It’s a Super Bowl Sunday, but if you’re a New England Patriots fan, it’s really just another game/day/weekend.

You’re almost getting used to it, right? This will be the fourth straight Super Bowl without the Patriots, and it’s no coincidence this all began when Tom Brady first had contract issues and then left.

Brady made it back to the big game, but not the Patriots, and now Patrick Mahomes is the QB everyone is in awe of. This will be his third Super Bowl, and he’s already played in five straight AFC Championship Games as the Chiefs have hosted the last five. Yes, that is indeed the case. Remember when that used to be seemingly a New England birthright?

For yours truly, gone is the fun of getting ready to take the media bus to the whatever stadium the game was to be played in, then eventually after the long media security line getting up to the press box some four hours before kickoff. The game itself, then the scramble after to get interviews, etc. That was never as easy as it looked; one time, the Super Bowl that was in Jacksonville in 2005, we got lost and actually walked out of the stadium with the fans. Oopsies. Needed to follow the yellow brick road and picked the wrong color line. Good thing that didn’t happen in Minneapolis in 2018 when it was single digits outside. We remember someone in the know on the media bus saying, “The corporates aren’t happy. They’ll ever have (the Super Bowl) here again.” Brrrr.

But really,the gamea is always the thing, and with the Patriots, they always went down to the final few minutes – except their last appearance, the snoozer vs. the Rams in Atlanta. What was supposed to be an offensive explosion was a defensive dud.

A lot has to happen for the Patriots to return; they need to obvious develop offensive stars that can compete in today’s NFL. Including quarterback.

But here is the thing about tonight’s Super Bowl LVII: While both quarterbacks are in the spotlight, Mahomes and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, the winner at the line of scrimmage will win this thing.

Because that’s how the Eagles got to Phoenix. They dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides.

Especially defensively. The Chiefs were blown away by Tom Brady and the Bucs two years ago because they were banged up on the offensive line and Tampa’s defensive line was top notch. Sure, Brady played well, but he never had to get into the usual shootout with Mahomes because the Bucs defensive line made the Chiefs QB’s life miserable. That led to one of the rare Super Bowl blowouts, ones that used to be commonplace for this game in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, with a few exceptions.

Brandon Graham,Fletcher Cox, Josh Sweat, Javon Hargraves, Milton Williams, etc. Other than Cox, not household names. Just good football players. And Haason Reddick, a household name with 20 sacks combined regular and post season.

Now on the flip side,the Eagles offensive line, led by All-Pro center Jason Kelce, plus tackles Lane Johson, Jordan Mailata, etc. The passing games of both teams cancel each other out, but the Eagles had the fourth best rushing attack this season. They can run the ball down your throat; the Chiefs cannot.

Philly had a pretty easy road to the Super Bowl, almost Patriot-esque. They blew away the overrated Giants and then did get the break of the 49ers losing their starting QB, Brock Purdy, in the NFC title game.

But the thought of that defensive line – they don’t need to blitz – chasing a gimpy Mahomes around State Farm Stadium in Glendale will conjure up the thought of what the Bucs did to the Chiefs two years ago.

Sure, the NFL is a league full of star quarterbacks and wide receivers, and receivers impersonating tight ends.

But football is still a blocking-tackling game. If the Patriots want to improve, that’s where to start.

And that’s why the Eagles will win Super Bowl LVII by a 31-17 score that won’t be as close as the final score.

Enjoy Rihanna’s halftime show.

TWO WEEKS AGO: 0-2

PLAYOFFS: 9-3

REGULAR SEASON: 71-54

Tom King may be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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