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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!
End of the 3rd quarter: New England 9-28 Atlanta.
Dan Quinn, Matt Ryan and co. are just 15 minutes away from their first-ever Super Bowl.
The Patriots have the ball to begin the fourth quarter. Dust off the 'restricted section' of your playbook, Bill, this is it. This is your moment. 19 points back.
A 16-yard gainer to Malcolm Mitchell helps Brady move the Pats up the field and, no-huddle, they add to it with Mitchell getting 7 more. Nearly a huge play as Julian Edelman streaks downfield but it's incomplete, but Mitchell gets a first down on the next play to take New England into Atlanta territory on a contested catch over the middle.
James White, who has been excellent, catches a pass for another gain and the Patriots have momentum here.
2nd-and-1: Incomplete to Amendola.
3rd-and-1: Brady with an empty backfield, five-receiver set, finds Martellus Bennett for 25 yards! They're inside the 10.
1st-and-goal from the 7: Grady Jarrett hits Brady for a sack and a 5-yard loss. 2nd-and-goal from the 12: Brady finds White but he's stopped quickly at the 10.
3rd-and-goal from the 10: Brady, empty backfield, SACKED! Jarrett coming through once more to deck the quarterback.
4th-and-goal: They have to go for it. They don't. Field goal is made by Gostkowski.
New England 12-28 New England
Tom Brady is 1/6 with a passer rating of 45.8 on passes of 20+ air yards. The inability to make big plays has simply killed them - especially as they desperately tried to make a comeback.
The Falcons have the ball now and they're trying to grind the clock with Tevin Coleman.
TURNOVER!A huge play in the first half wrenched momentum fully towards the Falcons.
But at 3rd-and-1 Atlanta decide to pass and Matt Ryan fumbles under pressure from Donta Hightower, handing the Patriots possession on the opposition 25!
Game on?
Dwight Freeney comes round Nate Solder - who has had a torrid evening - to become the oldest-ever player to record a sack in Super Bowl history on first down. Brady finds James White, his most effective target today, for minimal gain underneath. 3rd-and-11: Four wide, one RB.... Brady finds Malcolm Mitchell for a first down on the left sideline.
Danny Amendola gets the next reception but stupidly stays inbounds so the clock ticks on. 6:00 remains as Brady takes the snap and hits Amendola for... a TOUCHDOWN.
Now the Pats need a 2-point conversion.
So, the 2-point attempt.......Patriots line up empty backfield then motion White alongside him. Direct snap to the running back! And he's over!
Josh McDaniels dusts off his box of tricks and gets two points.
It's game on!
New England 20-28 Atlanta
Eesh. The Falcons are pinned back on the 10 from kick-off, but Matt Ryan finds Devonta Freeman for a BIG play - 38 yards. Atlanta breathe a sigh of relief and Freeman gets the ball again, diving for 2.
Now Ryan hits up Julio Jones - oh wow! If his toes are down it's another MASSIVE play for Atlanta.
Oh he is in, no doubt. Incredible throw which Jones grabs in extremis to set the Falcons up in field goal range. Incredible aggression and execution from the Falcons and Kyle Shanahan.
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