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This shouldn’t shock anyone, but NFL Experts are all-in on the New England Patriots beating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 52 for their sixth Super Bowl title in franchise history, and their second straight championship.
Like most Philadelphia fans, and many across the NFL landscape, they are left with thoughts of “What if Carson Wentz were healthy?”
Indeed, if Wentz were healthy and starting this game, you would be seeing a tremendous matchup between two teams who certainly have the pedigree to back up playing on the NFL’s largest stage.
Nick Foles, however? Meh, not so much.
Foles proved in the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings he is capable, but the Super Bowl is a unique beast. Mistakes are magnified, and anything but a four quarter performance likely means your team will be watching the opponent hoist the Lombardi trophy — just ask the Atlanta Falcons.
So, the experts are banking on the Patriots, who are 4.5-point favorites in Super Bowl 52, to win this game. How many experts are leaning towards New England? Our friends at NFL Pick Watch, a website which calculates and tabulates all expert picks across the internet and compiles them into one chart, has 74-percent of experts taking Tom Brady and the boys.
I, nor anyone else who follows the NFL, is shocked by this at all, but what is perplexing is the high percentage. To me, it is a proverbial slap-in-the-face of a very good Philadelphia defense, anchored by Fletcher Cox. When you look at the past struggles of Brady and company in the Super Bowl, it has been a defensive front which has wreaked havoc in the New England backfield.
Philadelphia has that kind of defensive front.
Nonetheless, I guess when it comes to the old adage of “Defense wins championship”, the experts are going with the offense. Is there an upset in the works? Possibly, but the experts aren’t buying it.