The road to crowning an NFL champion leads to Minneapolis.

In a season that has been full of unlikely heroes, perhaps the greatest underdog of all time has silenced doubters nationwide. This Sunday Feb. 4, the Philadelphia Eagles will battle for their first Super Bowl title in the team’s history. Led by backup quarterback Nick Foles, the Birds will face QB Tom Brady and the juggernaut New England Patriots. In a rematch of the 2004 Super Bowl, the teams will once again square off in another battle of David vs. Goliath.

The Eagles proved to be the talk of the league for the better part of the season as they rode on the back of second-year QB Carson Wentz. Wentz carried the Birds to a 10-1 record, making the club a consensus favorite to reach the big dance.

However, in Week 13, Wentz suffered a torn ACL, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year. The injury seemed to dash any hope of a deep playoff run. Yet, here Philadelphia is, as hungry as ever.

On the opposing sideline stands the New England Patriots. After a surprising opening day loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pats rebounded to reel off 13 of their last 15 games.

Brady has shown no signs of age this year. The 40-year-old surpassed 4,500 passing yards for the fifth time in his illustrious career and added 32 touchdowns. Led by Brady, the Pats will look to secure their sixth Super Bowl title, their third in the past four years.

While there are many key matchups to look out for, the most notable is Foles against the Patriots’ defense. Since taking over in Week 13, Foles has tallied 1,078 passing yards, including those run  during the playoffs. Coming off an impressive performance in the championship round against a highly touted Minnesota Vikings defense in which he tossed three touchdowns and racked up 352 yards, Foles will look to find similar success on Sunday.

Another matchup to look out for will be the versatile New England receiving corps against the Philadelphia secondary. In the divisional round, the Eagles defense proved to be too much for all-pro Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan to handle, as he was held to 210 yards. The Birds’ secondary performed similarly in the championship round, picking off Minnesota QB Case Keenum twice en route to a 38-7 victory.

Banged up tight end Rob Gronkowski has passed concussion protocol and will suit up for New England. Joining him are wide receivers Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks, and Chris Hogan. The group compiled a whopping 4,319 receiving yards in the regular season and pose a tough matchup for any team. The battle between a hot Philly secondary and a talented New England receiving corps will make for an intriguing Super Bowl 52.

So, who will win?

Last year, I chose the Falcons to knock off the almighty Patriots. My pick looked to be spot on, and then the Pats’ historic comeback happened. This year, I will not make the same mistake. As hot as the Eagles have been, and as many doubters as they have proved wrong to date, I cannot pick against the Patriots. Doubting Brady has proven in the past to be a death wish. In my mind, and I am not alone in saying this, he is the greatest QB of all time. That reason alone is enough for me to side with the New England Patriots.

Final score: New England 24, Philadelphia 20.

*Photo courtesy of Michael Blumenthal via flickr.com*