By Greg Dempson
Pinnacle Odds – New England Patriots -3 vs Atlanta Falcons +3 Total 59
There aren’t many topics I can discuss about the Super Bowl that you aren’t aware of. How much cheese will be poured n the nachos, how many chicken wings will be eaten, bottles of beers consumed…..on and on it goes.
This year it is Lady Gaga who takes center stage. I’m old school and prefer acts like the Stones or the Who but, I do not mind Gaga, I hope the actual game has some Gaga to it! My preference for half-time entertainment next year would be the Yardbirds. How many of you know what a “Yardbird is?
Well, I would like to have the Yardbirds perform if they could feature all three of their original lead guitar players. Whoever hired the replacement leads when the first guitarist left and so forth is indeed the Bill Belichick of ascertaining what talent is. In random order their lead guitars were Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. If Beck and Clapton cannot make it, I’ll settle for Page! There’s nothin’ like putting some Led in your Zeppelin on Super Bowl Sunday!
The Game Within the Game
- Atlanta brings the second highest scoring offense to the Super Bowl, (33.8 PPG,) as only the Rams averaged more points in a single season. Can the Patriots slow down a team that scored more than 80 points in dispatching of the Seahawks and Packers? I do believe so. This happens to be the highest ever first half over/under total….and….it is greater than 28 points.
- Neither team turns the ball over so if that holds true to form and the Falcons can get a couple of stops when the Patriots are in the red zone, I like my chances on this game staying under the total in the first half.
Every Edge Season Long Record in Review
- Including the preseason as well as the regular and post season I sit at 14–07–02 ATS with one NFL selection remaining.
Under My Thumb
- After gaining 375 or more combined yards in back-to-back games, (applies to Atlanta,) play said team under the total in the first half when playing against a foe that has gained 400 or more combined yards per game in their last three games. With a solid sampling of plays in the past decade, (106,) this system is 33–73 = 69% to the UNDER. The average Over/Under in the first halfhas been slightly more 25.5 points vs. an average combined score of 23.3 PPG. This system is also 18–47 = 72% to the UNDER the past five seasons.
Super Bowl Pick
My Every Edge Super Bowl selection for the 51stSuper Bowl is on Atlanta and New England to stay under 29 points in the first half.