The Rams are going to have to pass their way to victory.
The Pats will NOT allow the Rams to get more than 75 - 85 yards rushing. They want to put it on Goff's shoulders.
The Pats will try to take away the big play, which means they have to take away either Cooks or Woods or both on any given play. Thus they want to put that load on the Rams TEs and on Reynolds.
The Rams will want to take Edleman out first and Gronk second. But.....they will want to do as they did with NOLA and that is to play rush first. So the Rams will try to limit the Pats to under 100 rushing and to frustrate Edleman.
Both teams are fully capable of pulling this off.
The wild card in all this is for the Rams is Gurley. He can completely wreck a defensive plan because of his ability to run and to receive.
The wild card in all this for the Pats is White. He, too, can wreck a defensive plan because of his ability to run and to receive. However.....while White and Gurley are both receiving threats, Gurley is the greater rushing threat. The Pats rush more on platoon basis.
The Rams will play pass defense tight because Brady would pick apart soft zones.
The Pats will play pass defense to guard the intermediate and deep routes to limit explosive plays daring the Rams to sustain drives.
I don't see a high scoring game; rather something similar to the Rams Saints.
I have no strong feeling as to which team will ultimately prevail. They are two very good, well coached teams.
These Pats are not the equivalent of past Pats teams as far as talent. But....they have Brady and they have experience. And that's a lot.
