HISTORY SAYS GO WITH THE BELICHICKS IN A CLOSE ONE

By STEVE KING

It’s the Super Bowl, so, even though I don’t want to do it, I have to give a prediction on Sunday night’s game between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams.

Football game predictions are like elbows in that everyone has one. And even if it doesn’t look particularly good, you’ve got to put yours out there for all to see, judge and perhaps, in the end, laugh at.  

So here goes. Be kind, people. I’ll do my best.

My elbow – and my head — tell me that the Pats will win a close, right-down-to-the-very-end kind of game, say 37-33.

A few days ago, I think I mentioned that the Pats would win by a lot – or at least by more points than most people think. I believed that then, but I don’t believe it now.

That’s not because I’ve lost confidence in the Pats – far from it, in fact. I’m more convinced than ever that they will win, but not by more than a few points.

Why? Because I also believe – strongly so – in history.

Every appearance in the Super Bowl by Bill Belichick-coached Patriots teams have produced games that were not over until they were officially over. Because of their outstanding reputation, the Pats get everybody’s best shot, and the bigger the venue, the better the shot.

That will certainly be the case with the Rams. Sean McVay is the best young head coach in the NFL – and one of the best overall, no matter the age group – and he will do a great job of preparing his guys, both schematically and emotionally. They will come in believing fully not just that they can win, but rather that they will win, and as such they will play a great game.

But this is head coach Bill Belichick.

And quarterback Tom Brady.

And the New England Patriots.

You would be foolish to beat against them. History tells us so.

They don’t lose very often, especially in big games. And they want to prove that they still have it – that they can still finish the job and win it all. That feeling was fueled by last year’s Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

They were upset in the game, and about its outcome. They don’t want that to happen again, and it won’t. But it will be difficult.