[TheDB]

YTD 17-15 +6.15u
NHL 10-7 (+7.25u)
NBA 7-7 (+1.50u)
NFL 0-1 (-2.20u)

This is it. The BIG GAME.


SUPER BOWL LI // New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons // Feb 5




Welcome to Houston


This is not just another football game. This is the epitome of modern civilization and the entertainment industry that defines it. This is more than a football game, it’s more than a sporting event. Everyone watches this spectacle. People watch because of the halftime show, they watch because of the commercials, they watch because it’s an excuse to drink on a Sunday night, they watch because everyone does and no one wants to miss out.


And under the bright lights of the NRG Stadium, the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons will battle it out in Super Bowl LI. Two very different dynasties historically fighting to add a different chapter to their organization’s history.




Drive for five


Let’s start with the defence. Analysts and fans praise Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for the greatest modern dynasty in football—and rightfully so—but none of the past four Super Bowls were won strictly on their shoulders. Milloy, Law, Bruschi, Seymour, McGinest, Dillon, Brown, Vinatieri, Revis. There has always been a solid supporting cast. This year’s is Matt Patricia’s defence. He’s shaped a bunch on non-household names into the best defence in the league. The best defence in the league and best offence in the league have faced each other five times in Super Bowl history and the defence has a 4-1 record.


The biggest argument against their defence is that they haven’t faced an offence like this all season. That is absolutely true for THIS year. But Belichick has seen it before. Belichick faced the original Greatest Show on Turf in the Patriots’ first super Bowl win (2002 St. Louis Rams). There are three fantastic player groups in this game, and the one that doesn’t live up to the other three is the Falcons’ defence. The Falcons defence would become the worst defence in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, having given up just over 25 points per game this season. Brady and Belichick know this and feel they can do whatever they want to move the ball. Brady can spread it out all game long, keep the offence up-tempo, or slap a saddle on Blount and run him through Atlanta’s mundane D-line.




Can we join the club?


The Falcons couldn’t have scripted a better path through the playoffs. They are built as a team that plays indoors. With perfect weather conditions and slick turf, they have not been stopped. Coleman, Freeman, Gabriel, Sanu, Jones, and of course Ryan are playing at the highest level on offence that the football world has ever seen. Kyle Shanahan has one more job to do before he leaves to take on the San Fransisco 49ers as their new head coach.


Lets not sugar coat this. Atlanta will ride or die with this offence. If the Falcons win Super Bowl LI, the stereotype of “defence wins championships” will forever have an asterix associated with it. It will be changed to “defence wins championships, except if you have an all-time great offence.” Because that’s what this offence is. The Falcons have not been held to under 30 points in a games since week 13 against the Chiefs. It’s amazing to think that Matt Ryan is the NFL MVP and the regular season was really just a warmup performance. He’s somehow found another level and been legendary so far in the playoffs. Everyone has heard it all week, but it’s worth repeating. He has a 7:0 TD-Int ratio in the playoffs and has completed over 70% of his passes with a rating of 135.




The Final Breakdown


This is not just any ol’ game, but it is. Take away Media Night, take away the “LI” crest on their chest, take away the 287 million prediction articles you’ve read (including this one), take away all the ridiculous amount of focus, and at the end of the day… it’s still football. It’s the same size football (Deflategate jab not intended), the same size of field, the same amount of time on the clock, the same amount of downs, the same Xs, the same Os. And the team who realizes that first has the best chance of winning.

Here are some props for the big game.




Malcolm Mitchell Over 32.5 Rec Yards (-110) 1u


Taylor Gabriel Over 50.5 Rec Yards (-110) 2u


Matt Ryan Over 320.5 Yards (-125) 2u


Tom Brady Over 315.5 (-120) 1u


Julien Edelman Over 7.5 Rec (-150) 1u


Freeman Over 57.5 Rush Yards (+110) 1u

[TheDB]

So the League MVP is 0-7 in SuperBowls... Anybody think Matt Ryan can buck that trend?! Seems like a tall order.. Being a Jets fan, I hate the Pats more than any team in the league so I'd love to see it.