Alright, y’all, it is almost time for Super Bowl 52! The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots kick off at 3:30 p.m. PT live from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The game will air on NBC, with Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth in the broadcast booth, and Michele Tafoya on the sideline. The game will stream live at NBC Sports. The Patriots are once again the favorite in this game, with oddsmakers installing them as 4.5 point favorites, according to Odds Shark. The point total is set at 48.
The spread is not huge on this game, and yet it has that David vs. Goliath feel. The Patriots are looking to win their sixth Lombardi Trophy, while the Eagles have been underdogs every playoff game thanks to Carson Wentz’s torn ACL. The Eagles were the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but the loss of Wentz made the underdog status a fairly logical result. And yet, they have won both their playoff games to advance to the precipice of a one-time seemingly unlikely Lombardi Trophy.
This is a tough game to call in some ways. It’s the third Super Bowl in which both teams ranked in the top five in points scored and fewest points allowed. And yet, the Eagles are a decidedly different team right now than they were for most of the season. Nick Foles took over in Week 15 and put together a solid game against the New York Giants. He struggled in Week 16 against the Oakland Raiders, and then sat in Week 17 as the Eagles had clinched home field. He returned come playoff time, and has been sharp enough to get the job done.
The final injury reports arrived Friday afternoon and were entirely empty. Both players had some names on the practice participation report. Most notably, Eagles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan sat out Wednesday and Thursday’s practices due to an illness. He was a full participant on Friday, however.
Patriots injury report
Wednesday: LIMITED - CB Malcolm Butler (illness), TE Rob Gronkowski (concussion), S Brandon King (knee), DE Deatrich Wise (concussion)
Thursday: FULL - CB Malcolm Butler (illness), TE Rob Gronkowski (concussion), S Brandon King (knee), DE Deatrich Wise (concussion)
Friday: NONE
Eagles injury report
Wednesday: FULL - RB Jay Ajayi (ankle), DT Fletcher Cox (calf), LB Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring); DNP - DT Timmy Jernigan (illness)
Thursday: FULL - RB Jay Ajayi (ankle), DT Fletcher Cox (calf), LB Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring); DNP - DT Timmy Jernigan (illness)
Friday: FULL - RB Jay Ajayi (ankle), DT Fletcher Cox (calf), LB Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring), DT Timmy Jernigan (illness)
Here are some random tidbits about both teams, courtesy of the NFL game capsule PDF:
I want to see the Eagles win this game, but I’m going with Goliath. Nick Foles has played well in the playoffs, but one has to wonder if he comes back to earth today. The Patriots defense is not exactly stellar, but they played better later in the season than the earlier. I could see the Eagles taking an early lead, but I have a feeling Foles comes back to earth on the biggest stage. I’ll go with a 34-20 Patriots win.
Down below are all the nuts and bolts for Super Bowl 52. It kicks off at 3:30 p.m. PT following Pink’s rendition of the National Anthem. Given the longer halftime show, the game will likely clock in at close to four hours. As for predictions, check out NN staff picks.
What you need to know
When: Sunday, Feb. 4, 3:30 p.m. PT
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Radio: Westwood One Sports ( Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Mike Holmgren, Tony Boselli, Ed Werder)
Online: NBC Sports | NFL Mobile (iOS / Android), Yahoo Sports (iOS / Android) apps.
Odds: Patriots -4.5, 48
Halftime show: Justin Timberlake
Referee: Gene Steratore
SB Nation blog: Pats Pulpit | Bleeding Green Nation