Super Bowl 2019: Date, Point Spread and Prop Odds for Patriots vs. Rams

For a brief moment, the New England Patriots had another opportunity to miscast themselves as disrespected underdogs. 

According to OddsShark, the Los Angeles Rams opened as a one-point favorite to win Super Bowl LIII. That changed in a hurry. Less than 15 minutes later, the line reversed to award the AFC champions a point.

Per OddsChecker, the point spread has since expanded to 2.5. It shouldn't rise much more, as the Rams have recorded two more victories while boasting a higher margin of victory. Don't be surprised if the line backpedals closer to the middle.

When it comes to the biggest gambling event of the year, bettors can test their luck in far more avenues than the standard odds. Nearly every single outcome, football related or not, comes attached with a betting line. From the coin toss to the commercials, commentary and halftime show, viewers can put money on anything.

Without knowing Maroon 5's setlist or the Gatorade color on tap, let's refine the prop scope to on-field events. There's at least a bit more logic to these predictions than guessing Adam Levine's attire.

Super Bowl LIII: Patriots vs. Rams

Date: Sunday, Feb. 3 at 6:40 p.m. ET

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta

TV: CBS

Point Spread: New England (-2.5)

Prop Bets

Longest Field Goal: Rams (9-10)

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Greg Zuerlein kicked the Rams to Atlanta with a 57-yard field goal in overtime. It marked his 11th conversion of at least 50 yards in 27 games dating back to 2017.

Stephen Gostkowski, on the other hand, hasn't attempted a 50-yarder since Week 10. He went 2-of-5 from that range while converting (four) and trying (six)—his fewest field goals from 40 to 49 yards since an injury-shortened 2010.

Kickers are obviously at the offense's mercy, but Zuerlein wields a far stronger leg than his Super Bowl cohort. Yet this is contingent on him playing, as he wore a boot on his non-kicking foot on Monday.

Per The Athletic's Vincent Bonsignore, the Rams aren't worried yet:

Zuerlein has missed time to injuries in each of the past two seasons, but the 31-year-old has an extra week to recover. While the Rams are comfortable deploying their special-teams ace from long range, the Patriots have shown more willingness to simply keep Tom Brady and Co. on the field.

A healthy Legatron is far more likely than Gostkowski to receive a deep opportunity.

Brandin Cooks' Receiving Yards: Under 72.5 (4-5)

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Brandin Cooks has more than the Revenge Game narrative working in his favor. The wideout snagged seven of eight targets for 107 yards in the NFC Championship Game triumph over the New Orleans Saints, boosting his average to 76.4 receiving yards per game.

That tally exceeds this prop's benchmark against the Patriots, who ranked 22nd in regular-season passing defense. It's also a mark he has cleared just four times in the last 13 games.  

Although Robert Woods received two more targets in each playoff bout, Cooks will still likely draw Stephon Gilmore. Per NESN.com's Zach Cox, the All-Pro cornerback looked ahead to the matchup following Sunday's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. 

"It'll be fun," Gilmore said of facing his former teammate. "I'm excited for him, but on the field, it's all business. But it's going to be a fun experience."

If that's the case, Jared Goff should look elsewhere:

The Patriots showed the ability to silence an elite vertical threat when containing Tyreek Hill to one 42-yard catch last Sunday. Gilmore, meanwhile, helped cage star tight end Travis Kelce to a pedestrian 23 yards.

Cooks already comes with a wide range of outcome, so don't bank on a huge game against a stellar opponent. Instead, turn to a stable Woods for over 69.5 or 70.5 receiving yards.

Anytime Touchdown Scorer: Rob Gronkowski (2-1) 

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Although this call didn't pan out in the AFC Championship Game, Rob Gronkowski made his presence felt at Arrowhead Stadium. Targeted just once in the Divisional Round, he snagged six of a team-high 11 targets—including a 25-yard grab in the fourth quarter's final minute and a pivotal third-down grab in overtime—for 79 yards.

When push comes to shove, the Patriots still rely on the 29-year-old tight end. Per Pro Football Reference, he played in all 97 of their snaps to defeat Kansas City. 

He'll get another exploitable matchup. According to ESPN.com, the Rams relinquished the second-most targets (131) and receiving yards (1,075) to tight ends during the regular season. Kelce, George Kittle and Jared Cook all burned them for over 125 yards, with the first two finding the end zone.

This prop only cares about Gronkowski depositing his first touchdown since Week 14. It's far from a safe bet, as the Patriots have produced four rushing scores in each playoff win.

From a glass-half-full perspective, they established five red-zone opportunities—they settled for a field goal and yielded an interception—in both bouts. Given the potential for a doubled payout, it's worth rolling the dice on Brady seeking out his 6'6" tight end, who may be concluding his Hall of Fame career.