Super Bowl LII: The Basics

After a Championship Sunday that gave us one nail-biter and one blowout, the Super Bowl is officially set and it's going to be a rematch of a game we saw less than 15 years ago: Eagles vs. Patriots. 

The Patriots punched their ticket to the NFL's biggest game by pulling off an improbable 24-20 win over Jacksonville. Of course, improbable is basically Tom Brady's middle name at this point, so maybe we shouldn't have been surprised by what he pulled off against the Jaguars. 

All Brady did on Sunday was lead the Patriots back from a 20-10 deficit in the fourth quarter, even though he seemed to have the odds stacked against him. Brady threw two touchdown passes over the game's final nine minutes and he did that he even though he had 12 stitches in his hand, didn't have Rob Gronkowski on the field and was going up against the NFL's best pass defense. 

The win over the Jags means that the Patriots are now headed to the Super Bowl for an NFL-record 10th time. 

If the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl for a sixth time, they're going to have to do something they've already done: Beat the Eagles. 

The Eagles advanced to Super Bowl LII by destroying the Vikings, 38-7, in a game that was never close. With the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, the Vikings had a chance to become the first team ever to play the game in their home stadium, but the Eagles crushed those dreams in their dominating win. 

The game between the Eagles and Patriots is a rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX, a game that the Patriots won 24-21. Oddsmakers aren't expecting this year's Super Bowl to be as close as that one as the Patriots have opened as a 5.5 point favorite. 

For the Eagles, this is their third trip to the Super Bowl and they're still looking for their first win. Besides their Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the Patriots, the Eagles also lost to the Raiders 27-10 in Super Bowl XV.

When is the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl LII will be held on Sunday, Feb. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

NFL owners surprisingly awarded the game to Minneapolis after holding a secret ballot in May 2014. The  northern city won the Super Bowl bid by beating out New Orleans and Indianapolis. This year's game will mark the sixth time in NFL history that the Super Bowl has been played in a cold-weather city and the first time since Super Bowl XLVIII was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. 

This game will mark the second time that the Super Bowl has been held in Minnesota. Back in January 1992, the Redskins blew out the Bills 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI. 

What time does the Super Bowl start?

The kickoff for Super Bowl LII is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT. 

How can I watch the Super Bowl?

NBC will broadcast this year's Super Bowl, with Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth on the call and Michele Tafoya reporting from the sidelines. You'll also be able to stream the game on NBC Sports Live. 

Who will perform the Super Bowl halftime show?

Justin Timberlake is scheduled to play at halftime of the Super Bowl and if his last Super Bowl performance was any indication, things could get kind of crazy. Back in February 2004, Timberlake and Janet Jackson gave us a wardrobe malfunction that quickly became one of the most unforgettable moments in Super Bowl history. Sports Illustrated re-visited the malfunction back in 2016, and it's definitely worth a read if you want to re-live the controversy. Of course, if you're expecting to see a wardrobe malfunction this year, don't get your hopes up. Timberlake has already said it's not going to happen. 

Coincidentally, the Patriots were also playing the last time Timberlake served as the halftime show. Back in February 2004, New England beat Carolina 32-29 in a game that became kind of an afterthought following the wardrobe malfunction.