Dave Malinsky
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Reason:Super Bowl props can range from the ridiculous to the sublime, with some stores offering over 100 for this Sunday's battle. Here we have four that we believe provide excellent line value, and they are common enough that they can be found universally. We are listing the most common price available, but a shopper should be able to do a little better.
NEW ENGLAND -170 to score first
No coaching staff does a better job of creating game plans, and it shows best in this category. New England has scored first in 26 straight games, an all-time NFL record, yet the line here has not been adjusted all that much from what a 7-point favorite usually would be. And given the Super Bowl experience of the Patriots, they should be much more likely to handle the early pressure than an Eagle team making its first appearance.
DONOVAN McNABB Over 29.5 Rushing Yards
The best way for the Eagles to put Bill Belichick's defense on its heels is to create an extra element that requires attention. McNabb did not run nearly as much this season as he had in the past, but that was largely because necessity did not dictate it - Philadelphia was largely playing with leads most of the season. On Sunday we expect him to have a few planned runs in the first quarter to create that added dimension, and later in the game there is also the strong chance that he will have a couple of runs because he is forced to.
DONOVAN McNABB to be named MVP +375
An excellent value play here. We project the Eagles at having a 30-35 percent chance to win this game outright, and should they win it is difficult to envision any other player getting the trophy. But because we expect so much of the game plan to fall on his shoulders, he also has a chance to get the award in a close loss as well.
NEW ENGLAND UNDER 27.5
At most shops you can play this at even money, and that makes it too good to pass up. The Eagles only allowed one opponent to top this number in a real game this season (we discount the season-ending exhibition vs. Cincinnati); only two in the past two seasons; and only four over the past three. Of the four that broke this barrier against them, two were only at 28 in regulation. The right coach and the right level of talent are on hand to keep the Patriots in check.
