Super Bowl 51 will be played in a little over a week in Houston, Texas. The most watched sporting event in the United States promises to be an exciting one, with the high powered Atlanta Falcons matching up against the disciplined New England Patriots. Throughout the season, the Patriots’ narrative has been about Tom Brady’s four game suspension, while the Falcons have been flying underneath everybody’s radar. They finished the season as the top offense in the league, yet no one labeled them as legitimate super bowl contenders. The Patriots on the other hand have been favorites even before the season began. Now these two teams are set to clash underneath the bright lights of NRG Stadium on Feb 5.

The Patriots opened up as three point favorites in Vegas, but don’t let that silly number fool you. While I would like to have the Patriots win, the Falcons have proven themselves as a formidable opponent. Tom Brady will not earn his fifth ring. The Patriots have built their organization on a few core principles, with one of them being overcoming adversity. But some obstacles are too large to hurdle. The Falcons have scored more than 31 points in six straight games, including the playoffs. New England boasted the league’s best scoring defense during the season, but they haven’t faced a quarterback that is remotely close to Matt Ryan, who has been shredding defenses ever since he entered the league.

Tom Brady may be able to match Ryan for some of the game, but the supporting cast around Ryan is overwhelming. Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu have proven themselves as top tier receivers, and Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman terrorized defenses out of the backfield, acting as a double edged sword. The Patriots are excellent at shutting down your number one player, but there are too many stars on this loaded Falcons team. I would not be surprised if Atlanta puts up 40 or more on the Patriots.

Don’t expect this game to be a blowout, though. While the Falcons will most likely emerge as champions, the Patriots will not go down without a fight. Brady is too fierce of a competitor to simply give up. This will be a close game, but no one can beat the Falcons. Not even the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady, will be able to overcome this daunting challenge.