Fanshots Sections Vikings 2018 SeasonVikings 2019 OffseasonU.S. Bank StadiumMinnesota Vikings PodcastsDaily Norseman readers select Salt Lake Stallions as our adopted AAF teamNew Garrett Bradbury Minnesota Vikings Jerseys ,18commentsAnd there could be more Vikings connectionsCSTShareTweetShareShareDaily Norseman readers select Salt Lake Stallions as our adopted AAF teamRaj Mehta-USA TODAY SportsLadies and gentlemen, our readers have spoken, and we have decided which of the teams in the new Alliance of American Football (AAF) we’ll be paying a bit more attention to than the rest this season.There were 1,357 votes cast over the course of the past couple of days, and the overwhelming winner of our poll was the Salt Lake Stallions. Salt Lake came away with 555 of those votes, giving them just shy of 41% of all the votes cast. The only other team that managed to crack double digits was the Arizona Hotshots, who wound up at 18%.As we detailed in our initial post, there are four players with connections to the Minnesota Vikings on the Salt Lake roster, most notably running back Matt Asiata. However, there could potentially be more connections going forward. How so?Well, as was pointed out a few times in the comments section of our poll post, apparently each AAF team has an affiliation with four NFL teams. If a player is released from an NFL team, is not claimed by another NFL team, and signs with the AAF, he will be assigned to the team that club is affiliated with. So, if the Vikings were to cut a player and he were to wind up with the AAF Minnesota Vikings Jerseys 2019 , he would be assigned to the Stallions.The Smoking Musket, SB Nation’s site for West Virginia sports, explains it this way:According to the AAF page on Reddit, the Stallions’ other NFL affiliates are the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks. As far as the other NFC North teams, the Chicago Bears are affiliated with the Arizona Hotshots, while the Detroit Lions are affiliated with the San Diego Fleet.Each AAF team is also affiliated with colleges around their local area, and some of the more productive pro-producing programs in college football. The affiliates for the Stallions are, in alphabetical order:Air ForceArkansasBoise StateBrigham YoungCalifornia-BerkeleyColorado StateDixie State (?)IdahoIdaho StateNorthern ColoradoOklahoma StateOregonSouthern UtahUtahUtah StateWeber StateWyomingThat means that a player from any of those schools that did not make it to the NFL and signed with the AAF would be allocated to the Stallions.Each AAF team also has one CFL affiliation. The Stallions’ CFL connection is with the Calgary Stampeders.So, we’re hitching our wagon to the team from Salt Lake, it would appear. Their first game doesn’t happen until Sunday, when they’ll be taking on the Arizona Hotshots. It’s time to step up, call your shot, and make your pick."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Vikings 2018 SeasonVikings 2019 OffseasonU.S. Bank StadiumMinnesota Vikings PodcastsSuper Bowl LIII: WHO YA GOT!?New,34commentsIt’s time to step up Garrett Bradbury Jersey Cheap , call your shot, and make your pick.CSTShareTweetShareShareSuper Bowl LIII: WHO YA GOT!?Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsMost of our stories today have been about the big game tomorrow, and there’s a reason for that.That reason is that there’s, literally, nothing going on with the Minnesota Vikings right now and the entire football world is focused on the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams as they prepare for the final game of the 2018-19 NFL season tomorrow afternoon. So, we’ll stick with that for the next day or two, and in keeping with that it’s time for everyone to finally make their picks.After opening as a one-point favorite. . .for entertainment purposes only, of course. . .the line has swelled a bit to make the Patriots a three-point favorite. Being a neutral site game, there’s no real “home field advantage” to speak of, but I think we all fully expect the crowd in Atlanta on Sunday to be fairly pro-Rams.When the Patriots have the ballThe key for every team that faces the Patriots is how much pressure they can get on Tom Brady. If Brady is allowed to sit back and get comfortable, he will rip any defense apart. To their credit, the Patriots’ offensive line has been outstanding in their two postseason contests. In the Patriots’ victories over the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady has dropped back to pass 90 times and has been sacked exactly zero times. Those two teams combined for 90 sacks during the regular season, including a league-high 52 for the Chiefs.As good as the Chiefs and the Chargers are up front, however, neither of them have what the Rams have. That Garrett Bradbury Jersey Womens , of course, is the single-most destructive defensive force in the game, soon-to-be Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. The Patriots’ offensive line has been doing a great job thus far in the playoffs, but they should still probably have two guys on Donald as soon as he gets off the bus. Of course, they still have to account for Ndamukong Suh and Dante Fowler, who has had a significant resurgence since the Rams dealt for him at the trade deadline.If Brady gets time, however, he’s going to have a chance at some big plays. Aqib Talib is an outstanding defensive back, but the rest of the Rams’ secondary is just sort of. . .meh. I certainly think that the Rams are going to have difficulty dealing with the Patriots’ running backs out of the backfield, as well as with the biggest X-factor of all, tight end Rob Gronkowski. In fact, I’ll put this part of my predictions in here now. . .Rob Gronkowski will be your Super Bowl LIII Most Valuable Player.(Probably gives away my prediction a bit. Oh, well.)But, again, it all centers around whether or not the Rams can put Tom Brady on his backside. If they can, they’ll have a great chance of winning this one. If they can’t. . .well Garrett Bradbury white jersey , it’s going to be a long evening for Los Angeles.When the Rams have the ballHere’s my advice for the Rams. If you win the coin toss, don’t defer. Take the ball. And if you take the ball, you have to go down and score immediately. I like the Rams’ chances much better if they’re playing with a lead than I do if they’re trying to play catch-up all game.The Rams are going to need to be balanced on offense to give themselves the best chance in this one. While C.J. Anderson has been outstanding in the limited period of time he’s been with the Rams, the real question is what Todd Gurley’s status is going to be. Gurley saw a very limited number of snaps in the NFC Championship Game, and whether it was because of injury issues or the fact that he had a key drop early in that one, it’s curious that Sean McVay went with Anderson for most of the game. Gurley has had two weeks to heal up, if injuries were the issue, and he’s superior to Anderson in pretty much every way. If the Patriots can slow down the Rams’ running game and make Jared Goff beat them, their chances of winning will be greatly enhanced. The Rams might have the best offensive line in the NFL, so I think they can neutralize Trey Flowers and the rest of the Patriots’ front seven. However, the Patriots secondary is very good, owing to the presence of the McCourty twins and Stephon Gilmore, who doesn’t get as much credit as he should. Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods will make their share of plays, but I have a feeling that Goff is going to really miss Cooper Kupp’s presence in this one.Final PredictionThe coaching matchup in this one is going to be one to watch. On one side, there’s Bill Belichick, who is probably the greatest head coach in the history of the NFL. This is his ninth Super Bowl as a head coach Garrett Bradbury Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , and there’s nothing he hasn’t seen at this point. On the other side, you’ve got Das Wunderkind, Sean McVay, the guy that all the teams that are looking for head coaches are trying to emulate. Can the young guy wrestle the throne away from the old master?Maybe someday. . .but not this Sunday. It’s just damn near impossible for me to pick against the Patriots in this one. I think it’s going to be an outstanding, close game, because for all the Patriots’ greatness, they don’t blow anybody out in these situations. Their five Super Bowl victories in the Brady/Belichick era have come by a combined total of 19 points. But, as old as the cliche is, I’ve got to go with the team that’s been there and done it before.New England Patriots 34, Los Angeles Rams 31So, let’s hear it from you, folks. WHO YA GOT!?