Super Bowl 2019 Prediction: New England Patriots Will Defeat Los Angeles Rams In Close Game

The New England Patriots have the edge over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 2019, but that doesn’t mean a win will come easy for the AFC champs Sunday night. The betting line is less than a field goal, and we should be in for a close game to conclude the NFL season.

As dominant as Tom Brady and the Patriots have been over the last two decades, the team really has never cruised to a Super Bowl victory. With a 5-3 record in the big game, all eight of New England’s Super Bowls in the Brady-Belichick era have been competitive.

That’s especially been the case during the Patriots’ recent run. All three of the team’s Super Bowl appearances in the last five seasons have been decided by one score.

Super Bowl XLIX between New England and the Seattle Seahawks came down to one play when Malcolm Butler’s interception at the goal line allowed the Patriots to run out the clock and win 28-24. New England beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 two seasons later in the first Super Bowl that went to overtime. The Eagles upset the Patriots a year ago 41-33 in Super Bowl LII as Brady nearly connected with Rob Gronkowski on a Hail Mary in the end zone on the game’s final play.

New England’s dynasty started in 2002 when Adam Vinatieri nailed a 48-yard field goal as time expired to beat the then-St. Louis Rams 20-17. Two years later, Vinatieri kicked a game-winning field goal with four seconds left to beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29.

The New York Giants beat the Patriots in two Super Bowls by scoring game-winning touchdowns with less than a minute left.

New England’s “easiest” Super Bowl victory came in 2005 when they defeated the Eagles 24-21. The game was tied at the start of the fourth quarter, though the Patriots had a 10-point lead from the 9:21-minute mark until there was just under two minutes left in regulation.

Of course, none of those results necessarily mean Super Bowl LIII will be particularly close. Brady is a year older, as is Gronkowski. In some ways, the Rams are unlike any Super Bowl opponent that the Patriots have seen in recent years because of the way they can move the ball.

Los Angeles ranked behind only the Kansas City Chiefs in points scored and total offense during the 2018 season. The Rams even outscored the Chiefs 54-51 during the highest-scoring game of all time. It’d be a mistake to think New England will roll past L.A. simply because of all the success they’ve had during their unprecedented run.

The Patriots needed overtime to beat the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Perhaps they’ll need more than 60 minutes to hold off Sean McVay’s high-powered offense.

With Brady under center and Belichick on the sidelines, New England should be able to get the job done, but it could be an uncomfortable four quarters for Patriots’ fans, yet again.

Super Bowl LIII Prediction: Patriots over Rams, 28-24