NFL Super Bowl 51 Betting Preview and Analysis

The Super Bowl is upon us once again and with the New England Patriots, to nobody’s surprise, claiming the NFC with a comfortable win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons making quick work of the Green Bay Packers in the AFC, our final bout is set. They have been the two dominant teams of the Playoffs and as they prepare for Super Bowl 51, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered before you place your bet.

The Falcons have been the highest scoring team all season and have been almost impossible to contain. They average 33.8 points per game, which is the seventh highest season average in NFL history and the best since 2013. Quarterback Matt Ryan will probably win the league’s MVP award for this year and considering he’s already gone head-to-head and beaten both Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson this post-season, his form is white-hot. They’re also in the top five this season for rushing yards with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman proving lethal options for the offense, combining for 21 touchdowns this season. As if that weren’t enough, the Falcons also have arguably the best wide receiver in the competition with Julio Jones. The Patriots will probably go to cornerback Logan Ryan with help from a safety to combat him. They’ve shown they can quell the opposition’s best weapon so far in the playoffs, holding Antonio Brown to 77 yards and minimal influence last week.

Verdict: You can’t stop the Falcons’ offense completely, but if any team can hold them at bay, it’s the Patriots. The Falcons KO’d Green Bay before half time last week and they have the power to do that again against New England if they get going early.

Last week, Atlanta’s defence showed they can hang in the post-season against the best teams. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a decent second half, but the Falcons were able to keep them scoreless to half time and considering how potent the Falcons’ offense is, if the defence can produce results like that, they’re almost unstoppable. However, Tom Brady is a completely different type of quarterback to Aaron Rodgers and with Julian Edelman at his disposal, the Falcons will probably sit a bit further back in defence and not blitz as much as they did against the Packers.

Verdict: Brady could be the difference in this game. It’s hard to see the Falcons having an answer for him if he gets going, which he usually does. Even the Texans’ highly rated defence conceded 34 points in the Divisional Round.

As clichéd as it sounds, this game will probably be determined by which team gets to play on their own terms and no team is better at that than New England. Even in what will probably be a high scoring contest, the Falcons’ defence might prove to be the chink in the armour. It might come down to something as simple as this. The Falcons are the worst team in the competition at stopping yards after catches and the Patriots are ranked third in taking yards after catches. The Falcons are going to need a lot to go right to claim SB51.

Score Prediction: New England 28 – Atlanta 21

Best Australian Bookmaker Odds:

New England to win: $1.67 at William Hill

Atlanta to win: $2.30 at CrownBet

First touchdown scorer Chris Hogan: $17 at Sportsbet