Super Bowl 52: Eagles vs. Patriots Game Time, Predictions and TV Schedule

The New England Patriots are playing for a spot in the history books when they take the field Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis against the Philadelphia Eagles.

If the Patriots are successful, they will win their second straight Super Bowl, their third in four years and their sixth as a franchise. That would tie the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team with the most Lombardi Trophies.

The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET, and it will be televised on NBC. The game can be live-streamed on the NBC Sports app. New England is a 4.5-point favorite, according to OddsShark, and the total is 48 points.

The Eagles are not likely to be in a giving mood as they go after the first Super Bowl championship in team history. Philadelphia has not won an NFL championship since 1960, when they defeated the Green Bay Packers at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. That was the only postseason defeat Packers head coach Vince Lombardi suffered during his legendary career.

The Eagles have had two chances to win Super Bowl games, but they dropped a 27-10 decision to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV, and they were defeated 24-21 by the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.

The individual matchups in this game are much more likely to play a role than past history or technical trends.

On the surface, it appears New England has an edge on the offensive side, while Philly is clearly the better defensive team. Therefore, the game could come down to special teams, and the Patriots have the advantage in that area, ranking third with Football Outsiders. 

The Eagles were 16th in special teams efficiency, and they are going to have to worry about the skills of Dion Lewis on kickoff returns and Danny Amendola as a punt returner.

Amendola returned a fourth-quarter punt 20 yards late in the fourth quarter in the AFC title game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which helped set up the Patriots for the go-ahead touchdown.

New England's Ryan Allen is a major weapon when it comes to placing the ball and directional punting. Five of his 10 postseason punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line, and his well-placed kicks helped put Jacksonville at a disadvantage.

Placekicker Stephen Gostkowski has been a sensational talent for New England over the years, and while he may not have made Patriots fans forget about Adam Vinatieri's heroics, he has answered nearly every question.

Gostkowski connected on 37 of 40 field-goal attempts during the regular season, including four of four from 50 yards and beyond. The only problem Gostkowski has had in recent years is the occasional missed point after touchdown.

Eagles rookie Jake Elliott has been quite dependable since replacing Caleb Sturgis early in the season at the placekicker position. Elliott made a 61-yard field-goal attempt at the gun to beat the New York Giants in Week 3, proving his mettle.

Elliott made 26 of 31 field-goal attempts during the regular season, including five of six from 50 yards and beyond.

Return specialists Kenjon Barner and Corey Clement are both above average, but they are not as likely to make big plays as Lewis or Amendola. 

Additionally, the Patriots have a brilliant special teamer in Matthew Slater, who is capable of making the big hit when it is needed most.

Prediction

Super Bowl LII should be a back-and-forth game between two excellent teams. It's hard to see either going up by 10 points or more at any point.

While the Eagles have a powerful defense, led by Brandon Graham (9.5 regular-season sacks), Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is too experienced in big games to be held in check.

Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles can't match Brady's experience and accomplishments, but he is coming off a 352-yard, three-TD performance in the NFC title game. He should be able to move the ball against the Patriots' 28th-ranked defense.

However, look for New England's special teams and Brady's experience to make the difference. New England pulls out a 37-30 victory with a late fourth-quarter touchdown.