We’ve all heard it before: offense wins games, defense wins championships. And it’s true, because whichever team comes out in two weeks with the stronger defense is going to be the winner of Super Bowl LI.
It’s a rarity that both NFC and AFC Championship games are blowouts, but that’s exactly what happened this past Sunday for the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. With hotshot quarterbacks Tom Brady and Matt Ryan leading their teams to 19 and 23 point wins over Pittsburgh and Green Bay, NFL fans from all over will not be disappointed with the great offensive matchup at this year’s Super Bowl.
That being said, the real champion will not be determined by their points on the scoreboard, but from their men on the defensive line.
It’s no secret that the Patriots are a powerhouse when it comes to offense. With one of the greatest coach/quarterback duos of all time, Bill Belichick and Brady have four rings to show off as tokens of their greatness. Of course, they wouldn’t be where they are this season without Julian Edelman and scoring superstars Chris Hogan and Martellus Bennett on their side (watch out, Gronk, there’s a new all-star tight end in Beantown now). The Pats are just dying to prove all their haters (and Roger Goodell) wrong this season after Brady’s four-game suspension, and will definitely be playing with a very real chip on their shoulders come Feb. 5.
That being said, Matt Ryan isn’t one to be underestimated. While definitely not as big of a name as Tom Brady, he could write his own legacy as one of the greats of this NFL generation. Ryan has already been picked as a majority favorite for MVP this season and Atlanta’s dominating win over Green Bay only proved to America that this team deserves its spot at the top as the NFL’s highest scoring offense. With coach Dan Quinn and 11 wins under their belt, the Falcons enter the Super Bowl as a huge threat to New England.
Both teams won with eerily similar quarterback/receiver duos that controlled the game. The first, being Tom Brady and Chris Hogan, who ended the game Sunday with nine catches, two touchdowns and 180 yards. Julio Jones and Matt Ryan, however, also completed their win with nine catches, two touchdowns and 180 yards. While it certainly takes a whole village to get a win, Green Bay and Pittsburgh’s dismantled defenses didn’t stand a chance against the powerhouse offenses of both teams.
And that’s exactly why Super Bowl LI is going to come down to the defense.
Yes, the Patriots have some amazing standout defensive players like Dont’a Hightower and Malcolm Butler (must I bring up Butler’s iconic Super Bowl XLIX interception?). Yes, they made some stellar stops in the red zone. Yes, their double team on Antonio Brown was a smart move that made a huge difference. And yes, they absolutely shut down a great quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger.
But they also gave him a noteworthy amount of time in the pocket to throw 31 completed passes for over 300 yards. If that happens against the high-energy, fast-paced Atlanta offense, Tom Brady can kiss his chances of ring No. 5 goodbye.
That being said, the Falcons offensive performance against Green Bay must also be taken in stride considering how inept Green Bay is in the defensive department. Decimated by injuries, Green Bay’s defense stood no chance against even an average offensive team, let alone the top-ranked Falcons.
However, when you factor in that the Patriots will probably double-team Julio Jones the way they did Antonio Brown, there could be some serious trouble for Atlanta, too. Shutting down Jones and leaving the work to Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman, who are definitely still threats, may be the way Atlanta’s offense goes down.
Each team needs to focus on defense primarily in these days leading up to the Super Bowl to walk away with a win. Tom Brady is no stranger to high-pressure games, and you can bet that potential MVP Matt Ryan is going to be on his A-game, as well.
Therefore, it’s all up to the big guys on the defensive line to do their job and shut down these high-scoring teams. Offense doesn’t win championships, so we’ll just have to wait and see which team can put pressure on the opposing quarterback.
Then, we’ll know our Super Bowl LI winner.
