The NFL betting season is in its final week as Super Bowl LII is scheduled to be held this US sportsbook betting weekend. Unsurprisingly, the New England Patriots have made their way to yet another NFL title game. However, it is surprising to see that the Philadelphia Eagles have risen to challenge them on the biggest stage in pro football – with a backup quarterback that is. With the Super Bowl scheduled to be held this weekend, there’s plenty of best online sportsbook info to cover before Sunday’s action.
One particular area players will want to break down involves the matchup between the Patriots’ offense the Birds’ defense. Judging by how last year’s Super Bowl betting ended; New England making an unprecedented comeback late in the game, knowing how well Philadelphia can deter Tom Brady is integral to successfully predicting this year’s Super Bowl. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at just how well the Eagles’ defense matches up against one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Tom Brady & New England’s Offense
Every US sportsbook player in the world knows that it’s not a good idea to bet against Tom Brady. Over the span of his lengthy career, Brady has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to compete at the highest level of the game. So, going off of that, we can expect to see a cool-headed Brady this Sunday, who has an intimate knowledge of the opponent’s defense.
The only problem is that Brady needs playmakers to get some points on the board. And his favorite, Rob Gronkowski, is still an uncertainty for this Sunday’s game, since the tight end is still submerged in the middle of a concussion protocol. If Gronk is absent from the starting lineup, there’s no question the Pats’ offense will suffer.
Overall, New England finished this year’s season ranked No. 2 in scoring, No. 1 in total offense, 2nd in passing and 10th in rushing. Those are some eye-raising numbers, and it’ll definitely be difficult to contain them this weekend. Even if Gronk is out, expect Brady to connect often with Danny Amendola, Brady’s second favorite target.
Chris Long & Philadelphia’s Defense
Chris Long, a grizzled NFL veteran, is one of the leaders of the Eagles’ defense. Behind his efforts, the Eagles finished the regular season with the NFL’s 4th best defense (points allowed), 4th best total defense, 17th best pass defense and No. 1 defense against the run. So, with these figures in mind, what chance do the Birds stand of shutting down the Pats’ O?
With a little bit of luck, the Eagles should be able to get the Pats off the field a handful of times. The key lies in the Eagles’ top-ranked run defense. Sure, the first thing that comes to mind when you’re trying to stop Brady is having a good pass defense. But if you’re able to completely shut down the Pats’ running game, you’ll make their offense one-dimensional – which is much easier to contain.
US sportsbooks know this comes into play with the aforementioned concussion Gronk is dealing with. If Gronk isn’t able to play, Brady will be quasi-limited. Take away No. 12’s running game, and you might just be able to fluster the legend.
Take a look at the odds NFL bookies are giving the Eagles this Sunday down below:
Super Bowl LII – Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots
- Date & Time: Sunday, February 4th || 6:30 pm ET
- Venue: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- TV Broadcast: NBC
- Online Stream: NBC Extra, NFL Game Pass
- Online NFL Betting Lines:
- Philadelphia Eagles +4 ½ (-115) 48 (-105) +170
- New England Patriots -4 ½ (-105) 48 (-115) -200
The above listed odds hail from GTBets sportsbook, one of best NFL betting sites to hit up when betting on Super Bowl LII. GTBets is known for separating themselves from the competition by offering extremely competitive lines, especially on this year’s Super Bowl betting action. Feel free to check out our online sports betting review on GTBets in order to get a comprehensive look at the ins and outs of this vetted sportsbook.
