Rick Weegman column: Sunday will be Patriots' day again

My memories of that late-January day — the only previous Super Bowl I’ve attended — include walking through the Metrodome loading dock with no one checking my media credential (that won’t be the case Sunday as security will be beefed up at U.S. Bank Stadium) and spending the entire halftime and much of the third quarter attempting to get my Radio Shack TRS-80 portable computer to connect with the home office just a mile away (it never did).

Besides the physical location (U.S. Bank Stadium was built in the Metrodome’s footprint), the main similarity between that 1992 matchup and Sunday’s meeting between New England and Philadelphia is that both pit each conference’s top seed against one another.

The Patriots and Eagles are each 15-3, potentially setting up a classic encounter and one that could be as close as their Super Bowl XXXIX matchup, won 24-21 by the Patriots.

Tom Brady was under center in that game 13 years ago and the 40-year-old Patriots quarterback is back, seeking to win a record sixth Super Bowl in his eighth appearance. Brady led the NFL in passing yardage (currently at 5,204 yards) and, despite no passing leader ever winning a Super Bowl, holds a huge advantage over his counterpart, Nick Foles.

Foles looked great in tearing apart the Minnesota Vikings’ vaunted defense in the NFC championship game, while Brady struggled against Jacksonville in the AFC title game until rallying his team to two late touchdowns.

But the Eagles’ offense looked pitiful in the three games before that and now goes up against a New England defensive unit that bears little resemblance to its early season woes. This is defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s final game for the Patriots before taking over the Detroit Lions head coaching position, so he better enjoy this Super Bowl because he won’t get an opportunity to go in his new gig.

Likewise, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is calling his final game for New England before replacing Chuck Pagano as coach in Indianapolis. McDaniels always finds a chink in opponents’ armor, usually by using an unsung player such as James White or Danny Amendola, and expect him to do so again, with or without tight end Rob Gronkowski in the lineup.

But the Eagles won’t get blown out. They’ll use a steady diet of Jay Ajayi and former Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount to soften up the middle so that Foles can connect on play-action passes with Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery.

Josh Elliott’s leg will be a bonus indoors and the guess here is he will boot a lengthy field goal to give Philly the halftime lead.

Then it will be Brady time. While he won’t need to orchestrate a 25-point comeback a la last year against Atlanta, the veteran will do just enough to guarantee a sixth championship against a wily foe and forever be anointed the NFL’s greatest quarterback.

Line: Patriots by 4

Rick’s Pick: Patriots 24, Eagles 17

Last week (playoffs) — straight up: 1-1 (6-4); against the spread 0-2 (5-5); best bet 0-1 (1-2).