Atlanta Falcons

Super Bowl 51: 20 Bold Predictions for Patriots vs Falcons

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:06 a.m. ET

Fansided, Dan Parzych/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

Here’s a look at 20 bold predictions for the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots when they square off during Super Bowl 51 in Houston.

Super Bowl 51 between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots is only a few days away, which means it’s officially time to take a look 20 bold predictions between the two teams. Between which team will be officially crowed this year’s champions to who will take home MVP honors, all answered will be answered when these two squads meet in Houston on Sunday.

Thanks to a suspension over the first four games of the regular season, nobody knew what to expect from Tom Brady and the New England Patriots this year. But Bill Belichick found a way to overcome all obstacles to reach the Super Bowl for the seventh time in franchise history. Whether it was fair to suspend the quarterback or not, all that matters now is Brady didn’t let missing the first month of the season prevent him from having a historical year that could result in the future Hall of Famer earning his fifth Super Bowl ring.

As for the Falcons, it’s safe to say they were one of the last teams anyone expected to represent the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl before the season officially got underway after an 8-8 finish in 2015. But Atlanta’s offense finally found a way to be consistent along with establishing a young defensive unit that already has people talking about the possibility of dynasty if they can pull through with a win against New England.

Let’s jump right into 20 bold predictions for Super Bowl 51 between the Falcons and Patriots, starting off with a prediction regarding Malcolm Mitchell.

Dec 4, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell (19) is tackled by Los Angeles Rams defensive back Michael Jordan (35) during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

20. Malcolm Mitchell Records a Touchdown

Throughout the 2016 season, Malcolm Mitchell was always a strong candidate to potentially have a breakout game for the Patriots, and even though he’s still searching for his first career 100-yard game, the former Georgia star could end up shining against the Falcons.

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Mithcell hasn’t made that much of an impact in two playoff games for the Patriots after only catching four passes for 34 yards, but it’s not like Tom Brady hasn’t been trying to get him involved as much as possible on offense. The fact that Mitchell has been targeted nine times in two playoff games shows how much potential Brady sees in the rookie, and New England may need all of the extra help they can get to keep up with the offense of the Atlanta Falcons.

Keep in mind there was a four-game span for Mitchell in the second half of the season in which he caught 21 passes for 263 yards with four touchdowns from Weeks 11-14. Not many rookies can say they reached the Super Bowl as a rookie, but Mitchell is fortunate enough to be in that situation, and don’t be surprised if he finds his way into the end zone at least once against the Falcons.

Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley (44) reacts to a recovered fumble during the first quarter of a football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

19. Vic Beasley Sacks Tom Brady Twice

When it comes to some of the biggest surprises from the regular season, Vic Beasley leading the league in sacks ranks near the top of the list after the linebacker made quite the impact during his second year with the Falcons. Even though he’s failed to record a single sack in the postseason, Beasley has applied all sorts of pressure in two games against Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers, which means Tom Brady should expect the same.

Brady will easily go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but that doesn’t mean the future Hall of Famer isn’t capable of struggling at times in the Super Bowl. Just take a look at what happened in two previous trips to the Super Bowl against the New York Giants, and it’s easy to understand why the Falcons’ defense is confident they have what it takes to keep Brady in check.

Of course, whether this happens could fall on the shoulders of Beasley and the level of impact he can make on pressuring Brady. Sacking a quarterback like Brady multiple times in one game is a difficult challenge for any defensive player, but Beasley seems up for the task to help cap off what’s been an amazing second season in the NFL.

18. Danny Amendola Makes Surprise Impact

The Patriots made a bold decision four years ago when they decided to part ways with Wes Welker, and sign Danny Amendola from the St. Louis Rams instead. Since then, Amendola hasn’t been able to match Welker’s numbers, but if there’s anything to take away from the last four years, it would be the veteran wideout can breakout when least expected to.

Between only catching two passes for 12 yards during the team’s first two postseason games to failing to cross the 50-yard mark in the regular season, Amendola seems like the last player that would cause problems for the Falcons. But that’s also what makes Amendola such a dangerous threat since he’s the perfect candidate to be overlooked in the Super Bowl.

The last time New England won the Super Bowl in 2015, it was Amendola that emerged as one of the unexpected stars on offense after finding the end zone three times in three games, including one in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. After setting a career high with four touchdown catches during the 2016 season, Amendola may be able to take advantage of the Falcons’ defense focusing most of their attention on some of the other wide receivers for the Patriots with some extra passes thrown his way.

