1) Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are going for their 5th Super Bowl win together. That would be a record and that would break the ties that they are currently in. Brady would pass Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, and Belichick would pass Chuck Noll. A win here and Brady and Belichick will cement their legacy to a level that we have not seen before in the history of the NFL.
2) Matt Ryan vs. Tom Brady is one of the best QB matchups in Super Bowl history. Both are playing at the top of their game, both are MVP candidates, and both players could light up the other defense in this Super Bowl. Plus, you have the Boston College factor with Matt Ryan, and you have the fact that Brady and Ryan are good friends. These two QBs could go shot for shot in this game and turn this Super Bowl into a shootout for the ages.
3) The Patriots bring in the #1 scoring defense in the NFL and the Falcons are the #1 scoring offense in the league this year. It is a battle of two units, and history is not on the side of the Falcons. In all the occasions that this has happened in the Super Bowl, with the exception of the 49ers 55-10 drubbing of Denver in Super Bowl XXIV, the defense has always prevailed over the offense. Could Atlanta buck that trend this Sunday?
3) I didn't want to bring it up but there aren't that many great storylines, so the most interesting one is the final chapter to the Deflategate Saga. Brady was suspended for the first four games this year, and of course the Pats go 3-1 and still finish 14-2 this year. Naturally, Brady has a great year and the Pats roll into this game and they want to stick it to Roger Goodell and the NFL with a victory, accompanied by Tom Brady accepting the MVP trophy from Goodell on the stage after the game ends. It is bound to happen and it is the scene that many people are looking forward to seeing. Finally, we might get closure to this ridiculous story, but the payoff of seeing the Pats winning and having to be next to Goodell on the podium after the game is over is interesting enough to keep the public's attention after the game ends. It is pretty bad that this is the biggest storyline in the entire Super Bowl.
Without further ado, here are is the breakdown of the matchup and the pick for Super Bowl LI.....
Last Week's Record: 0-2
Overall Playoff Record: 5-5
Regular Season Record: 141-99-14
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
A Case for the Falcons: They feature one of the best offenses in the history of the NFL, and they have one of the hottest QBs in the league and probable MVP in Matt Ryan. They scored over 30 points in 13 of 18 games this year, and they have blown people out all year-including Seattle and Green Bay in the playoffs. You can make a case that this offense might not be stopped and the Patriots have not faced an offense or a QB like this all year long-that includes Big Ben and Pitts in the AFC Championship. The Falcons remind me of the 2009 Saints. That year, the Saints were a very good team with a great offense but everyone was picking Peyton Manning and the Colts that year because of Manning and their reputation, but the Saints beat them and shocked everyone but themselves. EVERYONE is going to be rooting for the Falcons over the Patriots, with the exception of New Englanders, and the Falcons will come in as the underdog and they can play that up all week as motivation. Make no mistake, the Falcons are not a pushover.
A Case for the Patriots: Why would you go against Brady and Belichick in a Super Bowl? They are 4-2 in Super Bowls, and they are a David Tyree helmet catch and a Wes Welker drop away from being 6-0. They have rolled through everyone in the AFC this year, and I have a hard time seeing the Falcons defense getting pressure on Brady and slowing down the Pats offense. I think the Pats are getting at least to 30 points in this game. Plus, you have Brady with the extra motivation of trying to stick it to Roger Goodell and just eviscerating the Falcons from start to finish. Also, can't you see Belichick and the Pats defense making a few big plays on Matt Ryan and that offense? Can't you see Matty Ice melting down in the redzone and Julio Jones getting frustrated because the Pats defense has completely shut him down? The Pats have the experience factor in this game, the coaching edge, and the edge in special teams, defense, and even at QB. The Patriots are simply the better team and on a neutral field, you have to like their chances.
Prediction: New England (-3) over Atlanta: I know that there is a path for Atlanta to win this game, but I just don't see it happening. The Falcons will move the ball, they will score some points, but they will settle for field goals, Matt Ryan will make some key mistakes, and the Falcons inexperience will get the best of them and the Patriots will be able to exploit that. I can't see the Pats losing this game, and I am shocked that this spread is only 3 points. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense will move the ball at will on Atlanta's defense, they will capitalize on opportunities, and they will pull away in the 4th quarter. By the late Sunday night, Brady and Belichick will be hoisting their 5th Lombardi Trophy and smiling away as Roger Goodell awkwardly hands them the trophy and scurries off the stage as the Patriots win another Super Bowl title to cement their franchise as the gold standard for this new salary cap era of the NFL.
Final Score: Patriots-38 Falcons-24
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