Super Bowl Preview

After losing week one to Tampa Bay, Atlanta made their name relevant by following that up with a four-game winning streak, which included an exceptional 300-yard performance from superstar wide receiver Julio Jones against the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers. Jones has dealt with minor injuries all season, but they only caused him to miss two games. He was held to 60 receiving yards or less ...

A four-game suspension for star quarterback Tom Brady (because of Deflategate) did not cause much trouble for New England as they went 3-1 without him. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (who got injured in week two) and third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett were more than serviceable. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots leading receiver in the 2015-2016 season, missed the first three games w...

From a legacy perspective, the Falcons don’t have as much riding on this game as New England does, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important to them. Atlanta hasn’t won a professional sports title since the Braves (Major League Baseball) in 1995. The Falcons have never won in a Super Bowl, and this is their first appearance since 1999. A Super Bowl ring and possible MVP could boost Matt Ryan into...

When Bill Belichick became the Patriots coach in 2000, he began to build the model NFL franchise that every coach strives to create. Led by Belichick and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots have built a dynasty that is arguably the best in sports history with their 16 winning seasons, seven Super Bowl appearances and four Super Bowl victories. If New England defeats Atlanta on Sun...

Led by MVP favorite, quarterback Matt Ryan, the Falcons have the league’s top-ranked offense, which averaged 33.8 points per game in the regular season. The Falcons’ potent offense has continued their tear through any defense the NFL has to offer in the playoffs, averaging 40 points and 457.5 yards per game, which is significantly better than any other team this postseason. During the regular season,...

Having arguably the greatest quarterback and coach of all time is all you need to say to make a case for this team. Their impressive numbers from this season also help build a strong case. The Patriots had the most wins (14) and the highest point differential (+197) in the league during the regular season. Defensively, they only have the 16th-best DVOA (Defense-adjusted value over average) but compar...