The Patriots Week 11 matchup against the Rams is just another game for the home team, as there is not a lot riding on the result since the 2024 season wasn't expected to bring a lot of wins to New England. For their opponent, however, a win or a loss could determine their fate for the rest of the season, whether it be setting them on a path to securing a spot in the playoffs or moving them closer to being eliminated from contention altogether.
After suffering a brutal loss to the Dolphins last week, LA will be coming into Gillette Stadium ready to get their season back on track, adding another layer of motivation that could be bad news for the Patriots.
But the home team will be excited after their Week 10 win over the Bears and the return of defensive tackle Christian Barmore. Further disrupting an opponent's post-season desires could play a factor in how the Patriots play in this game, as it is always fun to ruin a team's chances of making it to the Super Bowl.
Hopefully, that's what they'll do, and they will continue to build upon the culture they're trying to build with Drake Maye and the new regime. Winning is a great start.
Announcers for Rams vs. Patriots
- Lead Play-by-Play Announcer: Adam Amin
- Color Commentator(s): Mark Sanchez
- Sideline Reporter(s): Kristina Pink
Referees for Rams vs. Patriots
- Umpire: Alex Moore (#49)
- Down Judge: Jay Bilbo (#84)
- Line Judge: Jeff Seeman (#45)
- Sideline Judge: Boris Cheek (#41)
- Field Judge: Dyrol Prioleau (#109)
- Ball Judge: Dino Paganelli (#105)
Shawn Smith, a ten-year NFL veteran who began his career as an umpire in 2015, will be the head official for the Patriots' Week 11 matchup. Over the years, Smith and his crew have been fairly uneven with the penalties they call, seeming to favor the home team overall. So far in 2024, the flags have been (basically) evenly distributed, with 51 called on the home teams and 52 on the visitors.
That is the best-case scenario heading into a Week 11 matchup, especially for a team like the Patriots, who have dealt with many flags this season. And looking at Smith's history, it could be even better that they're playing in Foxboro this week.
The last time Smith's crew was on hand for a Patriots game was in Week 2 of the 2023 season when the Dolphins came to town for the first divisional game of the year. The Patriots lost 24-17, but the penalties were nearly equal in terms of the number of accepted calls and yardage.
Time & Channel for Rams vs. Patriots
- Date: November 17, 2024
- Time: 1:00 pm EST
- Location: Gillette Stadium
- Channel: FOX