Yea - lost in the "eagles defense is awesome", is that they are awesome at home. last 4 games they've been light out, yea - but they've all been at home. They do give up more on the road, and we won't have home field in MN.Brady will get his. This game will come down, in my opinion, the Foles and the Eagles offense - can they put together the 6 minute drives when it matters? Can Foles deal with whatever wrinkle Belicheck comes up with for this game?
There’s also something to be said for momentum, familiarity & “the eye test”.
Take familiarity first. Eli & the Giants would seem to be far more familiar with the Eagles than most teams. The Patriots maybe not so much.
Arguably both teams have momentum - after all, they’re both in the Super Bowl. But one comment that came up again and again during the PHI/MIN game at the party I went to last week was how the Eagles were playing like their heads were on fire. Pats came on late, as they do...but the desperation comeback, however romanticized as “what the pats do”; is still a more difficult win than say, playing dominantly, controlling the clock, etc. I get the Patriots mystique for their come from behind wins, but can that be relied upon against what’s looked like a formidable defense?
Which leads me to the eye test. To my eye, the Eagles look like the better team. They’re swarming the ball. They’ll make Brady uncomfortable - and as some have pointed out, Brady will have some success against that. And he’ll at times struggle against that. I’d say most here would agree on this.
In my opinion, what this game comes down to is the question of whether or not the Pats defense can do the same to Foles & the Eagles offense. Can the Pats put pressure on Foles? Can they slow the run game’s 3-headed monster? Can they stop Jeffery & Smith from getting behind their secondary? Can they stop the bubble screens & short & intermediate passing?
I’ve watched a lot of Pats football. Their defense is underrated. But they don’t get much pressure on opposing QBs. Their secondary isn’t particularly opportunistic.
Hey; maybe I’m way off - I watch football, i make observations. They’re not always right - i’m not psychic.
I will say this: if the Eagles get a defensive touchdown, they win this game. And of the two teams, I’d be willing to bet that it’s the Eagles who are more likely to force a turnover.
Time will tell. Hard to bet against Brady, but man - this eagles team has some mojo. This version of the Pats seems like they keep pulling rabbits out of their hat. That’s a tough way to keep winning. Maybe they’ve got one more bunny in there...maybe not.
