Rams host Patriots in Thursday night Super Bowl rematch
NEW ENGLAND (6-6) at LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-4)
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Fox, NFL Network
OPENING LINE - Rams by 6 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Patriots 6-6; Rams 7-5
SERIES RECORD - Patriots lead 9-5
LAST MEETING - Patriots beat Rams 13-3, Feb. 3, 2019, in Super Bowl, Atlanta
LAST WEEK - Patriots beat Chargers 45-0; Rams beat Cardinals 38-28
AP PRO32 RANKING - Patriots No. 17, Rams No. 6
PATRIOTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (22), RUSH (3), PASS (30)
PATRIOTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (12), RUSH (18), PASS (13)
RAMS OFFENSE - OVERALL (3), RUSH (T8), PASS (6)
RAMS DEFENSE - OVERALL (2), RUSH (3), PASS (1)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Many key people on both teams return for a rematch of the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever, won 13-3 by the Patriots in Atlanta in February 2019. ... This is New England's second game in five days at SoFi Stadium after thrashing the Chargers on Sunday. ... The Patriots have won four of five to surge back into playoff contention after their worst start to a season (2-5) since 2000. ... The Patriots are 14-6 in Thursday night games, including 13-3 under Bill Belichick. New England has won each of its past three games on Thursday night. '¦ New England is 89-31 in December since 1994. '¦ The Patriots are 53-3 since the 2000 regular season when a player rushes for at least 100 yards. '¦ The Patriots have been whistled for a league-low 45 penalties. '¦ New England enters the week ranked third in the NFL, averaging 150.9 rushing yards per game. '¦ Cam Newton leads NFL quarterbacks with 11 rushing touchdowns. It is his third season with 10 or more rush TDs, the most by a quarterback in league history. '¦ With one more rushing TD, Newton will tie Steve Grogan for the team record for most rushing TDs in a season by a quarterback. '¦ RBs Damien Harris (3) and Sony Michel (1) have combined for four 100-yard rushing performances so far in 2020, the most by the Patriots since 2007 (5). '¦ WR Gunner Olszewski leads the NFL with a 26.9 punt return average. He had a 70-yard punt return for a TD against the Chargers. He also got his first career receiving TD. '¦ CB J.C. Jackson is second in the NFL with seven interceptions. He's had a pick in three of his past four road games. '¦ CB Stephon Gilmore has five pass breakups and two INTs in three career games against the Rams, including his famed Super Bowl interception. '¦ Pats K Nick Folk has made 20 consecutive field goals, the second-longest streak of his career. He made 23 in 2013 for the Jets. P Jake Bailey is second in the NFL with 45.4 net yards per punt. ... With a win, the Rams would secure four consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1983-86. ... Los Angeles is in first place in the NFC West with four weeks to go, and with three of its final four games at home. ... At 41-19, Sean McVay is tied with John Harbaugh for the second-best record through 60 games of all coaches hired in the 21st century. Only Jim Harbaugh started his career better. ... Rams WR Cooper Kupp and RB Malcolm Brown missed that Super Bowl with New England due to injuries. Kupp leads LA with 74 catches for 836 yards this season, while Brown has 368 yards rushing in LA's tailback trio. ... DT Aaron Donald is second in the NFL with 11 sacks. He never sacked Tom Brady in his two previous career meetings with New England. ... Rams CB Troy Hill has scored his first two NFL touchdowns in the past two games. ... Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch was on McVay's staff in Los Angeles for the previous two seasons. ... Fantasy tip: New England's defense looks like a strong play. Belichick embarrassed McVay's offense in their Super Bowl meeting, and the Pats' current defense is coming off several solid performances.
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