Super Bowl LI Picks

While everybody is talking about offense in this game, I believe it will have a slow start. The Patriots will force a couple of quick three and outs, and the improved Falcons defense will as well. The scoring will pick up, however I expect New England to be in control and in the lead the majority of the game, and run out the clock in a one score game with a couple of key first downs late. New England’s defense cements their place as one of the most underrated defenses in league history while containing Atlanta’s high powered attack, and Tom Brady plays mistake-free football for his fifth Super Bowl title.

Patriots 27-20

I really haven’t been a total believer in Atlanta all year so it makes sense they’re in this position.  After all the trends and comparative stats for me it boils down Patriots ability to take away something compounded with the obviously better defense.  The other aspect I think favors the Pats, is the inability of the Falcons D to get pressure up the middle, which is about the only way to really get Brady off his game.

Hopefully, this game lives up to the excitement because this has been the worst season by a mile in terms of competitiveness and play.

Fun fact: BB is something like 23-2 against coaches he’s facing for the first time.

Patriots 30 Falcons 24

Both the Patriots and Falcons are capable of putting points on the board, everybody knows that. This is going to come down to who is able to make the stops. In the NFC Championship Game, the Falcons’ coaching staff did a masterful job of exploiting the Packers’ weaknesses and nerfing their strengths. They brought pressure wide off the edges and delayed up the middle to keep Aaron Rodgers from running around and making plays. However, Sunday, they’ll be going up against a Patriots offense that’s more dynamic. They do a better job of running the football and while New England will need a good game from Tom Brady to win, Brady won’t have to carry the Pats like Rodgers did the Packers. Plus, the Pats have Bill Belichick and people Bill Belichick hired on their sideline and not Mike McCarthy, the NFL’s Brady Hoke.

The Pats will have to find a way to shut down Julio Jones. And even if they’re able to do that, the Falcons have plenty of other offensive weapons to worry about. I think Belichick and Matt Patricia will be able to slow the Falcons a bit, but the Falcons are going to get their share of points. It’s going to be a high-scoring affair, and with that being the case, I’m picking Tom Brady to get the job done and make history. ATL 27 NE 35

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E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com (Kevin)