Who will win Superbowl LII?
The stage is set for the New England Patriots (13-3) and Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) to meet in Minneapolis on Feb. 4 for Super Bowl LII.
Both of these teams are the number one seeds from their respective conferences. Statistically, these two teams are very similar. During the regular season, these two teams were tied for second in the NFL with 28.6 points per game. Both of these teams were top five in defense as well. Philadelphia allowed 18.4 points per game, and New England allowed 18.5.
They’ve also been red-hot in the playoffs. New England is averaging 29.5 points per game in the playoffs, and Philadelphia isn’t far behind at 26.5.
Jim Schwartz, Eagles defensive coordinator, will have his hands full against a New England offense that seemingly has his number. The Patriots have scored 91 points in their last three games against a Schwartz defense.
One of the other big match ups to watch will be the turnovers. Philly’s defense caught 19 interceptions in the regular season, which was the fourth highest in the NFL. They’ll have a hard time picking off Tom Brady. Brady only threw eight interceptions in the regular season, and hasn’t thrown a single interception in the playoffs thus far.
The turnovers will be the key stat to watch during the game, because New England is 159-15 under Bill Belichick when they have a positive turnover differential, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Playoff experience is another important factor. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has played in three playoff games. Tom Brady has played in 36 playoff games, and holds the NFL record for playoff wins with 27.
Regardless of the experience gap, this should be a good game. Statistically, these teams are very similar. While the Eagles have only allowed 8.5 points per game in the playoffs, New England will be their toughest test.
I predict the Patriots will beat the Eagles 24-17. The Patriots managed to score 24 points in the AFC Championship against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the second best defense in the regular season. The Eagles might sack Brady a few times, but they won’t be able to force the crucial turnovers needed to beat the Patriots.
