| Pats Fairy Tale Ends Sunday | |
Dateline: February 2, 2002
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With the talent level of the Rams, I'm not sure there is any team in the NFL that would be a better match. The Rams are clearly the best team on paper, but the Patriots gave them a good game earlier in the year and they feel confident they can do it again.
The Patriots will go into this game looking to keep Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk standing on the sidelines as much as possible. Their success will probably be determined by how well they run the ball between the tackles. Antowain Smith must be able to run the ball right at the Rams' defense, keeping quarterback Tom Brady in short-yardage situations, and moving the chains on a consistent basis.
The last thing New England wants is to get into a shoot out. Given enough opportunities, the Rams' offense is going to burn any defense, so the Patriots must try to shorten the game by keeping the clock moving and limiting the Rams' big plays.
That's easier said than done!
The Rams are a team on the verge of becoming a dynasty. They've had an explosive, balanced offense for several years, but now they have the defense to go along with it. Their core of key players still have plenty of years in them, and if free agency doesn't pick this team apart, I expect them to be back in this position a couple more times.
The New England Patriots have put together an unbelievable season. Picked to go nowhere in the preseason, they find themselves on the eve of the Super Bowl, hoping they have one last surprise in store for the football world.
I look for the Patriots' fairy tale season to come to a painful end when they come up short on that final surprise. I believe the Rams have far too much talent for the Patriots, or any other team in the NFL, and they will once again be the World Champions of football.
My Prediction: Rams 42, Patriots 10
