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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!
She's playing a keyboard and promising the world she's going to make us "feel good."I'm a bit bored of her now.
There's your Gaga. It wasn't as good as Katy Perry a couple of years ago.
Lady Gaga rating: 6/10Tiredness rating 7.5/10
Snack rating: 4/10 - could only find some rice crackers.
Things quickly downhill here... the only people having a worse night are wearing white and have Bill Belichick currently screaming in their ears.
And as post-concert entertainment we'll have the second half of the Super Bowl.Atlanta will have the ball.
Matt Ryan goes three and out in the opening drive, which is just what the Patriots needed.If they score here then they'll have momentum and a young Falcons team could feel the nerves.
Let's see what Uncle Tom has got in his locker.
Well when you need a miracle, errors don't help. A holding penalty leaves the Pats with a 3rd-and-12 situation and the Falcons, confused about their coverage and keen not to give away a key first down, call a timeout.
Brady with a huge play then... snap in the shotgun, he waits, hits Edelman just short of the sticks but it's dropped and they'll punt.
Falcons' man coverage does the job.
Oooo-eee. Ryan finds Taylor Gabriel for a biiiiig gain. The Falcons QB is looking at a Super Bowl MVP trophy to go with his NFL MVP prize confirmed this week. Gabriel got minimal yardage after the catch but he was already well inside Patriots territory.
Now Ryan finds Sanu for 13 and the Falcons feel unstoppable right now. Three Patriots covering Julio Jones and his number 2, Sanu, gets the big gain.
Hand-off to Freeman next and he wiggles through for nine.
2nd-and-1: Freeman loses three yards, tackled behind the line of scrimmage.
3rd-and-3: Gabriel drops Ryan's pass but FLAG and it's first down on the 6 for Atlanta.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS!
Tevin Coleman runs the right flat after lining up left and he's too quick for Rob Ninkovich, so he catches the short pass and scoots beyond the linebacker for a 6-yard TD.
New England 3-28 Atlanta - do not adjust your television sets.
Again the Patriots can't get things going but they decide to swerve a punt and go for it on 4th-and-3. Brady hits Danny Amendola in the chest, which the receiver gathers and turns into some extra yards after the catch. They're in Falcons territory and going no-huddle.
TB12 rushes for 16 with all his options covered up, he's still got good speed for a man nearing 40.
They're up to the 6-yard line now and Brady waits, he throws left to James White and the running back darts through for a touchdown - the Patriots' first of this Super Bowl.
Gostkowski makes it.. OH NO! He misses the extra point and so the score is:
New England 9-28 Atlanta
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