Super Bowl 2017, Falcons vs. Patriots: Start time, TV schedule, and live stream

The biggest spectacle in American professional sports is set to take place on Feb. 5, with the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots squaring off in Super Bowl 51. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling the action for FOX. Viewers can stream it online at Fox Sports Go, which is being made available for free.

Lady Gaga will perform the halftime show, with Luke Bryan singing the national anthem.

The Falcons are in the Super Bowl for just the second time in franchise history. They last made the big game in 1999, which ended up being a 34-19 drubbing to the Denver Broncos. Atlanta should put in a much better performance this time, thanks to the presence of MVP Matt Ryan and star wide receiver Julio Jones.

Ryan put together the best season of his career, throwing for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, leading the league with a 117.1 QB Rating. The Falcons had little problem putting away the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers in the playoffs to get this far.

Jones has been dealing with a lingering toe injury, but it didn’t slow him down in the NFC Championship, where he shredded the Packers for nine catches, 180 yards, and two touchdowns. With nearly two weeks of rest, Jones should be as healthy as ever heading into the biggest game of his career.

With key injuries and Brady’s DeflateGate suspension hobbling the roster, it would’ve been easy to write off the Patriots at the beginning of the year. However, they went 3-1 in Brady’s absence, and when the future Hall of Famer came back he was downright unstoppable. New England cruised to a 14-2 record and got past the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs.

Brady hasn’t been totally sharp this postseason, and Rob Gronkowski’s season-ending injury is an obvious blow to the offense. That said, Brady was white-hot in the regular season, tossing 28 touchdowns to just two interceptions in the 12 games he played. He also completed 67.4 percent of his passes, his highest mark since the 2007 season. Meanwhile, Julian Edelman continues to be a reliable possession receiver, while Chris Hogan emerged as an unlikely deep threat. Brady and Bill Belichik just keep doing more with less, which is part of the reason why they’re in their seventh Super Bowl together.

Perhaps the biggest factor in this game will be how New England’s defense holds up. The Patriots had the league’s best scoring defense, allowing just 15.6 points per game. They did an admirable job containing Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown in the AFC Championship, but the Falcons’ offense is a different beast altogether. Ryan and Jones are the obvious headliners, but Atlanta boasts a deep and diverse attack, with Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Taylor Gabriel, and Mohamed Sanu all big-play threats.

With two strong offenses firing on all cylinders, this year’s Super Bowl champion could easily come down to whichever team has the ball last.

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

Place: NRG Stadium, Houston

TV: FOX

Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Chris Myers

Online: Fox Sports Go