PATRIOTS, FALCONS SET TO SQUARE OFF IN SUPER BOWL LI

The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons are set to square off for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, tonight.

The Patriots, champions of the American Football Conference, are in search of their fifth Super Bowl championship in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era.

However, the Falcons, in the Super Bowl for just the second time in franchise history and looking for their first NFL Championship.</s>The New England Patriots are kings of the football world once again following Sunday's dramatic 34-28 Super Bowl 51 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons, and they've already been pegged as favorites to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy again in 2018.

According to OddsShark.com's Stephen Campbell, the Patriots are listed at +600 (bet $100 to win $600) to win Super Bowl 52. The Dallas Cowboys are second at +1000, while the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks clock in a notch higher at +1100.

After tying the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers for second on the all-time list with five Super Bowl titles, the Patriots will attempt to join the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only franchises in league history with six Lombardi Trophies.

Speaking of the 49ers, San Francisco is tied with the Cleveland Browns for the worst Super Bowl 52 odds at plus-22,500. To put those figures into perspective, the New York Jets have the second-worst odds at plus-11,500.

Complete odds can be viewed below:

But when it comes to the Patriots, history suggests it will be difficult for Brady and head coach Bill Belichick to repeat in pursuit of yet another ring.

While the Patriots captured back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 2004 and 2005, that was the last time they appeared in consecutive title games.

It would hardly be unprecedented if the Patriots conquer the AFC and find themselves vying for the championship at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, but recent trends indicate reaching that plateau again could be an uphill battle.</s>HOUSTON — On the surface, New England vs. Atlanta may not sound like the sexiest Super Bowl matchup.

But Sunday’s game has the potential to be explosive. With two high-octane offenses, Super Bowl LI has the makings of a shootout, and the final game of this NFL season could be its best.

It also will be the sixth time in Super Bowl history that the league’s highest-scoring offense (Atlanta’s) will face the defense that allowed the least amount of points (New England’s). The defense has won five of those games.

“I don’t see any more burden than any other week,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “I think as an offense, we prepare to go out there and score however many points we need to. If it’s a bunch of them, we can do that, and if it’s just a few of them, we can do that as well.”

New England returns to the Super Bowl stage for the ninth time, an NFL record. Head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have led seven of those appearances. They’ve won four together, and there’s a lot of history at stake as they go for a fifth.

Once Brady takes the field Sunday in Houston, he will surpass defensive lineman Mike Lodish for the most Super Bowl appearances by a player. Lodish played in four with the Buffalo Bills and two with the Denver Broncos.

If Brady wins, he will match Charles Haley for the most Super Bowl titles by a player with five. A win would also give him the most Super Bowl titles by a quarterback.

“It’s hard to do,” Brady said. “The fact that I’ve been able to do it before, it just means I’ve been a part of some really great teams, and this team is trying to be one of those really great teams that finishes a job, not one of those teams that comes up short. That’s what we have to finish.”

Belichick could pass Chuck Noll for the most Super Bowl wins by a head coach in NFL history. He already has the most postseason wins of all time by a head coach and now will have the most Super Bowl appearances.

“They are all special,” Belichick said of his Super Bowls berths. “They are kind of like your children. You love them all, but they are different. They are all special. It is a great privilege to be here and represent the AFC in this game. It is where you want to be at the end of the year.”

But the Patriots have been shaky the last few times they have been on this stage. They escaped with a 28-24 win against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX two years ago, with Malcolm Butler picking off Russell Wilson at the goal line with 20 seconds left.

Before then, they lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowls XLII in 2008 and XLVI in 2012 — each time coughing up the lead in the final minute.

In this year’s playoffs, the Patriots are third in the NFL in total offense and averaged 35 points per game, trailing only Atlanta. New England’s defense, meanwhile, has allowed the fewest points (16.5) in the league.

The Falcons haven’t had that kind of success since they started playing in 1966. It’s their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, losing Super Bowl XXXIII 34-19 to Denver.

But with the No. 1 offense in the league, this team is scary good. In the playoffs, Atlanta is tops in points per game (40), total offense (457.5 yards), net passing yards (357.5), time of possession (33:29) and turnover differential (+4).

And while it’s only Dan Quinn’s second year as an NFL head coach, he’s coached in three of the last four Super Bowls. Two of those were with the Seahawks, where Quinn was defensive coordinator as Seattle pummeled the Broncos 43-8 to win Super Bowl XLVIII and then narrowly lost to New England a year later.

“I never set out a one-year plan, or a two-year plan, or a three-year plan or any of that,” Quinn said. “I don’t think that far ahead. I way more enjoy in the moment and seeing how good we can get week to week. Our team got a lot better as this season went, and that’s the goal you want to have.”</s>Cord cutters may be worried they'll miss Sunday's big game. To them, we say: No cable, no problem.

Here's how you can watch this made-for-TV (or some other device!) Super Bowl matchup between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons.

