There are two or three events every year that I get excited for in Huddle, the first is the Draft, the second is the Rookie Premiere, and the third and probably most important is the Super Bowl. Although Thanksgiving has become a purchasing event, the atomsphere isnt as electric as it is for the biggest game of the year. Now that we are in year two of Topps’ NFL license, we again get to experience the amazing history, circumstance and competitive nature of the weeks leading up to Houston. Here are some ways to get ready and what to expect.

Super Bowl Sets Are Going to Be BIG

Each year since Huddle began, the team has used this week to drive some of the best looking content that is available. Whether its historical retrospectives and celebrations of the event, or big boosts to use in the contests, these next two weeks will be a great representation of the firepower at Topps’ disposal. The design team is pushed to their limits in building new sets, but so far they have passed with flying colors.

Expect signatures, dual signatures, triple signatures, physical product digitizations, and all sorts of history coming – and that’s just the start. Things seem to get bigger every year, and I still remember when the big card was the “gold foil” Russell Wilson back in the day.

If you arent going to spend real money, its going to be hard to keep up – but that doesnt mean it cant be fun. There are lots of Patriots and Falcons fans out there, and others who will want to cash in on the fury. Be strategic and use your coins where there are the best odds. Trade what you can, as set chasers will be out in full force. If you get lucky, try to maximize trade bait and get as much as you can. This is the last two weeks of the big crowd still being in the app, and you only have a short timeframe before the offseason takes hold.

If you are a spender, this is your time to let loose. One good thing to realize is that there is always going to be something bigger and better, and variants released separately are always a factor. If a big drop happens and content doesnt seem to be too limited, it doesnt mean its time to dive in – wait a bit and see if they release limited variants, as that has happened way too many times for me to keep falling for it. See Gypsy Queen, Ginter, Inception etc.

Contests Are Going to Be At Their Height

Although playoff participation has been down this year, I still fully expect the Super Bowl to be insane. It always is. Due to increased costs, odd contest card prize structures, and lack of explanation of physical prizes and how they will be awarded, the community has been a bit wishy washy on how they are responding to the playoff challenge.

At the same time, the Super Bowl is always a time when the points chasers come out of the woodwork and try to get going at the last possible moment. With 50x boosts being available last year, its a necessity to play if you want to be competitive in whatever physical prizes are in the mix. Everyone is already watching, so why not get some Huddle in while you do?

Right now, everyone is looking for Brady and Ryan, with Julio Jones and Julian Edelman as a secondary focus. My advice is WAIT. There will be a ton of heavily boosted cards on the way, and its not worth your time to try to stock up on 9x and 10x crap when Super Bowl content will be much higher. Try to stock up on guys that wont get the treatment. The Tevin Coleman and Martellus Bennett like players. These guys will be heavily reliant on their playoff cards, because they arent going to see the type of insert action others will.

Enjoy the Last Two Weeks of Action

Im guessing there will be a lot of Pro Bowl content and possibly a contest if available, but all in all, this is the last hurrah for 2016 Huddle. After this, the playing public will dwindle for the offseason, and it will rely on content to drive additional traffic once the 2016 content is truly finshed. Its going to be harder to trade, harder to communicate, and harder to stay involved, because all the incentives and marathons will be over.

Basically, this is a great time to be in the app, because so much of what happens over these next two weeks will set a tone for how the offseason will start. I actually think the offseason has been quite good the last two years, but with a shift in focus we have seen since October, its yet to be seen if that will continue the way it has.

Even if you arent actively cheering for either of the teams involved in the Super Bowl, this is the best time of year. Look for ways to make the most of it, however that may be enjoyable for you.