Super Bowl LI Sunday: Who wins the big game – Falcons or Patriots?
Here we are at another Super Bowl Sunday with the Atlanta Falcons taking on the New England Patriots.
With that said, we here at lombardiave.com give our best predictions on which team we think will be lifting the Lombardi trophy once more.
Will it be the Patriots, who have done it way too much over the course of the past couple of decades? Or will it be the Falcons trying to win the big game?
Here is how we feel this game ends …
Josh McPeak: I respect the Patriots organization, but at the same time it’s hard not to be jealous of such a long run of absolute success. Honestly, I’ve grown quite tired of it. Atlanta is by far the most talented team from top-to-bottom on Sunday. Does that guarantee a victory? Absolutely not, against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
It’s going to be a great game on Sunday that likely will not be decided until late in the fourth quarter. If Atlanta keeps it clean and doesn’t turn it over -they win. If they turn the ball over -they lose. I think it’s that simple. The safest bet on the table Sunday has to be the over on number of wardrobe malfunctions from the Lady Gaga halftime performance. They might need a thirty second delay for that one.
Atlanta 31 New England 28
Super Bowl LI MVP: Devonta Freeman
Looking forward to the conclusion of the Brett Favre Buffalo Wild Wings commercial. I doubt we will see Jared Cook in it, however.
Ralph Mancini: As a diehard Packers’ fan, I’ll be watching this year’s Super Bowl with a lot of pent-up bitterness just knowing how close our boys came to making that trip to Houston. Yes, I know the Falcons blew us out, but who knows how competitive that game could have been if Mason Crosby doesn’t miss an early field goal, if Aaron Ripkowski doesn’t fumble the ball inside the opponent’s 10 yard line or if Jake Ryan actually recovers a botched exchange between Matt Ryan and center Alex Mack?
Ok, back to the present. Yes, I do like New England here because I simply don’t see Atlanta’s defense being up to the task of slowing down the opposing offense. If the secret to stopping Aaron Rodgers is keeping him in the pocket, then the trick to beating Tom Brady is by making him move his feet by generating pressure up the middle and getting him off his spot.
Can the Falcons dial up that pressure without sending extra men after the quarterback?
I don’t see it against a Patriots’ offensive line that has made notable strides with coach Dante Scarnecchia back leading the unit.
Brady is a master at beating the blitz once the Dirty Birds are forced to throw the kitchen sink at the four-time Super-Bowl Champion.
Matty Ice, Julio and friends will score enough points to make it interesting in the end, but it won’t be enough to catch up to the boys from Bean Town.
Patriots 31 Falcons 26
Kenn Korb: While I of course would have preferred to see Green Bay in this game, we have ended up with what i think is the most intriguing matchup possible from the entire playoff field.
On one hand we have Atlanta’s multi-headed hydra of an offense, a group which has both dominant star power (Julio Jones, anyone?) and an exciting amount of depth and balance; behind that, they became one of the highest-scoring offenses the league has ever seen.
On the other hand, there’s what might be the best possible matchup to face it in New England. Not only do they have their own highly potent offense, but they have a defense which is as multi-faceted and malleable as the league has to offer.
There will surely be fireworks from both sides — with two dominant offenses, how can there not be? — but the deciding factor to me (among the dozens of important aspects which will make a difference) is: how will Atlanta’s defense perform? They aren’t a dominant group, but much like we saw against the Packers and Seahawks, they can force errors in spurts and key moments to undermine drives through their speed. Still, it will take their best effort of the year to do the same to New England.
I can see the Patriots’ defense halting a couple of Atlanta’s drives early; I just can’t say the same for that Falcons defense.
New England 34 Atlanta 27
Freddie Boston: Atlanta’s offense is the league’s best, and keeping pace has proven to be no easy task. So why will they lose?
Not only is Tom Brady entering his seventh Super Bowl, his defense is talented enough to slow Kyle Shanahan’s explosive unit.
Both teams excel in yards after the catch: Atlanta is No. 2, New England No. 3. Here comes the difference. The Pats are No. 1 in YAC allowed. The Falcons? Dead last. Expect a big game from Dion Lewis and James White.
It’ll be a nail-biter, but Brady gets a ring for his thumb.
Brad Miller: Well, here it is. Super Bowl week is upon us. Even though it would have been great to see the Packers play in the big game the 2 most complete teams are playing for the Lombardi Trophy this Sunday.
Both the Patriots and the Falcons have numerous weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Tom Brady, LeGarrette Blount, Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan have all played big roles for the Pats.
Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Mohamed Sanu, and Taylor Gabriel elevated the Falcons to the most potent offense in the NFL this year.
As efficient and dangerous as the offenses have been this season both team’s defenses are playing very well right now.
The Patriots, quietly, have had a top 5 defense for most of the year. They have no all-stars per say but they do have a group that works well together. Even to give New England a top 5 defense.
The Falcon’s defense isn’t as statistically strong as the Patriots but they have enough players, including LB Vic Beasley, to bend but not break in crunch time.
Look for both teams to find their rhythm offensively by doing what they have been successful with all year… a ball controlled, error free, methodical attach that always finds a way to score points. Both offenses will be hard to stop.
I think both teams need to rely on their offense to control the time of possession game for their team to win.
Special teams-wise, both teams have great kickers and return men. Matt Bryant and Stephen
Gostkowski have been brilliant all year and can be relied on to made the needed and difficult kicks to help their teams. Itis a draw there. Neither team should fall asleep on special teams because it could be the difference in the game.
Some may say that the experience of New England should give them the edge in Sunday’s game but I have seen how the Atlanta offense has slashed opposing defenses at will all year and I don’t think the Patriots will have an answer for that.
It will end up been a close game but the weapons of the Falcons will prevail.
Atlanta wins their first Super Bowl ever
Falcons 33 Patriots 27
Ray Rivard: As all Packers fans head into this game thinking it should have been the Green Bay Packers representing the NFC, we have to wait another year for that possibility.
Instead, we stuck watching Bellicheat and Brady once again.
However, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones might have something to say about the outcome of this one.
If Atlanta can find a way to rattle Brady a bit, the Falcons offense could put enough points on the board to give the Falcons their first Super Bowl title ever.
Falcons 30 Patriots 27