Time to let someone else hoist the silver football
The smart money is on New England, but when it comes to sports prognostication I鈥檝e never been accused of being smart. (I was mentored by Punxsutawney Phil, so 鈥�)
But, first the nephew鈥檚 predictions.
Great-nephew Collin Downey, a first-grader in the Penn-Trafford school system, joined the family survivor pool this year, so he has some background predicting outcomes. Collin says New England, 35-17. (Although his mother Ashley has the Eagles in the survivor pot.) Brian thinks the Eagles will stop the Pats offense and Nick Foles will come alive. Three Eagles players who have given the Steelers problems over the years will help them win: Torrey Smith, LeGarrette Blount, and Jay Ajayi. Eagles take it, 30-27. (Brian鈥檚 witty analysis: All of the 鈥淭om鈥漟oolery surrounding the Pats will see them being 鈥淩ob鈥漛ed of another Super Bowl win. They may 鈥淏ill鈥� it as a fluke, but the Eagles will play well. The high-powered Eagles offense will come alive at the 鈥淣ick鈥� of time and play well. It 鈥淓rtz鈥� me to say this, but the Eagles win 30-27.) His brother Jason said 鈥淔ly Eagles Fly鈥� 鈥� The Eagles win 30-24 (even though he has the Patriots in the family survivor pool).
A Republican president generally means an AFC victory (at least it has since 1980), but I鈥檓 looking for the Eagles to buck the trend. The key, as we arm chair defensive coordinators know, is to get to Tom Brady. That鈥檚 tough to do, especially since the Pats offensive line has yet to have a holding call in two playoff games. The Eagles鈥� schemes just might find a way to make Tom crumble like a bad card table or, at least, get the Pats flagged. Nick Foles can go be a riches-to-rags-to-riches story with a victory. And, see Brian鈥檚 earlier comment about the three players. If the Eagles win, it鈥檚 a high-scoring affair, so I鈥檓 saying 鈥�
Eagles 38, New England 34.