5 Factors That Will Fuel the Patriots to Win the Super Bowl

The New England Patriots are in the Super Bowl—again.

Even though this is their third straight trip to the big game, there is a sense of unfinished business surrounding the team. The Patriots narrowly lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII, which turned their 2018 season into a quest for redemption.

Standing between the Patriots and a sixth Lombardi Trophy are the Los Angeles Rams. While some may believe the Rams were fortunate to make it this far after a controversial no-call in the NFC Championship Game, they represent a massive challenge for the Patriots. After all, Los Angeles wasn't tied for the league's best record by accident.

The past few months have been a dogfight for the Patriots, so a mighty challenge will be nothing new. New England won out over the final two weeks of the season and got some help just to earn a first-round bye. It then had to get past the red-hot Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs to get here.

The question now is whether the Patriots can outduel the Rams to win Super Bowl LIII.

Here are five factors that could fuel New England to another championship on Sunday.  

A Strong, Versatile Running Game

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New England benefits from having a potent and versatile backfield. The Patriots can power-run with Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead, while they can utilize James White as either a scat back or an extra receiver.

New England ranked fifth in rushing during the regular season (127.3 yards per game) and has amassed 331 yards in its two postseason outings.

That ground attack will be crucial to beating the Rams.

A strong and consistent running game will help keep Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks and the rest of Los Angeles offense off the field and out of rhythm. It will also help slow the interior pass rush of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh, giving Tom Brady more time in the pocket.

Run defense has been an issue for the Rams this season, too. Los Angeles allowed an average of 122.3 yards per game during the regular season, 23rd in the NFL.

While the Rams have tightened up their run defense in the postseason (only 98 yards allowed in two games), the Patriots still figure to fuel their offense with the ground game.  

A Healthy Receiving Corps

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The only Patriots player currently listed on the injury report is defensive tackle Malcom Brown. That means pass-catchers like White, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett are all healthy.

That's a marked change from past Super Bowls.

New England was without Gronkowski in Super Bowl LI, and it didn't have Edelman at all last season. While the Patriots were able to overcome Gronk's absence against the Atlanta Falcons two years ago, Brady seemed to miss Edelman—arguably his favorite target—against the Eagles last year.

For the first time in several years, Brady will have his full arsenal of receivers to help fuel the Patriots passing game.  

The Skill and Experience of Tom Brady

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Having a full cadre of receivers means Brady should be at his best Sunday. That's great news for the Patriots and not-so-great news for the Rams defense.

Even at 41, Brady is still one of the NFL's best quarterbacks.

In two playoff appearances this year, Brady completed 71.1 percent of his passes and threw for 691 yards. He's also used his quick release to avoid being sacked even once by the likes of Chris Jones, Justin Houston, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.

Brady also brings a wealth of experience to Super Bowl LIII. This will be his ninth Super Bowl appearance, so he should bring a sense of calm to the huddle.

Brady has now been starting for nearly two decades, so whatever the Rams throw at him, he'll likely have seen it before.  

An Ability to Play Man Defense

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The Patriots do not have an elite defense. They ranked 21st in total defense in the regular season (359.1 yards allowed per game), which could be a problem against Los Angeles' explosive offense.

However, New England has an edge with its ability to play man defense.

The Patriots do not give easy looks to opposing quarterbacks. They force them to survey the field post-snap and to identify the open man while also staring down the pass rush. This leads to turnovers—the defense had 14 forced fumbles and 18 interceptions in the regular season—and game-changing mistakes.

"Quarterbacks are too good," Patriots safety Devin McCourty said, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com. "They read the zone. Guys know how to get open in zone."

Thanks to cornerbacks like Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty and Jonathan Joseph, the Patriots will be able to play man against the Rams' talented receivers. That could cause Rams quarterback Jared Goff to hesitate a bit, and perhaps one or two game-altering defensive plays.  

Bill Belichick's Adaptability

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Head coach Bill Belichick fuels New England's game plan every week. He knows how to use his coaching staff—notably offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive play-caller Brian Flores—and he knows what each of his players does well.

However, his biggest asset is his willingness and ability to adapt.

More than any other team in recent memory, the Patriots change their game plans on a week-to-week basis. New England didn't use the same strategy against the Chiefs that it did against the Chargers. You can bet the Patriots will have plenty of team-specific wrinkles against the Rams as well.

In addition to having a malleable game plan, Belichick is a master of making in-game adjustments. New England's comeback from 25 points down in Super Bowl LI proves the Patriots cannot be counted out at any point so long as Belichick has enough time to adapt.