Super Bowl 53: Over/Under Line, Odds Predictions for Patriots vs. Rams

The final additions to game plans are being made by the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. Since Super Bowl LIII is as soon as Sunday, both teams will have figured out how they want to attack and that it's just a matter of adding two or three plays that could be the difference between victory and defeat.

Super Bowl LIII Info

Date: Sunday, Feb. 3, at 6:30 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Stream: CBS All Access

Spread: Patriots -2.5

Total: 56.5

Spread and total via OddsShark.

New England head coach Bill Belichick is known for covering all the details. That means his team has to prepare for some plays the Rams may not use on a regular basis.

The biggest surprise play the Rams use is with punter Johnny Hekker, who has regularly passed out of punt formation. Belichick is a longtime admirer of Hekker, so it seems unlikely that the Pats coach will have ignored Hekker's ability to throw the ball like a quarterback.

Hekker has completed 11 of 19 regular-season passes in his career for 156 yards and one touchdown, and he has not thrown an interception. He has also thrown and completed one postseason pass for 12 yards.

However, if any other Rams player besides Jared Goff (or Hekker) throws the ball, it would be a major surprise. Todd Gurley, C.J. Anderson, Robert Woods, and Brandin Cooks have never thrown a pass in an NFL game, so a play involving one of those skill-position players putting the ball in the air would be something of a shocker.

Sean McVay and the Rams have to prepare for all possibilities, and they are likely to know that Julian Edelman is a former college quarterback and has thrown the ball quite well whenever that play has been called.

Edelman is 2-for-2 as a passer during the regular season for 43 yards, and 1-for-2 as a playoff passer with a 51-yard TD pass.

When game-planning, coaches have to examine all the possibilities, and defending tricks plays is a small part of that responsibility.

Gurley had just 10 rushing yards during the NFC title game against the New Orleans Saints, so the Patriots may be more prepared for backup C.J. Anderson.

The Rams will prepare to stop rookie running back Sony Michel because he has been on top of his game in the postseason, recording five rushing touchdowns. However, Rex Burkhead has also scored three rushing TDs, so they must also prepare for him.

Predictions

After the line was initially set at the Rams -1, the oddsmakers changed course after 17 minutes and made the Patriots the favorites. The line has held at New England -2.5 since the days following the conference championship games.

After a burst of New England money came in at the start of Super Bowl betting, Rams money has also come in. OddsShark's spread consensus shows 56 percent of the money bet on the game is on the Patriots, while Action Network reports that figure is as much as 85 percent (h/t Tyler Lauletta of Business Insider).

Experience counts for something, and it is likely to manifest itself with Brady throwing the ball in a calm and controlled manner at the start of this game. Goff is likely to feel the pressure of the moment early on, and it could result in a few missed receivers and an interception or two.

The Rams have a pair of strong interior defensive linemen in Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh, and they could be the difference-makers. If the Patriots can keep them from dominating against the run or the pass rush, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia will deserve plenty of credit for working out such a scheme.

The belief here is that the Patriots will be just a bit more prepared and ready for Sunday's game than they were a year ago, and that difference will result in New England's sixth Super Bowl title.

The Pats will gain an early lead and dictate the pace from the start. While the Rams will catch up, New England will hang on for a 31-28 victory.

New England will get the cover with a three-point win, and the over is the call.