And just in case you need a little background on the two teams ...

The Falcons, who dominated the Packers in the NFC Championship Game, are making their second Super Bowl appearance in team history, and the Patriots are headed back to the Big Game for the ninth time, an NFL record. Atlanta's lone appearance came in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they lost to the Broncos, 34-19.

New England, meanwhile, is 4-4 in Super Bowl games:
• What: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons
• Online streaming: Fox Sports GO.
• There are a number of ways to watch through different platforms and devices. Viewers can use:
• NFL Game Pass (available to watch online after midnight)

"[Taking away Julio Jones] would normally slow an offense, but not this Falcons offense, which is why I think they win this game. They averaged more than 40 points in two games without Jones this year. Matt Ryan also threw touchdown passes to 13 different players, a league record. In a battle of the top-ranked scoring offense and the top-ranked scoring defense, I think the offense will get the best of it here. Ryan has too many weapons."

According SportsLine, the Patriots are three-point favorites over the Falcons. The over-under is 58.5, the highest ever for a Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, five of the eight CBSSports.com experts are picking the Falcons to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

It's the Super Bowl, which means prop bets are all the rage. One of the most popular: Over-under on the length of the national anthem. Country star Luke Bryan will sing the anthem at Super Bowl LI and depending on which sportsbook you consult, he will take anywhere from 2 minutes to 2 minutes, 15 seconds. Bryan, who has sung the anthem at previous public events, has been clocked as fast at 1:59 and as slow as 2:29. So place your bets accordingly.

There are also the cross-sport prop bets. Here are some of the more interesting ones, courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook (by way of ESPN.com):
• Tiger Woods' 18-hole score in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic or Brady's gross passing yards (Brady is favored by 18.5).
• LeBron James' total points in the Cavs-Knicks game on Feb. 4 or Matt Ryan's Super Bowl completions. (This is a pick 'em).
• Total goals in Leicester City-Manchester United match or the total touchdowns for the Patriots and Falcons (The line is pick'em and both sides are -110).

... And about the NRG roof situation come game time:</s>Donald Trump gave up on his favored team at 8:57 p.m. Sunday, as that team, the New England Patriots, was on pace for an embarrassing Super Bowl blowout, trailing 28-3. “The motorcade is rolling from the Trump International Golf Club, as Super Bowl LI continues but POTUS' preferred team trailing,” read a pool report.

The rest, as they say, is history. New England pulled off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28, in overtime.

In an interview on Fox News that aired before the game, Trump noted his friendship with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and the team's owner, Robert Kraft. Trump seemed to allude to the Patriots figures facing criticism for their association with him.

“I know they’re taking a lot of heat,” Trump said. “But you know what, they’re also getting a popularity of it. I think they’re going to do very well. Tom’s a winner.”

It was unclear whether Trump tuned back in to the game. But he tweeted this afterward: "What an amazing comeback and win by the Patriots. Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!"</s>CLEVELAND–As Cleveland Browns fans say, “There’s always next year.”

Well, there was no Super Bowl for Cleveland this February, but did you realize that several ex-Browns made it to the big game?

There are two ex-Browns on the Atlanta Falcons: Alex Mack (center), and Taylor Gabriel (wide receiver).

On the New England Patriots team there are three ex-Browns: Jabaal Sheard, Barkevious Mingo, and Dion Lewis.

You can’t forget about New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick, who used to lead the Cleveland Browns as well.

“They always leave the Browns and go play for the teams that end up in the championship,” said Kristin Bergen, a Cleveland fan.

Others tell Fox 8 there isn’t any issue, because that’s just how the game works.

“I’m happy for them, they came here and saw what bad organizations are and now they can play for New England or the Falcons and see how good organizations are ran,” John Verzi, a Cleveland fan, said.</s>Atlanta Falcons' Devonta Freeman runs against New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Fox drew an audience of 111.3 million viewers for the first Super Bowl to go to overtime, falling just shy of the audience for football's ultimate game over the last three years.

The Nielsen company said that the top Super Bowl audience — and the biggest for any American TV show — was the 114.4 million who saw the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks in 2015.

That 2015 game also had a last-minute ending, but couldn't match this year, when the Patriots beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime. The late rally may actually have handicapped Fox: The Falcons led 28-3 at one point and the game was looking like a rout.

Last year's Denver-Carolina game reached an audience of 111.9 million.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</s>A parade has been scheduled for the Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots, but really, the party may never stop. The Patriots pulled off an improbable comeback, scoring 31 unanswered points en route to an amazing 34-28 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons.

The city of Boston has scheduled the celebratory parade for Tuesday starting at 11 a.m., Boston mayor Marty Walsh announced shortly after Tom Brady and Bill Belichick hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

It appears Mother Nature won’t be very cooperative, but that never stops New Englanders from having a good time.

