The Patriots have reached the Super Bowl for the third time in four years, while the Eagles haven’t been since the 2004 season.
A preview of the Super Bowl LII matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots
When: Sunday, Feb. 4,6:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Injuries: With two weeks between the championship round and Super Bowl LII, both teams should be at or near full strength. The one player likely to draw the most scrutiny is Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, who took a helmet-to-helmet blow from Jaguars S Barry Church on Sunday and never returned to the game.
New England QB Tom Brady appeared virtually unaffected by his four-day-old hand laceration against Jacksonville. And though Eagles QB Nick Foles needed X-rays on his ribs Sunday evening, per reports, he seems to have escaped any serious injury.
1. Pressure point: The Eagles’ deep and relentless front four only sacked Minnesota’s Case Keenum once Sunday but hit the quarterback eight times on a day he threw two INTs. Brady was sacked three times and hit seven by a Jacksonville defensive line that’s probably even more acclaimed than Philadelphia’s. However Brady shrugged off the heat, especially after halftime, when his pair of fourth-quarter TD throws proved fatal to the Jags’ Super Bowl aspirations. Starting inside with DT Fletcher Cox, Philly has the talent to make Brady uncomfortable, very often the key to beating him. However the four-time Super Bowl MVP has the intermediate weapons and hair-trigger release to negate the Eagles’ rush, plus the experience to pick apart a young group of corners. This may be the defining matchup of Super Bowl LII.
2. Will Eagles fly? The Vikings essentially dared Eagles QB Nick Foles to beat them. With 352 yards and three TDs through the air, he did. The next question is how will New England attack Philadelphia’s offense? Foles hasn’t committed a turnover in the playoffs, and his postseason efficiency is through the roof (122.1 QB rating). It might be worth focusing the game plan on him given the Patriots’ built-in familiarity with Eagles RBs LeGarrette Blount, who spent most of the previous four years in Foxborough, and Jay Ajayi, an ex-Dolphin. The Pats will surrender yards on the ground, but only one team allowed fewer rushing TDs than their six in 2017.
3. The big stage: Foles will be making his fourth playoff start in Super Bowl LII, while Brady makes his eighth Super Bowl appearance. The Patriots have reached the Super Bowl for the third time in four years, while the Eagles haven’t been since the 2004 season, when, incidentally, they lost to New England. Philly has a veteran coaching staff, headed by Doug Pederson, who continues to earn renown as one of the NFL’s cagiest play callers, and sharp defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. But it’s tough not to think they’re at a disadvantage going against such an experienced team and group of assistants, including two coordinators, Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, who have been in their roles since 2012.
