Wells Fargo Asset Management’s Analytic Investors LLC, the Los Angeles-based quant shop that’s beaten the point spread in 10 of the last 14 Super Bowls, advises gamblers to take the New England Patriots over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Analytic Investors applies its predictive quant models to the game and it shows that the Patriots will beat the Eagles by at least five points, since the point spread on the game is 4 1/2 points. 

“I know it’ll tick off a few of my Philly fan friends,” said Chris Lardieri, one of the study’s authors. “But the numbers don’t lie.”

Analytic predicted last season that the Falcons would beat the Patriots, which looked like a good forecast when the score was 28-3.

“The Falcons just had to run the clock out,” Lardieri said.“You can’t account for human error and questionable decisions.”

Roger Goodell was asked about whether the NFL would get involved with facilitating an opportunity for Colin Kaepernick to sign with a team in 2018.

"I've been very clear on this before that all the clubs, individually, have to make their own decisions about who's on the roster, who's not on the roster," Goodell said. "Colin, as you know, has filed a grievance, so I'm not going to talk specifically about that case. But I think that's something that the clubs have to make -- that decision. We as a league, do not get involved in that in any way. So I don't anticipate that in any way."

Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem before games during the 2016 season to protest racial inequality and other social injustices. 

Von Miller hopes the Denver Broncos sign Kirk Cousins in the offseason.

"I've talked to him before. He knows exactly how I feel ... and what he would mean to our team, and what he would mean to a lot of teams," Miller told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Wednesday.

"We need Kirk. I would like to have Kirk. We have great quarterbacks now. Kirk could take us over the edge."

Denver currently has quarterbacks Paxton Lynch, Trevor Siemian and Chad Kelly on the roster.

The Broncos also own the No. 5 overall pick.

Nick Foles admitted he nearly retired before the 2016 season before his release by the Rams and rejoining Andy Reid with the Chiefs.

“In my heart at that time, I was probably going to step away from the game,” Foles said Tuesday. “But I also knew that being in that situation that I had to take a few days just to let all of the emotions settle.”

Foles is now set to start the Super Bowl in place of Carson Wentz.

“It had nothing to do with starting,” Foles said. “I really had to go with my heart in that situation. Getting the opportunity to step away, I went on a fly fishing/camping trip with my brother-in-law, Ryan, and coming back and just asking my wife Tori about it, I still didn’t have a clear decision about what I wanted to do.

“But that’s when I really prayed and really asked God for guidance. There wasn’t a sure path. I really just took a step on faith. I knew that I’d have more growth as a person going back to the game.”

Fox has secured the rights to Thursday Night Football for the next five seasons at an annual average of more than $660 million per year.

Fox will broadcast Thursday games each season from Week 4 to Week 15, not including Thanksgiving night.

CBS paid $37.5 million per game for eight games during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. For the past two seasons, NBC joined CBS to broadcast five games each at a cost of $45 million each. The new deal values each game at an average of more than $60 million.

"We feel very confident in their ability to continue to grow this franchise," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on a Wednesday morning conference call.

Tom Brady continues to wear a glove on his throwing hand, but he said of the injury: "it's getting better."

Brady injured his hand in practice two weeks ago, but didn't appear limited during the New England Patriots' win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC title game.

"My hand, it's getting better," Brady said. "It's not quite where I want it to be. So I'm just trying to protect it the best way I can. It's obviously a very important part of my body for a quarterback, so I just want it to be as healthy as possible for the game on Sunday.

"Under Armour just made it for me. It's a great glove. It's got a lot of recovery in it, and that's what I need."

Brady reportedly had 12 stitches to close a wound on the hand.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are content with Blake Bortles and won't pursue another quarterback this offseason.

Bortles recently underwent wrist surgery. His $19 million contract is guaranteed for injury, so if he’s not ready to pass a physical on March 14, he's covered.

Philadelphia police won't grease light poles with Crisco to keep fans from climbing light poles if the Eagles win the Super Bowl.

Workers applied shortening to light poles before the NFC Championship Game, but it failed to stop some fans from climbing after the Eagles' victory.

Richard Ross, the Philadelphia police commissioner, is keeping his plan secret.

He promised that whatever police do, "it will be safe ... but it will be effective."

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to trade Alex Smith to Washington for a third round pick and Kendall Fuller. Kansas City received interest from at least six other teams.

Smith will sign a four-year extension with Washington averaging $23.5 million per season with $71 million in guaranteed money.

Washington will part ways with Kirk Cousins, who signed a franchise tag each of the past two seasons.

The Chiefs will start Patrick Mahomes at quarterback in 2018.

Smith, 33, came to the Chiefs in a 2013 trade that sent two second-round draft picks to the San Francisco 49ers.

For the second time in his career, Alex Smith may be traded and replaced with a younger quarterback.

Smith was traded by the 49ers to the Chiefs following the emergence of Colin Kaepernick. The Chiefs are considering dealing Smith to clear a path for Patrick Mahomes.

“I wish I knew,” Smith said. “I’ve got a year under contract there in Kansas City. I wish I was in control of this thing. I wish I was the one who got to do this. That’s just not the reality.”

Smith was asked about going to Cleveland and Smith said they have “nowhere to go but up” after initially saying he hadn’t given it any thought. Smith added that he loves “where I’m at”