17. Aldrick Robinson Finally Shows Up

In an offense loaded with weapons at wide receiver, Aldrick Robinson is arguably the last player the New England Patriots would expect to have a monster game in the Super Bowl, but that doesn’t mean Bill Belichick is going to approach him any different. When looking at his involvement on offense towards the end of the regular season while Julio Jones was recovering from a toe injury, Robinson has proven he’s the type of player that can take off at any moment for the Falcons offense.

The highlight of Robinson’s regular season in 2016 came during Weeks 14 and 15 when he caught seven of 11 passes thrown his way for 153 yards. Unfortunately, Robinson has failed to make an impact for the Falcons in the playoffs after failing to record a single catch over the first two games against the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, but it’s not too late to show up when it matters the most with a Super Bowl on the line.

Over the years, the Super Bowl has seen plenty of surprise heroes emerge out of nowhere to shine for their beloved teams, and there’s nothing Atlanta would love to see more than Robinson finding a way to join that list with a stellar performance in Houston.

16. Julian Edelman Records 10+ Catches

No matter how much the defense of the Falcons tries, there’s a good chance Julian Edelman is going to be effective in the passing game for the Patriots. Edelman’s quickness and blazing speed have made him one of the most reliable targets for Tom Brady over the years, and when seeing his high level of production over the last three games, there’s a good chance the former Kent State standout will see plenty of action against the Falcons.

After ending the regular season on a hot note by catching eight passes for 151 yards with a touchdown in the finale against the Miami Dolphins, Edelman has been on fire in the postseason with 16 catches over the last two games for 255 yards with one touchdown. In fact, Edelman has seen double-digit targets in eight of his last nine games, meaning there’s no reason why the trend shouldn’t continue with one final game to go.

Nobody could have predicted four years ago that it would be Edelman filling the void left by Wes Welker on offense, and as bad as it sounds, it’s safe to say this way turned out much better for on New England’s end. He may not have accomplished it during the regular season, but if Edelman receives another heavy dose of targets like he has over the last three games, finishing with more than 10 catches shouldn’t be an issue for the wideout.

Dec 18, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) reacts with Tevin Coleman (26) and Patrick DiMarco (42) after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the 49ers 41-13. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

15. Freeman and Coleman Combine For 150+ Rushing Yards

Most NFL teams are lucky enough to have one reliable running back in the backfield, but the Falcons are fortunate to arguably have one of the league’s top duos in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. As if having the dynamic duo of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones wasn’t enough for the offense, the Falcons always seem to have an advantage over their opponents due to the fact they can be just as dangerous on the ground thanks to these two star running backs.

The fact that Freeman and Coleman combined for 24 total touchdowns through the air and on the ground during the regular season shows the importance of this duo for Atlanta’s offense. It can be concerning for teams to see their top running backs receive too many carries in the backfield, but between the two, there were only two times this year (including playoffs) where a Falcons running back received 20 or more carries (both Freeman).

In other words, what makes Freeman and Coleman such a dominant duo is the fact they always seem to have fresh legs since neither of them tend to get worn down with too many carries. Hopefully, these two continue to play at a high level in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots to help take some of the pressure off Ryan to produce touchdowns.

14. Dion Lewis Finishes With 100+ Yards From Line of Scrimmage

From a fantasy football perspective, the New England Patriots have always been one of the most difficult teams to figure out at running back since Bill Belichick has a history of riding the hot hand in the ground game. Just look at the first playoff game against the Houston Texans when LeGarrette Blount, who led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns, only received eight carries thanks to a strong performance by Dion Lewis at running back.

Of course, at the end of the day, the only thing the Patriots care about the most is winning the game, no matter whether it ends up being Blount or Lewis leading the way in the backfield. In that playoff game against the Texans, Lewis showed why his skills are on a whole other level when compared to other running backs after he was able to find the end zone three different times (through the air, on the ground, and kick return).

Even if his numbers were down against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship, Lewis received enough production towards the end of the regular season where all signs point to the Patriots using him as much as possible against the Atlanta Falcons during this year’s Super Bowl. What makes Lewis even more dangerous facing the Falcons is just like their two star running backs in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, the Patriots running back has a history of turning simple screen passes into long gains to help increase his yard total each week.

