SBLII: Who's Gonna Win?

Pats or Eagles?


  • Total voters
    303
  • Poll closed .

BlackJack

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Oct 11, 2007
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My gut feeling is that the Pats win this in convincing fashion but not a blowout. But having said that, I would be surprised by any outcome including a blow out either way. I have not watched much Eagles football this year, mostly the NFCCG and only some of their divisional round win over Atlanta.

I don’t think they’re as good as they looked in the NFCCG but I’m concerned about Ertz. This Pats defense seems vulnerable to decent tight ends. The Eagles defense doesn’t scare me at all and I expect the Pats to move the ball and score. Of course I thought the same thing last year about Atlanta’s D and was unpleasantly surprised in the first half.

Pats by 7 for their biggest margin of victory in a Super Bowl.
 

southshoresoxfan

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Jul 15, 2005
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My gut feeling is that the Pats win this in convincing fashion but not a blowout. But having said that, I would be surprised by any outcome including a blow out either way. I have not watched much Eagles football this year, mostly the NFCCG and only some of their divisional round win over Atlanta.

I don’t think they’re as good as they looked in the NFCCG but I’m concerned about Ertz. This Pats defense seems vulnerable to decent tight ends. The Eagles defense doesn’t scare me at all and I expect the Pats to move the ball and score. Of course I thought the same thing last year about Atlanta’s D and was unpleasantly surprised in the first half.

Pats by 7 for their biggest margin of victory in a Super Bowl.
Patrick Chung is literally the best TE defender in the league.

Also your #1 option never beats a B.B. defense in a big game. Ever.
 

edmunddantes

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Jul 28, 2015
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More wish than actual prediction. I'd like to see a comfortable double digit win. 30-20, 28-10... something like that.
 

Ed Hillel

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Dec 12, 2007
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37-20 Pats.

Pats OL holds up and Brady shreds their back end. Foles has a couple turnovers, including a James Harrison strip sack.

Edit - I’m changing the Eagles from 24 to 20 because I win a square that way.
 

Koufax

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Reflecting my usual dread heading into a game like this (when will I ever learn?) I'm guessing Eagles, 21-17.
 

loshjott

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Dec 30, 2004
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Pats by 3 in a game that features some gut wrenching sequences at the end that I can't even fathom now.

Because before last year I thought I'd seen it all both good and bad in Pats Super Bowls and I was so, so wrong.
 

Ralphwiggum

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Jun 27, 2012
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I don't really see how a blowout happens. Philly will move the ball and the Pats soft zone will allow them to chew clock, hopefully the Pats can force a turnover for a change and/or limit them to FGs. And I could see another slow start by the Pats O while the Eagle defense is flying all over the field in the first half.

Pats by a field goal feels like the symmetrical way for the second 3 out of 4 to end, but I expect the game to be torture (again).
 

TheoShmeo

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Jul 19, 2005
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Tied 10-10 at the half, Pats pull away and win 27-17.
That was my score and I’m sticking to it.

But I see it as including a late Eagles TD, with the actual game not being as close as a 10 point contest might possibly suggest.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
28,451
I have no idea. None at all.

The fact that Gronk is healthy in the Super Bowl is big. There's no worrying story lines re: injury, like Brady in a boot or anything. I should feel confident. If this was a regular season game, I would be. So my anxiety is probably not entirely rational.

Pats 28-Philly 20.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Jan 2, 2006
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I don't see the Pats holding the Eagles under 20 points. I also don't see the Eagles holding the Pats under 30. I'm thinking 31-20, something like that.

I would love a blowout, but of course it's probably going to be sickeningly close. So probably 31-28.
 

8slim

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Nov 6, 2001
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I don't get the blowout predictions. Pats beat the Jags by 4, at home. The Eagles D is as good, if not better. This will be close. Damn close. Pats by 3 or less.
 

tims4wins

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Jul 15, 2005
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Maybe we all look back on this in a week and say we were crazy for thinking Foles could beat the Pats, but I agree with many others that this is likely to be a 3-4 point game.
 

drbretto

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Apr 10, 2009
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I keep trying to predict the easy blowout, and they keep inducing heart attacks. I give up and I'm just predicting the heart attack.

I believe in the Pats, but I don't take the Eagles lightly. It'll be a battle.
 

SamCassellsStones

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Feb 8, 2017
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Pats fanboy prediction: Eagles feel lucky to be there, and it shows. Pats get out to an early 10-0 lead. While the game is close at half (10-7), Pats pull away in the third quarter 33-20. Brady retires after the game, and becomes a full time TB12 miracle water pitchman. It turns out that the water not only prevents sunburns and concussions, but has the side effect of curing cancer. Brady becomes the first person to win NFL MVP, super bowl MVP, and Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology in the same calendar year. The Colts hang a banner and throw a parade to honor ex-Colts great Philip Dorsett on his Superbowl victory, to the ridicule of many (Ray Borque, however, approves).

Realistic prediction: The Eagles defensive line gives Brady fits, Foles embraces the underdog role, and the first half is all Philadelphia (17-6). Third quarter, the Pats start to exploit the Philly LBs with Lewis/White/Burkhead, and are able to force a couple 3-and-outs. 27-20 Philly at the start of the 4th. After a late LGBT fumble, with the score 27-27, Gostkowski has a 57yd field goal opportunity for the win. The kick looks like it's going to be about 10 feet wide right, as 25 million anuses in New England clench simultaneously. While not "right down the pipe", the ball barely hooks inside the right upright, leading to an improbable 30-27 victory.
 

