The last time we saw the Philadelphia Eagles face the New England Patriots was in 2005 for Super Bowl XXXIX. Former safety, Rodney Harrison, sealed the deal for the Patriots with an interception in the final moments of the fourth quarter. Although it was a close game, 24 to 21, it was a devastating lost for the Eagles, as it would be for any other losing team. The Eagles haven’t been to the Super Bowl since then, unlike the Patriots who were just there last year. Also unlike the Patriots, who have five Super Bowl titles, the Eagles have a total of zero. Yeah, that’s right, Philadelphia has never won a Super Bowl, but this year may finally be their time to shine.
The Eagles have been playing the role of the underdogs for a while now, yet it didn’t stop them from defeating the Atlanta Falcons and absolutely destroying the Minnesota Vikings during the final rounds of the playoffs. The Patriots on the other hand, barely won in their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. So, which team is really the underdog here?
The only thing standing in the way of the Eagles and their first Super Bowl win is the Patriots’ offensive line or even their defense. The true obstacle is Tom Brady himself. Although many football fans criticize Brady for his “faulty” wins in the past, sometimes you just have to accept when a player has talent. The man is great under pressure, and it’s going to take more than a four-man rush to scare him. The Eagles defense is going to have to play better than they ever had, making sure their cornerbacks and safeties have good coverage on the Patriots’ receivers. Another thing to look out for is the Patriots’ trick plays like we saw in the championship against the Jaguars, although that lateral pass did end with a turnover.
The well-known football video game, Madden NFL, makes predictions for the Super Bowl every year. Most time the predictions are close but sometimes they are spot-on; Madden predicted the exact score for Super Bowl XLIX when the Patriots beat the Seahawks 28 to 24. Don’t be fooled; there are several cases where Madden’s predictions were nowhere near to correct. This year, Madden NFL 18 has the Patriots topping the Eagles 24 to 21. Almost the same results as the last time they faced each other in 2005.
Leading up to Sunday afternoon, there will be countless predictions for this year’s Super Bowl. Some say the New England Patriots will take home their sixth win while others believe it will be the Philadelphia Eagles’ first. The only real way to find out is to watch the two teams battle it out on the football field.