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Today is the big game as Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots try to win their sixth Super Bowl while on the other side Doug Pederson, backup quarterback Nick Foles, and the Eagles look to win their first championship.
At this point, everyone knows the greatness that is the New England Patriots, but a lot of people are less familiar with the incredibly talented squad that Howie Roseman has built in Philadelpia. The Eagles have arguably the best offensive and defensive lines in the NFL. On the defensive side, it’s actually not even arguable. They combine elite level talent with amazing depth. If anyone is able to stop the Patriots offense, it’s them.
The Patriots are anywhere from 4 to 6 point favorites depending on where you look, but a 4.5-point line is the most common.
Time, TV Channel, and Streaming Info
- Date: Feb. 4, 2018
- Time: About 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: NBC Sports Live, fuboTV
Eagles Coverage from Bleeding Green Nation:
Previewing Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs. Patriots - Bleeding Green Nation
John Barchard, James Seltzer, and former Eagles left tackle Tra Thomas will be broadcasting live from the Tastykake Studios to talk about the EAGLES VERSUS PATRIOTS SUPER BOWL MATCHUP, Nick Foles, Doug Pederson, Nelson Agholor, Eric Rowe, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Chris Long, Malcolm Jenkins, X’s and O’s, and much more.
Nelson Agholor update: Eagles wide receiver reportedly needed IVs after feeling sick and weak - Bleeding Green Nation
Agholor is just one of several Eagles players who have been dealing with an illness since last week. Kenjon Barner missed a practice last week. Ronald Darby missed one media availability session to the bug. Starting defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan missed three total practices but he’ll be ready for Sunday’s game.
Eagles players talk about possibility of Patriots cheating in the Super Bowl: ‘It wouldn’t come as a surprise’ - Bleeding Green Nation
”I remember through the course of the game Jim [Johnson] saying, ‘They’re getting our signals. They know when we’re blitzing … try to hide it,’” Spagnuolo said. “I remember distinctly thinking, ‘I don’t think so Jim, just concentrate on calling the game.’”
Patriots Coverage from PatsPulpit:
Patriots vs Eagles: New England’s unpredictable journey - Pats Pulpit
Offensively, the addition of Cooks was huge for a unit that was already amongst the best in the league. Standout rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell was back with a year under his belt to complement Tom Brady’s dependable core of Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Chris Hogan. All of this goes without mentioning superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was returning from back surgery.
Super Bowl 52 Patriots vs Eagles: Philadelphia's best defense could be its offense - Pats Pulpit
So, does this mean Tom Brady will shred the Eagles’ defense? Not necessarily. Philadelphia’s defense is a deep, talented unit. They will put pressure on Brady and come away with a few sacks. But Philadelphia’s poor performance against top QB’s indicates the defense isn’t perfect. Unless the Patriots fall apart in the red zone or commit uncharacteristic turnovers, New England’s offense has the firepower to put up points. To keep the Patriots off the scoreboard, Philadelphia’s offense will need to give it’s defense significant help.
Belichick Breakdown: Bill Belichick laughs at the Vikings blocking scheme against the Eagles - Pats Pulpit
Belichick and Zolak share a laugh at how the Vikings tried to have a tight end on one end of the formation pull to the other side to block Brandon Graham and fail in tremendous fashion, noting that the Patriots will not be trying that block in the Super Bowl.