MATT STAFFORD and the Rams would have beaten the Patriots (Brevin Townsell/Rams photo).

A Super Close Call Dept.: Yeah, yeah, the Seattle Seahawks are the best team in pro football. Their defense stifled the New England Patriots’ offense and went on to a 29-13 win.

But one can’t help but wonder about the “might-have-beens” if the Los Angeles Rams had not made a bunch of miscues in the NFC championship game. They would have played the Pats in the Big Game and – in my opinion – beaten them like a drum.

I mean, after watching the two quarterbacks – Sam Arnold and Drake Maye – does anyone think that Matt Stafford could not have outdone either of them?

Which brings us to the good news: Matt will be back for 2026 and SoFi Stadium will host the 2027 Super Bowl. OK, so NFL MVP playing in his home stadium. It looks like the stars are finally aligning for the boys from Inglewood.

Earthbound Angels Dept.: The end of football means that the 2026 baseball season is just over the horizon. The Dodgers are busy scooping up some of the best of the free agent market and the Angels are ….

Well, here’s an example. The Halos just signed 36-year-old Trent Suter, a left-handed reliever, to a one-year contract. Pitching for the Reds last year, he posted a 1-2 record with a 4.52 ERA, which is the stuff of what nightmares are made of.

Yes, he was once better, having a 42-24 record lifetime with a 3.57 ERA but … that was then, this is now. The Angels organization seems to specialize in stacking the dugout with over-the-hill talent.

It makes your heart ache for new Angel manager Kurt Suzuki, who will have to fill the lineup card with not-quite-readies and has-beens and get fired in October for not working a miracle.