bodily play with altercations, the Bulls let their play do the speaking. 

Buffalo might definitely take a web page from Chicago’s e-book on Sunday. A substantial a part of the Chiefs’ success has been their psychological management over opponents, who usually blame accidents and officiating because the the explanation why they had been unable to defeat them. The Texans had been the newest staff to fall underneath that entice within the divisional spherical. Their loss was a reminder that, with a purpose to beat the Chiefs within the playoffs, you must play at an virtually superhuman stage. 

Brees understands what it is wish to play at that stage. Throughout his and the Saints’ profitable Tremendous Bowl run, Brees’ staff confronted three future Corridor of Fame quarterbacks in succession in Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning. These opponents appeared to carry out one of the best in Brees, who accomplished 70.6% of his throws whereas throwing eight touchdowns and no picks throughout that run.  

Allen faces an identical job now; he shared a subject final Sunday evening with a number of MVP winner Lamar Jackson and can match wits on Sunday with a three-time Tremendous Bowl MVP in Mahomes. Brees stated that every quarterback enjoying this weekend might want to discover a steadiness between specializing in his job whereas additionally being cognizant of what the opposite offense — and quarterback –are able to doing. 

“You definitely acknowledge the truth that your execution must be on the highest stage,” Brees stated. “You do not management what occurs on the opposite aspect of the ball. You are centered in your offense, your execution. 

“On the similar time, I knew going into these video games towards a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning or an Aaron Rodgers or any of these, like, man, I must be close to flawless. That is not stress, that is duty. Like, I must be close to flawless, put all people in an incredible place to succeed, acknowledge how I may help our protection. 

“One of many issues I might do is possess the ball, as a result of that retains the opposite man off the sector. He is attempting to do the identical factor, proper? On the finish of the day, you recognize that these video games are going to go the fourth quarter. You realize it should come all the way down to a drive, a play, no matter it’s. And also you simply sit there and recite that second time and again in your thoughts, in order that when the second does come, it is not too massive, and in reality, you’ve got already executed it in your thoughts so many instances as if it is already occurred. You’ve got already seen it occur, you’ve got already felt it occur, and now you simply you possibly can calm down and go play.” 

Brees’ Bulls-Pistons comparability was a superb one, however there are examples within the NFL of groups lastly getting over the hump towards a particular opponent. John Madden’s Raiders misplaced consecutive AFC title video games to the Steelers earlier than dethroning Pittsburgh in a convention title recreation. Steve Younger’s 49ers additionally misplaced consecutive convention title video games to the Cowboys earlier than getting payback the third time round. Allen and the Payments are hoping to comply with go well with now. 

Brees is wanting ahead to watching how issues play out this weekend. He’ll be sharing the expertise with Bounty, whom he has partnered up with whereas becoming a member of four-time Tremendous Bowl champion and future Corridor of Fame tight finish Rob Gronkowski. 

“You’ll be able to’t have soccer with out wings, and you’ll’t have wings with out bounty,” Brees stated. “That is our battle cry as we go into Tremendous Bowl season. We all know that everyone’s gonna be getting along with household and family members, their fantasy soccer leagues and watching the massive recreation. They’re in all probability gonna be cooking up some nice meals — particularly because it’s down in New Orleans this yr — and doubtless having some wings and making some messes. In order that’s the place Bounty turns out to be useful.”