Patriots open as 3-point favorites over Falcons

The New England Patriots will head to Houston as three-point favorites to win Super Bowl LI.

Oddsmakers installed Tom Brady and Co. as favorites over the Atlanta Falcons before the AFC Championship Game had ended Sunday.

The total for the game, 58, is the highest in Super Bowl history, a testament to the two teams' dynamic offenses.

The Patriots were a pick'em in their previous Super Bowl appearance two years ago, a 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.

They were favored, first by 12 points and then by 2.5, in their two losses to the New York Giants (XLII and XLVI, respectively).

Before that, the Patriots won but failed to cover the spread as seven-point favorites in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX.

In the first Super Bowl of the Brady-Belichick era, the Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI despite entering the game as 14-point underdogs.