8 headlines to expect during Super Bowl LII week

If Tom Brady defeats the Eagles for his sixth Super Bowl title with the Patriots, all eyes will be on the quarterback’s jersey.

Brady’s Super Bowl LI jersey was stolen (and later recovered) after New England’s epic 25-point comeback against the Falcons. Doubt Brady loses his jersey again, but that’s a possible postgame headline.

But before we get to the big game, here are eight headlines to expect during Super Bowl LII week in Minneapolis:

Blount, Long face old friends:

LeGarrette Blount won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, and Chris Long played a vital role during New England’s Super Bowl run last season. Blount and Long now will try to deliver the first Super Bowl to Philadelphia.

Gronkowski’s status:

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski returned to practice Saturday, six days after sustaining a concussion during the AFC title game against the Jaguars. With an extra week to recover, Gronkowski probably will see the Super Bowl field, but until he’s officially cleared from the concussion protocol, this will be a major topic.

Foles starting next year:

No, Nick Foles shouldn’t be starting over Carson Wentz in Philadelphia. That’s a no-brainer. But Foles should be considered for starting gigs elsewhere. But he isn’t a free agent, so a team would need to trade for him. But buyers beware: Foles drastically struggled when he left Philadelphia the first time for the Rams. If you’re the Eagles, do you even listen to trade offers? Will Wentz be ready for the 2018 season? What if he gets hurt again?

Hall of Fame voting:

Stop messing around, Hall of Fame voters. Terrell Owens deserves to be in, and it’s a travesty he’s not a Hall of Famer already. Don’t whiff on this for a third time, voters. Get Owens in with Randy Moss and Ray Lewis for a star-studded 2018 class.

Vikings fans looking for revenge:

There are rumors that Vikings fans are planning ways to give Eagles fans a miserable time in Minneapolis for Super Bowl week. I don’t blame them. Eagles fans hurled beer at Vikings fans in Philadelphia last week. But take the high road, Vikings fans. Focus on being a great host because there are good Eagles fans out there. Eagles fans recently donated more than $7,000 to Vikings coach Mike Zimmer’s foundation to make up for the poor behavior.

Pederson vs. Belichick:

In his first postseason as a coach, Doug Pederson outwitted defensive experts Dan Quinn and Zimmer. The Eagles’ offensive play-caller will now go up against arguably the greatest coach of all time, Bill Belichick. Can Pederson do what his mentor, Andy Reid, couldn’t do 14 years ago? That’s beat Belichick for the Lombardi trophy.

Eagles’ big men:

The Eagles’ are 5-point underdogs to the Patriots, making the No. 1 seed from the NFC the underdog for the third straight playoff game. I’m taking the points because the Eagles have the best offensive line and defensive line in football. The Eagles’ stout defensive line will get most of the attention this week, especially with Fletcher Cox playing lights out lately, but don’t sleep on the offensive line. Lane Johnson, Brandon Brooks and company just shut down the No. 1-ranked defense, the Vikings. The Pats’ lone weakness might be their lack of a pass rush. Unleash the flea-flickers, Foles.

Brady G.O.A.T debate:

Now that the masses have declared Brady the Greatest of All Time quarterback, the debate has shifted toward other sports. That’s right, Brady haters, roll your eyes. Get ready for Brady versus Michael Jordan arguments. The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, against Pretty Boy Tom. Heck, even bring in Babe Ruth and Willie Mays to the debate. It’s an argument with no right answers, especially when comparing different sports and generations. But today’s talking heads love pointless banter.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.