SUPER BOWL LIII
6:30 PM EST (Sunday)
Rotation #101-102
Rams +2.5 over Patriots
Rams/Patriots Over 56
I don’t need to point out how incredible Tom Brady is. I would be pointing out something you already know. I look at the entire body of work in the NFL Season and see a Patriots team that should not be a road favorite. This team could play the Arizona Cardinals and shouldn’t be a favorite. The Patriots have stunk on the road this year. New England lost the Jags, Lions, Titans, Dolphins, and Steelers this year on the road. How many of those teams made the playoffs? This dynasty has been the most impressive run in all of sports history, but it’s coming to a close, and these current Patriots are not an elite team outside of Foxboro. No QB has ever won a Super Bowl in their 40s. Brady is 41. Offensively, this Patriots team has all the tools to win this game. The Defense is the primary concern I have with them. New England is a below-average defensive line, and this current Defense does not measure up to some of the prior units the Patriots have fielded in their Super Bowl runs. Brady is great when playing indoors. This man is the best player to ever play in the NFL. Even if he has a Super Bowl like last year, will it be enough?
Let’s talk about the Rams. The city of LA got two teams back in the area and is building a billion-dollar stadium. Things are looking up for Los Angeles area football. Jared Goff has been sensational this season. Todd Gurley has been on another planet up until he got hurt. CJ Anderson came out of nowhere and looked better than Gurley. If Gurley is healthy, this 1-2 combo will be tough to stop. The loss of Cooper Kupp was significant for this team, but they have overcome a lot and are worthy of their appearance. The New Orleans Saints game will go down as the worst call in NFL History, but let’s not blame the Rams for that. The most impressive thing about this team is their rock-solid offensive Line. Everyone player has missed a start. This well-oiled machine should have its way with the weaker Patriots’ Defensive Line. When I look at the Rams, I see a little flaw in them. Los Angeles is a team that had as bad of a first quarter on the road two weeks ago and still kept fighting against the Saints. The Rams are led up front by nightmare players like Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh, who can force turnovers. This team has the advantage in the trenches. Sean McVay has done a tremendous job. This guy is 33 years old. Wade Phillips is an enormous guru for the defensive side. The Rams have a bright future for years to come. The Rams built a team with many new faces and have molded themselves into a powerhouse. New England will win this game in dramatic effect, but they will NOT cover. It’s a bold prediction, but LA has so many weapons on offense that I don’t think the Patriots can stop. Bill Belichick is a master of second-half adjustments, but that has not been the case this year. A lot of teams have stormed their way back against New England. Last week the Chiefs held the ball for like 4 minutes and scored 24 fourth-quarter points. This Defense is not at a Super Bowl quality level. The fact that this is a neutral site where the crowd noise won’t be a factor is enormous for both offenses. Both defenses are poor at stopping the run so that both QBs will have their way; this is why I am taking the OVER.
Both QBs are outstanding on 3rd down as well. As for the side, I like the Rams. The Rams have all of the tools to win this game, but in the final seconds, I could see New England winning at the gun in a typically dramatic fashion. The NFL would also love to avoid controversy with New Orleans fans. LA winning would fire the following week’s sports talk radio and TV stations. Either way, this Rams team is much better on paper, but Tom Brady is a miracle maker. Tonight’s Super Bowl should come right down to the wire again. Just for fun, I say 35-34 Patriots. Take the Rams and the Over (Both straight bets. No Parlays.)
SUPER BOWL TOP 10 PROP BETS
- Rams Team Total Over 27.5 Points -115
- Tom Brady (NE.) Over 0.5 Interceptions -135
- Jared Goff Passing Yards (LA.) Over 285.5 -115
- Jared Goff’s Total TD. Passes (LA.) Over 2 -125
- Total Passing Receptions Sony Michel (NE.) Over 0.5 -110
- Total Tackles John Johnson (LA.) Over 6.5 -100
- First Rams Touchdown Gerald Everett +1200
- First Patriots Touchdown, James White +400
- Will James White (NE) score a touchdown = YES -105
- Will Cordarrelle Patterson (NE) score a touchdown = YES +375