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The Super Bowl has the look of a competitive event this year, as the Philadelphia Eagles have no reason to be cowed by Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots Sunday.
The Patriots may be playing for history as they go after their sixth Super Bowl title, but they appear to have some vulnerability. There is a weakness on defense that Nick Foles and the Eagles may be able to take advantage of throughout Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
New England played miserably on defense through the first four weeks of the regular season, and while the Pats picked up after that, they still ranked 28th in yards allowed. That means Foles, Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Nelson Agholor and tight end Zach Ertz should be able to move the ball throughout the game.
Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has seen his team do a better job of keeping opponents from reaching the end zone, as 11 of New England's past 14 opponents have been restricted to a maximum of 17 points.
That's a respectable number, but Philadelphia put up 38 points in a blowout win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game. If Foles is sharp again after throwing for 352 yards and three touchdowns, New England's chances of holding Philadelphia to fewer than 17 points may be minimal.
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It's also difficult to see Philadelphia holding Brady, Dion Lewis, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan and tight end Rob Gronkowski in check. This game looks set to be a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair that could come down to the last possession.
As a result, we are looking at several of the prop bets that involve passing yardage, big plays and scoring totals.
One of those is the number of total touchdowns in the first half of the game. Stephen Campbell of OddsShark shows bookmakers list that number at 2.5 touchdowns, and since we see this as a game that will go over the total of 48 points, the two teams will have not trouble scoring three touchdowns or more in the first 30 minutes.
Bettors must risk $115 to win $100 for the over, and that same risk and reward is involved by taking the under. The two teams will surpass the 2.5-touchdown mark late in the first quarter or early in the second.
The longest touchdown is listed at 43.5 yards, with the odds on going under or over minus-115. We believe there will be a long special teams return for a score or a long defensive touchdown. So take the over in that bet as well.
The easiest prop on the board may involve receiving yards for Smith. If the Philadelphia receiver exceeds 29.5 yards, he will reward over bettors. He could surpass that figure after one or two receptions and possibly by the end of the first quarter. The odds on both the over and the under in that prop is minus-115, and we highly recommend this over.
The same holds for Hogan. While he has had a number of nagging injuries this year, the wide receiver should play a key role in this game. All Hogan has to do is exceed 37.5 yards, and the odds on the over is minus-115.
We are also willing to back Hogan to score the first touchdown of the game. This is a gamble, but you have to love the plus-1,400 odds for this eventuality. A bettor who is willing to risk $100 on this prop would come away with a $1,400 profit if Hogan finds the end zone with the opening touchdown of the game.
There are a slew of Super Bowl LII props OddsShark details, involving the game, the national anthem, the halftime performance and the color of the Gatorade.
Hardcore football fans and casual viewers alike should be able to find at least one prop bet that enhances their interest in the game.
For those interested in a standard point spread and total prediction on the game, we like the Patriots to cover the 4.5-point spread and the teams to exceed the 48-point total. New England wins 37-30.