Oct 30, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (12) reacts after a game against the Green Bay Packers at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Packers 33-32. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

13. Mohamed Sanu Continues End-Zone Streak

One of the main reasons why Mohamed Sanu decided to join the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals was for the opportunity to play alongside one of the league’s best duos in Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. With all of the extra attention opponents spend focusing on Jones, Sanu along with some of his other teammates tend to see more passes thrown their way from Ryan.

Not only did Sanu set a career high during the regular season with 59 catches, but the wideout has put together an impressive streak of his own since Week 17 by finding the end zone in each of his last three games. It’s one thing for opponents to worry about the whereabouts of a speedy receiver like Jones, but the addition of Sanu gave the Falcons even more of an advantage on offense.

As the last few games have shown, Sanu has been playing some of his most effective football lately, and doesn’t appear ready to slow down anytime soon with one game against the New England Patriots standing in his way of earning a Super Bowl ring. This was the main reason why Sanu bolted Cincinnati to join Atlanta, and who would have thought it would only take one year for the former Rutgers star to be in this position.

12. LeGarrette Blount Scores at Least One Touchdown

Throughout his career, LeGarrette Blount has always proven to be a workhorse on the football field, and rightfully so when seeing the speed he possesses for a running back his size. The good news for the New England Patriots is Blount should be well rested with some of the freshest legs heading into what could turn out to be an epic Super Bowl battle against the Atlanta Falcons after only receiving 24 carries over the first two playoff games.

Lucky for Blount, Bill Belichick decided to ride the hot hand with Dion Lewis, who recorded three total touchdowns in the Divisional Round, during the team’s first playoff game against the Houston Texans. Whether it happens to be eight carries or more than 20, Blount has learned over the years that it doesn’t matter what his workload looks like in games, and the most important factor is New England ends up on the winning end.

For a running back that turned 30 in December, it’s amazing to think that Blount posted his best season in 2016 by finishing with 1,161 rushing yards to go along with a league-leading 18 rushing touchdowns. The Falcons defense has looked impressive so far in the postseason, but even they know preventing a powerful running back like Blount from finding the end zone is easier said than done.

11. Taylor Gabriel Explodes For a Long Touchdown

After the Cleveland Browns decided to give up on the wide receiver, who would have imagined Taylor Gabriel would make this much of an impact during his first season as a member of the Falcons? As if having two speedsters in Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu wasn’t already enough, Gabriel provides another dangerous weapon for the Falcons that can turn the simplest catch into a long touchdown run.

Even if he’s coming off a disappointing performance in the NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers in which he had an easy drop and almost lost a key fumble, the numbers don’t lie, as Matt Ryan has been trying to get the most from Gabriel each week. The fact that Gabriel has seen at least five targets in seven of the last nine games despite all of the other options Ryan has in the passing game shows how dangerous he truly can be with the football in his hands.

As mentioned before, Ryan always seems to be taking advantage of having Gabriel on offense by doing whatever it takes to get the wideout involved in the passing game. If Gabriel can take advantage of the Patriots’ defenders worrying about the whereabouts of Jones and Sanu, a game-changing touchdown from long distance could be in store for Sunday.

10. Eric Rowe Picks Off Matt Ryan

When it comes to the biggest regrets of the 2016 season, there’s a good chance the Philadelphia Eagles are going to rank near the top of that list for their decision to send Eric Rowe to the Patriots in exchange for a draft pick. There’s a reason why Rowe was a second-round pick out of Utah back in 2015, and even though he struggled at times as a rookie, there’s no reason why the Eagles should have given up on the cornerback that fast.

Now, Rowe has found himself a new home in New England, and has been making quite an impact since returning from injury in Week 6. Not only did Rowe manage to start seven of the nine games he played in this year for the Patriots in the regular season, but he also came up with a big interception on Ben Roethlisberger in the AFC Championship, proving once again why he was worth the acquisition.

New England has always found a way to the get the best from their players, but trading for Rowe was simply a steal for one of the league’s top defensive units. Rowe’s confidence level is arguably at an all-time high from the brief two years he’s been in the NFL, and after picking off Big Ben, why shouldn’t the cornerback like his chances against Matt Ryan?

9. Matt Ryan Throws for 300+ Yards

With the type of season he’s put together in leading the Atlanta Falcons to an appearance in the Super Bowl, all signs point to Matt Ryan taking home MVP honors for the 2016 season, and rightfully so when looking at the numbers. Not only did Ryan set career bests with 4,944 passing yards to go along with 38 touchdowns, but he set another personal mark of only seven interceptions as well.

