Fikkle Fame’s Prediction for Super Bowl LII
It’s once again time for food, parties, eagerly anticipated TV commercials, and football, specifically, The Big Game. With baseball spring training two weeks away, and NASCAR’s Daytona 500 right after that, it’s time for the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LI February 4th, 2018 U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis
New England Patriots (15-3) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (15-3). Patriots favored by 4 ½. O/U: 48. The teams did not play each other during the regular season. New England is the defending Super Bowl champion and is 5-4 overall in Super Bowls, including a 24-21 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. Philadelphia is 0-2 in Super Bowls; the Eagles last won an NFL championship in 1960 before there was a Super Bowl.
It’s easy to see why New England is favored. The combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady has been incredibly successful over the years and the team in general is used to this limelight. Brady led a terrific comeback victory over Jacksonville in the AFC Championship, overcoming a 20-10 4th quarter Jaguars lead to win 24-20, which only adds to the quarterback’s mystique, and to Coach Belichick’s, too. The Eagles didn’t even make the playoffs in 2016, and have had to finish the regular season and the playoffs with their backup QB.
Philadelphia was the top seed in the NFC, but was an underdog in the Divisional Playoff against Atlanta, and won 15-10. The Eagles again were underdogs in the NFC championship against Minnesota, and this one wasn’t even close. Philadelphia’s defense allowed an opening drive touchdown, but completely slammed the door after that. QB Nick Foles looked nothing like a backup, throwing for 353 yards and three touchdowns and the Eagles rolled to a 38-7 victory over the Vikings.
Despite their underdog status in their first two playoff games, we picked the Eagles in upsets both times. Part of the reason is the Eagles’ outstanding defense. There are a lot of reasons to pick New England in this game, but even Brady and Belichick have lost Super Bowls, so anything can happen, favored or not. Sometimes a gut feeling overrules the stats, data, and opinions of the analysts, and this is one of those times for us. Can the Eagles win a third straight upset in the playoffs, and in the biggest game of all? We think they can.
Eagles 31 Patriots 28.
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Congratulations Mark. Yeah FIKKLE FAME comes through again on its predictions. This time in sports. Eagles 41? Who knew? Mark knew…came fairly close. As far as the Philly market goes the pundits are wrong. It is not a small viewership. It expands to parts of New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. It’s number 3 behind New York and Los Angeles I think. I may be wrong.
Although I am not an Eagles fan (a frustrated hard core Giants fan) I am happy for all of the fans in the Philly viewing region. We are outside of Philadelphia but fall into the viewing area and stayed up late partying and celebrating the Eagles victory. Just a fantastic Super Bowl LII.
Right. The Eagles didn’t make the playoffs in 2016, but went to Foxborough and beat the Patriots (at a sweet +450). Yes, a different team now. Foles threw 27 TDs to 2 ints a couple of years before. If you draw a line through his last year in Philly and his first year as a Ram (a powerful horse racing tool), he has thrown 35 TDS to 5 ints. He knows how to take care of the ball. Brady, for all of the inflated talk of GOAT, has lost to two Giants teams inferior to these Eagles. If you can still get +150, take it. The Eagles have a much better than 40% chance to win the game.
Great observation Eric. I forgot that.
@Eric – Although the money line is very inviting, I jumped on the opening line of Phil+5.5 as soon as it came out… I’m LOVIN’ that!
@Mark – I like that you’re going OVER the total for your final score. The Pats will find ways to put up points – they ALWAYS do, but Philly is going to score, also! I believe the kid from the UK, Jay Ajayi, will have a terrific game on the ground and I also think that Lagarrette Blount, who still has a chip on his shoulder for getting kicked to the curb by NE after scoring 18 TDs for them last year. is going to BEG to get the ball and take it into the end zone.
Foles is a REALLY good kid! He’s a God-fearing lad with a great perspective on life (aka “level-headed”) plus he’s way bigger than people realize (he’s bigger than Ben Roethlisberger, for crying out loud!) so he can take a hit or two. Provided he doesn’t become spooked by all of the pomp and circumstance that goes with this spectacle and remains poised, I believe he, and the Eagles, get the victory…
Mark, I love you man, but please don’t drink the kool-aid. Brady is supposed to be a great QB for putting up 24 points at home? This whole “come from behind” line was created to show how great elway was. Sorry, but the GOAT Montana would often have teams put away in the 3rd quarter (ok, after “The Catch”). When he wouldn’t , they were higher caliber teams than are around now (Cowboys :early on, Redskins: Gibbs had them very tough, Giants: won a couple, Bears: very tough for a few years). And yeah, Montana never lost a Super Bowl.
Mark, I agree with you 100 percent. I haven’t seen a defense team as efficient as that of the Eagles team in a long time. They are young, nimble, and quick.