Expert Picks: Super Bowl LI – New England Has The Edge
In anticipation of Sunday's Super Bowl LI showdown between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots, various show hosts from Miami Sports Radio 560 WQAM and the Boston market gave their predictions on the game.
Marc Hochman – Sports Radio 560 WQAM (Miami)
"Sometimes you don't even need to see the football game to know what the outcome is going to be. This will NOT be that game. Tom Brady will struggle...Bill Belichick will get outcoached...and nothing will go right for the Patriots."
Prediction: Atlanta 37, New England 10
Troy Stradford – Sports Radio 560 WQAM (Miami)
"The old adage is offense sells tickets while defense wins Super Bowls. Well, I believe a smart, efficient, explosive offense can outsmart the greatest defense. Atlanta's well-tuned offense will get it done against the Pats' No. 1 rated defense."
Prediction: Atlanta 35, New England 28
"Captain" Curtis Stevenson – Sports Radio 560 WQAM (Miami)
"The Patriots offense will gradually expose the Falcons defense. Dion Lewis will be an x-factor out of the backfield for New England. I think the Patriots win in a shootout.
Prediction: New England 38, Atlanta 27
Nick Cattles – 98.5 The Sports Hub (Boston)
"I fall in line with most on how people feel heading into Sunday, which is to say both offenses are ready to do damage. I trust New England's defense to come up with more stops than Atlanta's, so I'll go with the Patriots in a tight one."
Prediction: New England 34, Atlanta 27
Alex Donno – Sports Radio 560 WQAM (Miami)
"The biggest x-factor in this game is the fact that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have two weeks to prepare for it. Both offenses will score plenty, but the game-winning drive will belong to Brady."
Prediction: New England 34, Atlanta 31
Channing Crowder – Sports Radio 560 WQAM (Miami)
"Two well-prepared teams come into the game evenly matched. The Falcons offense is the best in the league; the Patriots defense is the best in the league. Something has to give. There will be a back and forth battle but late in the game, the old saying "defense wins championships' will come into play. The Patriots will stop the Falcons more and that will catapult the hated team from New England into another championship."
Prediction: New England 38, Atlanta 33
Zach Krantz – Sports Radio 560 WQAM (Miami)
"I think the Falcons will get pressure on Tom Brady and follow the New York Giants blueprint in 2008, which will rattle Brady. "Matty Ice" will continue his MVP year and lead the Falcons to their first super bowl victory ever. Falcons Rise up!"
Prediction: Atlanta 31, New England 24
Rob "Hardy" Poole – 98.5 The Sports Hub (Boston)
"I'm sticking with what I said last week. It'll be a low-scoring game, just a couple safeties and a field goal, with a push on the point spread."
Prediction: New England 5, Atlanta 2