Lucky for the Falcons, Ryan picked up right where he left off in the regular season once the playoffs rolled around with stellar performances against the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. What’s even more impressive is Ryan hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 13 against the Kansas City Chiefs, and has recorded 19 total touchdowns over the last six games.

Facing a tough defense like the New England Patriots isn’t going to be a walk in the park, but if there’s any quarterback that can give them problems, it’s Ryan. If the last three games, including playoffs, are any indication of what to expect, Ryan should have no issues throwing for more than 300 yards against the Patriots in the Super Bowl to keep his hot streak alive.

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) catches a touchdown pass in front of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell (23) in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

8. Chris Hogan Remains Hot

Chris Hogan had been one of the most reliable players for the New England Patriots heading into the AFC Championship against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but nobody expected him to shine the way he did with a career day. To say Hogan was unstoppable would be one of the biggest understatements from the postseason when considering he caught nine passes for 180 yards to go along with two touchdowns.

After spending the first four years of his career as a member of the Buffalo Bills, Hogan is turning out to be on of the most underrated signings from the offseason, and it will be even more meaningful if he plays a key role in bringing the Patriots another Super Bowl. Tom Brady already benefitted from having a speedy weapon like Julian Edelman, but thanks to Hogan’s recent play, the offense has been taken to a whole new level.

The numbers don’t lie from the previous three games when showing how much of a difference maker Hogan really is after the wideout has caught 17 of the 20 passes thrown his way. Atlanta’s defense has been on a roll in the playoffs, but expect Hogan to stay hot for New England on offense with plenty of passes thrown in his direction.

Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) signals a first down against Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Jake Ryan (47) during the third quarter in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

7. Julio Jones Too Much For Malcolm Butler

With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, Julio Jones went straight-up beast mode against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship by hauling in nine catches for 180 yards with two touchdowns, including a 73-yard touchdown at the beginning of the third quarter. There were some concerns surrounding Jones entering the postseason after battling a toe injury at the end of the year, but the former first-round pick has shown over the last three games there’s no reason for concern.

Ever since he joined the NFL as a rookie from Alabama in 2011, Jones has been considered one of the league’s top players at his position, which is why the Falcons were willing to surrender so many draft picks to the Cleveland Browns in order to acquire the superstar. His size and speed make Jones nearly impossible to defend at times, and even if his toe injury is minor, that shouldn’t stop him from displaying a monster game against the New England Patriots.

Throughout the season, Malcolm Butler has found ways to shutdown numerous star players, including two games in which he prevented Antonio Brown from finding the end zone. Unfortunately for Butler, the cornerback could be in for his toughest challenge yet when it comes to shutting down Jones, as the wideout’s talent may be too much for him to handle.

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

6. Tom Brady Throws Four Touchdowns, But Two Interceptions

Since returning from suspension in Week 5, Tom Brady has been a man on a mission to prove he wrongfully missed the four games of the season thanks to Roger Goodell. Leading the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl victory despite missing the first month of the regular season would be the ultimate slap to the face for Goodell from Brady, and there’s a good chance the quarterback’s level of motivation is about to hit a whole new level.

Brady has always been one of the most competitive quarterbacks in the NFL, but the argument can be made that what he’s accomplished this year is unlike anything ever seen in his career. As if the challenge of missing the first four games at the beginning of the season wasn’t already tough enough, Brady was simply simply outstanding in the regular season after only throwing two interceptions in 12 games.

WIth that being said, there’s every reason to believe that Brady will find a way to pick apart the defense of the Atlanta Falcons, but that doesn’t mean he won’t see his fair share of struggles as well. Thanks to the Houston Texans, Brady proved in the Divisional Round he can be stopped after matching his interception total in one game from the entire regular season.

The touchdown passes will certainly be there against the Falcons, but that doesn’t mean Brady won’t commit a few interceptions as well.

5. Teams Combine For Six Touchdowns in First Half

If Super Bowl 51 lives up to the hype, there’s a good chance Sunday’s battle between the Patriots and Falcons will turn out to be one high-scoring event. Look back at the weekend of the Conference Championships when the Patriots scored 36 points against the Pittsburgh Steelers while the Atlanta Falcons had no problem putting up 44 points against the Green Bay Packers.

With Tom Brady and Matt Ryan leading the way, there’s a reason why both offenses are considered two of the best in the league, as each quarterback realizes the scoring potential for this epic matchup. The last thing either team can afford to see happen on Sunday is fall behind early on in the first half, which means it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Brady and Ryan hit the ground running right away like in previous games.

