Somewhere among all the politics, there still remains a big American tradition looming ahead; plastering our calendars with "!!!" and infiltrating our grocery lists with buffalo dips and football-shaped cakes galore -- that's right. The Super Bowl is here once again. And whether your team's in it or not, chances are you'll turn it on at some point, if not for the whole game then at least for the halftime show with Lady Gaga. But while I could have made this article some sort of nod to Lady Gaga or past halftime entertainers, I prefer to talk football. Thus, I called up my brother -- a self-proclaimed football aficionado -- and discussed the upcoming game with him, gathering his top 6 picks for players to watch out for this coming Sunday, and why.
1) The Falcons' running backs, specifically Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman
"I believe they could be the key to the game. While all the talk has been focused on all-world wide receiver Julio Jones, I think the duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman will play a huge role in the Super Bowl. They are what makes this offense go; Freeman brings the tenacity between the tackles, and Coleman brings speed to slice through any defense. The Patriots may have the #1 scoring defense in the league, but they have been exposed by versatile running backs all year (CJ Prosise, Lesean McCoy, etc.). In order to win, the Pats must slow down Freeman and Coleman and make the Falcons one-dimensional."
2) Trey Flowers, Defensive End, Patriots
"The most underrated player on the Patriots defense in my opinion. After missing the entirety of his rookie season due to injury, Flowers has burst onto the scene this year. He is the Pats' best pass rusher and has an incredible motor that can make him very disruptive. If he is able to find his way to Matt Ryan on Sunday, the Patriots will be in good shape."
Editor's note: guess one could say it's 'bout time the Falcons wake up and smell the Flowers.... Haaa.... get it?....
Alright. Bad joke. Let's move on.
3) Vic Beasley, Defensive End, Falcons
"Beasley is beastly. He has dominated since the early portion of the season in his breakout year. Over the years, there has been one consistent factor in all of the Patriots' big losses: lots of pressure on Brady. I believe the Texans exposed something by having their two dynamic rushers, Clowney and Mercilus, run up the middle instead of around the edge. Get around the edge, and he'll step up and be fine. But pressure him up the middle and he will panic. The Falcons, Beasley included, would be smart to rush Brady over the Pats' interior offensive line."
4) Devin McCourty, Free Safety, Patriots
"McCourty is the most important player on the Patriots' defense. Period. He has quietly had the best year of his career. He brings a rare combination of coverage skills and excellent tackling ability, putting him behind only Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks, as I see it. All he needs to do is play like he has all year if he hopes to help the Patriots slow down the #1 offense in the NFL."
5) Taylor Gabriel, Wide Receiver, Falcons
"Yes, the old Browns castoff could play a key role in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots always seek to take away the other team's best weapons, in this case Jones and the RBs, which could open things up for Gabriel and give him favorable matchups. But Gabriel is dangerous. His exceptional speed and agility make him a dynamic weapon in the open field. It would not surprise me if he makes a play that changes the game. Beware of the 5'8 Gabriel, New England."
6) Martellus Bennett, Tight End, Patriots
"The off-season acquisition has brought a spark both on and off the field. Yet, on the field you may not notice it. The fact is, he's a much better blocker than receiver. He has helped the Patriots mightily in the absence of Gronk even though he doesn't offer the same vertical receiving ability. That being said, he can make a few big plays in the red zone with his size, which are two areas where the Atlanta defense struggles (in terms of size, let's just say their defense is very fast). If he can make a play like Gronk did against Dan Quinn's Seattle defense two years ago in the Super Bowl, when the current Falcons coach was the Seahawks' defensive coordinator, Pats' fans may have a happy ending."
Editor's note: Off the field @MartysaurusRex, as his Twitter name proudly labels him, is the "Creative Director of Awesomeness at The Imagination Agency," as well as one of Forbes' picks for "30 Under 30." He's also the guy you might have seen dancing on the sidelines with the cheerleaders after the AFC championship win. In other words, he's a pretty cool dude, on and off the field. Still don't believe me? Look here and here.
