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Rams getting ready for one of their pre-Super Bowl practices. Photo courtesy of therams.com

 

SUPER BOWL LIII – LOS ANGELES RAMS vs NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

  • Sunday, February 3, 2019, at 3:30 p.m.
  • Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
  • TV: CBS Channel 2

CURRENT RECORDS:

  • RAMS: 15-3
  • PATRIOTS: 13-5

NUMBER OF NFL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

  • RAMS: Three – 1945, 1951, and 1999
  • PATRIOTS: Five – 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014 and 2016

LAS VEGAS ODDS:

  • Patriots favored by two and half points

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Todd Gurley #30 and Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams look on before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Two key Rams in this upcoming Super Bowl. Photo courtesy of sikids.com

 

Okay, here’s how I see things unfolding for the Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA this coming Sunday…

First of all, the main key to the Rams’ beating the Patriots – and winning that Vince Lombardi Trophy – will be for Tom Brady, a classic drop-back passer who’s never been known to get yards, first downs, and touchdowns with his legs,

To get pressured, hit, and sacked early and often; make Brady run for his life because for this entire 21st Century, as goes that all-American Mr. Perfect, so goes the Patriots offense and their championship chances.

I haven’t heard anyone state the main reason for Brady’s longtime success, which is his offensive line.

But they haven’t faced a defensive line led by a guy who had 20.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss.

And I think Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and the rest of that defensive line of the Rams will be successful in getting to Brady and making him run for his life.

And I’m sure that the defensive secondary will be put into some kind of zone to make it very difficult for Brady to find his receivers.

Not to say that the Patriots’ offense will be completely neutralized; they have won five Super Bowls since 2001, therefore more than earning the title “The Team of the 21st Century”, for a reason.

They will do some scoring, I guarantee that.

As for the Rams,

C.J. Anderson has been an absolute Godsend since he arrived in L.A., providing the prefect compliment to Todd Gurley at running back as he has taken quite a bit of the load off Gurley’s shoulders.

He will be greatly used on Sunday to get those tough yards.

Which will help quarterback Jared Goff and the passing game, keep that vaunted Patriots’ secondary honest.

 

May the team that wears the helmet on the right beat the team that wears the helmet on the left and win the trophy in the middle of this picture this Sunday. Photo courtesy of vox.com

 

Here’s my bottom line:

This Super Bowl will be a classic battle of youth vs experience, as the Patriots’ roster of chock full of guys who have played in this country’s biggest sporting event multiple times, earning nearly forty rings between them.

Meanwhile for most of the Rams, this their first go-around.

This includes the coaches, as Bill Belichick, at age 66, will be the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl if his Pats do indeed win it.

While the Rams’ Sean McVay, at 33 years old – plenty of NFL players are older than he is – is the youngest head coach in Super Bowl history.

That factor leans heavily in the Patriots’ favor; I’m a tiny bit surprised that they’re only favored by two and a half points.

However,

These Rams have too much talent and have been far too successful this season to have me automatically state that the Patriots’ experience will be too overwhelming.

I see this Super Bowl LIII as being a close, hard-fought affair that will not only go down to the wire,

Like the NFC and AFC Championship games two weeks before, this 53rd edition of the NFL’s championship game will go into overtime.

With (HERE IT IS!) the final score being…

 

LOS ANGELES RAMS – 38

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – 35

 

Yep, I’m going with beauty over age and youth over experience.

And I’ve promised myself that if that prediction does come true,

If those Rams do bring SoCal their first pro football championship since the Raiders in 1983-84,

I will be at the championship parade in downtown L.A. next week, and will do a full report on that celebration on this blog.

But for now…

GO RAMS!

BEAT THE PATRIOTS – PLEASE!!

 

NOTE: Win or lose, an analysis of the Super Bowl and a wrap-up of the Rams’ season will appear on this blog this coming Monday morning – watch for it!

 

Aqib Talib, on of the Rams’ defensive backs who will SO crucial to their hopes for a Super Bowl win. Photo courtesy of therams.com