NFL Betting – New England Patriots at Los Angeles Rams
Their stay in Southern California got off to a good start now the New England Patriots look to finish it off when they take on the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Just a few days ago the Pats handed the other LA team its worst loss in franchise history on the same SoFi Stadium turf routing the Chargers 45-0. The Rams aren’t the Bolts, though, and this will be a stiffer challenge. The Rams reclaimed first-place in the NFC West by beating Arizona improving to 8-4. Winners in four of their last five games the Pats have climbed back into the playoff picture though reaching the postseason is still a longshot. The Rams hit the board as a 6.5-point favorite in the first meeting between the clubs since Super Bowl LIII. Bookmaker.eu is offering a generous welcome bonus (max bonus $1600).
New England Patriots at Los Angeles Rams
Date and Time: Thursday, December 10, 2020, 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
NFL Odds: Los Angeles -6, O/U 44.5
Patriots at Rams TV Coverage: FOX/NFL Network
Odds Analysis
It seems like these teams have met more in the Super Bowl than they have during the regular season. That’s not exactly true, but close. They’ve played each other six times since 2002 with two of those being the final game of the NFL season. And New England has gotten the better of the Rams each time. Heck, even changing their hometown hasn’t helped the Rams. The run started with a 20-17 win in Super Bowl XXXVI when the Pats were a two-touchdown dog. The most recent matchup took place following the 2018 season, a 13-3 verdict in SB LIII. The Rams opened as a 6.5-point favorite to end the skid, though that number has been wagered down to -6 with the Pats getting plenty of support. Winning four of five games and covering the last two has some fans back on the bandwagon. The teams have cashed the UNDER four times in the last six encounters with the total for Thursday at 44.5.
New England Patriots
Getting huge contributions from defense and special teams allowed the Patriots to extend their winning streak to two games while winning for the fourth time in five outings. Touchdowns on a blocked field goal and a punt return were part of the 45-0 blanking of the Chargers. And while the offense put up a few points adding to the total, the group continues to struggle, especially in the air. Cam Newton threw for 69 yards, the second straight game he failed to hit triple-digits, and the Pats own the NFL’s third-worst passing attack averaging just over 190 yards per game.
There probably won’t be many chances through the air against LA’s second-ranked pass defense so the Pats will have to successfully run the football. I guess it’s a good thing they can do that. The Pats boast the league’s third-best ground game. Damien Harris paces the club with 641 rushing yards and should get a boost in the backfield with the return of Sony Michel. While he can’t throw the football, Newton is still a threat on the ground. He ran for 48 yards and a pair of scores against the Bolts.
Playing a Thursday night game typically hurts the visitors, but that’s not necessarily the case this week. The Pats just dusted off the Chargers on Sunday and remained in the LA area ahead of this game. And Bill Belichick’s mastery covers mid-week games. New England is 10-1 in their last 11 Thursday night games under Belichick.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have a good chance to end their skid against the Pats, avenge the Super Bowl losses and maintain their lead in the NFC West. Winners in three of the last four, they responded to a sloppy loss to the Niners with a strong game against division rival Arizona last week. Jared Goff passed for 351 yards and the defense held the explosive Cardinals to a season-low 232 yards in the 38-28 victory. They moved back into a tie with Seattle atop the division but hold the tie-breaker from their win over the Seahawks a few weeks earlier. That means the Rams control their own destiny for another division crown.
After throwing two picks and losing two fumbles that proved fatal in the loss the Niners, Goff was deservedly called out by Sean McVay. Coming off his second straight two interception game Goff was money against the Cards completing 37 of 47 without a turnover. Cam Akers has emerged as the top threat out of the backfield giving the Rams more balance on offense. Akers rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries against the Cards.
The offense flashed glimpses of greatness, but it’s the defense that has carried the team. They did allow 28 points to the Cards with one touchdown coming on a blown coverage and another following a fumble on a punt setting up a short field. The Rams have the second-best total defense allowing 291.3 yards per game and they are the best against the pass. A lot of that has to do with the pressure created by Aaron Donald, whose 11 sacks are second in the NFL. As a team they have 36 sacks and 12 interceptions.
Bet Patriots at Rams at BookMaker.eu
You can expect the Patriots to go all out since they need to win every game to have a shot at the postseason. That still won’t be enough. The Rams are different team than the Bolts and they won’t make the same errors that helped on Sunday. Look for the Rams to concentrate on stopping the run since Newton can’t pass, and if Goff values the football this is LA’s game to lose, though I like the points.
NFL Score Prediction: Rams 24, Patriots 20
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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
