“You can’t win unless you learn how to lose.” Every sports fan knows this quote, or some variation of it, given to us by NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It is often heard during post-game interviews from a young, up and coming team that just suffered a tough playoff loss, whether it be the coach or key player. The player will praise his team for getting that far in the first place, and they got good experience to compete harder next season.

During the offseason and as trade deadlines approach, teams try to acquire players that will help make a playoff push. The most common characteristic you hear about the newly acquired player is that he gives the team a veteran presence, someone who has been through it all before and can share his experience.

Experience seems to be the key factor in building a successful team. There seems to be a notion that a team must try to get as much experience as possible before taking a leap into winning.

There is no better time to test that theory than this year’s NFL playoffs. Of the 12 teams to qualify for the big dance, 6 starting QBs made their playoff debuts: Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Jared Goff (Rams), Case Keenum (Vikings) and Nick Foles (Eagles).

Wild Card Weekend gave us 2 games to kick start the theory; Matt Ryan lead the Falcons into Las Angeles to take on Jared Goff and the Rams, Alex Smith battled Marcus Mariota in Kansas City. The Falcons experience from making the Superbowl run the prior season showed, as they slowed down the high flying offensive Rams and came out with a victory. It was a different story for Alex Smith and the Chiefs. The Chiefs got off to a 17-0 lead, but the Titans never gave up and won the game 22-21 in large part to Mariota catching his own pass for a TouchDown.

After the wacky Wild Card games, all four Divisional Round Games featured Experienced vs Inexperienced matchups. In the AFC Mariota tried to carry the momentum from Kansas City into Foxborough in his matchup with Tom Brady, while Bortles was preparing for his rematch against Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers at Heinz Field. To no one’s surprise, Brady and the Patriots took care of business rather easily, handing the Titans a 35-14 defeat. In Pittsburgh, the Jaguars and Steelers found themselves in a shootout. Bortles outlasted Big Ben and beat Pittsburgh for the second time on the road.

The NFC matchups saw former MVP Matt Ryan go into Philadelphia to do battle vs career backup Nick Foles for the Saturday night game and the resurgent Saints led by all-time great Drew Brees face off vs career journeyman Case Keenum. Despite being the favorite and having more playoff experience, the Falcons were unable to get out of Philly with a victory, thus ending their season earlier than expected. In Minnesota, Brees struggled mightily in the first half but played like himself in the second half. It took the Minnesota Miracle, but Keenum and the Vikings pulled it off and beat the team most were expecting to represent the NFC in the Superbowl.

Championship Sunday gave us the matchup we all wanted to see: Tom Brady vs the stingy Jaguars defense. Bortles played a near perfect game and lead Jacksonville to a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Near perfect won’t cut it against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Brady and the Patriots stormed all the way back and defeated the young Jaguars team with a late TD strike to Danny Amendola.

It only seems fitting the Superbowl matchup is Brady vs Foles. The epitome of Experience vs Inexperience.

It what was one of the best Superbowls of recent memory, it was none other than Nick Foles leading the underdog Eagles to victory over Tom Brady’s Patriots.

At the end of the day we see that it doesn’t matter how much experience you have to be successful in the NFL. You just have to play a great game to win.