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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.
Follow live updates from Houston's NRG Stadium on our blog below...
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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.
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!
Hello there and welcome to Houston, Texas, where we will witness the titanic annual festival of sport that is the Super Bowl.I'll be with you from the national anthem through to the ticker tape storm that accompanies the Patriots' inevitable victory tonight, so grab some snacks and make yourselves comfortable.
If you're here for the Xs and Os, I'll do my best to provide some astute analysis on what you're seeing. If you just want gags about fat sportsmen and Lady Gaga's performance then I'm pretty sure I've got you covered too.
So settle in and relax, we've got four hours coming up together...
So if you want some pre-match reading - and I'd advise it, because both pieces are very good - then here's some of the best.First, here's the Independent's Chief Sports Writer, Ian Herbert, explaining how the Premier League played a part in Atlanta stunning the NFL and reaching the Super Bowl this year.
Then there's some idiot - me - with a piece on New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
Oh, and I just remembered there's also something I wrote on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. Read that while someone warbles the anthem.
So, the cast of Hamilton - which I believe to be the musical Donald Trump recently called "bad" - are first on the field and they're singing a patriotic American song that isn't the anthem.I think it might have been 'America the Brave' but don't quote me on that.
Anyway, lovely rendition of whatever it was and now we have some patriotic pomp so it may be time for your first snack break.
Let me warn you now that I didn't stock up so I am very poorly-equipped in the food stakes tonight.
Current snack: blueberries.
Excellent version of the American national anthem - a top 10 global anthem, maybe even top 5 - from a guy who, again, I didn't recognise but he was from Texas and had a lovely voice so I'm not going to rip him to shreds. Minutes now until Super Bowl 51 - are you ready? You'd better be ready?
Yeah there was a superfluous question mark at the end of the last update. It's because I'm tired. In fact I'd say my tiredness rating is already around a 6/10, which bodes poorly for the hours ahead.
Anyway, predictions?
My heart says Atlanta, which would be a wonderful story but my head says that the winning machine, the New England Patriots, will continue steamrollering everyone in their sights and it could be a BIG win.
Official prediction: Atlanta 24-37 New England
We're underway in Super Bowl 51...
...and in fairly customary fashion, the kick-off results in a touchback which Dion Lewis kneels.
The Pats, therefore, start at the 25 and go with a pass on their opening play which bounces out of the receiver after Brady avoided interior pressure. His second one hits Julian Edelman perfectly though, who ends up a yard short.
3rd & 1: LaGarrette Blount is trusted on the stretch play... and he's downed behind the line of scrimmage! No gain and the Pats punt away - three & out on their first drive!
Great start from the Falcons!
Wow! The Falcons start things off with toss to Devonta Freeman and the Atlanta running-back dashes for a big gain and a first down running outside the tackles.
He gets the rock again on first down and runs a long way sideways to gain three. Matt Ryan makes his first throw on second down, finding Patrick DiMarco on the flat route for a small gain so it's 3rd and 4....
....Ryan is sacked. The ball comes loose but he's downed by contact and the drive is over.
Atlanta's record of scoring on their first drive in nine consecutive games is ended on the biggest of stages.
So Tom Brady returns to the field. 0-0 after a drive apiece.
Brady hits Chris Hogan - the best receiver in the playoffs this season - for a touchline catch and first down. The Pats are at their own 40 when they give the ball to Blount again who can only make two. Many people thought the big running back would be a huge part of the Pats' game plan but not hugely effective so far.
Malcolm Mitchell catches one for seven yards and it's 3rd and 1 again for the Patriots. Will they blow this one...
....of course not. James White catches it out of the backfield and it's first down in Falcons territory.
Brady SACKED and the Pats are going backwards.TB12 then can't find James White on the sideline and it's 3rd and 19(!) for Tommy Boy...
...time to throw. Nobody open.SACKED AGAIN from behind by Grady Jarrett. That's the end of the Patriots' drive!
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