Wide World of Women

13 years ago, these two teams met in the Super Bowl; a close affair won by the Patriots, giving NE their third championship. After a crazy 2017 season, it all comes down to these two teams again, though the cast has changed in most cases. Instead of Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens, there's Nick Foles and Alshon Jeffery. It was because of Carson Wentz's injury that many didn't think that the top-seeded Eagles would even get this far, but Philly made being an "underdog" work for them; beating last year's NFC Champions, the Falcons, in the Divisional Playoff, and later blasting the Vikings in the NFC Championship to reach the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history.

The Patriots, even though they were handed this, are in the Super Bowl for the tenth time in franchise history, defeating the Titans and Jaguars to get this far. They definitely are fortunate to be in such a terrible conference, because they would never get this far if they were in the NFC. Nevertheless, the Patriots are one win away from tying the Steelers for first place in Super Bowl wins with six, and becoming the first team to win back to back SBs since the Patriots won SBs XXXVIII and XXXIX. Will they do it, though? I say no. The Eagles are on a mission, and that mission will see the City of Brotherly love celebrate their first pro sports championship in a decade.

Prediction: Eagles by 6

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NFL Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz said it best on the Golic and Wingo morning show, Wednesday on ESPN Radio:

"My heart is with Philadelphia, but my mind tells me it is New England."

Unless the Eagles defense consistently gets pressure on Tom Brady, I just don't see anything stopping him from possibly extending his record to Super Bowl MVP awards with five. Albeit the Eagles run defense is pretty solid, could anyone get a hand in his face--at least once a series to keep things close? Even if Rob Gronkowski is cleared off concussion protocol, look for Danny Almendola to take on the role Deion Branch did when he won MVP honors the last time these teams met on the world's grandest stage.

In this kind of high pressure environment, penalties and turnovers plus should go a long way to deciding the outcome.

Which team will take advantage of the opponents' mistakes? Those factors, along with key intangibles--will go a long way to determining the winner of this Super Bowl.

As for the Eagles offense, Nick Foles would have to replicate his performance from the NFC Championship to have a chance. Unlike Donovan McNabb who cherry picked with Terrell Owens (playing on one bad leg and would have been MVP had the Eagles won that day in Jacksonville), Las Vegas oddsmakers started the Patriots off as 5 1/2 point favorites, then increased to 6 1/2 before both teams touched down in the Twin Cities. Wikipedia still says the defending champs are 5 1/2 point favorites, and Philadelphia relishes being in the underdog role.

Even Mike Golic, Jr. said on Friday morning that the Patriots should have a comfortable lead before the Eagles storm back to make it close. Similar to SB XXIX and XXXIX, a member of the defense will make a game saving play. He predicted a final score of Patriots 27, Eagles 21. I expect it will be close as well.

Eagles 41, Patriots 33

Good triumphs over evil! The Eagles win their first Super Bowl Championship in franchise history.

Unbelievable game from start to finish.
Similar to the New York Giants finish in Indianapolis in 2012, it came down to an incomplete Tom Brady Hail Mary pass in the end zone.

And what I did say about Nick Foles--he did the things he had to do to keep his team not only competitive, but even after all of those missed extra points and 2 point converts made some key plays to keep the Patriots at arm's length.

They join the 1983 Washington Redskins in terms of getting revenge from a Super Bowl game they lost the first time around. Washington lost in Miami's perfect season ten years before in SB VII. We all know about New England's defense saving the night in SB XXXIX, and 13 years later--revenge is sweet in the land of Xfinity, cheesesteaks, and Rocky Balboa.

To the victors go all of the spoils. Philadelphia fans simply deserve it.

With last night's win, the NFC East became the first of the eight divisions to have all Super Bowl Champions. The division has racked up a grand total of 13 Super Bowls (Dallas 5, Giants 4, Washington 3, Philadelphia 1)

Brady is now 1-3 vs the NFC East in Super Bowls.

It was the Eagles' first championship since their 17-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship.

It was Philadelphia's first overall sports championship since the Phillies won the World Series in 2008. Last night was the city's third chance since then; the 2009 World Series was the first (lost to the Yankees in six), and the 2010 Stanley Cup Final was the second (lost to the Blackhawks in six).

With last night's win, Philadelphia became the fifth city to have won all four major championships (NBA Championship, World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup), joining Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Boston.