Alright fellas, I need to stop watching the local talking heads here in New England. I enjoy certain segments because they are critical of the Pats and don’t hold Brady/Billicheck on such a high pedastal. They are making valid points however about this game. Combine the cheaters’ yearly experience in the game and knowing the logistics of how to prepare for this game, I am worried our young guns are going to be wide-eyed the whole time! I hope our veterans like Talib keep everyone grounded bc we cannot afford to lose our focus. I mentioned it before, but I am really nervous for this game.
Someone talk me back off the ledge!!
I was nervous before the Cowboys and Saints games. I'm no longer nervous. We made it to the Big Dance. We're the NFC champs. Who would have thought that was even possible in only two seasons of the McVay era? I'm certain McVay and Phillips are burning the midnight oil to come up with great game plans that put Rams players in a position to succeed.
**********************************************************
https://247sports.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/Board/103152/Contents/Super-Bowl-LIII-128111266/
Super Bowl LIII
The Pats are healthy for a change and playing their best football at the right time. Plus they have a huge advantage in championship experience. If the Brady dynasty is in it's final chapters, another SB win against the Rams would be the perfect book-end.
---------------
Rams are stacked on the D Line, have some big names at CB and Safety that can play well and have solid LBs.
The weakest part will probably be their LBs and quick passes to the RBs and Jules.
Their offense is loaded as well. Remember this team loaded up in the offseason.
Goff has been pretty good but the last few weeks I've been seeing a lot of struggles and the rush getting to him. He made good adjustments in the 2md half today.
We know Cooks well, we know Woods well, we know CJ Anderson well.
I think their Oline is decent but I dont think they are amazing by any means.
If they use the cover 0 and ameboa defense, I think they can confuse Goff and pressure him into bad throws and really help us out.
Of course hes an athletic kid that can run and McVay is a great offensive coach, so we will see what they come up with.
The game will be won in the trenches plan and simple. If Suh and Donald get the inside pressure it's a long day. If our interior and line as a whole (as well as RBs and TEs) can hold up against those guys up front and guys like Fowler on the edge we should be able to score.
Same on defense. If our D line can slow down Gurley and the run game and also pressure and confuse Goff, it will make life easier for the players on the backend.
All in all the Rams are a very talented and well coached team that will put up a tough fight. They did beat the Chiefs this year also. I think the Pats can win and I hope they do obviously! I do think the toughest matchup we could have in the postseason is going to KC and we did that so hopefully this game is a cakewalk, but they never are lol
---------------
I dunno. The few times I watched the Rams I wasn't that blown away. They're good but the Chiefs looked better.
BB will take away Gurley because that's what he does. And if you look at the Rams stats, Gurley is the run game. At that point it's Woods/Cooks vs. our secondary. The Rams O isn't very balanced.
Winning the SB is a lot about Situational Football and BB and the Pats have a Yuge advantage there. They don't flinch. Especially not this year's squad. They way they kept coming back after setbacks yesterday was impressive.
Suh is a worry but if they can establish the run they can wear him down by the second half like they did to KC today. And I think Suh's lack of discipline can be exploited. He'll be so amped up to get sacks that some screen plays will open up.
I think the biggest things are that the Pats are actually completely healthy heading in the SB for the first time in I don't know how many trips, and they're playing their best ball at the exact right time. They've pretty much dominated the last four games - regardless of what the scores say.
Something I noticed yesterday is that except for the flea-flicker, there weren't really any gimmick plays used. It was straight up smash-mouth football on the frozen tundra. Which means the complete arsenal of sweeps, reverses, and assorted weirdness is available against the Rams.
And something else that occurred me is that the D started playing way better more or less after Flores' departure became public knowledge. So I wonder if BB has taken over more of the defense than is being advertised. The timing is just too much of a coincidence.
--------------
I LOVE BB vs Goff, love it to pieces.
-------------
I expect they’ll try to put as much pressure, both literally and strategically, on Goff. Rams are going to need to do what the Giants did, pressure Brady and firce turnovers. Brady made yet more bonehead throws yesterday. They can’t afford to turn the ball over
--------------
I just don't see how ANY team in the NFL can stop our run game at this time. What I saw against the Chargers was our complete domination of a good defensive line. We put a whooping on them. Yesterday, when KC needed to stop us in OT, they just couldn't do it. And if the Rams cheat up to stop us, then TB will dink them to death. I so wish that I was a gambling man, but I'm not.
The Pats right now are dominating time of possession at a near 66% pace in the playoffs, and this is against two very good football teams with a combined 24 - 8 regular season record. And we've left some points out there.
We haven't had to show any of our trick play arsenal, because quite frankly, we haven't had to. When you're dominating other teams like we are, it doesn't really matter what your opponent has been doing of late. The opposition just doesn't have the time to beat us. And, for the first time in ages, BB has all of his starting players to work with. Mix and match. He can substitute when he WANTS to!
You can say that the Rams have 2 weeks to figure out how to beat us, but BB has that exact amount of time to do the same.
--------------
I`m just waiting for one of those Rams superstars to blurt out some stupid comment; ala the Dynasty dies here; or TB is not that great; etc., Board material for the Pats is just what they need to get this ball rolling.
------------
McVay has never had to prepare for BB or a team like the Pats. I just saw something where the Pats put in 8 new plays on the morning of the KC game - used half of them and they all gained positive yardage. How do you prepare for a team that can do something like that? That's able to adapt and change itself that quickly?
Doesn't matter that the betting line favors the Pats. The media wants them to lose and that's all the fire they need. The next two weeks will be about the '01 Rams being cheated and "is this the last SB for BB/TB - is time running out?"
Biggest reasons I think they'll win this one - and possibly in big fashion:
- They're healthy
- They're playing their best ball right now
- They're way more experienced with post-season
- They know most of the Rams star players pretty well already
- Brady had his WTF? plays yesterday, they're out of his system
--------------
Not to be cocky but I think after 5 SB wins where they were all last minute nail biters, I think we win this one convincingly. I can see us winning like 31-17