4th & Monday: Are you ready for Super Bowl LII?
Super Bowl LII Opening Night officially kicked off Super Bowl week Monday in Minneapolis.
As usual, the event included some tomfoolery. Tom Brady broke down his man crushes. An Eagles player was asked to answer questions while wearing a dog mask.
Brady also answered reporters' questions over a radio host who criticized Brady's daughter. Brady said that he didn't want that radio host to get fired. Patriots owner Robert Kraft also weighed in on the matter.
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz was interviewed by his wife, U.S. women's soccer player Julie Ertz. Julie's won a World Cup. Zach would like to match her championship score.
Patriots assistants Matt Patricia and Josh McDaniels are entering their last game with the team and each fielded questions about what lies beyond Sunday.
And someone actually got Bill Belichick to laugh. Seriously. It happened.
PHOTOS: One great photo from every Super Bowl | Best of Opening Night
WHAT ABOUT THE GAME?
Plenty more story lines will emerge as Super Bowl week rolls on, but here's some things you should know or pay attention to:
— With Tom Brady now 40 and Bill Belichick 65 it’s impossible to watch this Super Bowl without wondering, “Is this the last hurrah for the Patriots?”
— The Patriots, however, still bring a level of mystique into the game.
— The Eagles, for their part, are the ultimate underdog team. They don't care what you think.
— Eagles coach Doug Pederson has done a masterful job leading the team to the Super Bowl after QB and MVP-candidate Carson Wentz went down with a season-ending injury.
— The QB who stepped into Wentz's place deserves equal credit. It wasn’t too long ago when backup Nick Foles contemplated retirement. Thrust into the starting job, he powered the Eagles to victory in the NFC Championship Game.
— There are some strange prop bets for Super Bowl LII.
— Super Bowl LII Opening Night drew a peaceful protest led by Black Lives Matter.
— An Eagles player suggested that Vikings fans are denying the team dinner reservations as revenge for the NFC Championship Game.
Super Bowl LII coverage hub: Catch up on the rest of our stories and analysis
What was the *best* Super Bowl ever?
The Super Bowl has determined the NFL's champion for more than half the league's existence now, and with that lengthy history comes a cavalcade of standout players and moments. Who shined brightest on football's biggest stage? Which game was the greatest? Before a 52nd chapter gets added to the Super Bowl story, we look back at the best the first 51 had to offer.
— Was Super Bowl LI best of all time? Ranking every game
— The 51 greatest Super Bowl moments of all time
— The 51 greatest players in Super Bowl history
— Ranking best backup QBs to guide teams to Super Bowl
See you on Super Bowl Sunday!