... a team has turned the corner from being a "rebuilding" team to a legitimate contender is when they stop needing to convince themselves of how good they are, and begin to work on convincing others in the league and the media.

It takes many things to win a Super Bowl: talent, toughness, luck, and, not to be underestimated, confidence.

A team flat out plays differently when they believe in their own abilities and think they are equal to or better than their opposition. That type of swagger and bravado is critical to any team's championship hopes.

In my eyes, while the results did not bear it out, this transformation took place with the San Francisco 49...

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