Sunday’s championship is New England’s fifth Super Bowl title, and second in three years.</s>Patriots rally from 28-3 deficit as Tom Brady earns fifth title, 34-38, in the first Super Bowl game to go into overtime

HOUSTON — Tom Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history lifting New England from a 25-point hole to the Patriots’ fifth NFL championship in the first Super Bowl overtime.

The Patriots scored 19 points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then marched relentlessly to James White’s 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 Sunday night.

Brady, the first quarterback with five Super Bowl rings, guided the Patriots (17-2) through a tiring Atlanta defense for fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 6-yard pass to Danny Amendola and a 1-yard run by White, which came with 57 seconds remaining in regulation. White ran for the first two-pointer and Amendola did the deed with a reception on the second.

Brady, winning Super Bowl MVP for a record fourth-time, finished 43 for 62, the most attempts in Super Bowl history, for 466 yards, also a record, and two touchdowns.

“You know, we all brought each other back,” Brady said. “We never felt out of it. It was a tough battle. They have a great team. I give them a lot of credit. We just made a few more plays than them.”

Before the stunning rally — New England already held the biggest comeback in the final period when it turned around a 10-point deficit to beat Seattle two years ago — the Falcons (13-6) appeared poised to take their first NFL championship in 51 seasons. Having never been in such a pressurized environment, their previously staunch pass rush disappeared, and Brady tore them apart.

“Deflategate” far behind them, Brady and coach Bill Belichick won their 25th postseason game, by far a record. It’s hard to imagine a tenser victory.

Belichick became the first coach with five Super Bowl crowns.

The Patriots won the coin toss for overtime and it was no contest. Brady completed six passes. A pass interference call took the ball to the 2, and White scooted to his right and barely over the goal line.

His teammates streamed off the sideline to engulf White as confetti streamed down from the NRG Stadium rafters.

It was almost an impossible dream for the Patriots a bit earlier. But helped by Matt Ryan’s fumble on a sack, a spectacular catch by Julian Edelman, and Brady’s passing, they never stopped coming.

White had 14 receptions for 110 yards as the key weapon, but Brady hit seven different receivers.

Until the Patriots took charge with their late surge, league MVP Ryan was outplaying Brady. It didn’t last.</s>(AP) — James White was not the New England Patriots’ featured running back when Super Bowl 51 started.

As White has proven before, that was irrelevant.

In 2009, White was a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was a starter for the perennial state and national powerhouse but wasn’t considered the go-to ball carrier. That role was held by Giovanni Bernard, now of the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Gio was more the tailback, and a lot of times we changed our sets so we could use both of them,” said St. Thomas Aquinas athletic director George Smith, the school’s football coach when White was a senior. “But when Gio was hurt in his senior year and couldn’t play, James took a whole different path. He became the deal.”

When the Patriots needed him Sunday night, White was the deal again.

He set Super Bowl records by scoring 20 points and making 14 catches for 110 yards. He had two rushing touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime as the Patriots came back from 25 points down and stunned the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 for the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy.

Before the Patriots left Houston for home on Monday, Brady suggested White should have been MVP — the award that the Patriots quarterback received for a record fourth time.

“I think James White deserves it,” Brady said. “It’d be nice for him.”

White really started making an impact with the Patriots last season, when Dion Lewis got hurt. More than half of his touches in the Super Bowl came in the fourth quarter or overtime, when New England was desperately trying to find something that worked.

Such has been his career trajectory — he’s always been considered good on whatever team he’s with, whether it was St. Thomas Aquinas or Wisconsin for college or New England now. But the real appreciation of White, at all three of those places, has come in the moments when he’s been called upon to take on a bigger role.

“White is like my oldest son,” Brady said. “He just does everything right and you can never get mad at him because even if he doesn’t make the play, he feels worse about it than you do, you know? He’s just the best teammate. He’s an incredible player. … I’m so proud of him and everything he’s accomplished. I’ve seen him grow from a rookie to working his tail off to become a big factor in all these games.”

There’s a bit of irony that White’s biggest NFL moment came against Atlanta.

Had things gone a little differently eight years ago, White might be calling Atlanta home.

He was a standout center fielder for St. Thomas Aquinas, batting first or second in the order and making base-stealing look easy. The scouts came knocking, ones from the Braves in particular. And White seriously considered pursuing baseball instead of football.

“Always was on time, always had his homework, worked hard to get his grade, always got his A,” said Ed Waters, who was his high school baseball coach and also taught him American history and government. “Sounds too good to be true, but he definitely is in that category.”

They’ve been using White as an example for current students at St. Thomas Aquinas for some time — long before he entered Super Bowl lore.

And that will continue. They’re hoping to get White on campus for a rally with the school’s 2,200 students later this week, once things like Tuesday’s parade in Boston are completed.

“He did whatever we wanted here,” Smith said. “He was unbelievable.”

The Patriots would say the same.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
The New England Patriots defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34–28, in the first game in Super Bowl history to go into overtime.