The Super Bowl is finally here, matching up the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. Who do you think will win? To be honest, I’m an Eagles fan, so I’m hoping the Eagles win, but the Patriots have some good players and a lot of other things going for them-at least on paper. To start with, the Patriots averaged 28.7 points per game, which  makes them the number two team in scoring. The Eagles  averaged 28.3, which makes them 3rd. The Patriots also best the Eagles in yardage. They are first for yards with an average of 394.2 yards gained. The Eagles, on the other hand, are 7th with a total average yardage of 365.8. The Patriots also top the Eagles in passing, placing 2nd with an average of 276.1. And the Eagles? Well, they're 13th with and average of only 233.6 yards. What about rush yards? Patriots are 10th with a total of 118.1 yards, but the Eagles are 3rd with a total of 132.2.

Anyone who watches football already knows  the Patriots have a really good offense and the Eagles don’t, but somehow the Philadelphia team manages to push through and best teams who, on paper, should be better. If the Eagles hope to capture a win, their defense needs to stop Tom Brady. He can't have the time needed to complete a pass. If they allow the Patriot's offensive line to complete those passes, the game might be over, but neither side should underestimate the other.

Speaking of defense, the Patriots have only maintained an 18.5 average for defensive points, putting them in 5th place, with the Eagles averaging 18.4. Defensive yardage for the Patriots is even worse, with an average  gain of 366.0 yards, putting them in 29th place. The Eagles average of 306.5 yards puts them in 4th place. In defensive pass yardage, New England falls behind again, putting them in 30th place compared to Philadelphia's  17th place finish . However, if the Eagle's defense can stop Brady, the clincher could be the difference between the teams in defensive rushing yards. The Patriots average 114.8 yards per game,  putting them in 20th place, but the Eagles have an average of 79.2 yards, and that puts them is first place.

So, there are all the stats,  so who do you think will win the Super Bowl? It all comes down to which team can capitalize on what it does best, and who comes ready to do just that on Sunday. 

~Dustin