After beating the Ravens in week 10, I wrote about how the Patriots playoff hopes were all of a sudden not super dead. When they followed that up with a loss to the 2-7 Houston Texans, I'll admit I was ready to pull their plug like Mike Schiavo.
However, since losing to the Texans and making DeShaun Watson look the son of Patrick Mahomes and Steve Young, the Pats have rebounded. Thanks to a solid running game, great situational defense and elite special teams they defeated the Arizona Cardinals and L.A. Chargers to get back to .500.
Despite no longer having a losing record, the Pats are still on the outside looking in at the playoffs. They could potentially win out and still miss the postseason for the first time since 2008, but another loss would be the final nail in their playoff hopes coffin with three games to go and multiple teams to jump.
Tonight, the Patriots play at SoFi Stadium for their 2nd straight game; this time against the Los Angeles Rams in what many people have called a Super Bowl LIII rematch with a chance to move into the NFL record books.
Sure these teams might've faced off in the Super Bowl less than 24 months ago, but a lot has changed since.
Of course I'm talking about their uniforms..
..and the lack of fans.
The Patriots are currently a 4.5 point underdog against the 8-4 Rams; one of only two NFL teams in the top 10 in offense and defense (Chargers are the other).
Even though that stat means nothing because points > yards (The Rams are 3rd in yards gained, but only 17th in PPG), it's still something interesting to know going into the game.
What's even more interesting to know going into the game is this; As a whole, NFL teams playing on short rest suck....well almost all NFL teams.
Not only are the Patriots 9-0 on short rest, but they're outscoring their opponents by nearly 17 points a game.
Now I know what you're probably thinking "well Dozo, that all came back in their old uniforms" you can't count that stat, gotta throw it out, it means nothing now without those old uniforms. I'll ask you this; ever heard of Jacoby Brissett?
Because he lead the New England Patriots to victory in a professional football game on short rest wearing the home version of the Patriots current uniforms.
It won't be easy. Cam Newton has thrown for less than 100 yards each of his last two starts and faces a defense that has arguably two of the top five defense players in the game, but 9-0 is 9-0. Belichick has been there the entire time and that's really all you need because Sean McVay is going to be so caught up in trying to give Bill a social distanced organism after getting embarrassed in the Super Bowl that the Patriots will probably have three special teams touchdowns to make up for their stagnant offense.
If the Patriots playoff hopes and perfect record since 2009 on short rest do die tonight, I'm going down with the ship.
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