The Los Angeles Rams are hoping to exact some revenge for their Super Bowl loss when they host the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football in Week 14.
Although they might be in first place entering the final stretch of the 2020 NFL season, the Rams must do what they can to remain in control of their own destiny in this competitive NFC West Division.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are suddenly one of the hottest teams in football, winning four of their last five.
Rams Offense vs. Patriots Defense
The Rams’ offense finally managed to get back on track with a 38-point outing in the win over the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday. Quarterback Jared Goff was able to find his rhythm under center while head coach Sean McVay had rookie Cam Akers take over workhorse duties in the backfield.
L.A. is sporting a clean bill of health this week with kicker Matt Gay being the only player listed as questionable. It will be interesting to see if this unit can show some consistency to finish out the regular season.
A major reason for the Patriots’ surge as of late has been thanks to the play of their defense and special teams. This was evident during the team’s 45-0 shut out of the Los Angeles Chargers last week.
They boast a deep, experienced secondary that is looking to capitalize off Goff’s affinity for turnovers. Belichick’s track record versus the Rams also leaves good reason to be optimistic.
Patriots Offense vs. Rams Defense
With quarterback Cam Newton struggling to get the passing game going, the Patriots are relying heavily on their ground attack to get the job done. Between Newton, Damien Harris and Sony Michel, there is more than enough talent to help make it come to fruition as the third-best rushing offense (150.9 YPG) in the league.
Fortunately, the Rams are coming off a game where they had to plan around a mobile quarterback in Kyler Murray and a solid run game. This should help pay some huge dividends when it comes to limiting the bevy of options at the other team’s disposal.
Keys To Victory
Take Care Of The Ball
Goff completed 37 of 47 passes for 357 yards and a touchdown in the win over Arizona. Of course, his most impressive stat was the zero turnovers he committed for the first time in two games.
The opportunistic Pats’ defense will be anxiously waiting for Goff to make a mistake. In fact, it is likely a major part of their game plan given the current deficiencies on offense.
Contain The Run Game
Whether or not New England is able to force any turnovers, they are looking to the run game to help them keep control of the clock. Newton ran for 48 yards and two touchdowns while Harris averaged 5.0 yards per carry in Week 13.
While L.A. may boast one of the most stout run defenses in the NFL that is giving up the third-fewest yards (93.1 YPG), this will not prevent Belichick from doing all he can to get it going.
How to Watch
Time: 5:20 p.m. PT
Location: SoFi Stadium
TV: FOX
