EA SPORTS: PATS WILL WIN AGAIN
KICKOFF AT 6:30 P.M. (NBC) U.S. BANK STADIUM • MINNEAPOLIS
MINNEAPOLIS — Go ahead and take the New England Patriots to win their sixth Super Bowl title, and expect veteran quarterback Tom Brady to be named the game’s MVP for the fifth time. Those are the predictions of EA Sports using their Madden NFL 18 simulation for tonight’s Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.
For those who doubt the accuracy, EA Sports has predicted 10 of the 14 Super Bowl winners since the company started simulating the game in 2004.
Madden NFL predicted the Patriots would rally late in the fourth quarter of last year’s Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons in Houston, including overcoming a 10-point deficit in the third quarter. The video game also predicted Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan would throw two touchdowns and the final score.
The simulation wasn’t perfect, missing Falcons receiver Julio Jones with his 87 receiving yards with a prediction of 89 yards. The simulation also missed Jones scoring a touchdown.
In projecting tonight’s game, the Madden NFL 18 simulation predicts the Eagles will take an early lead on a touchdown run by Jay Ajayi, with Philadelphia’s defense holding New England to a field goal. The
Eagles are forced to settle for a field goal late in the first quarter. Brady, who is on the cover of the Madden NFL 18 game box, then throws touchdown passes to Rob Gronkowski and Brandin Cooks in the second quarter, with the Eagles adding a field goal late in the first half.
In the simulation, the Eagles start blitzing Brady in the second half, getting two sacks and forcing an interception. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles converts Brady’s interception into a touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffrey, putting Philadelphia ahead going into the fourth quarter.
But Brady is predicted to throw his third touchdown pass, this one to Danny Amendola, to give the Patriots the lead. Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins strips New England running back Dion Lewis of the ball, but Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore knocks away a Foles pass to Jeffrey as time expires to seal a 24-20 victory and another championship for New England and coach Bill Belichick.
The simulation predicts Brady will finish with 342 passing yards compared to 241 for Foles, Gronkowski will have a game-high 107 receiving yards on four catches and Jeffrey will total 98 yards on six catches.
Madden NFL also predicted the final score in February 2015 of the Patriots’ 28-24 win over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. That included predicting New England trailing 24-14 in the third quarter before rallying, along with Julian Edelman scoring the game-winning touchdown.