Super Bowl LIII: Rams try to knock off the Patriots, something Brady and Belichick did to them almost two decades ago

Picks record
Conference championships: 1-1 Playoffs: 7-3

Patriots (13-5) vs. Rams (15-3) in Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. CBS

A theme that was present in the conference championships has carried into the Super Bowl: young and on the rise vs. old and wise. The up-and-coming QB-coach tandem of Jared Goff and Sean McVay are looking to knock off the Hall of Fame duo of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, who are going for their sixth Lombardi Trophy together.

Seventeen years ago on this same day, Feb. 3, the Rams were the team on top that had recently won a Super Bowl, and the Patriots were underdogs, trying to make a name for themselves. In fact, New England was a 14-point underdog that year, which I think might be the biggest line in Super Bowl history. And then Adam Vinatieri ended up kicking the game-winning field goal as the Patriots won, 20-17. The tables are turned now, with New England the favorite, though just by 2.5 points. Of course, New England has had a run of success that the Rams, who were in St. Louis then, had not gotten close to despite the one championship.

Both conference championships two weeks ago went to overtime and were amazing, so it could be tough for the Super Bowl to live up to either game. The Rams rallied from 13 down to top the Saints 26-23 in a controversial NFC title game after a passing interference-hit-to-the-head was not called on the Rams late in regulation. Had it been called, New Orleans likely could have run the clock down and then kicked a fairly short field goal for the game's final play. Instead, because the play happened

on third down, it had to go ahead and kick the field goal, leaving time for Los Angeles to come back down the field and tie the score. In the AFC game, Brady and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes put on a show, probably one of the greatest games I've watched. It was just 14-0 New England at halftime, but the game quickly became exciting in the late stages of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter, where the teams combined for 38 points.

The Rams have done a good job on defense in the playoffs, limiting the rushing attacks of both the Cowboys and Saints after struggling against the run in the regular season. The Patriots ran over the Chiefs' terrible defense with Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead to the tune of 176 yards and four TDs. Wade Phillips is a good defensive coordinator, though, and will have Los Angeles ready. New England will have to figure out a way to neutralize the Rams' super defensive tackle, Aaron Donald. Brady has been exceptional at getting the ball out of his hands quickly, even more so than usual. The Chiefs and Chargers combined for a healthy 90 sacks in the regular season, but neither were able to get Brady to the ground in the playoffs. Brady did throw two picks against the Chiefs, so L.A. could have a couple opportunities. And as we saw, even those picks weren't enough for the Chiefs.

McVay is obviously very highly regarded as an offensive mind right now. If he sneezed on you, you could get an interview to be an NFL head coach. But can he match wits with Belichick, especially with the two weeks of preparation time coaches get for the Super Bowl? I think that the Rams' championship is coming at some point, though they will have to figure out how to rebuild a bit because of some of the expensive free agents they signed in trying make this championship run. But Goff and McVay could be around for years to come and be very successful. But with two weeks to prepare, I trust Belichick to come out on top in that mind game, putting together a solid game plan that frustrates Goff enough. I think the Patriots will take home their sixth Super Bowl title in a close game -- a good bet because each of the Patriots' previous eight appearances this century featured a tie or lead change in the fourth quarter -- that would knot them with Pittsburgh for the most crowns in NFL history.

Patriots 27, Rams 23