Super Bowl Fuels Rams' Sony Michel, Dawgs DB Tykee Smith
The Rams’ Sony Michel and current DB Tykee Smith find inspiration in Super Bowl LVI from different perspectives.
They don’t know it, and they might not even know each other. But they’re both grateful for the same thing.
Sony Michel already won one Super Bowl with the Patriots in his rookie season back in 2018. Ever since his second year in the league, though, his production suffered. His touchdown production by season looks like this:
2018 (NE): 6
2019 (NE): 7
2020 (NE): 2
2021 (LAR): 5
Coming to the Rams, Sony Michel had a long injury list
A torn ACL in high school, a fractured arm in an ATV accident, and a knee strain managed throughout the 2017 season at Georgia are all parts of Michel’s injury history.
The Rams traded a handful of day-three draft picks to the Patriots for Michel anyway, after Cam Akers was injured in the 2021 offseason.
In just a few years, Michel has the opportunity to appreciate two Super Bowl appearances now, but also appreciate how difficult it was to get there.
Michel’s career in the NFL started with tremendous promise. Those injuries caught up with him a bit and it’s shown. Still, how can you not feel hopeful for this dude given the fact that he’s still doing it, and still has another chance to win a Lombardi?
Another Dawg, another Super Bowl perspective
Tykee Smith transfer portal’d to Georgia. Like Michel, he transitioned in the 2021 offseason. Like Michel, pain and a new surrounding mark his story.
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Smith was projected to be a major contributor to the Dawgs’ defensive backfield coming from West Virginia. He was fourth on the Mountaineers with 61 total tackles, tied for the team lead with two interceptions, and second in tackles for loss with eight. That earned him First-Team All-American honors from PFF and Rivals.
Unfortunately, Smith injured his foot in preseason camp. He missed the first five games of the season and was never ready to be a contributor. Still, his outlook for 2022 looks positive in his take on Odell Beckham Jr.
Big things still to come for Michel and Smith
I believe Sony Michel can still give the Rams’ running game a major boost against this Bengals defense. He may not have all the acclaim coming in that he once did, but there always seems to be an unlikely contributor in championship games that makes a difference. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if it’s Sony.
For Smith, the Dawgs’ defensive backfield was the weak spot (a strange sentence to type) on a generational defense last season. His return will only make it stronger as the front seven now tries to reload.
Georgia’s defense, like Smith, will be glad he opted for a change of scenery.
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