Previewing and Predicting Super Bowl LII

Tonight at 6:30 pm EST on NBC, the New England Patriots will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII.

Many storylines surround this unofficial U.S. holiday. With three-time Grammy winner P!nk set to deliver the national anthem and Super Bowl halftime show veteran Justin Timberlake ready to grace the television screens of America, tonight will be a spectacle.

As for the game, the Patriots, led by 40-year old quarterback and NFL MVP Tom Brady and longtime head coach Bill Belichick, will seek a 6th Super Bowl ring, and their second in a row.

The Patriots are on the backs of a close AFC Championship game against the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars, where they prevailed 24-20. New England’s offense hopes to overcome an Eagles defense that dominated Case Keenum and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game.

The Eagles, led by backup quarterback Nick Foles, who is in for former MVP Carson Wentz, can deliver the rabid Eagles fan-base and the City of Brotherly Love its first Super Bowl.

Head coach Doug Pederson, who owns a 20-12 record through his first two seasons, must establish a balanced offensive attack if his team hopes to become the eighth in NFL history to win The Big Game with a backup quarterback.

The Eagles are without Wentz, starting linebacker Jordan Hicks and nine-time Pro Bowl starting left tackle Jason Peters. Meanwhile, the Patriots don’t have as many injury issues besides the absence of wide receiver and former Super Bowl hero Julian Edelman. Star tight end Rob Gronkowski will play after clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol earlier this week.

While the Eagles may have blown out the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game, the New England Patriots are a whole other beast. The Eagles will be facing arguably the greatest quarterback and coach of all time. Dethroning the Patriots in what seems like the twilight of their dynasty, which has lasted nearly this entire millenium, will require an unforgettable performance and clutch performance from offensive players most likely.

Brady, who led the largest comeback in Super Bowl history last year when the Patriots overcame a 28-3 hole, is never down and out.

The Eagles shouldn’t be intimidated. If the Eagles, who owned an NFL-best 13-3 record this season, get to Tom Brady, they may be on their way to confetti and a parade.

Nonetheless, Philadelphia has the odds stacked against them as long as Nick Foles is their quarterback. Will the Patriots show why they are the favorites or will the Eagles shock the nation by pulling off an unforgettable upset?

Ben’s Prediction:

The Eagles will show some fight at the beginning of the game but Nick Foles will eventually be Nick Foles and commit some costly turnovers. Tom Brady will later begin to expose the lacking Eagles secondary. The Patriots will handle the Eagles in a comfortable fashion and Tom Brady will begin to put rings on his other hand.

Final Score: Patriots 27 Eagles 14

Thomas’ Prediction:

How do you beat big, bad Tom Brady? You rush him like an 18 year-old college student  rushes a fraternity: with absurd intensity. Tom Coughlin’s New York Giants blueprint led to two of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, so why would I bet against the likes of the best defensive line in the NFL. Grease up those light poles, Philadelphia. This could be the biggest upset in your city since a young, unheralded boxer by the name of Rocky Balboa hung in there with the legendary Apollo Creed.

Final Score: Eagles 23 Patriots 21