Super Bowl Odds 2018: Bold Predictions for Eagles vs. Patriots

The New England Patriots are accustomed to playing in the Super Bowl. 

While their opponents in the final game of the NFL season have varied during the eight appearances quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick have made, the results have stayed the same, with the exception of two defeats to the New York Giants. 

The Philadelphia Eagles will step into the ring looking to knock off the perennial Super Bowl favorites at Super Bowl LII, and an argument can be made that they are the most unique opponents the Patriots have faced during the Brady-Belichick era. 

Although the Super Bowl is more than a week away, it's never too early to start making bold predictions. Below is a look at the odds for the February 4 showdown in Minneapolis, Minnesota as well as some out-of-the-box predictions. 

Odds: New England (-5); over/under: 48

Bold Predictions

Nick Foles Will Outperform Tom Brady 

Predictions don't get much bolder than this. 

Nick Foles, who has two playoff wins and a Pro Bowl MVP to his name, will square off against five-time Super Bowl winner Brady in Super Bowl LII.

While it's borderline insane to think the Eagles' backup quarterback will outperform one of the greatest NFL players of all time, it's possible if certain things fall into play. 

Throughout the postseason, the Eagles have thrived on short passes to running backs and tight ends with the occasional deep ball from Foles, who threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship. 

Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Philadelphia has embraced the underdog role after being cast that way for the divisional-round tilt with the Atlanta Falcons and the NFC Championship vs. the Minnesota Vikings. In each of those games, head coach Doug Pederson used the underdog label as motivation and put together a terrific game plan for Foles to succeed. 

Since Foles lit up one of the league's best defenses on Sunday, it's not crazy to think he'll do well against the third-worst passing defense in the NFL that conceded 251.3 passing yards per game in the regular season. 

This prediction also gets a little less crazy when you bring up the fact that Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles threw for more yards than Brady in the AFC Championship, albeit the difference was three yards. 

If the Eagles continue to work up a game plan that suits the strengths of Foles and follow up on some of the success the Jaguars had against the Patriots defense, Foles could put together his second straight 300-yard passing game. 

New England's Running Backs Will Be the Most Important Players on Offense

No one is going to be talking about the effectiveness of the New England running backs going into the Super Bowl because of who the Patriots quarterback is and the minimal stats they earned through the ground in the AFC Championship. 

The running back corps led by Dion Lewis totaled 46 yards on 19 carries on Sunday, with Lewis leading the way with nine carries for 34 yards. 

Lewis and James White were better assets in the passing game, as they combined for 10 catches and 54 yards. 

Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Although some may see the Patriots running backs having more value in the passing game, their true worth will come on the ground against a stingy Eagles front seven. 

With all of the focus on Brady and finding a way to contain tight end Rob Gronkowski, if he recovers from the concussion he suffered in the AFC Championship, Lewis, White and Rex Burkhead should be able to find a few holes and break a decent amount of productive runs. 

We're not saying the Patriots need to have a 100-yard rusher in the Super Bowl, but their running backs must assert their presence in the first quarter. 

If the Patriots are unable to get their ground attack into a rhythm, the Eagles defense will start teeing off on Brady in an attempt to force turnovers like they did against Minnesota quarterback Case Keenum in the NFC Championship. 

Nelson Agholor Will be the Game's Leading Receiver 

Appearing in a starring role in the Super Bowl was something Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor couldn't have imagined after a 2016 season plagued with countless dropped passes. 

With all eyes on wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and tight end Zach Ertz, Foles will rely on the USC product to succeed out of a variety of positions on the field. 

Agholor could line up across from a corner in one-on-one coverage on one side of the Eagles formation, line up in the slot to try and create a mismatch, or motion into the backfield like he has on a few occasions in the postseason. 

The third-year professional caught three passes for 59 yards in the NFC Championship, with one of those receptions being a 42-yard hook up between he and Foles. 

Elsa/Getty Images

Look for Foles to initially target Agholor with the deep ball, but then find the wideout on short passes as he progresses through his reads in the pocket. 

The Patriots will also have to keep an eye on Agholor when he goes into motion around the backfield before the play. Foles has handed the ball off to Agholor and used him as a decoy to set up other plays through that motion. 

With Jeffery and Ertz tightly covered and Torrey Smith not getting a ton of targets, Agholor should record six or seven catches for close to 100 yards.

This prediction changes a bit if Gronkowski is 100 percent because he's such a dominant figure in the Patriots game plan and possesses a mismatch against any of the Eagles linebackers and safety Malcolm Jenkins. 

Brady will be able to connect with a few of his wide receivers, including Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks, but neither will reach the level of production that Agholor will hit due to Brady spreading the ball around to different players. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com. 

Odds obtained from OddsShark.com.