New England Patriots fans have been talking about this game since February 6, 2017. Philadelphia Eagles fans have been waiting for this rematch since February 7, 2005. On Sunday, the Patriots will look to clinch their sixth franchise Super Bowl victory in a long-awaited rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX. Every game comes down to matchups, and the Super Bowl is no different. This week, we asked members of our staff to identify the crucial matchups headlining this year’s championship game. From the New England Patriots office at Last Word on Pro Football, here are your Patriots Super Bowl LII matchups.
New England Patriots Super Bowl LII Matchups
Patriots Offense vs. the First Half
In order for the Patriots to come out on top on Sunday night, they need a strong start to this game. In the first quarter of their two playoff games this year, the team has only managed to score three points. That has to change for the Patriots to get the victory. The Eagles finished the season tied in second place with the Patriots for average points per game at 28.6. With a high-scoring team like Philadelphia, a slow start may be detrimental to another championship run for New England. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense need to stray away from coming out of the gates looking sluggish. A smart, meticulous game plan that gets the offense rolling may be the biggest key to a sixth ring for Brady and Bill Belichick. – Chris Allen
Patriots Offensive Line vs. Eagles Defensive Line
If the Patriots want to avoid an upset, they must win in the trenches. Philadelphia boasts a great all-around defense, but its’ strength is the defensive front. Former Patriot Chris Long is part of a defensive rotation that includes defensive ends Brandon Graham and Vinny Curry along with defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Fletcher Cox.
Each one of these players is capable of making big plays, but Cox is easily the best of the bunch. Cox finished his season with 5.5 sacks and 26 tackles, great numbers for a defensive tackle. What doesn’t show up on the stat sheet is how many plays he single-handedly ruins. Cox dominates double teams and can clog a running lane all by himself, allowing other players to make the easy tackle for a minimal gain. His presence on the field cannot be overstated. Outside of the Los Angeles Rams Aaron Donald, there may not be a better defensive tackle in the league.
New England’s offensive line will be tasked with stopping a ferocious defensive line for the second straight week. After an uneven start to the season, the unit has performed admirably as the year has gone on. While each lineman will have their hands full, the one to watch for is guard Shaq Mason.
Mason is one of the better guards in the league, and he will likely be responsible for blocking Cox most of the game. He’s an above average pass blocker but is nearly unparalleled as a run blocker. This is the ultimate matchup of strength on strength and will go a long way in determining if New England can run the ball effectively. – David Latham
Patriots Wide Receivers and Tight Ends vs. Eagles Defensive Backs
The Patriots receiving core is led by tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receivers Brandin Cooks, Danny Amendola, and Chris Hogan. Other than Gronkowski the Patriots do not have a lot of size to go against the Eagles secondary. The Eagles cornerbacks are Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills. The safeties are Pro Bowler Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod. Gronkowski’s health status remains a question for New England going into Super Bowl LII. If he can’t go, then Dwayne Allen will be the tight end. I expect Gronkowski to be ready to go on Sunday and be a matchup nightmare for the Eagles. The question for Philadelphia is who will cover Gronkowski on Sunday. Malcolm Jenkins will likely cover Gronkowski and it will be a huge challenge for him.
Amendola will be a big factor on third down against the Eagles and will be a huge part of the offense. Brandin Cooks will once again be the Tom Brady’s deep threat and will get his typical deep targets for the game. He is expected to be covered by either Darby or Mills. Chris Hogan hasn’t seen a ton of action in recent weeks, but he is due for a big game. Phillip Dorsett could see some action Sunday, and Kenny Britt is still an unknown for the big game. Even though they are undersized, expect the Patriots receivers to have the advantage for Super Bowl LII. – Travis Byrd
Stephen Gostkowski vs. Jake Elliott
After the performance that Nick Foles put on last week, it will be hard to guess which Eagles team shows up in Minnesota. It will also be difficult to predict which Patriots defense takes the field on Sunday. Given this lack of predictability and the Patriots flair for dramatic wins, this game could wind up being won or lost on the legs of Stephen Gostkowski and Jake Elliott. Elliott turned heads early in the season by booting a 61-yarder as a rookie. His 61 yards gives him the second-longest field goal of the 2017 regular season. The longest field goal of 2017? A 62-yarder off the leg of Gostkowski.
The veteran kicker crushed 37 of his 40 field goal attempts this season and only missed between 40 and 49 yards. Elliott, on the other hand, made only 29 of 34 during the regular season. Three of those five misses came from between 30 and 39 yards out. Both kickers have been perfect throughout the postseason, but on the game’s biggest stage, give me the guy who’s been here before for the game-winner. – Steve McGuire
New England Patriots vs. Everybody
The Patriots are appearing in their tenth Super Bowl. No other team in the NFL can boast as many appearances as New England. Unfortunately, the Pittsburgh Steelers still hold the record for Super Bowls won (six). The Patriots are undoubtedly the most dominant team in the NFL over the last 18 years, captained by the greatest quarterback ever to take the field. To march into Minnesota and claim their sixth Super Bowl victory would make this Sunday, to quote Robert Kraft, “unequivocally the sweetest.”
For many players, this game could be their career redemption. Brandin Cooks has never won a Super Bowl. Neither have Stephon Gilmore or Rex Burkhead. These were players on teams that had little chance of making the playoffs, much less winning the Super Bowl, before they came to New England. Burkhead wasn’t a star player. Neither was Phillip Dorsett. Add Eric Lee to that list, too. But come Sunday night, these players get to erase their histories and prove, both to themselves and their former teams, that they are world championship-caliber.
Speculation about the stability of the franchise and the future of Tom Brady has circled Gillette Stadium like a kettle of vultures, eager to pick at the bones of the much-despised franchise. Conspiracy theories about cheating and collusion, unfounded as they may be, have tried to wedge themselves into the gears of the unstoppable machine Bill Belichick has built in Foxboro. With a win on Sunday, the Patriots take their rightful place as the best franchise in the NFL, despite the growing uproar against them. – Steve McGuire
Super Bowl LII will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 4th at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.
Main Photo:Embed from Getty Images
