Lately, Lombardi has smiled down on unknown backups in the big game. In
2001 (January 28th), it was a battle of non-stars as Trent Dilfer took on Kerry Collins in Super Bowl XXXV. Trent, the downtrodden Ravens QB, outdueled the Giants QB and Baltimore won its first NFL championship Baltimore 34, N.Y. Giants 7. Yes, the unheralded QB won a championship.

In 2002, the Super Bowl was a battle of the Cinderella story Warner versus backup Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. Brady had unseated the Pats all-star QB Drew Bledsoe. In one of the most exciting Super Bowls to date, Brady led his team to a New England 20, St. Louis 17 victory. For the third straight year, a new champion behind a relatively unknown QB.

Last year, we saw it again. In Super Bowl XXXVII, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeat the Oakland Raiders soundly behind castoff Brad Johnson. This brought Tampa Bay its first Lombardi trophy.

So what will it be in 2004? Will Jake Delhomme, a six-year Saint who finally got his chance this year for Carolina, lead his team to its first NFL championship? I think so and I also expectthe press to hoist its new golden boy to the public's shoulders as we celebrate another championship with an unknown quarterback at the helm. If you think back to the years of Aikman, Favre, and Elway, it's amazing to see these new guys earn instant immortality as their franchises earn their first NFL championship. After all, if it were not for the Super Bowl, would the name Doug Williams mean anything to anyone not a Redskins fan? Congrats again Doug for your immortality.

Will Delhomme join Warner, Dilfer, Brady, and Johnson as a non-star who holds high the trophy on the biggest day in sports? I think so. My predicted score is Panther 24, Patriots 21.

Ram on,
Don
Don, the Rams Nation columnist can be contacted at Don@RamsNation.org.