Super Bowl 52 has finally arrived, and we here at ESNY have some ideas as to how it’s all going to shake out.
It’s one of the best—and worst—days of the year. Football’s marquee event, the Super Bowl, has finally arrived.
The bad news: Super Bowl Sunday marks the end of the NFL season, and the start of the long, painful march towards September when meaningful football starts again.
The good news: It’s Super Bowl Sunday! We drink adult beverages, stuff our faces like it’s Thanksgiving, place some friendly (or not-so-friendly wagers) and try come up with a clever excuse to get out of work on Monday, with the hope that we didn’t use the same one last year.
Super Bowl Sunday is also a perfect time for all of us to throw on our prognostication hats and make some predictions as to how things will shake out between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night.
ESNY Staff Picks, Predictions
| Writer | Pick | Final Score | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Case |  | 21-10 | Danny Amendola |
| Russell Baxter | | 27-23 | Brandin Cooks |
| Justin Birnbaum | | 27-13 | Tom Brady |
| Joshua Casper | | 27-17 | Tom Brady |
| Nick Delahanty | | 27-24 | Tom Brady |
| Lawrence Doto |  | 27-17 | Nelson Agholor |
| Paul Esden | | 29-27 | Jay Ajayi |
| Anthony Gallo | | 34-21 | Malcolm Jenkins |
| Alex Jordan | | 38-14 | Tom Brady |
| Ricky Keeler | | 27-24 | Tom Brady |
| Mark Kelly | | 24-20 | Tom Brady |
| Geoff Magliocchetti | | 30-21 | Tom Brady |
| Ryan Morik | | 31-27 | Nick Foles |
| Bryan Pol | | 27-20 | Tom Brady |
| Robbie Stratakos | | 31-30 | Tom Brady |
| Benny Tomko | | 28-27 | Brandon Graham |
| Mike Vivalo | | 23-20 | Tom Brady |
| Rick Weiner | | 21-17 | Tom Brady |
Russell Baxter, Senior Writer
Final Score: Patriots 27, Eagles 23
MVP: Brandin Cooks
There’s been a lot made about the Patriots’ first-quarter issues in their recent Super Bowl appearances. But how’s this for a twist? Tom Brady tests those Eagles’ cornerbacks early and often with the help of Brandin Cooks. And this time around, New England holds off a late rally by Doug Pederson‘s club and wins its third Super Bowl in four years…again.
Justin Birnbaum, Staff Writer
Final Score: Patriots 27, Eagles 13
MVP: Tom Brady
Unless Carson Wentz plans on making a heroic return to the field on Sunday—he can’t—this game is all New England. Philly has the superior defense, but that’s not a problem for the greatest quarterback to ever step foot on the gridiron. Look for Brady’s new favorite target, Danny Amendola, to have a big game.
Allison Case, Managing Editor
Final Score: Patriots 21, Eagles 10
MVP: Danny Amendola
It’s the underdogs vs. the Patriots, just like it is in every game. Nick Foles has been running a hot streak but that luck will end when they face off against Tom Brady and his crew. Sure, the Eagles have a lot of momentum but I don’t foresee them stopping the Pats and their myriad of offensive weapons.
Joshua Casper, Contributor
Final Score: Patriots 27, Eagles 17
MVP: Tom Brady
Belichick, Brady and the Patriots will capitalize on their experience and sustain unprecedented, underappreciated success. Love or hate them, win or lose, what they’ve accomplished is remarkable.
Nick Delahanty, Contributor
Final Score: Patriots 27, Eagles 24
MVP: Tom Brady
Lawrence Doto, Staff Writer
Final Score: Eagles 27, Patriots 17
MVP- Nelson Agholor
I’m an Eagles fan, who else would I pick?
Paul Esden, Jets Boss
Final Score: Eagles 29, Patriots 27
MVP: Jay Ajayi
Every Super Bowl in the 21st century (eight) for the New England Patriots has come down to the wire, why would 2018 be different? For the folks saying this is going to be a blowout are psychotic. This will be another classic with a running back—Jay Ajayi—winning Super Bowl MVP for the first time since 1998 (Terrell Davis) and for only the eighth time in history after he runs for 171 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
Anthony Gallo, Contributor
Final Score: Eagles 34, Patriots 21
MVP: Malcolm Jenkins
Alex Jordan, Staff Writer
Final Score: Patriots 38, Eagles 14
MVP: Tom Brady
The Philadelphia Eagles will try but won’t come close to beating the Patriots. Tom Brady will be the star of the show for the Patriots as their Super Bowl dominance continues with a second straight Super Bowl title.
