“Bill Belichick” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Keith Allison
Back the Patriots to Beat Atlanta in the Super Bowl
The New England Patriots have done it again. Bill Belichick’s side always seem to turn on the style during the postseason. With the Patriots led by arguably the greatest quarterback of all time. Tom Brady and New England will now feature in the Super Bowl for a record ninth time when they face the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium in Houston on February 5th. Let’s be honest, Brady and co will head into this one as favourites and with good reason. Not only have the Patriots won the Super Bowl four times since the Belichick-Brady combination arrived in Foxborough. Atlanta has never won the NFL Championship and that lack of experience at the top level could prove crucial come game day. As of January 27th, New England are 20/21 on the -3.5 handicap market in early Super Bowl betting odds with bet365 and Patriots backers are confident of a comprehensive victory in the showpiece event. Belichick’s men have won just one of their Super Bowl wins by a four-point margin, but there is cause for optimism ahead of what could be a relatively high-scoring contest.Falcons have the worst defensive record in the NFL
According to TeamRankings.com, the Falcons have the worst defensive record in the NFL for allowing red zone touchdowns. Statistically, 72.13% of opposing trips to Atlanta’s defensive zone end with a touchdown and Brady, playing at a career-high level, could feast on Dan Quinn’s defence if Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels get their game plan right. Furthermore, the Patriots are brilliant at limiting studs and restricting their impact. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is a man in red hot form. You know Belichick will have a plan that focuses on slowing the Atlanta star down. Whether defensive coordinator Matt Patricia chooses to bring additional pressure on quarterback Matt Ryan or gives extra safety help over the top, the Patriots won’t give Jones any space to exploit their secondary.Stopping Jones completely is easier said than done
Stopping Jones completely is easier said than done, and Atlanta’s chances stem down to whether Ryan is capable of stepping up on the big stage. The Falcons man is in the prime of his life; recording career-high figures in various categories. But he isn’t perfect – and the Patriots will be ready. Belichick will go down as the greatest coach in NFL history and a seventh Super Bowl ring will cement his spot at the top.Atlanta was handed the chance to choose their colours earlier this week. On come game day, we just might be discussing how the Super Bowl was actually won on January 25th. The Falcons opted to wear their red jerseys. This means that New England will wear white for this year’s main event – a bad choice. According to NFL.com, teams wearing white have won 11 of the last 12 Super Bowls… Okay, so the jersey colour probably won’t affect the outcome of this game, but Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s gameplan will. Brady threw 28 touchdowns to just two interceptions during the regular season and New England’s unique ability to keep hold of the football will be pivotal in a one-off game. If the Patriots defence continues to force turnovers like it has throughout the second half of the campaign, this won’t even be a contest. via GIPHYRanking Super Bowl-winning coaches: Is Belichick best ever? https://t.co/HofGm6QW4Z
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 26, 2017