Brady at Pats rally: ‘Still have one more to go’

If that gutsy anonymous gambler’s wager pays off with a Falcons Super Bowl win, that ticket brings home $200,000. New England did a flea flicker touchdown pass to Hogan.

The Atlanta Falcons arrived in Houston late Sunday afternoon, while the Patriots plan to host their big send-off in Foxboro and head to Houston Monday. Last season, they came in at 37.85-percent, the 26th-lowest in the National Football League, due to injuries to both Dion Lewis and Blount. They can put up points a lot of different ways.

In the run-up to the Super Bowl, Jones already has been asked what he learned at Alabama that has helped him excel in the NFL. Winners of nine straight, the Pats have covered the Vegas spread in seven consecutive games – all as the favorite. In their first playoff game, the Falcons hosted the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round.

So what’s it like to be one of the two teams left playing football in February and getting ready to play in a Super Bowl? With Matt Ryan having the luxury of all-pro WR Julio Jones, WR Mohamed Sanu, and WR Taylor Gabriel to throw to as well as the running back duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, the Falcons are a hard team to slow down.

Fans chanted “Roger, Roger, Roger” and “Where is Roger” at Gillette Stadium during the Patriots’ 36-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game last Sunday night as the 39-year-old Brady threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns. They’re heading for the championship so apparently it worked. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT. The Falcons on the other hand relish the underdog role in a huge way. But they are incredibly aggressive and can hit the daylights out of anyone. People watch sports because of how unscripted and dramatic it can be, and you cannot write a more entertaining scene that what is going to happen on the trophy stand if New England wins.

New England’s pass defense was vulnerable at times this season, but they still allowed just 237.9 passing yards per game – 12th best in the NFL – and a league-best 15.6 points per game. There are literally hundreds of prop bets that are available to wager on as well. Brady and Belichick have been to the Super Bowl six times together, winning four. Yes it is cliché, but it’s true. There are five other players who probably will start in Super Bowl LI who were backups two years ago – running back LeGarrette Blount, right tackle Marcus Cannon, defensive tackle Alan Branch and cornerbacks Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler. Of course, they have great coaching and they get the most out of players who you don’t even know where they’ve come from.

But it’s more about the human contact, which is especially important in a high-tech world where it’s possible to do just about anything without looking another person in the face.

Evan Vieira, 9, a third grader from Foxboro, also said he thinks the game is going to be close.