America loves comeback stories Authentic Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , the last-to-first variety that features new stars, big plays and a monumental triumph at the end.
That would be the tale of the Philadelphia Eagles if they win Sundayr17;s Super Bowl.
The oddsmakers donr17;t see it happening and have installed the New England Patriots r11; yes, them again r11; as 4+-point favorites.
Give Philly its due, however: The Eagles have a strong chance of winning their first NFL crown since 1960 and their first Lombardi Trophy.
Will they? Read on.
Doug Pedersonr17;s bunch has shown the resilience of a champion, losing such key players as quarterback Carson Wentz, a strong MVP contender, left tackle Jason Peters, linebacker Jordan Hicks and running back Darren Sproles to injuries.
r1;Itr17;s the next-man-up mentality,r1; Pederson says. r1;It also means that you have some veteran players that keep things together, and good coaching staffs. I think itr17;s a tribute to the players and everyone involved that they can keep things going even through that adversity.r1;
Philadelphia has not yielded a point in the second half of either playoff game. It put 31 on the stingiest scoring defense in the league, and threw in a defensive TD in routing Minnesota for the NFC championship. Its backup quarterback, Nick Foles Authentic DJ Moore Jersey , has been everything from solid to spectacular in his career playoff games.
The Eagles can disrupt Tom Brady with a fierce pass rush up front, led by Fletcher Cox, who has been the best defensive player in the entire postseason. They have threats on offense in the passing game and at running back.
And they are facing a New England squad that has not been as powerful as some of the teams Brady has led in seven previous Super Bowls, going 5-2.
Yet, donr17;t be misled. These are still the Patriots, probably the most resourceful group of athletes on the planet. They make big plays, not only thanks to Bradyr17;s arm but on a defense that only recently began getting the praise it warrants.
Plus, they have all that experience in the big game, bringing 31 players back from last yearr17;s championship roster.
r1;We know what to expect, but at the end of the day, your17;ve got to perform,r1; linebacker Kyle Van Noy said. r1;So therer17;s really no upper hand. Your17;ve got to just play the game and get ready for it and play at a high level.r1;
New England doesnr17;t always do that in the Super Bowl. Recall last Februaryr17;s first 40 minutes or so Authentic Donte Jackson Jersey , when it was down 28-3 to Atlanta before the Falcons stopped charging and Brady led an historic rally.
The one consistency about the Patriots is that they play close Super Bowls. The total difference in scoring in those seven games is 12 points: Patriots 169, opponents 157.
So do they pull out another close one, or does Philly complete its uplifting saga?
It all comes down to one thing: which team has Brady.
PATRIOTS 24, EAGLES 23
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2017 RECORD:
Last week: Against spread (1-1). Straight up (2-0)
Season Totals: Against spread (123-125-10). Straight up: (167-97)
Best Bet: 10-9 against spread, 11-8 straight up.
Upset special: 10-8 against spread, 9-9 straight up
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WASHINGTON r12; The Washington Nationals will look to continue their domination of the Baltimore Orioles when they play the penultimate game of this seasonr17;s Beltway Series Wednesday night at Nationals Park.
Trea Turner went 4-for-4 with a homer, and Anthony Rendon drove in three runs as the Nationals rallied for a 9-7 win on Tuesday night. Washington has won six straight over Baltimore, including all four games this season.
Washington trailed 4-1 entering the fifth inning. Baltimore loaded the bases but scored only one run, that coming on Manny Machador17;s double-play grounder. The Nationals loaded the bases and tied it with a four-run fifth and then won it with four in the seventh as Rendonr17;s two-run double put them ahead.
r0;This team is starting to become relentless and when you start doing that you put up runs late and thatr17;s a good sign,r1; Nationals manager Dave Martinez said after his team collected 14 hits. r0;They kept pounding and pounding and pounding, had a couple of big innings there and scored some runs.r1;
Adam Eaton had two hits and two RBIs for the Nationals (39-32), who have outscored the Orioles by a combined 20-9.
Turner Authentic Rashaan Gaulden Jersey , moved down to the sixth spot in the lineup Tuesday night, homered in the second inning, added a pair of singles and ended his night with a double in the seventh.
r0;I feel like Ir17;ve been getting decent pitches to hit, just fouling them off or missing them and today it kind of clicked for me,r1; he said. r0;Ir17;ve been trying to make some adjustments and felt better.r1;
Baltimore (20-51) got two-run homers from Jace Peterson and Trey Mancini, and a solo shot from Joey Rickard.
r0;There were a lot of good at-bats and walks and we didnr17;t get too overanxious against their first pitcher, but we just werenr17;t able to stem the tide,r1; manager Buck Showalter said after the Orioles lost for the 17th time in 20 games.
Washingtonr17;s Gio Gonzalez (6-3, 3.01 ERA) opposes Andrew Cashner (2-8, 4.98) in the middle game of the three-game set.
After a solid first two months of the season, Gonzalez has slipped in June. In his last three starts he has given up 12 runs and 20 hits over 16 1/3 innings (6.61 ERA), though Washington won two of the three.
In his last start Authentic Billy Price Jersey , he allowed five runs on nine hits over six-plus innings in a loss to Toronto. He allowed two home runs after giving up just five in his previous 13 starts this season.
Gonzalez is 2-6 with a 3.90 ERA in 11 career starts versus the Orioles, though he pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 6-0 win over Baltimore on May 28.
Manny Machado is 5-for-16 against Gonzalez, while Adam Jones is 7-for-32 and Mark Trumbo 4-for-20.
Cashner will be activated off the disabled list after missing 10 days due to lower back soreness. The 31-year-old right-hander will be looking to end a personal three-game losing streak, during which the Orioles have scored a total of three runs.
Last time out, Cashner gave up three runs on nine hits over six innings in a 5-1 loss at Toronto.
Cashner is 3-4 with a 4.04 ERA in 13 career games (eight starts) versus Washington.
Daniel Murphy is 6-for-12 against Cashner, Bryce Harper is 5-for-11, and Anthony Rendon is 5-for-12 with a homer.
