If you think deflate-gate is the reason the Patriots are in the Super Bowl, then you clearly haven't watched New England play football this season. They're good. Very good. And it's a shame the controversy -- whether the footballs were deflated by the Patriots or not -- has overshadowed their strong play on the field.

The upcoming Super Bowl is going to be a close one. Our numbers show a near 50-50 split in odds, while Vegas has a minuscule spread. But here are four reasons why the Patriots will be the team holding up the Lombardi on Sunday.