New England Patriots: What to watch for in Super Bowl 53
By Hal Bent
LA PASSING OFFENSE vs NE PASS DEFENSE
The Los Angeles Rams boast a passing offense that ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards and third in net yards per attempt.
Jared Goff had what could have been an MVP-caliber season if not for the otherworldly numbers put up by presumptive MVP Patrick Mahomes. Goff completed almost 65% of his passes for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions.
Like the Chiefs, the Rams boast ridiculous weapons in the passing game. Former Saints and Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks had 80 catches for 1,204 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season. Former Bills wide receiver Robert Woods did even better, finishing with 86 catches for 1,219 yards and six touchdowns.
Running back Todd Gurley is also a formidable weapon in the passing game, as he had 59 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns in just 14 healthy games. Linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts will be responsible for checking Gurley out of the backfield. The Rams superstar can line up and run routes like a wide receiver, so if he’s anywhere near full-health on Sunday, he represents a significant mismatch on the field as a pass-catcher.
At tight end, the Rams lack a true Rob Gronkowski/Travis Kelce type, but they do have a couple big bodies in Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett. In the playoffs so far, Los Angeles has passed more often out of two tight end sets, incorporating Everett in the intermediate middle of the field and Higbee as the outlet for Goff.
The Rams absolutely miss wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was lost on the season to injured reserve. Kupp had 62 receptions for 869 yards as a rookie, and seemed primed to top that in 2018. In eight games, Kupp had 40 receptions for 566 yards and a career-high six touchdowns.
Replacing Kupp is clear downgrade Josh Reynolds. Long and lean, Reynolds is more of an outside receiver, and he doesn’t have the effortless chemistry with Goff that made Kupp so valuable. Reynolds did turn in one of his best games of the season against New Orleans, though, grabbing four passes for 74 yards.
The Patriots mixed up their coverage options against the Chiefs in an effort to slow wideout Tyreek Hill. Rather than waste a top cornerback on him, they gave him their fastest cornerback (Jon Jones) and used safety Devin McCourty as help to bracket the deep threat. They may revisit that strategy against the game-breaking speed of Brandin Cooks (who led the Rams with 107 yards receiving against New Orleans).
Doing so would free up Stephon Gilmore to cover his former Bills teammate Robert Woods. Woods is a wide receiver in the mold of Keenan Allen of the L.A. Chargers; he’s not the biggest, the fastest, or the most athletic guy on the field, but he is an absolute technician when it comes to route-running. Gilmore frustrated Allen most of the divisional round playoff game and could find similar success against Woods.
Undrafted rookie cornerback J.C. Jackson could be used in coverage of Cooks if the Patriots don’t end up replicating their coverage of Hill. Alternatively, maybe Belichick decides to have Jackson match up against Reynolds. Jason McCourty will also be on the field often as well, and could be more likely to cover Woods or Reynolds rather than the speedy Cooks.
Of course, the Rams use all three wide receivers interchangeably. The Patriots may end up simplifying their coverage and just have their cornerbacks play “left” and “right” sides, and cover whoever lines up opposite them.
New England has to help their pass defense with a strong pass rush. The Rams have been solid in pass protection, allowing just 33 sacks in the regular season, and Goff is a mobile quarterback even if he’s not a true scrambler. In the Kubiak/Shanahan-style offensive system used by the Rams, he is likely to flow out of the pocket on designed roll-outs designed at pressuring the defense.
New England needs to get hands and bodies on Goff to keep him from being able to scan the field and work through his progressions.. Pressure should come from a blitzing linebacker or rushing Trey Flowers inside on stunts. Deatrich Wise is healthy and able to help Flowers, and John Simon off the edge has looked good lately in generating pressure as well. Adam Butler could help by pushing the pile inside to disrupt Goff’s timing.
It is no easy task to slow the Rams’ passing game, and the Patriots will need to be at their best in the Super Bowl. Keying in on Cooks and Woods should be the top priority in order to stop the Rams from making the game a high-scoring track meet.