NFL : Patriots –3 Over Falcons in Brady-Ryan Duel

It’s been another great year for NFL quarterbacks, so it’s fitting that two of the very best will meet at Super Bowl 51. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have opened as 3-point favorites over Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, with a sky-high total of 59.5 points – up from 59 at the open. FOX has the coverage from Houston’s NRG Stadium on Sunday, February 5, starting at 6:30 PM ET.

With the Patriots (16-2 SU, 15-3 ATS) favored to win, Brady is +150 at press time to win Super Bowl MVP honors for the fourth time in his illustrious career. Ryan is next at +230; he’s almost certain to win the regular season MVP award, but this is the first time Ryan has led the Falcons (13-5 SU, 12-6 ATS) to the Big Game.

Underdogs have won four of the last five Super Bowls straight up, so the Falcons have every reason to be hopeful. They’ve got the best offense in the league, which they’ll rely on because of their weaker defense, driving the over to a 15-2-1 record. The Patriots (under 10-8) went 4-2 SU and 2-4 ATS in their previous six Super Bowl appearances.

NFL Odds: Patriots-Falcons at Super Bowl 51

Super Bowl 51 is coming up on Sunday, February 5 (6:30 PM ET, FOX) at Houston’s NRG Stadium, and the early action is on the New England Patriots as 3-point favorites over the Atlanta Falcons. The juice on the Patriots has moved from –115 to –125 since the open.


The total has also climbed from 59 points to 59.5, easily the highest total ever at the Super Bowl. Rumor has it that Lady Gaga wants to perform her halftime show on top of the stadium, so the retractable roof will presumably remain closed for the Big Game.