Kenny Dorian: It’s tough to say, but I would have to go with the Patriots to take home the Lombardi Trophy at this point. Atlanta is an offensively dominant team and I’m not sure if their defense will be able to hold back Brady and the New England receiving core. The Patriots, on the other hand, have a more complete defense, and, if their defensive line can get after Matt Ryan in the pass rush, have a chance at slowing down the Falcons' high octane offense. I think the key matchup will lie in the passing game. Chris Hogan is coming off a breakout game and will surely look to continue his success against Atlanta. Edelman and Amendola also have to be factors if the Patriots want to win. Tom Brady cannot be underestimated. The Falcons are known for their receiving game and Julio Jones looks as good as he ever has after a solid performance Sunday against the Packers. Whoever can establish their passing early will be in good position to win it all.
Michael Keane: New England easily has the advantage in this situation. Not only does the patriots have the better defense, the Patriots have also played Dan Quinn's style of defense before in Super Bowl 49 when DQ was with the more talented Seahawks . On the offensive side of the ball the Falcons have an advantage overall, but the Patriots seem to have the weapons to keep the Falcons off the field: a diverse backfield led by Blount , a short to medium passing attack that consists of Hogan, Edelman, and Bennett, and a Hall of fame quarterback that doesn't turn the ball over. The two things that the Falcons have going for them are that the Patriots defense has played only three Super Bowl level quarter back this entire year: Russell Wilson, Big Ben, and Joe Flacco, and the Falcons have played some of the best defenses in the NFL including the Chiefs, Seahawks, and Broncos. This circumstance implies the notion that the Patriots defense is overvalued and the Falcons offense is correctly valued. Ultimately though I believe that the Patriots do have an early edge and should be favored.
Tyler Brandt: New England has a small advantage right now, mostly because of Bill Belichick. Wade Phillips is perhaps the only coach I have seen beat Belichick in terms of scheme preparation for a game. When Belichick takes on Dan Quinn's Falcons, he won't have such a strong counterpart. The key matchup for me is the Falcons' front seven versus the Patriots offensive line. In the regular season, the Falcons' pass rush consisted of Vic Beasley and not much else. While they had an encouraging performance against Green Bay (6 different players with QB hits), they haven't done it all year long. New England's O-line, on the other hand, allowed just 24 sacks all season. Belichick has even opened up the play calling a bit in the playoffs, and Brady has still beaten formidable front sevens from Houston and Pittsburgh. Houston got 8 hits on him and he still only made one mistake, while he torched Pittsburgh. Belichick knows how to push the right buttons against each individual defense, and the Falcons may very well struggle to get pressure on the QB. If Quinn can't get pressure on at least every other passing play, Belichick will have Brady carving up that secondary.
Brent Katlan: I believe that the Patriots have the edge in one key area- time of possession. The Patriots ranked top 5 in the league in the regular season for time of possession, which is extremely crucial given how important it is for the Patriots to keep Matt Ryan and the Falcons on the field for as little time as possible. Atlanta, in contrast, ranks 13th despite leading the league in points scored. If New England can sustain long drives and Brady is on the field for 35-40 minutes, there is a very good chance Brady and Belichick win their 5th Super Bowl. However, if Atlanta can keep the time of possession to relatively even, there is a good chance Matt Ryan ends his MVP-caliber season with a Super Bowl Championship.
Michael Keane: New England easily has the advantage in this situation. Not only does the patriots have the better defense, the Patriots have also played Dan Quinn's style of defense before in Super Bowl 49 when DQ was with the more talented Seahawks . On the offensive side of the ball the Falcons have an advantage overall, but the Patriots seem to have the weapons to keep the Falcons off the field: a diverse backfield led by Blount , a short to medium passing attack that consists of Hogan, Edelman, and Bennett, and a Hall of fame quarterback that doesn't turn the ball over. The two things that the Falcons have going for them are that the Patriots defense has played only three Super Bowl level quarter back this entire year: Russell Wilson, Big Ben, and Joe Flacco, and the Falcons have played some of the best defenses in the NFL including the Chiefs, Seahawks, and Broncos. This circumstance implies the notion that the Patriots defense is overvalued and the Falcons offense is correctly valued. Ultimately though I believe that the Patriots do have an early edge and should be favored.
Tyler Brandt: New England has a small advantage right now, mostly because of Bill Belichick. Wade Phillips is perhaps the only coach I have seen beat Belichick in terms of scheme preparation for a game. When Belichick takes on Dan Quinn's Falcons, he won't have such a strong counterpart. The key matchup for me is the Falcons' front seven versus the Patriots offensive line. In the regular season, the Falcons' pass rush consisted of Vic Beasley and not much else. While they had an encouraging performance against Green Bay (6 different players with QB hits), they haven't done it all year long. New England's O-line, on the other hand, allowed just 24 sacks all season. Belichick has even opened up the play calling a bit in the playoffs, and Brady has still beaten formidable front sevens from Houston and Pittsburgh. Houston got 8 hits on him and he still only made one mistake, while he torched Pittsburgh. Belichick knows how to push the right buttons against each individual defense, and the Falcons may very well struggle to get pressure on the QB. If Quinn can't get pressure on at least every other passing play, Belichick will have Brady carving up that secondary.
Brent Katlan: I believe that the Patriots have the edge in one key area- time of possession. The Patriots ranked top 5 in the league in the regular season for time of possession, which is extremely crucial given how important it is for the Patriots to keep Matt Ryan and the Falcons on the field for as little time as possible. Atlanta, in contrast, ranks 13th despite leading the league in points scored. If New England can sustain long drives and Brady is on the field for 35-40 minutes, there is a very good chance Brady and Belichick win their 5th Super Bowl. However, if Atlanta can keep the time of possession to relatively even, there is a good chance Matt Ryan ends his MVP-caliber season with a Super Bowl Championship.