So how do you like our chances?

[ChessToCheckers]

Both teams are excellent and playing well. I'm taking the under. I think the defenses will slow both teams down. IMO, Brady is better than Ryan and our defense is better than theirs. Our ability to adjust in-game is better than any team. Pats win #5!

Go Pats!.

 

[IllegalContact]

the question should be 'what is the chance the pats cough up a hairball?'

because if they don't and simply execute, they will dispose of the falcons easily

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Felt good vs the steelers & feel good about this one too.
Two excellent offenses, Falcons may be better on offense and we have a better defense.
I expect coaching to be the difference maker.

 

[PatsDeb]

Both teams are excellent and playing well. I'm taking the under. I think the defenses will slow both teams down. IMO, Brady is better than Ryan and our defense is better than theirs. Our ability to adjust in-game is better than any team. Pats win #5!

Go Pats!.

This is how I feel. I would also emphasize our superior coaching. I think part of the reason that BB likes this team so much is that they are eminently "coachable" and are able to carry out the coaches' instructions to the letter. I am liking our chances!! Go Patriots!

 

[yopats]

I'm confident in our team and coaches however I do feel like we are taking this Falcons team a tad bit lightly.

1. Their Def is vastly improved the second half of the season.
2. Their Offense will be the toughest challenge we have faced all year by a long shot.
3. Intimate knowledge of our system by Dimitroff and Pioli
4. They are playing lights out right now.
5. Shanahan offenses have been notoriously tough to stop for BB.
6. It's a 3 point spread. Given the context of BB/Brady and our 9th SB appearance that should say quite a bit.

We are going to need to play our best game and have many counters to this game. I can't wait to see guys like Elandon Roberts, Trey Flowers, Dion Lewis and Martellius Bennet have breakout games to bring us another SB.

 

[XLIX]

If the Patriots avoid turnovers, they win the game.

 

[qbno12]

If Falcons don't pressure Brady like '07, '11 Giants did, we have a good chance. But I feel they will find a way to get to Brady and hit him as much as they can. With his experience in big games, Brady has seen it all. I hope he has a heck of game with no turnovers.

Edit :: Brady is still capable of putting us in a position to win the game even if he turns the ball over like he did with Seahawks. I hope we can avoid being in a similar situation with Falcons as their offense is much more capable of putting up points than Seahawks were.

 

[pazrul72]

It depends as always who plays how for instances of both teams play their A game I think the pats win. If the pats play a B game while the falcons play their A they win. So while we are the better overall team and I think they will be more focused and ready to play their best all it takes is not paying attention for a play or two to flip the script against a hungry opponent. So I would say if they played 10 times I think the pats win 6

 

[mosslost]

I'm a pessimist to the extreme. In general, not specifically for this game. That side of me sees the defense being exposed and the OL being iffy here and there enough to stop enough drives to lose.

That said, Bill and Matty P. know their stuff enough to slow this Atlanta offense down and the YAC numbers on both sides for both teams are encouraging. We are a far more experienced team (players and coaches) and the HC and QB have, almost literally, seen everything; they'll be so prepared. So I'm confident but, damn it, I'm a pessimistic at heart.

You are also just plain wrong about the defense.

 

[everlong]

Football Outsiders has us at 58.6% to win compared to Atlanta's 41.4%.

If the turnover differential is zero I think that's about right.

If Brady isn't sacked, knocked down or pressured on a significant percent of the snap count my confidence goes up to 75%.

If I could be guaranteed there's no fluky catch with under two minutes to play my confidence goes up to 99%.

 

[chasa]

you're all just trying to get me to reveal my predict the score score. well im not going to do it.

 

[yopats]

Hot takes from Mike Lombardi

 

[SlowGettingUp]

538 has it as Pats 61% to win the game:

2016 NFL Predictions

They basically give each team a rating that changes based on the rating of the other teams they play and the results of the games. (Same ELO system as chess ratings, although the ratings themselves are much lower representing the increased element of chance in football vs. chess). 100 point rating spread means a 2/3 chance of winning.

 

[djs617]

I would type more on this board but my phone is half broken and it's hard to see it as I'm reading. all I know is I'll be doing the same thing I've done all year I'll be right next to my stepfather watching the game standing when times are rough and sitting when we're dominating. I haven't seen much of the Falcons this year but read a lot and it still leaves me unsure. . know it'll be a hell of a game and based on past Super Bowls as close as they were worries me against a good offense and the fact that it's number five we're going after. what do you guys think if we don't get it this year (knock on wood) how many more years do we have a chance to hit number 5

 

[Patstopia]

My biggest problem with this game is that I don't hate Atlanta like I do most of the NFC playoff teams!

If it wasn't the Pats they were playing I would root for the Falcons.

That being said, I would go with the 60/40 Pats. Still OK this week, but next week the nerves will set in and by game time it will 50/50 for me.

 

[goheels22002]

The Falcons haven't been in the playoffs in 4 years. Atlanta Falcons Playoff History | Pro-Football-Reference.com


The distractions of these two weeks are enormous. Family, friends, media, parties, endorsements, temptations. We saw what this did to a good Eagles team.

This is Dan Quinn's 2nd year in his first head coaching job at any level. He was defensive coordinator under Pete Carroll for the two Seattle Super Bowl runs in 2013-2014. But he could focus on the defense and let Pete handle all the distractions of the media and the owners and all that.

For the Patriots, this is another day at the office. They know how to manage their time. They know how to handle the distractions. They know how to prepare. Almost half the team knows how to win this game. And, they're healthy.

I like the Patriots in a relatively high-scoring game to win and cover.

 

[sambam94]

This game is really not that hard to break down. You have the 2nd best offense in the league, led by a QB who will be playing in his 7th SB VS an average at best defense. You also have the #1 offense vs the @1 scoring defense. Add that up and you have a Pats victory.