The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl. The perennial contenders rallied past the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship game to get their shot at yet another title. The defending champions will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated the Vikings in the NFC title game.
Philadelphia managed to make it to the Super Bowl despite the absence of star quarterback Carson Wentz, who was lost for the season due to a torn ACL. If he was healthy the oddsmakers may have made this spread close to a pick ‘em.
Instead, New England is setting up as a healthy favorite because it has its star quarterback in the fold while the Eagles will be relying on backup Nick Foles to win a championship. This is an intriguing game but the Patriots will be expected to once again come away with yet another title under coach Bill Belichick.
This Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 4, 2018, at 6:40 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. .
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Philadelphia Eagles +5
New England Patriots -5
Over/Under 48
Odds Analysis
New England will enter as a decent favorite. Since the game is at a neutral site, the oddsmakers believe the Patriots have the better personnel. The Patriots have gotten about 57 percent of the action to cover this spread, but there is still two weeks to go so the line could shift.
The scoring total is higher than most games as the Patriots have one of the best offenses in the NFL like they have for years. The “over” is the more common choice thus far, with 65 percent of the early action heading that way.
The Patriots are -223 favorites on the moneyline, while the Eagles are +187 underdogs to pull the upset. Philadelphia is getting the majority of the action as they would pay off pretty nicely.
Injury Report
Tom Brady — The Patriots’ star quarterback suffered a hand injury in practice before the AFC Championship game. He reportedly got stitches for the injury and many were wondering how it would affect him in the contest. While Brady had to overcome the ailment he played well and should be good to go for the Super Bowl. That won’t stop it from being a hot topic, though.
Rob Gronkowski — The Patriots’ star tight end suffered a concussion in the AFC Championship game and didn’t return to the game. It was a big loss but New England was able to overcome his absence and win the game. Keep a close eye on this injury. Concussions are tough to diagnose, and it remains to be seen if Gronkowski will be available for the contest.
Player To Watch
Nick Foles — The Eagles’ chance will likely come down to how well their backup signal-caller performs on the biggest of stages. Foles has had his troubles, but played great on Sunday in the win over the Vikings. He finished 26-of-33 for 352 yards and three touchdowns against a vaunted Minnesota defense.
Foles used to be a started but has settled into a role as more of a career backup. He has been inconsistent since Wentz was lost for the season but has made enough big plays in spots. The Eagles defense is really good and the hope is that it can slow down Brady enough so this one isn’t a shootout.
But there is a decent likelihood that the Eagles’ offense is going to have to score consistently to keep up, and the onus will be on Foles to move the ball.
Free ATS Pick
The Eagles looked great last time out, as both the offense and defense were clicking on all cylinders. If Wentz was on the field, this game would have been a classic. But it’s hard imagining Foles can put together another game as good as the one he just provided.
Look for the New England defense to create some turnovers. That will be more than enough for Brady, who should have yet another dominant showing to lead his team to the victory. It’s old hat, but the Patriots are going to win another Super Bowl, and they will cover the spread while doing so.
NFL Odds: Patriots 27, Eagles 17
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