Week 11 of the NFL season includes a matchup between the Rams and the Patriots. LA will be looking to bounce back off a tough showing on Monday Night Football. Check out our betting preview for all the info you need!
Best of luck with all of your picks! Let's get into the nuts and bolts of this one.
Oddsmakers opened this line LA -5.5 before their Monday Night Football showdown with Miami. That number moved down to LA -4.5 after their loss and poor offensive performance. The move was also a reaction to the Patriots' dominant win over the Bears in Week 10.
As for the total, most folks are expecting a low-scoring affair. Most online sportsbooks opened the line at 43 but have moved to 43.5 or 44 after some Over money came into the market. Weather shouldn't be a concern, as it's supposed to be sunny and 61 degrees in Foxboro on Sunday.
This Rams team has been sort of a Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde squad so far in 2024. They had won three in a row prior to their debacle on Monday Night Football. Can Sean McVay rally the troops on a short week on a cross-country road trip?
He may be getting on up there in age, but Matthew Stafford can still sling the football around like nobody's business. The former Georgia star has thrown for 2,262 yards and 9 TDs this season. That's pretty impressive when you consider that he had to play several weeks without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
The Rams defense has been kind of disappointing this season, as they're giving up 24.1 points per game (22nd). Their D-line does a good job of pressuring QBs and stopping the run. However, the LA secondary has had trouble limiting big plays from opposing offenses.
The Patriots surprised a lot of folks last week with their dominant win over the Bears. The defense played lights out and Drake Maye provided just enough juice for the offense to put up 19 points. The key question is whether or not the Pats can sustain that type of momentum on the defensive side of the ball.
Like any rookie QB, Maye has had his fair share of struggles. That being said, he's shown some flashes of brilliance (954 passing yards, 7 TDs). Maye is also dangerous with his legs when he gets outside the pocket.
There's not much to say about the New England defense. Sure, they were fantastic last week against a bad Bears offense, but they rank right about league average in all of the key defensive metrics. Jahlani Tavai leads the team with 68 tackles.
I'm still not ready to give up on this Rams team just yet. They're getting healthier each week, and even though Monday's performance was a bit of a shocker, they've still got a whole lot to play for. The short week spot worries me a little, but I trust McVay to put together a solid game plan.
I really just don't see New England doing much scoring in this game. The Rams rank 8th in yards per rush allowed, so it could be a long day at the office for Pats RB Rhamondre Stevenson. That should make the Pats one-dimensional.
I also think that Kupp and Nacua could have lots of success against this Pats secondary. Having to cover two of the best wideouts in the league will be a tall order, especially if they fail to get any type of pressure on Stafford. Let's lay the points with the Rammers! Good luck!
Prediction: Rams 28 - Patriots 17