NFL analysts, insiders and journos have been making their picks for two weeks, so TVNewser rounded up some broadcast and cable news network anchors and correspondents to get their picks for Super Bowl LI, which pits the New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons.
Since FOX is broadcasting this year’s Super Bowl, we’ll start off with predictions from two Fox Newsers and a Fox Business newser.
FOX NEWS
Harris Faulkner (anchor of Fox Report, and co-host of Outnumbered) is going with the underdog Falcons.
- “Having been to Super Bowl games before, it’s like Election Night for news anchors,” said Faulkner. “Typically you score the best with consistency and the swagger of, ‘This is mine. I’m clutch yo.’ At least that’s how I roll into the anchor seat, LOL. I’m picking Atlanta. Cuz it’s time to break with ‘typically.’”
Jesse Watters, (host of Watters World) likes Tom Brady & Co. in a nail-biter.
- “The QB for the Falcons, Matt Ryan, went to my high school in Philly, Penn Charter…he’s younger but we played for the same coach…so I’d like to see Atlanta win…but the Patriots are a better team…so I’ll take New England 35-31.”
FOX BUSINESS
Liz Claman, host of the Fox Business Network’s Countdown to the Closing Bell, is going with Atlanta.
- “I’m picking the Falcons. There’s a back story and a front story here. I’m a long suffering Browns fan and have no connection to Atlanta but the front story is that my husband Jeff Kepnes (another TV newser!) is from Boston and a tried and true Patriots fan so we always like to counter-pick on big games just to spice things up, although I still can’t forgive him for picking the NJ Devils against my LA Kings in the Stanley Cup finals back in 2012. The back story is that when I was an anchor at WEWS in Cleveland, Bill Belichick was the head coach for the Browns. He hated reporters. He was brutal to us so yeah, I’m rooting for him to go down. Go Falcons!”
ABC NEWS
Good Morning America Weekend anchor and The View’s Paula Faris is going with New England.
- “Tom Brady is a man scorned by the NFL after his early season suspension. And, he’s out for vengeance. The only thing that’ll satiate his appetite is a bird. And, I’m talking about the Falcons.”
GMA news anchor Amy Robach is going with Atlanta.
- “This Georgia girl is rooting for the Falcons 100 percent, plus who doesn’t love an underdog? The Atlanta Falcons have never won the Super Bowl – I think 2017 is their year!”
ABC News senior meteorologist Rob Marciano is going with the Falcons as well.
- “ATLANTA WINS! 27-23. Ryan is on fire and the Falcon D is tougher than ever. The #ATL is overdue for a championship… #RiseUp!”
Nightline co-anchor Byron Pitts is going with Atlanta.
- “Go Falcons!!!! I like the Patriots but going with the underdog. 37-34.”
The View co-host and ABC News senior legal correspondent Sunny Hostin is going with Atlanta.
- “My Father was born in Georgia so we are a southern-rooting family, we are Atlanta Falcons all the way any day,” she said. “I’m having a Super Bowl party. That’s the most fun, and I’m looking forward to the commercials. I’ve got all my friends coming over and my friend Floyd is bringing his famous chicken. I’m going to try to eat a little healthy.”
CBS NEWS
CBS This Morning co-anchor Norah O’Donnell likes New England to win.
- “Patriots by 7! Our whole family will be decked out in Patriots jerseys. We were thrilled we got to see them crush the Texans earlier this year at Foxborough.”
NBC NEWS/MSNBC
On the MSNBC side, we heard from Steve Kornacki, Greta Van Susteren and Rachel Maddow. From NBC News, Willie Geist, Dylan Dreyer, Peter Alexander, Kristen Welker and Hallie Jackson gave us their predictions.
Kornacki, a Mass native, likes the Pats, 33-28.
- “It’s cosmic destiny that the season that started with Brady’s ridiculous four-game suspension ends with Roger Goodell having to stand there and give the Pats the trophy,” he said.
Van Susteren, host of For the Record, is going with New England.
