HOUSTON (AP) – There’s no hiding it. One edge the New England Patriots have over the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday’s Super Bowl can’t be denied: experience.
It’s a factor never to be scoffed at when the AFC and NFC champions meet for the league title.
Sure, New England (16-2) has a bunch of young players – 16 with four years or less in the NFL – and the Falcons (13-5) actually have four guys who have played in a Super Bowl: Dwight Freeney, Courtney Upshaw, Dashon Goldson and Philip Wheeler. Don’t let that mislead you.
When a team has a quarterback and a coach in their seventh Super Bowl together, along with a slew of players who helped it win the championship just two years ago, well, that’s the kind of experience that can be key.
Just ask Tom Brady.