In the beginning of the 2017 season, if you were to tell any football analyst that the Super Bowl matchup would be the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots, they would laugh in your face. After an untimely sequence of events for the Eagles, all bets were off for their chances in the playoffs, or what it seems like.

Carson Wentz threw for 3,296 yards in the 2017 season, along with 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Along with his big play making ability, he gave the Eagles offense an “X” factor from the helm. Using his feet to get away from ensuing defenders gave his receivers more time to get away from their match ups.

When it comes to the weapons around Wentz for the entirety of the season, two of the biggest pickups reside in LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi. Giving the Eagles a “two-headed monster”, the defense has to adapt early in the game. Relatively young receivers give the Eagles a slight edge over their opponents as well, due to the fact that the speed and agility that they possess allowed them to rack up 3,967 receiving yards throughout the regular season.

Just when Eagles fans thought everything was going their way, Carson Wentz went down with an apparent lower body injury during a week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Originally the team reported his diagnosis as an ACL tear, but was later found to be an LCL tear as well. With an injury that kept him out for the rest of the season, Nick Foles was chosen to step up and fill in the gap that Wentz left. Foles has done just that, winning four of the five games as a starter.

Switching over to the historical powerhouse in the National Football League (NFL), the New England Patriots have reached their eighth Super Bowl since 2001, and it just so happens that Tom Brady has been with the team for every single one of those.

Brady, conversely to Wentz, is not one to extend plays with his legs outside the pocket, but uses his eyes to move defenders away from his targets. Outscoring their 2017 opponents 458-296, head coach Bill Belichick knows what to call for his veteran gunslinger.

Throughout the season, you could tell that Brady makes the athletes around him better. Right when the play seems blown up, Brady steps up in the pocket, and delivers a bomb right into the bread basket of his intended target.

With these factors in mind, this game will surely impress all who tune in. My prediction for the game will be a big first half for the Eagles, but a second half surge will propel the Patriots to their sixth Super Bowl ring for the franchise.

Final Score: 28-24.