- “31-24. Brady wants revenge for deflategate and he will get it. Reince Priebus, Speaker Ryan and I remain in mourning about the Packers. We are all shareholders still licking our wounds from the Atlanta slaughter. #GoPackGo,” she said.
Maddow provided us with an amusing take on Sunday’s big game and thinks Atlanta come out on top.
- “I’m a rabid (and rabidly superstitious) Pats fan. I therefore predict that the Falcons will win, and that the score will be 1000-zero,” said Maddow. “And the only reason I’m predicting that is because I superstitiously believe that if I say that’s what I believe, it will **never happen** in real life. GO PATS GO PATS GO PATS!”
Geist, host of Sunday Today with Willie Geist and co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, is going with Atlanta.
- “Falcons 31-30. I have no rooting interest but I did live in Atlanta the last time the Falcons were in the Super Bowl and I still feel good about my choreography on the ‘Dirty Bird’ dance,” he said.
What exactly is the Dirty Bird, you ask? Former Falcons running back Jamal Anderson shows you below.
Dreyer, weather anchor for Weekend Today, is picking the Patriots.
- “38-25. Since Calvin’s been born, the Pats have been 5-0 so we’ve given birth to a Patriots lucky charm!,” said Dreyer. “In reality, though, if the Pats can stop Julio Jones, keep the Falcons one-dimensional in running the ball, and take away the quick score, then the Pats can win easily! I remember how awesome it was working in Boston leading up to a Patriots Super Bowl and I can just feel the excitement coming from our new NBC station in Boston! Go Pats!!”
Alexander, NBC’s national correspondent, is going with Atlanta.
- “31-26. New England fans are still trolling me for asking the Pats’ 4-time Super Bowl champ QB, ‘Is Tom Brady a cheater?”'(see 1:05, in this video),” said Alexander. “So, I figure I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Welker, NBC News White House correspondent, is going with New England.
- “The Patriots will win! Never bet against Belichick. I’m expecting big things from Tom Brady. But, you never know, this could be Matt Ryan’s moment to shine. 31-23.”
Jackson, NBC News White House correspondent, is also going with the Falcons.
- “NFC loyalty means I have just one choice: Falcons, by 7,” says Jackson.
CNBC
Mad Money host Jim Cramer is going with the Patriots: “27-24.”
Sara Eisen, co-host of Worldwide Exchange and Squawk on the Street, is going with the Falcons.
Dominic Chu provided us an in-depth analysis of the matchup, ultimately taking New England in a close one.
- “The consensus view on the game is that it will be a shootout, given quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Matt Ryan, and the many offensive weapons on the field. My feeling? Points will be scored, but not as many as some folks think. While offense will take center stage, defense will surprise many. Prediction? Take the Under. 28-24 with Tom Brady getting the ring for his thumb. Disclaimer: I don’t have an ax to grind with either team…but I do have an Atlanta Falcons jacket from my high school days.”
Kayla Tasuche, an Atlanta native, is going with the hometown hawks.
- “Falcons – 31-27 – My hometown team has waited 51 years for this!”
Fast Money Halftime Report host Scott Wapner likes the Pats winning by a pretty healthy margin: “30-16.”
CNN
John Berman, the newly-minted co-anchor of the 9 – 11 a.m. edition of CNN Newsroom, is a famously huge Pats fan.
- “77-1. You may say that is an impossible score. But Tom Brady is impossibly perfect,” Berman says.
HLN
Michaela Pereira, host of the morning talk program MichaeLA, is going with New England.
- “The only way to beat the Patriots is to get to Tom Brady with a strong D line. You can’t blitz him because he is too good. I don’t like it but the Pats will win. 31 to 20.” She concluded her thoughts with a shout out to her NFL franchise of choice: “Go Raiders.” Luckily for Pereira, she broadcasts her HLN program from Los Angeles, not Atlanta.
Out of the 24 TV Newsers we polled, ironically 12 are going with Atlanta and 12 are going with New England. As of Fri, Feb. 3, the spread is New England -3.