EA Sports released its official Madden 17 simulation of Super Bowl LI, and if the game’s simulation is accurate, it will be heartbreak for the Falcons on Sunday at the hands of a clutch drive by Tom Brady for a last-second win.
The simulation has the Patriots converting on a fourth-and-goal with 20 seconds left to Julian Edelman to give them a 27-24 win over the Falcons. (Incidentally, our own Madden 17 simulation has the Patriots winning a thriller by three points, too.) The game had the Falcons taking an 17-10 halftime lead behind touchdowns from running backs Tevin Coleman and DeVonta Freeman, while the Patriots lone first quarter score came on a pass to Chris Hogan.
A touchdown pass to Dion Lewis and a field goal in the third quarter gave the Patriots a 20-17 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Falcons went back on top late with a touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Mohamed Sanu, before Brady’s final drive heroics gave the Patriots the win.
The official Madden simulation has been right in nine of the last 13 Super Bowls, so if that trend continues the Patriots will be on their way to a fifth Super Bowl title since the 2001-02 season. That three-point margin of victory for the Patriots matches the Vegas oddsmakers expectations with a three-point line on the game, but the 27-24 final is lower scoring than most expect, with the point total currently set at 59 points.
