The waiting and the wondering doesn't get any easier. Thankfully I'll be kept busy from now until Sunday evening so I won't be counting down the hours.
These games rarely go the way they are expected to. An area of strength could be nullified or a weakness could win you the game.
No coincidence that 2 of the best coaching staffs have made it to the big one. Belichicks record speaks for itself and his 2 coordinators are leaving with LB coach Flores getting a HC interview with the Cards.
Pederson has done a great job this season even more so when Wentz went down. Frank Reich and John Difilippo have had a big say as well. They've trained Foles up in a big way. He dipped abut towards the end of the regular season but in post season he's been near flawless.
The day after the Pats won the AFCCG they sat down and watched every play from the Eagles this season, all 2500 of them, (the Eagles would have done the same). The opposition have been scouted, game plan made, installed and practiced. Belichick was at the Timberwolves game last night so the work must be done. A walkthrough and a few meetings aside.
You could make strong arguments for both sides. It'll prob come down to the 4th quarter. Don't see anyone running away with it. Pederson can't make the same mistakes as the likes of Carroll, Marrone and Quinn/Shanahan did. Don't blink (or shit yourself). When you have the Pats finish them off because if you give them a way back they'll take it. If you're 2+ TDs ahead in the 4th quarter don't be cautious or conservative.
There are plenty of areas that the Eagles can cause the Pats trouble most notably the D line. They are probably the best in the league. Cox is a monster and they have Jernigan, Curry and Graham as well. The real problems start when they start rotating in the Chris Long and Derek Barnett. It'll be relentless. They'll be kept relatively fresh and they'll just keep coming and coming. Cox will probably pick on Thuney. I don't mind pressure on the outside as Brady will probably get the ball out before they get to him but pressure up the middle will block his lanes and force him outside and that is no bueno.
The Patriots will try and work that linebacker group. They won't enjoy chasing the likes of Burkhead and Lewis.
It's going to be mighty difficult to throw on their DBs as well. Jenkins is very good Mills and Darby are no slouches either.
Overall a very strong unit. Jim Schwartz is one of the best DCs around, he's good enough to be a HC and he'll give the Pats plenty to worry about.
Offensively the Pats have to give Brady time and space. If he's getting sacked and or moved around the Pats won't win simple as that. Left to right Solder-Thuney-Andrews-Mason-Fleming if the Pats win the quote "never was so much owed by so many to so few" should be etched in stone outside Foxboro
Getting Gronk back is huge but he mightn't be 100%. That was a serious hit he took. Dwayne Allen might be used a bit. He's a great blocker but a huge step down from the big guy.
DA has been great in the post season so far, more of the same please. Need another big game for Cooks. Again if he doesn't have a big game it's hard to see them move the ball downfield. Hogan usually comes alive in the redzone.
Think they'll be expecting a lot from Lewis, White and Burkhead running it and catching it out of the back field. McDaniels is a brilliant playcaller, it's going to be fascinating to see him up against Schwartz.
A lot of pressure on Foles. I don't know how much you can read into recent games but against the Falcons they played it relatively safe and against the best defence in the league the Vikings it was bombs away. He just flung it down the field with great success. The Pats won't know what's coming. Hard to prepare for. He's had some poor games in the past but I can't get the performance in the NFCCG out if mind. He was great and that's the Foles Belichick and Patricia will be expecting and preparing for. A bad game 4 or 5 years ago won't come into on Sunday.
He has the weapons to work the Pats defence. Smith, Jeffrey and Aglohor. Some bad match ups there for the Pats. Gilmore will more than likely take Jeffrey with Butler on Torrey Smith. Ertz is a quality TE, Chung might get him. Their RB group is going to be vital. If they can move the chains and keep Brady off the field it will go a long way to winning he game for them. The Pats will know Blount obviously, Ajayi can fumble at times but he's tough to bring down, Clement should get some carries as well.
Deathly afraid for the Pats defence. The stats are good but how much of that is down to great field position and Brady keeping them off the field. They are pretty good in the redzone though.
Probably the worst group Belichick has ever had either as a DC or HC I'd say. Up front Malcolm Brown is the best of that lot. RJF has done better than expected, Wise, Trey Flowers and Guy have to get to Foles. If he's given time he can work his way down the field. They are not great on paper but get sacks when it's necessary. The Eagles o line with Lane Johnson in particular are pretty good.
The Pats LBs are fairly sickening without Hightower. KVN wasn't good enough for Lions and he's the pick of the bunch. How Belichick can stomach Elandon Roberts is beyond me. Any time something goes wrong he's at the heart of it. Would be great to see James Harrison have a big game, depends on how many snaps he gets. Marquis Flowers has been great value seeing as he only cost a 7th round pick.
Even though they are strongest part of the defence the DBs will have their hands full as well. Foles has torched a very good Vikings secondary. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
I'd be worried about Gostowski as well. Usually misses a big kick in an important game. You could set your watch by him. Weeks 1-12 he'll nail anything but when the margin for error is smaller there's more chance he'll miss. I'd prefer if he did it early on in the game.
The Pats have a big advantage given Belichick/Brady have been here many times before. Only 11 left from Superbowl 49 against the Seahawks though.
The Eagles have the better players though. From 1-53 they are more talented no doubt about that. There's only so much the Pats can mask or cover. If the Eagles play to the best of their ability or very close to it they will win.
Superbowls involving the Pats are usually gut wrenching affairs. I don't think I can take much more. I'd rather be blown out of it than end up chasing another 4th quarter deficit.
The Pats struggles early on in the game are well known. They just can't seem to score in the first quarter. An early TD would help settle the nerves no end.
Too close to call. If I had to guess I'd say neither team will break 30. That's about all I could safely call. That and the Eagles winning t.o.p.
Truth is the Pats have been in decline for the past few years. The team that won 49 was far better and every year since then they've been slightly regressing. This years team isn't as good as last years IMO. After last year and when Edelman and Hightower went down I never thought they'd get back to Superbowl but here they are.
Gun to head I'd say the Eagles by 3. I just think they are going to disrupt Brady enough and that Pederson and Reich will call a game that prevents Foles from taking risks or turning it over.
