What's the best Super Bowl LIV matchup for the NFL? How about a game between two of the most popular (and hated?) franchises in the sport.
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) recently revealed the most likely Super Bowl matchups after the first four weeks of the 2019 season. This analytical model uses offense, defense and special teams stats, as well as remaining schedule strength to help predict the rest of the season.
The most likely scenario? The Patriots taking on "America's Team", aka the Dallas Cowboys in Miami on Feb. 2, 2020.
Here are the results involving the Patriots:
1. New England Patriots vs. Dallas Cowboys (8 percent chance)
3. New England Patriots vs. San Francisco 49ers (7 percent)
4. New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams (7 percent)
7. New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints (5 percent)
9. New England Patriots vs. Green Bay Packers (3 percent)
Which one of these matchups is the most enticing? It's hard to argue against a Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees or Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers showdown with the Lombardi Trophy on the line. We've come close a few times to having a Patriots vs. Saints or Patriots vs. Packers matchup in the Super Bowl in the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady era, but neither scenario has happened.
New England Patriots
ESPN's FPI gives the Patriots a 29.9 percent chance overall of winning the Super Bowl, just ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs at 27.7 percent.
It's hard to imagine a team outside of the Patriots and Chiefs winning the AFC. These two teams have established themselves as the clear favorites in the conference through four weeks. Other expected contenders such as the Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans all have failed to impress or show much consistency to this point. It's obviously still early in the season, but there's a reason why ESPN's model featured the Patriots or Chiefs in all 10 of their most likely Super Bowl matchups.
Another Super Bowl victory for the Patriots would be their seventh in team history, and that would break a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most titles in the Super Bowl era. The Patriots also are trying to become the second team ever to make four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, a feat only accomplished by the Buffalo Bills. New England, with a Super Bowl LIV triumph, would be the first team since the 2003 and 2004 Patriots to win back-to-back championships.
It's safe to say there's a lot of history at stake for the Patriots this season, and they're off to a good start at 4-0 entering Week 5.
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