No disrespect to both defenses, but it’s tough to imagine either offenses of the Patriots or Falcons being held in check when seeing how dominant they’ve looked in the postseason. Assuming Brady and Ryan pickup right where they left off during Conference Championship weekend, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see at least six touchdowns in the first half between these two squads.

4. Defenses Combine For 70+ Points Allowed

Do the Falcons have what it takes to keep Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan in check? Better yet, how will the Patriots prevent Julio Jones from breakout out for another monster performance?

No matter how hard both defensive units try, these three superstars are going to find ways to get the football in their hands, and there’s nothing either team can do about it. There’s a reason why the over/under projection for this year’s Super Bowl is right under 60 at this point in the week, and it sounds like a long shot, but this game could easily top 70 points.

Both Matt Ryan and Tom Brady are playing out of their minds right now with something to prove in Houston. While Ryan is looking to top off what will most likely be an MVP season with a Super Bowl victory, Brady is looking to pull off the unimaginable by winning it all the same year in which he was forced to miss the first four games due to suspension.

Defense could easily turn out to be a non-factor for this year’s Super Bowl when seeing the high-powered offenses from both units, and it sounds crazy, but seeing 70 points combined between the Patriots and Falcons doesn’t sound all that crazy.

3. High Scoring Fourth Quarter Between Both Teams

One of the common themes from this list has been looking at all the signs pointing to a high-scoring finish between the Patriots and Falcons. If that does in fact end up happening, one can only imagine the high level of intensity and scoring that could take place in the fourth quarter. After all, two high-octane offenses do tend to put points up on the board.

Four of the last six Super Bowls have been decided by single digits, with the only two times coming in 2014 when the Seattle Seahawks embarrassed the Denver Broncos 43-8 and last year when Von Miller‘s squad redeemed themselves with a key 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers. Hopefully, the Patriots and Falcons can continue the trend of close finishes going to live up to the hype for football fans across the world.

When looking at how these two teams have looked so far in the postseason, would it really come as a surprise if the fourth quarter ended up consisting of back-and-fourth scoring between New England and Atlanta? It honestly wouldn’t be that much of a surprise, as this could easily turn into a game in which multiple touchdowns are scored between both parties in the final quarter before a winner is finally decided on the final drive.

2. Falcons Earn First Super Bowl Victory

The Falcons were the laughingstock of the NFL last year when they finished with an 8-8 record and failed to make the playoffs, despite winning six of their first seven games. Even at the beginning of this season when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, everyone jumped the gun by assuming the Falcons were heading towards another year of failing to live up to the hype.

Since that opening weekend loss to Tampa Bay, Atlanta has been a completely different squad, and wasted no time proving they have what it takes to compete with the best in the NFL. From key wins over the Denver Broncos to the Green Bay Packers, the Falcons emerged as one of the top teams to beat in the NFC, and even played well enough to earn the No. 2 seed in the conference for the postseason.

Atlanta fans have been waiting a long time for their beloved team to finally win their first Super Bowl in franchise history, and when seeing how dominant this unit has looked in the postseason, it’s tough to picture them losing to the New England Patriots. Tom Brady has been playing the entire year with an extra chip on his shoulder to prove Roger Goodell wrong, but expect his historical season to come to a disappointing end, as this finally seems to be the year of the Falcons as champions.

1. Matt Ryan Takes Home MVP Honors

In a few days, Matt Ryan will find out whether he will be named MVP for the 2016 season, and when seeing the numbers he’s carried over from the regular season into the playoffs, it would be an absolute shock not to see the Falcons quarterback take home the honors. Nothing against Tom Brady and the Patriots, but Ryan is playing the best football of his career at the moment and doesn’t seem ready to slow down anytime soon.

The Falcons have put together some impressive seasons over the years, but they’ve also been the unfortunate victims of a few epic collapses as well. To watch Atlanta fail to make the postseason last year despite starting off with a 6-1 record was one of the most embarrassing things that could have happened to this team, but none of that matters anymore thanks to Ryan.

For years, Ryan was never in the same category as some of the other top quarterbacks in the league such as Brady and Aaron Rodgers, mainly due to all of the inconsistency surrounding the Falcons. Now that Ryan has finally overcome all of those obstacles to have Atlanta on the verge of a Super Bowl title, expect the MVP favorite to display a memorable performance in Houston.