Oppo

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Apr 5, 2009
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34-23

Chris Long with a roughing the passer and Bount fumble lead to speculation that they are embedded Pats.
 

bakahump

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Rarest of Pats Superbowls (as in it hasnt happend) we win this one comfortably. Its gonna be like an October game were we are all comfortably hammered by end of the 3rd.

35-24 (Late TD by Philly makes it even this close)
 

ponch73

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Hurts me to write it, but Eagles 24, Patriots 20.
  • Unfolds very similarly to the Jags game, except the Eagles don't waste possessions, commit costly penalties or sit on a 11-point first half lead
  • All the calls go the Eagles way (allowing the NFL to point to a David v. Goliath narrative in the face of falling TV ratings)
  • Patriots D struggles to get off the field against an accurate, intermediate Eagles passing game
  • Eagles front four outplays Patriots OL and harasses Brady the entire game
 

southshoresoxfan

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Hurts me to write it, but Eagles 24, Patriots 20.
  • Unfolds very similarly to the Jags game, except the Eagles don't waste possessions, commit costly penalties or sit on a 11-point first half lead
  • All the calls go the Eagles way (allowing the NFL to point to a David v. Goliath narrative in the face of falling TV ratings)
  • Patriots D struggles to get off the field against an accurate, intermediate Eagles passing game
  • Eagles front four outplays Patriots OL and harasses Brady the entire game
Nick Foles and accurate are oil and water. He hits some deep balls and wildly misses mid range. Not built to attack this D
 

rodderick

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Apr 24, 2009
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In Super Bowl 49 there was the 10 year draught and the hanging shadow of Deflategate, in Super Bowl 51 it was about Brady and Bill separating themselves from the pack to get their 5th ring, and the revenge on Roger for Brady's suspension, this year it's all gravy to me. Of course I want them to win the game and I'll be getting butterflies at around 6:00 pm on Saturday, but I don't need this one like I needed the last two. A comfortable win would be very much in line with that feeling.
 

Oil Can Dan

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Nick Foles and accurate are oil and water. He hits some deep balls and wildly misses mid range. Not built to attack this D
He just completed 79% of his passes vs a better D last week. Not saying he will, but is there no way he can do what he did to the Vikings D to the Pats D?
 

pokey_reese

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Jun 25, 2008
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Pats 27
Eagles 23

I think this will be a stressful one all the way through, and the Pats will struggle to get off the field on 3rd down as they have all year. The good news is that the Eagles will have some long drives end in FGs, because they trust in their defense to give them a shot at the end of the game, but as usual the Pats will make second half adjustments that get them a late FG to extend the lead and won't leave Foles enough time on the clock.
 

Oil Can Dan

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Pats 27
Eagles 23

I think this will be a stressful one all the way through, and the Pats will struggle to get off the field on 3rd down as they have all year. The good news is that the Eagles will have some long drives end in FGs, because they trust in their defense to give them a shot at the end of the game, but as usual the Pats will make second half adjustments that get them a late FG to extend the lead and won't leave Foles enough time on the clock.
As in most games, the bolded is key. Philly was 6 for 13 on 3rd down vs Atl and 10 for 14 on 3rd vs Minny. Has NE really struggled on 3rd down this year/in the playoffs?
 

Ralphwiggum

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He just completed 79% of his passes vs a better D last week. Not saying he will, but is there no way he can do what he did to the Vikings D to the Pats D?
Yeah, I gotta say Foles makes me nervous as shit. He's clearly capable of playing at a high level for periods of time, and seems to be hitting his stride after being pretty bad after Wentz got hurt. Meanwhile the Pats defense, while pretty good at keeping points off the board, has allowed mediocre QBs to move the ball on them at times, Bortles last week in the first half as a good example. And the Pats D has also been awful at forcing turnovers and has struggled on third downs at times. He may not play great, but I don't expect him to fall on his face either.
 

pokey_reese

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At this point, while the Eagles certainly can win this game, every piece of information available says they probably won't. DVOA has the Pats as the better team (and 58% to win), FPI has the Pats as the better team, ELO has the Pats as the better team (and also 58% to win), the Vegas line is still sitting around Pats -4.5, ESPN survey 5 coaches who faced the teams this year who would win and all 5 picked the Pats, etc., and most of the statistical systems don't even fully account for Wentz's injury.

Other than gut feelings or reverse jinxes, is there a reason to think that the Eagles will win this game (as opposed to the inarguable fact that they are capable and it would happen at least, say 1 out of 5 hypothetical times)?
 

ponch73

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Philly was 6 for 13 on 3rd down vs Atl and 10 for 14 on 3rd vs Minny. Has NE really struggled on 3rd down this year/in the playoffs?
Titans went 5 for 15 on 3rd down and Jaguars went 6 for 15. 11 for 30 (37%) against the Pats D in the playoffs, thus far.

As you pointed out above, Eagles have gone 16 for 27 (59%) on 3rd down in the playoffs. I personally think Foles (coached up by Pederson) is a much better QB than Mariota or Bortles.
 

simplyeric

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Feb 14, 2006
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Pat's by 6 in a 2 point hand-wringer that turns into an 8-2 laugher in the end.

Nervous "WTF?" laughter, but laughter nonetheless.