Chris Long and the Patriots stout defense look to slow down Atlanta’s league leading offense.

Case for the Patriots and final prediction

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 compared to the Falcons’ 28th-ranked defense, that is strong.

The Falcons do have the top-ranked offense, but New England’s is actually right behind them in 2nd. Expect Coach Bill Belichick to take out Falcons star receiver Julio Jones by double teaming him. This game is going to be a shootout, and history shows that the key to beating the Patriots isn’t trying to out score them, but rather defensively dominate them. This is the worst defense Brady has ever faced in a Super Bowl, and I expect the Patriots to carve them up.

Brandon: Patriots 34-24

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