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Outside of Philadelphia, most analysts and fans believe that the New England Patriots will win a sixth Super Bowl this coming Sunday against the Eagles. Still, Tom Brady isn't convinced that his team, or any team in the big game, should be considered the favorite.
Las Vegas currently has the Patriots as 4.5-point favorites over the Eagles, but at the Super Bowl's Opening Night on Monday, Brady declared that there are “no underdogs in the Super Bowl.”
None other than our own @WillieMcGinest got Tom Brady’s first interview of the night!
On facing the Eagles: “There’s no underdogs in the Super Bowl.”
📺: #SBOpeningNight https://t.co/EkPGPblTlV
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 30, 2018
“They're well-coached, I think they're good in all three phrases. They play complimentary games. I mean, there's no underdogs in the Super Bowl. They're the first seed in the NFC, they're 13-3. They had an incredible season, so I don't buy into any of that.”
Former New England linebacker Willie McGinest, who won three Super Bowls alongside Brady, compared this Eagles team to the 2001 Patriots who upset the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. When that game kicked off, the Rams and their Greatest Show on Turf offense were 14-point favorites over the upstart Patriots.
Brady didn't comment on that comparison, instead focusing on he and his teammates' approach against the Eagles while complimenting what they accomplished.
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When Carson Wentz went down with a torn ACL, most pundits wrote Philadelphia off. Nick Foles didn't light up the scoreboard immediately after taking over as the starter, but the Eagles used a punished running game and their swarming defense to clinch the top seed in the NFC.
In the playoffs, the Eagles were underdogs at home against both the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC title game. On both occasions, the defense created havoc, and against Minnesota, Foles took his game to another level to seal the victory. Offensive tackle took the underdog mantra to another level by putting on a dog mask following the win over Atlanta, leading to many Eagles fans following suit.
If the Eagles pull out the victory in the 52nd edition of the Super Bowl, Fletcher Cox believes it will be because their defensive front managed to pressure Brady and make him feel uncomfortable. Justin Tuck, who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants over the Patriots, agreed with that sentiment given that the G-Men used a similar strategy to stifle Brady for his only two losses on this stage.
If New England's offensive line is able to protect Brady and move the ball on the ground, it could be a long day for the Eagles as they attempt to win the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
