Super Bowl 53 Preview

It truly will be new school facing old school in Super Bowl 53 as the Los Angeles Rams face the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

It won’t be anything new for the Patriots as they make their ninth Super Bowl appearance in the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era. As for the Rams franchise, it will be their first time playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy since 2002 when they lost to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI, back when they were the St. Louis Rams. That same game serves as the breakthrough of the Patriots dynasty that has been leading up to this very season.

The Los Angeles Rams, led by 33-year-old head coach Sean McVay has been the most polarizing figure in the NFL thanks to his number two scoring offense. Many teams are now looking to copy what the Rams have been able to accomplish by hiring a younger offensive-minded head coach. On the field, third-year quarterback Jared Goff and the running back duo of Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson have not slowed down even with Gurley nursing a knee injury.

As for New England, it’s the same story; 41-year-old Tom Brady continues to dominate with perhaps the least talented group he’s ever played with. Brady will be playing for his sixth Super Bowl title, which would make him the most decorated NFL player ever, breaking his tie with Hall of Famer Charles Haley. For New England, wide receiver Julian Edelman and rookie running back Sony Michel have been the stars this January.

New England also boasts the seventh-ranked defense even after their defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, left to become the head coach in Detroit. Led by Trey Flowers and Kyle Van Noy, they limited Kansas City and MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes II to only 31 points in the AFC Championship, yet all 31 points came in the second half.

As for the Rams’ defense, their spending in the offseason has paid off. Adding Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to their secondary as well as pairing veteran Ndamukong Suh alongside Aaron Donald has made Los Angeles a litigable defensive team. Holding Drew Brees and the Saints to only 23 points in the NFC Championship was needed for their best showing of the season.

Both teams featured players that have Bay Area ties, most notably the starting quarterbacks. Brady attended Junipero Serra High School in his hometown of San Mateo before heading to Michigan. Goff grew up in Novato and played football at Marin Catholic and UC Berkeley. But Goff is more of a Bay Area guy than Brady; he is still an avid fan of his boyhood sports teams including the Giants and Warriors, even to the dismay from the fans who root for him down in Southern California.

Additionally, C.J. Anderson and Marcus Peters of the Rams are from Vallejo and Oakland, respectfully. Julian Edelman of the Patriots was born in Redwood City and attended College of San Mateo before transferring to Kent State. And whether you claim it apart of the Bay Area or not, Rams’ wide receiver Brandin Cooks is from Stockton.

This game will be looked at as young vs. old but if the Rams come out victorious, we can say that they are now the upper echelon of football thanks to their new take on offensive football. For the Patriots, their dynasty run has already surpassed what the 49ers accomplished back in the 1980s. Can they make six Super Bowl titles in seventeen years?

McVay and Goff against Belichick and Brady, perhaps a passing of the torch or the league’s best making yet another claim at being the greatest ever.