If the Los Angeles Rams lose the Super Bowl it will be due to the defense

The Los Angeles Rams head into the team’s first Super Bowl in 17 years with a defense that is troubling, especially against the New England Patriots.

The Los Angeles Rams have been the Super Bowl favorites in the NFC since the beginning of the season. Los Angeles started with a dominant 8-0 run that ended at the hands of the New Orleans Saints and soured a lot of opinions on the Rams.

And although the game certainly has controversy, the Rams proved in the NFC Championship why we all should have seen the win coming. After falling behind 13-0, the high-profile Rams offense that has been praised all season kicked into gear and the defense held the Saints to only 10 more points.

The Rams outscored the Saints 26-10 after the 13-0 start in large part due to the defense. Drew Brees was never really able to get into a huge rhythm and the Saints were only able to muster 48 rushing yards on 21 carries.

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The Los Angeles Rams defense did the same thing it did to the Dallas Cowboys in stopping the run and faltering the team’s momentum. With those two performances under their belt, fans probably aren’t as worried about the defense as they were entering the postseason.

However, if the Los Angeles Rams fall to the New England Patriots on Feb. 3, it won’t be because of Jared Goff or Sean McVay or a bad performance from Todd Gurley. It won’t be because of a pass interference call or an unlucky double-doink; it will be because of the defense.

There is a chance that this game could get ugly for the Los Angeles Rams early if the defense does not step up. If so, there might be no coming back against the greatest head coach and quarterback to ever do it.

Bill Belichick is the smartest mind in football and is going to have a game plan against the Rams that makes them worse at what they are best at and forces Wade Phillips’ defense to beat the Patriots in the hardest way possible.

Just look at what Belichick did to the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round. That was a defense that was coming off of the most impressive Wild Card Weekend showing, a defense that made Lamar Jackson look like a freshman at Louisville.

A defense that is stacked with three All-Pros in the secondary and two All-Pro talents on the defensive line in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. The Chargers have as many playmakers as anybody on the defensive side of the ball and were absolutely embarrassed, letting up 35 points in the first half.

It was because of the game plan. Tom Brady dinked and dunked all over the Chargers’ zone coverage and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was unable to make any significant changes until halftime. By that time it was too late.

You cannot start slow against the New England Patriots. The defense has to get a stop on the first drive or risks the Patriots creating a methodical eight-minute drive that sucks the life out of the Rams and forces Jared Goff to play like Tom Brady.

This game comes down to the defense. There is no doubting that the Los Angeles Rams have the firepower to put points on the board against the Patriots.

Next. The parallels between the Rams and Patriots. dark

And while the Rams have done a great job in the postseason thus far, I would not put it past Belichick to devise the perfect game plan to expose the Los Angeles Rams defense for what it is: mediocre.

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