Ricky Keeler, St. John’s Boss
Final Score: Patriots 27, Eagles 24
MVP: Tom Brady
Like every other Patriots Super Bowl, don’t be surprised if this game comes down to the last couple of drives. While the Eagles have the pass rush that can frustrate Brady, watch for the Patriots to use running backs James White, Rex Burkhead, and Dion Lewis to try to make those screen passes turn into big yardage if Philly can limit the big plays from Rob Gronkowski.
Nick Foles should have a good game, but there’s one stat to keep in mind going into this game. The Patriots defense has not forced a turnover since the Duron Harmon‘s Week 15 interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you believe a defense is due, this would be it. If they can take the deep ball away from Foles and force him to check down, there could be a turnover or two that changes field position.
In the end, it is hard to pick against Tom Brady on a big stage like this. Well, unless the opponent is Eli Manning and the opposing coach is Tom Coughlin. With the Pats down 24-20, Brady throws a touchdown to Danny Amendola on the final drive to give New England their sixth Super Bowl title.
Mark Kelly, Staff Writer
Final Score: Patriots 24, Eagles 20
MVP: Tom Brady
Brady and Belichick will win their sixth Super Bowl, tying them with the Steelers for most in NFL history.
I see the game being a tightly contested battle with the Eagles holding a 20-10 lead halfway through the fourth quarter. Brady will lead them to two touchdowns in the final 5:42 and Belichick’s defense, which has routinely let him down in the last minutes of the Super Bowl, will create a huge turnover after the Patriots score to make in 20-17 and after they take the lead with 1:41 remaining.
This will cement Brady and Bill as the best-ever head coach/player duo. They will now be 28-9 in the postseason along with 196-55 in the regular season. That’s a .778 winning percentage over 288 games, which is nothing short of amazing.
Geoff Magliocchetti, Senior Writer
Final Score: Patriots 30, Eagles 21
MVP: Tom Brady
Philadelphia is dangerous, as they’re a team with nothing to lose. This, much to the horror of this area, could be the first of several Super Bowl appearances for the Carson Wentz-less Eagles, so they have nothing to lose. However, this is still the Patriots, still Tom Brady, we’re talking about, so expect New England to pull away, no 25-point comeback required.
Ryan Morik, contributor
Final Score: Eagles 31, Patriots 27
MVP: Nick Foles
Damn it, I hate to say it. Look, we all know not to count out Tom Brady, but I think it’s time that the Patriots bad defense will bite them. Along with that, Nick Foles absolutely torched a phenomenal Vikings defense and could be a starter on many teams (he will be in 2018). This Eagles’ defense can surely put pressure on Brady, as well. Ugh.
Bryan Pol, Senior Writer
Final Score: Patriots 27, Eagles 20
MVP: Tom Brady
Carson Wentz would have led Philadelphia to its first-ever Super Bowl title. Alas, given a devastating injury to the MVP hopeful, Nick Foles is their signal caller in a quarterback mismatch that is far too glaring to overlook. The highly respectable Eagles defense is playing away from home against a Bill Belichick squad that has two had weeks to prepare for a “legacy” game—the Patriots can tie the Steelers with an astonishing sixth title in the Belichick/Brady era—that now features a healthy Rob Gronkowski, who has cleared concussion protocol.
Robbie Stratakos, Staff Writer
Final Score: Patriots 31, Eagles 30
MVP: Tom Brady
Benny Tomko, Contributor
Final Score: Eagles 28, Pats 27
MVP: Brandon Graham
In a thrilling back-and-forth contest, the Philadelphia Eagles defense will do the unthinkable and turn the G.O.A.T., Tom Brady, over to put six very important points on the board for Philly. Led by University of Michigan alumn Brandon Graham, who will sack Brady multiple times and be instrumental in the aforementioned turnover, one former Wolverine will stymie another as the big-hitting defensive specialist will bring Brady to the ground before he can complete the game-winning two-point conversion as the clock strikes zero. Enter Eagles’ countrywide pandemonium
Mike Vivalo, Video Personality
Final Score: Patriots 23, Eagles 20
MVP: Tom Brady
This will be a tight game from the opening kick as the teams feel each other out, with the Eagles playing it close to the vest because they know they can’t make any mistakes. Expect a very low-scoring first half. The second half will see the teams adjust and move the ball more. Brady leads a late fourth-quarter drive that results in the game-winning score.
Barring a pick-six from a DB or a three-TD game from Deion Lewis, it’s basically impossible for Brady not to win MVP if the Pats win. Now if the Eagles win, I can see Foles or even Fletcher Cox if he can disrupt the Pats’ offense.
Rick Weiner, Editor in Chief
Final Score: Patriots 21, Eagles 17
MVP: Tom Brady
It’s Brady and Belichick in the Super Bowl and they’re not going up against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. We know how this story ends.
