It is officially Super Bowl Week, folks. It’s a veritable holiday in my camp, and it’s also the last American football game that matters for seven or eight months. Indeed, we’re approaching “The Long Night” as I call it…and maybe I actually borrowed that from Game of Thrones or something but whatever.
This year, we’ve got an astonishingly even matchup. Las Vegas generally thinks the Patriots will be about 4-4.5 points better, but I think it’s going to be closer than that. I mean, sure, New England has won a lot of Super Bowls, but if you scroll back through their history, they’ve all been pretty good close games.
I don’t anticipate Sunday’s game will be any different for the Pats. The Eagles are tough – both teams are actually scoring the same amount of points per game (28.6). Philly boasts the best run defense in the NFL, and an underrated overall defense that was cast in the shadow of that all-time Minnesota Vikings defense in the NFC. Matt Patricia’s Pats have a pretty solid unit as well. They’ve allowed some yardage, but when it counts, in the red zone, they really bow up. So, I could see this becoming a defensive battle of sorts.
The Pats will have their work cut out for them, but #YABOI has a few keys to victory for them.
Rex Burkhead/Dion Lewis/James White Catching Passes
Maybe it was because it was garbage time, but Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon saw some success catching passes out of the backfield against this Eagles defense last week.
When the Pats played the Titans and their stellar run defense, they sent Lewis and White out to the edge and threw the ball to them. It really loosened up that defensive line, and eventually allowed the Pats to pull away. Well, that and about a million other things the Titans did to shit the bed.
But, regardless – if I’m the Patriots, I’m looking to employ a similar strategy. Get the shiftier backs on the outside, in space, and don’t even bother trying to run straight into the teeth of that Eagles run defense.
Hit Nick Foles
Foles may have had the game of his life in the NFC Championship. The Patriots can’t allow him to get comfortable and find a similar rhythm. You know the Eagles are still a rushing team, so sell out to stop the run and dial up the pass rush.
If you hit Foles, then it’s game over early. You’re taking away big-play potential from the Eagles and you’re making ’em one dimensional. It’s going to be hard for Foles to replicate that NFC Championship magic regardless. But, the Pats can ice the game if they can shake him into a couple of mistakes.
Protect Tom Brady
This feels like the type of game that could be decided by one big play. The Patriots offensive line has been great, but they need to protect their guy for one more game. It could mean allowing Brady time to hit a big play downfield and securing the game.
We all know the book on beating Brady says you have to rattle him in order to get him off his game. So, knowing that, it’s imperative that the offensive line holds up, especially during the first quarter.
But, all in all, if the Patriots just play Patriot football, they’re going to be just fine. I don’t know that they’ve played a defense that is this talented and this motivated all season.
And, yes. I’m closing this article by throwing shade at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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