This Super Bowl Means More Than You Think
This year’s Super Bowl is a matchup between two very equally-matched, equally-powerful teams, the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. Now about this time last year you could’ve seen the Patriots being in SB LI, but definitely not Atlanta. This team really came out of the grave it’s been in for years and years, since 2012 really when they lost to the 49ers in the Conference Championship.
Atlanta was broken, small, weak, kind of a pushover for bigger teams like the Packers, the 49ers, the Seahawks, even the Cowboys just a few years ago, and today they stand as the single most dominant, most explosive offense in the NFL- only in opposition to the Patriots. The past few years, Matt Ryan has been an interception machine inside the 20, and has graduated to having the most pass yards, and the most pass TDs in the league, more than Brady, Rodgers, and Roethlisberger who typically lead the race. It sure looks like Ryan will win the MVP given his performance in the playoffs against such high-caliber teams, but that doesn’t mean at all that they can win this Super Bowl (ask Cam Newton about it, he’ll probably storm out).
If there’s one thing New England has over Atlanta, it’s playoff and Super Bowl experience; not only experience, but also recent experience. They’ve been in the playoffs every year since 2003, and have been in six of the last 14 Super Bowls. Now, the Patriots have the most Super Bowl experience, the first team to go to nine SBs. They have rings, Atlanta does not, that’s what half of this battle is going to come down to- how each team handles the pressure. Brady thrives in the playoffs, and he makes his receivers and his team shine like gold on the big stage, Ryan’s inexperience hinders him, but he is not to be underestimated as he’s put up 40+ points on two playoff-caliber teams. But on Brady’s side, he’s faced the best defense in the league, and a defense who’s had a turnover for a streak of six straight games.
How will Atlanta win the game? Atlanta HAS to win this game on both sides of the ball. If they focus on offense too much the Pats will take total control with throwing that ball down field and scoring a touchdown on every drive. The Falcons defense has to rush Brady, they have to make him make a bad decision, and have to create turnovers. In every Super Bowl with the Patriots if they turn the ball over at least once, they have about a 50% higher chance to lose the game from that point on, and Atlanta has been a turnovers powerhouse lately, with at least one every game for the last 10 games. Along with their defense their offense has to stay hot, healthy, and focused. They have to move the ball down field like they have been, they have to pound that Patriots defensive line, and then switch to a short passing threat, the Pats DBs are too good down field, and if Julio isn’t open, Ryan will have to run around quite a bit.
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How will the Pats win the game? New England has to stop the Atlanta offense at all costs, don’t let them run the ball and take away the passing attack. The Falcons’ o-line is the better of the two so a lot of what New England will have to do is cover Atlanta’s receivers rather than blitz. Never leave Julio Jones open way down field, up in the field, not even in the backfield. Put the best guy on the best guy and maybe double down on him. Be careful of Ryan’s rushing attack, because he is a nightmare for defenses, he’s very underrated but a very quick guy and can pick up a lot of yards, and won’t go down on the first hit. On the offensive side of the football, the Patriots must move down field and move quickly like they always do. Their average drive time on scoring drives is about 3:19, compared to Atlanta’s average scoring drive 4:02. Get their offense on the field longer and tire them out, score quickly, and wear down that defense with a good rushing attack.
My prediction: Pats by 4, high score, 31-35.
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