HOUSTON,TX—Super Bowl LI (51) will be a match up of old vs new, as the Atlanta Falcons will face the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 5 from NRG stadium in Houston, Texas. It’s a dynasty in the making vs the biggest dynasty in modern day sports., Atlanta’s high-octane offense going against the staunch Patriots defense.
The Atlanta Falcons scored a whopping 540 points during the regular season and finished with a record of 11-5. The Falcons are led by QB Matt Ryan and Wide Receiver Julio Jones, these Falcons are soaring as they nest in The Lone Star State. Will these Falcons clutch the shiny, silver Vince Lombardi trophy from the Patriots, like a helpless rodent?
The build up going into the game is the battle at QB. Matt Ryan has fulfilled his promise as an elite quarterback in the NFL. Ryan led the Falcons to an easy victory in the NFC championship, crushing the Green Bay Packers, 44-21. Ryan will be playing in his first Super Bowl, his counterpart has more experience playing in The “Big One.”
Ryan threw for 4,944 yards, 38 TDs, and finally proved he could win the big games, the Atlanta Falcons will be making their second appearance in the Super Bowl. While Patriots QB Tom Brady threw for 3,554 yards in only 12 games, going 11-1 and throwing 28 touchdowns compared to only 2 interceptions.
The New England Patriots dynasty continues to dominate. The Pats rolled through the regular season, posting the NFL’s best record at 14-2, despite Tom Brady’s four-game suspension. Running Back LeGarette Blount rushed for 1,161 yards to balance out the attack.
Tom Brady is going for his fifth Super Bowl victory, a win would cement his legacy as the greatest quarterback in league history. The Patriots dynasty has surpassed real empires and with seemingly no end in sight. In the Belichick era, the New England Patriots reached the Super Bowl 7 times in 15 years, claiming 5 Super Bowl rings in that span.
Similar to the Falcons, the Patriots glided to the Super Bowl, barely breaking a sweat. The Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 36-17 in the AFC Championship. The playoffs, save the Cowboys/Packers thriller, has been one-sided beat downs. The NFL Playoffs were boring, anti-climactic games, so fans are hoping for a competitive and close game.
The Falcons boast the no. 1 offense in the NFL, eighth all time. Wide Receiver Julio Jones is officially a superstar, while Mohamed Sanu Jr. is the X-Factor to watch for on Super Sunday. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman are dual threats in the backfield. Anyone remember the Dirty Bird? Well, they’re back.
The Patriots are in a way facing two foes in Houston: the Atlanta Falcons on the field of course-and perhaps a more bitter, ugly rival off the field, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The Commissioner finally succeeded by suspending Brady the first four games of the season for his part in Deflategate. Pats’ fans cherish the moment Roger hands them the trophy, after attempting to thwart their dynasty.
The Patriots open up as three point favorites, expect a high scoring affair, country star Luke Bryan will perform the National Anthem, and Lady Gaga headlines the Pepsi Halftime show. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. EST, the game will air on Fox. Whereas New England is playing in a record ninth Super Bowl, the Falcons have played their ninth playoff game, quite a difference in records.