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Your support makes all the difference.What is the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) that pits the champions of each of the league’s conference – the AFC and the NFC – against each other for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
It is usually held in late January or early February and the venue changes every season.
This year’s Super Bowl, the 51st, is being held in Houston, Texas.
What time is the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl takes place on Sunday night, UK time. Play is scheduled to start at 6.30pm Eastern Time which means British viewers will have to stock up on caffeine as the game won’t be getting underway until shortly before midnight.
Factoring in the usual stoppages and the extra-long half-time to accommodate Lady Gaga’s half-time show, Brits staying up for the big game won’t be getting to bed much before 4am – if at all.
Where can I watch it?
BBC One continues its excellent coverage of the NFL with a late-night show fronted by the multi-talented Mark Chapman. Sky Sports will also be broadcasting the game but with adverts.
Follow live updates on The Independent's live blog below...
Who is playing in the Super Bowl?
The Atlanta Falcons won the NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers to seal their second visit to the Super Bowl.
They will play against the New England Patriots, who have gone to more Super Bowls than any other team in history.
Who are the star players?
The Falcons boast this season’s likely MVP in quarterback Matt Ryan, who was at the centre of the league’s most deadly offense. Julio Jones is his leading wide receiver and one of the best in the league while running back tandem Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman make it very difficult to gameplan against Atlanta.
Tom Brady is one of the best-known NFL stars and, at 39, just had arguably his best season ever. Rob Gronkowski is another star on the Pats’ offense but won’t play through injury, so Brady will instead rely on a hodge-podge of Martellus Bennett, Dion Lewis, Chris Hogan and Julian Edelman. The Patriots have always been a well-coached team that outperforms its personnel.
Who are the favourites?
Odds courtesy of our friends at 888sport.com
New England: 4/6
Atlanta: 13/10
More commonly, people bet on NFL on a handicap basis. The Patriots are 3-point favourites.
Who should I want to win?
British people usually favour the underdog, so Atlanta will be the choice of many neutrals. Add in the fact that the Patriots seem to breeze through the playoffs every season, it’s fair to say most people would like to see them get beaten.
And that’s before we even get into Spygate (Google it), Deflategate (Google it) or the fact that the Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady are both good friends of Donald Trump. Sad!
Another third-down stop for Atlanta... but another penalty that blows it for the Falcons D!Tom Brady is given another set and his offense are now in Atlanta territory.
Wow wow wow wow. Brady survives two failed third-down conversions through penalties but this one there's no escape. Quite the opposite.
It sails into the arms of Robert Alford, the Falcons cornerback, who runs it back for 82 yards and six more points. Can you believe this?
New England 0-21 Atlanta
Stunning.
Brady shellshocked. Falcons in dreamland. It's 21-0 and the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history is... 10 points.
Right, two-minute drill for the Patriots and Tom Brady simply must get points on the board. He finds James White on second down to get into Falcons territory with a 29-yard gainer. White has been more effective than Dion Lewis so far today in getting free out of the backfield.
Now Chris Hogan grabs one underneath for eight and the Pats are getting it moving. Just outside the red zone.
Brady tosses it out of bounds and with 0:30 on the clock it's 3rd and 2 on the Falcons' 22.
Brady hits White for a short gain but it's enough for a first down and they call immediately for a timeout. On 2nd and 10 from the Atlanta 15 it's White again who goes for the corner and he's smashed out of bounds around five from the line. Martellus Bennett, however, is penalized for holding and with 0:12 on the clock the Patriots are moved back to the 20.
Brady dumps off to Marty Bennett on a tight end screen and it's going nowhere.
Field goal coming up. Looks like a significant lead for the Falcons at HT and they'll get the ball straight back after Lady Gaga.
New England 3-21 Atlanta
A stunning first half of action but the Falcons are looking like huge favourites to win their first-ever Super Bowl.
Tiredness rating now north of 7/10 but bed still a long way off. With regards to snacks, I'll have to raid the fridge but I fear I've got nothing good. Gonna brew up a tea and I'll be back for Gaga shortly.
Don't go anywhere!
Lady Gaga about to start in the NRG Stadium.Well I say in, she's on the roof. Amazing start up there with some patriotic words and then a dive into the stadium and down to her centre-field stage.
This isn't going to be any old show.
The crowds they have for these things always seem like a bunch of actors.Do people every really just jump, in complete synchronicity, with their arms aloft in front of a stage?
Maybe I've just never gone to the right concerts.
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