Patriots want to emulate last game vs Rams, a Super Bowl win

The previous time the Patriots and Rams met, it was in Atlanta for the NFL title. A whole lot has changed since.

Los Angeles responded to its loss in that Super Bowl with a mediocre 2019 season, failing to return to the playoffs. New England got there last year, lost in the wild-card round after a late-season slump, and now is recognizing how much Tom Brady was responsible for that dynastic run.

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This season, the Rams (8-4) are tied for the lead in the NFC West and the Patriots (6-6) have climbed to .500. When they face off Thursday night, the Rams, ranked sixth in the AP Pro32, will be 5-point favorites over the No. 17 Patriots.

“What we do over the next 3 1/2 days is going to be indicative of the position we put ourselves in to have success,” Rams coach Sean McVay says. “In December, all you can ask for is being involved in games that matter, and our guys have done a good enough job to put themselves in a position to be relevant right now, but it’s only about what we can do this Thursday.”

LA's defense can do plenty of harm, and New England — despite 45 points against the woeful Chargers last Sunday in the same building, SoFi Stadium — tends to struggle with the ball, especially in the passing game.

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“They’re obviously a very good defense,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick says. “They’re at the top of the league in almost every category. They’re hard to move the ball against. They make you earn everything. They don’t make many mistakes. There’s no easy plays.”

RAMS, 21-17