The 2018-19 NFL season will come to a close after the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams square off in Super Bowl LIII. It’s very much a game of contrasts, as the new-age Rams and their high-powered offense will look to topple a dynasty that has ruled the league for the better part of two decades in what is almost a generational contest. That contrast makes for a fascinating game that has a whole lot of talking points associated with it.
Here are ten key questions for Super Bowl LIII, the answers to which will go a long way toward determining who claims the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night.
1) Can the Patriots’ offensive line keep Aaron Donald and the Rams at arm’s length?
This may be the single biggest factor in Sunday’s outcome. Tom Brady has barely been touched by opposing defenses in his two playoff games so far, and the New England offensive line has not yet allowed a sack. On the other hand, they haven’t come up against anyone of Aaron Donald’s caliber. The Rams defensive lineman had 20.5 regular season sacks, and he’ll be tasked with putting pressure on Brady. That’s usually considered the way to beat him, and may make this the matchup of the Super Bowl.
2) What will Todd Gurley’s role be, and how effective will he be in it?
Gurley was a non-factor in the Rams’ NFC Championship victory over the New Orleans Saints, a real surprise given how much he usually factors into the Los Angeles offense. There’s some speculation that his knee is still bothering him, but the Rams won’t confirm that. Instead, they’re saying publicly that they want him more involved. What that means remains to be seen. Will be be their primary ballcarrier, and moreover, will he be effective in that role? It will have a big role in how well the offense performs.
3) Will Jared Goff play game manager or will he air it out?
Goff took a back seat to the running game in the Rams’ playoff opener against the Dallas Cowboys, then offered up a very mixed bag against the New Orleans Saints where he made some great throws and looked inept at other points. It’s anyone’s guess what he’ll do against the Patriots. Goff is still looking for the consistency that great quarterbacks have. He’s demonstrated the ability to have huge games, and has also looked out of his depth at times. The Rams will probably need him to put in a big performance to keep up with the Patriots.
4) Will the Patriots continue to successfully lean on Sony Michel and the run game?
Michel has 242 total yards and five touchdowns in his first two playoff games, so it’s fair to say he’s hit the ground running in his playoff career. The Patriots have really ground teams down using their run game this season, and with it serving as a potential vulnerability for the Rams, expect to see more of Michel on Sunday. He allows them to control possession, move the ball, and wear down opposing defenses. Containing him will be high on the Rams’ agenda.
5) Can Rob Gronkowski shake off his season-long malaise and be a factor again?
Statistically, this was the worst season of Rob Gronkowski’s career. He’s had other injury-plagued years that limited his stats, but none quite like this that saw him limited to three touchdowns and 47 catches over the entire season. He came alive a bit in the AFC Championship, though, making six catches for 79 yards, which ranked as one of his better performances of the season. Gronkowski should still be a difficult matchup for defenses, and if Tom Brady can get him involved, it’s a big win for the Patriots.
6) Does the Los Angeles defense have what it takes to at least contain Tom Brady?
Stopping Tom Brady goes beyond simply getting pressure on him, though that’s a big part of it. He can still make throws under duress, and the Rams will have to be up to the task. Much will fall on the shoulders of Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, and Nickell Robey-Coleman, as well as the Rams’ linebackers to try to limit a short passing game that will see the Patriots throw to guys like James White. Taking away as many of Brady’s options as possible is going to be imperative.
7) Can New England’s corners avoid biting on the play-action?
Part of what makes the Rams’ offense so unique and successful is their reliance on play-action to mess with opposing defensive backs. Whether the Patriots bite on that or not could determine just how much success the passing game has. New England’s corners, led by Stephon Gilmore, are going to have to keep their heads up and be smart to make sure that the Rams’ talented group of receivers aren’t just blowing past them all day.
8) Will the experience gap matter?
A lot of players on the New England Patriots have played in multiple Super Bowls. Very few members of the Los Angeles Rams have even played in one. That didn’t matter that much last year — the Patriots had the experience edge, but the Philadelphia Eagles topped them anyway. The Rams will have to take some cues from that performance to remain composed and not get overwhelmed by the moment. Playing in such a hostile environment in the NFC Championship may help them to a degree, but nothing truly replicates the Super Bowl experience, and we won’t really know how they’re coping until we see them in action.
9) Can the Rams avoid falling victim to another fast Patriots’ start?
New England’s strategy in these playoffs has been to score early and play ahead. It worked against the Los Angeles Chargers, and they did so successfully against the Kansas City Chiefs, even if they temporarily gave that lead away. The Rams, on the other hand, fell behind the New Orleans Saints and had to wage a comeback, which they won’t want to do again. Keeping parity will be important to the Rams, who won’t have to rely on trick plays and other bold moves to come back in this game if they can help it.
10) Will either side have some tricks up their sleeve?
Speaking of trick plays, we already know Sean McVay has a trick or two up his sleeve, and Bill Belichick has been known to throw some weird looks at people as well, particularly on special teams. This is the Super Bowl, and as the Philly Special showed us, teams are increasingly willing to empty the playbook and take risks. If one team falls behind early and is facing what they consider to be a major point in the game, don’t be surprised to see them pull a rabbit out of their hat to try to change the trajectory of the game. There’s been plenty of boldness in the playoffs from various teams in that regard. Don’t count on it to stop now.
