It’s just now Thanksgiving so what is something all NFL fans want to see? A way too early Super Bowl LII Prediction, of course. Super Bowl Sunday is one of the best days of the sports year. Not only is it the biggest sporting event in the United States all year, it has become a social and cultural icon and event to plan a day around; a pseudo-holiday, if you will. So who’s this year’s Super Bowl matchup? Some trends, stats, figures, and gut feelings below will give us a better idea.
Way Too Early Super Bowl LII Prediction
AFC
There are two teams for me that clearly stand out above the rest, and they are the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Patriots have the NFL’s number one passing offense, which is not too surprising given that we have seen Tom Brady turn water into wine when it comes to pass-catchers his entire career.
The Chiefs hold onto the number seven ranked passing offense. Their success through the air is more due to Andy Reid’s clever and unique play-calling than Alex Smith’s career year. That said, Smith is playing very well and is not turning the ball over. Also, both teams have a receiver stepping into the limelight in Brandin Cooks and Tyreek Hill. Neither team is outstanding on defense, and both are pretty terrible against the pass, each ranking in the bottom five of the league.
These two teams played each other in Foxborough in the season opener, and the Chiefs walked all over the Pats. Reid and the Chiefs racked up more yards and scored more points than any other team has ever had against a Bill Belichick coached team. That stat alone is worth noting when it comes to talking about who can win the big game.
NFC
The NFC has been very odd this season. Teams have been shuffling back and forth, but a couple of them have jumped out as my favorites to play in February: The Philadelphia Eagles and The Minnesota Vikings.
Out of those two teams, I would rank the Eagles ahead of the Vikings, but it is close. The Eagles boast the NFL’s number one ranked rushing offense, as well as the second-ranked rushing defense. If you’re one to buy into trends in predicting Super Bowl teams, being in the top five of rushing offense or defense bodes extremely well.
The stat that jumps off the page, however, is team scoring. As in, points per game. The big game almost always has one of the top three scoring teams during the regular season in it, and you guessed it, Philly is number one at 32 points per contest. Young quarterback Carson Wentz is rapidly proving himself to be a legit superstar.
As for the Vikings, the defense is their game. They rank eleventh in scoring offense, but Minnesota ranks second to the Eagles in rushing defense. They also have a star-in-the-making shut-down cornerback in Xavier Rhodes. So far, he has shut down some of this biggest receivers in the game. Antonio Brown caught five balls for 65 yards, Mike Evans had seven for 67 yards, and Jordy Nelson was held to six for 60 yards. The point is, Rhodes can take away your best receiver, and that is a huge advantage.
Way Too Early Super Bowl LII Prediction
We went through all the stats, trends, and gut feelings, and we have our 2018 Super Bowl LII projection. The game will feature the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots come February in Minneapolis. I think these two teams make for a fantastic matchup, with blowout potential on either side. We also have two teams that are well-equipped to make dramatic comebacks if necessary. The final way too early super bowl prediction is The Eagles finally bring the Lombardi Trophy to State Street beating the Patriots 37-36 in Super Bowl LII.