Super Bowl Preview

Its almost time to watch who will win it all at "The Big Game". Will Brady + Belichick get yet another title, continuing this unprecedented run? Or will Atlanta get just its 2nd major championship as a city and see Matt Ryan enter the ranks of one of the top QBs today with a ring? Time for my position by position breakdown

QBs

Patriots - Tom Brady

12 Games/starts, 67.4 compl%, 3,554yds 28TDs/2INTs

Falcons - Matt Ryan

16 Games/starts, 69.9 compl%, 4,944yds, 38TDs/7INTs

A pretty even QB match-up. On one hand, you have Brady and his prior super bowl experience. Missing the first 4 games of the season due to suspension didn't seem to slow him down, as he threw only a pair of INTs on the year. But with Matt Ryan, you have a top MVP candidate as he put up a personal best kind of season. 

edge: Even

RBs

Patriots - LeGarrette Blount

16 Games/8 Starts, 299rushes/1,161yds 18TDS,   7rec/38yds

Falcons - DeVonta Freeman

16 Games/starts, 227rushes/1,079yds 11TDs, 54rec/462yds 2TDs

Freeman is the better receiving back in this matchup, but Blount gets the overall edge. Blount set the standard this season when it comes to rushing TDs. A major key for the Falcons on defense will be trying to control him.

edge: Patriots

WRs

Patriots- Julian Edelman

16 Games/13 starts, 98rec/1,106yds 3TDs

Chris Hogan

15 Games/14 starts, 38rec/680yds 4TDs

Falcons - Julio Jones

14 Games/starts, 83rec/1,409yds 6TDs

Justin Hardy

16 games/3 starts, 21rec/203yds 4TDs

The Patriots have a good 1-2 combo with Edelman and Hogan (the latter who had an explosive game in the AFC title game). But there's just no matching Julio Jones. Much like with Blount, the big ask for the Patriots' defense will be trying to figure out Jones.

edge: Falcons

TEs

Patriots - Martellus Bennett

16games/12starts, 55rec/701yds 7TDs

Falcons - Austin Hooper

14games/3starts, 19rec/271yds 3TDs

Both teams have been hit with TE injuries, the Pats with Rob Gronkowski and the Falcons with Jacob Tamme. Luckily for the Pats, they have Bennett who is a solid target for Brady in his own right.

edge: Patriots

DEs

Patriots - Chris Long

16games/7starts, 1FF/1FR, 4scks 22tckls

Trey Flowers

16games/8starts, 2FR, 7scks 23tckls

Falcons - Brooks Reed

15games/7starts, 1FF, 2scks 14tckls

Tyson Jackson

16games/7starts, 5tckls

With the veteran Chris Long, along with Flowers and his pass rush moves, the Patriots have the edge in this matchup.

edge: Patriots

DTs

Patriots - Alan Branch

16games/15starts, 1.5scks 26tckls

Malcom Brown

16games/13starts, 1FF, 3scks 24tckls

Falcons - Jonathan Babineaux

16games/6starts, 14tckls

Grady Jarrett

16games/14starts, 1FR, 3scks 21tckls

Branch and Brown provide the Patriots with a nice balance in the trenches.

edge: Patriots

LBs

Patriots - Shea McClellin

14games/4starts, 2FR, 1sck 16tckls

Dont'a Hightower

13games/starts, 1FF, 2.5scks 31tckls

Rob Ninkovich

12games/11starts, 2FF, 4scks 17tckls

Falcons - Vic Beasley

16games/12starts, 6FF/1FR, 15.5scks 32tckls

Deion Jones

15games/13starts, 3INTs/2TDs, 1FF 75tckls

De'Vondre Campbell

11games/10starts, 1INT, 1FF 35tckls

The Patriots LBs collectively put up a strong effort, but the Falcons featured more playmakers, especially with sack leader Vic Beasley and Deion Jones and his takeaways.

edge: Falcons

CBs

Patriots - Logan Ryan

16games/13starts, 2INTs, 1FF, 1sck 73tckls

Malcolm Butler

16games/starts, 4INTs, 1FF, 1sck 48tckls

Falcons - Robert Alford

16games/starts, 2INTs/1TD 50tckls

Jalen Collins

8games/6starts, 2INTs 28tckls

Malcolm Butler makes the difference here, paired with Logan Ryan

edge: Patriots

Safeties

Patriots - Patrick Chung

16games/starts, 1INT, 1FR, 1sck 48tckls

Devin McCourty

16games/starts, 1INT, 1FF 64tckls

Falcons - Ricardo Allen

16games/starts, 2INTs 61tckls

Keanu Neal

14games/starts, 5FF/1FR 72tckls

Chung and McCourty have both been solid, but Keanu Neal (in his rookie year) has been quite the presence for the Falcons secondary. (sidenote: I profiled him during my steelers draft prospect series a year ago). 

edge: Falcons

Kickers

Patriots - Stephen Gostkowski

16games, 27/32FGs, 53long

Falcons - Matt Bryant

16games, 34/37FGs, 59long

Two quality kickers. He may have been added by playing his home games in a dome, but I'll give the slight edge to the longtime vet Matt Bryant.

edge: Falcons

Punter

Patriots - Ryan Allen

16games, 72punts, 58long 44.7avg

Falcons - Matt Bosher

15games, 44punts, 68long, 46.8avg

With how active the Falcons offense was this season, they didn't have to use much of Bosher. That being said, both Allen and Bosher seem fairly even

edge: even

Now time for my ultimate pick. I expect we'll get a close contest, going down to the wire. You never want to bet against Brady, but one item that popped out to me was the fact that Matt Ryan threw receiving TDs to 13 different players. That's right, 13. That amount of depth could be enough for the Falcons to pull this off.

31-27 Falcons