Super Bowl LII Predix

Written by Sam DeCoste

I do not need to write about what the Super Bowl means to the Philadelphia Eagles or the New England Patriots. It doesn’t get any bigger than this. This is where legends are made.
The Super Bowl is what the Franchise Quarterback Football Blog was made for: games like this, giving us an opportunity to analyze two football teams going head to head, and determine which has the edge over the other. So let’s get right into it. Who will win Super Bowl LII?

My overall record last round: 2-0

Lock of the Week record: 14-3

note: Lock of the Week is over until the 2018 regular season

My overall regular season record: 174-82

My overall postseason record: 6-4

Public Service Announcement

First of all, I would just like to say to all of the haters who make fun of the Eagles and all of the pundits who comment that the Eagles have never won a Super Bowl - shut up. They will play in the fifty-second edition of the Super Bowl, but the NFL has existed for almost 100 years. We as fans ignore the accomplishments of teams, players, and coaches before the Super Bowl era. But why? Is it because the NFL was smaller and less meaningful? There was still a Championship Game, which the Eagles won three times in 1948, 1949, and 1960. So it’s not like the Eagles have been perennial losers for their entire history. Sure, an empty cabinet of Vince Lombardi Trophies isn’t anything to be proud of, but let’s take it easy. If you ignore Championships before the Super Bowl, you ignore fifty years of NFL history, which includes Hall of Fame players such as Otto Graham, Jim Brown, Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford, and all-time coaches like George Halas, and Paul Brown. And if you have never heard of any of these names, you don’t know football. The NFL has a long history, and so do the Philadelphia Eagles. Never forget history, people.

Why the Eagles Can Win

How do you beat Tom Brady? Well, it’s not as easy as just outscoring him. You need a capable defense that can put interior pressure on Brady and force him to beat you with his arm. The Jaguars did that so well in the AFC Championship, but they didn’t do it for 60 minutes. The Eagles have the personnel and the coaching to slow down New England’s offense. They have a pass rush which boasts the talents of Brandon Graham, Tim Jernigan, Fletcher Cox, Chris Long, Vinny Curry, Derek Barnett, I could keep going. They have a secondary which shut down the explosive Vikings in their last game for crying out loud. This defense is very good, and they can make it difficult for Brady. But that’s not the problem. The problem is Nick Foles.
Now, Nick Foles is not a liability, but you can’t argue that he is a downgrade. I think we would all be very excited to see Carson Wentz play the Patriots in a Super Bowl. Well, we’re not going to. So enough of that. Nick Foles has to play competently. He doesn’t have to be great. He must be a game manager. The Eagles can be successful if they run the ball, because that is probably their biggest strength. Meanwhile, the Patriots are vulnerable, as they have given up the fifth most yards per carry to running backs this season, and they can absolutely be gashed on the ground. Philadelphia must exploit that. But the most important thing is the Eagles must score in the red zone.
The Pats have a “bend but don’t break” defense. In between the 20s, they give up chunks of yardage. There’s no question that they give up lots of yards. But their strength is their scoring defense. In the red zone, the Patriots may be the best around. The Eagles can not settle for field goals, because you can’t beat the Patriots with field goals. If they score touchdowns, they have a shot.
It’s possible that the Eagles played their best game too soon. If they could simply copy and paste their performance in the NFC Championship, the Eagles could dominate. But teams are so different week to week, so that will not happen. But they can follow that blueprint. Force turnovers, run the ball, and score in the red zone. That’s the formula.

Why the Patriots Can Win

When a reporter asked Bill Belichick what is different about this Super Bowl, he said, “It’s in Minnesota.” Yep. Classic Bill.
The Patriots have been there, done that. This will be Brady and Belichick’s eighth Super Bowl. They have the experience. They are the defending champions, after all, and they were just in the big game this time last year. They know what the whole week is about, and how to go about their business, and most importantly, focus on the job at hand. The Patriots are playing the Eagles this week. They are studying the Eagles and preparing to beat them. The Patriots are not just happy to be here. You could argue a different case for the Eagles.
Tom Brady has won more Super Bowls than any other quarterback in NFL history, and he has a chance to run away with that record. It is hard to analyze Tom Brady versus NFL defenses now because he makes a living on carving up the best of them. Look at what he did against the Jaguars. Against the best defense in the conference, with his back against the wall, Brady came in clutch once again. It doesn’t get more clutch than this: you’re playing an elite defense in the Super Bowl. Brady will get it done.
Like I discussed in the Eagles section, the Patriots defense plays well when their backs are against the wall. They don’t surrender touchdown, they will force field goals, and maybe even turnovers. You heard it right here: the Patriots defense is the X factor in Super Bowl LII. They will hold the Eagles to field goals when they get into the red zone. They will force Nick Foles to beat them with his arm, especially in the red zone. And does anybody think Nick Foles can win a game with his arm in the Super Bowl? This is the part where I drop the microphone.

Who Will Win Super Bowl LII?

PHI 17, NE 24

MVP: Tom Brady

I don’t think the Eagles will score very many points. However, I do not see them getting blown out either. Every time the Patriots play in the Super Bowl, they are involved in a very entertaining football game. I think we will get another one here. But the Eagles are just not good enough to beat the Patriots with everything on the line. The Patriots, meanwhile, know how to win when everything is on the line. Take your pick.

I hope you enjoyed my Super Bowl preview. The biggest game deserves more attention than Browns and Colts games in the regular season, so that warrants in-depth analysis. Comment if you enjoyed it, and let us know how you think the Super Bowl will turn out! Enjoy the game, because it’s the last one for a long time.


Works Cited

Clauss, Kyle Scott. “Tom Brady Suspects His Super Bowl Jersey Was Stolen.” Boston Magazine, 6 Feb. 2017, www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2017/02/06/tom-brady-super-bowl-jersey-stolen/.