It is officially Super Bowl Week, folks. It’s a veritable holiday in my camp, and it’s also the last American football game that matters for seven or eight months. Indeed, we’re approaching “The Long Night” as I call it…and maybe I actually borrowed that from Game of Thrones or something but whatever.
This year, we’ve got an astonishingly even matchup. Las Vegas generally thinks the Patriots will be about 4-4.5 points better, but I think it’s going to be closer than that. I mean, sure, New England has won a lot of Super Bowls, but if you scroll back through their history, they’ve all been pretty good close games.
^An official excerpt from yesterday’s ‘keys to victory’ for the Pats, but it was so good, I just had to roll with it again.
In short, the Eagles have no reason to be afraid of the Patriots. They are some big and bad sumbitches, and have the tools necessary to take down Tom Brady. So, yeah – I do think this game is going to be close, and I think it’s going to come down to one or two big momentum-swinging plays. But, what can the Eagles do to secure victory? Well, I’m glad you asked….
Attack, Attack, Attack
The Jacksonville Jaguars came out and attacked New England ferociously to start the AFC Championship, and it worked to perfection. They had a 10-point lead well into the 4th quarter, and the Pats were reeling. Blake Bortles played the game of his life before the conservative play-calling ended up equalizing the two teams.
If you trust Nick Foles more than you trust Bortles (which I do), then it’s a no-brainer. The Eagles should come out swinging.
Defend the Edge
You have to figure the Pats are smart enough to not try to repeatedly run right into the teeth of the Eagles #1-ranked run defense. So, they’re going to try and get Dion Lewis, James White, and Rex Burkhead out in space, making it imperative for the Eagles’ linebackers to stop the play before it develops.
Have someone on each edge, ready to take these guys down as soon as they get the ball. I know that’s easier said than done, but if the Eagles allow the Pats’ running backs to chip away yardage, it’s going to be a long night.
Create Mismatches
I bought in hard on Nelson Agholor against the Vikings and he didn’t really do too much, but I swear, guys, just keep listening to me. He’s an incredibly shifty inside slot guy who’s probably going to be going up against Eric Rowe a lot. Agholor is quick enough to shake the stocky Rowe, and that’s a matchup the Eagles will need to exploit.
But, it’s not just Agholor. The Eagles have some weapons in Alshon Jeffery and Zach Ertz. And, apparently Torrey Smith is not ready to ride into retirement quietly. The Pats defense allows a lot of yardage – it’s just a matter of converting some of those big plays into points.
Something the Jaguars were unable to do at the end of the AFC Championship. And, yes – yet again, I am concluding an article by throwing shade at the Jags.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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