The Los Angeles Rams struggled offensively and failed to rally late in their 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday.

Our recap of the game follows links to Gary Klein’s game story and columns by Bill Plaschke and Dylan Hernandez:


Rams far from Super in 13-3 loss to Patriots

The greatest quarterback in Super Bowl history had just engineered one of his patented fourth-quarter drives for the New England Patriots.

Now it was Rams quarterback Jared Goff’s turn to show he could match the ageless Tom Brady.

With seven minutes left in Super Bowl LIII, Goff moved the Rams down the field, but a pass under pressure was intercepted by Stephon Gilmore, and the Rams’ fate was all but sealed.

On a night when the Rams high-powered offense never got going, Brady led the Patriots to a 13-3 victory before 70 081 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, further etching his name into Super Bowl lore.


The Patriots’ sixth Super Bowl title under coach Bill Belichick ties the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in NFL history .Brady’s sixth Super Bowl win is the most by any player in history.

The loss ended an otherwise impressive season for the Rams and second-year coach Sean McVay.

—GARY KLEIN

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Plaschke | Nothing beats experience as Patriots down Rams in Super Bowl

Tom Brady was legendary. Jared Goff was lost.

Brady raised his hands into the air. Jared Goff banged his hands against his helmet.

Brady swaggered off the field in the arms of his teammates. Goff remained stuck on the bench, frozen under his helmet.

In the final frazzled minutes of Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, Brady threw the New England Patriots into a seven-point lead.


— BILL PLASCHKE

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Hernandez | Jared Goff’s inexperience was exposed

Jared Goff wasn’t ready. He wasn’t close to ready.

The reality started setting in with every pass he missed, with every third down the Rams failed to convert.


And the reality was downright inescapable when Goff was forced by a safety blitz into throwing a fourth-quarter pass into the hands of cornerback Stephon Gilmore, ending any fantasy of a Rams comeback.

With Goff completing only 19 of 38 passes for 229 yards, the Rams were defeated by the New England Patriots 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII on Sunday.

—DYLAN HERNANDEZ

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Patriots defeat Rams, 13-3, for their sixth Super Bowl title

Rams quarterback Jared Goff reacts after throwing an interception against the Patriots. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

The New England Patriots defeated the Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII to claim their sixth NFL title.

Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady also won their sixth Super Bowls in their ninth appearance in the championship game.

The Patriots scored the first touchdown of the game with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to claim a 10-3 lead. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski then made a 41-yard field goal with just over a minute left to bolster the Patriots’ lead.


Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski twice for 47 yards in the drive, then rookie running back Sony Michel scored on a two-yard run.

The Rams’ high-powered offense was held in check and did not score until kicker Greg Zuerlein connected on a 53-yard field goal late in the third quarter.


Rams trail Patriots, 10-3, late in fourth quarter

The Patriots brought a timely blitz. Jared Goff saw the pressure coming and took a shot.

Goff’s pass floated to Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore. He stopped chasing Brandin Cooks and instead leapt in the air to snag the Patriots’ first turnover of the game with 4:17 remaining.

The Rams had driven the ball 69 yards to New England’s 27-yard line looking for the game-tying score. They took two shots deep to Cooks, but Gilmore grabbed his arm to keep him from hauling in the first one. Goff’s second pass never got deep enough for Cooks to have a shot at it, and Gilmore picked him off on the four-yard line.

The Rams now have to try to get the ball back with two timeouts and the two-minute remaining.


Shotgun Spratling | 6:46 p.m.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff sits on the bench during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

Patriots score touchdown in fourth quarter to take 10-3 lead

Rob Gronkowski had basically disappeared. He limped off in the first half following a four-yard catch and hadn’t made an impact since.

He was saving his best for the fourth quarter.


Gronkowski had two catches for 47 yards, setting up a two-yard touchdown run by rookie Sony Michel that gave the Patriots a 10-3 lead with seven minutes remaining.

Gronkowski’s first catch went for 18 yards after he faked like he was blocking and then leaked out and ran past a linebacker on the right side. Julian Edelman added to his reception and yardage totals with a 13-yard catch, giving him 10 catches for 141 yards.

The Patriots ran similar plays on three straight snaps, taking advantage of man coverage from the Rams. On the third, linebacker Cory Littleton was slow to adjust to the Patriots’ formation before the snap after a defensive miscommunication. He didn’t get set before trying to guard Gronkowski running up the seam on the left side.

Tom Brady fluttered a perfect pass over the top of Littleton before the safety could come across the formation, and Gronkowski made a diving catch at the 2-yard line. Michel punched it in on the next play for the lead.


Shotgun Spratling | 6:36 p.m.

This pass!

THIS CATCH!



Brady and Gronk looking GOOD.



📺: #SBLIII on CBS pic.twitter.com/LJjHpUNVMj — NFL (@NFL) February 4, 2019

Rams tie game on Greg Zuerlein’s field goal

Greg Zuerlein kicks a 53-yard field goal during the third quarter against the Patriots. (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)


It seemed like it would never happen.

Having failed to do anything positive on the offensive side of the football, the Rams finally came to life behind the arm of quarterback Jared Goff. Goff completed three of four passes, including his first completion on third down, to move the ball into scoring position and despite a sack, Greg Zuerlein nailed a 53-yard field goal to tie the game.

Goff opened the drive with a seven-yard pass to Josh Reynolds. He hit Brandin Cooks for a 15-yard pickup two plays later for the Rams’ first back-to-back first downs of the night. It was the first time they have had multiple first downs on a drive.

They soon picked up another first. Goff connected with Robert Woods for 18 yards on third-and-six for their first third-down conversion of the night. Los Angeles got the ball down to the 26-yard line, but Goff was sacked for a nine-yard loss on third down.


Goff was four for six for 43 yards on the drive.

Shotgun Spratling | 6:06 p.m.

Johnny Hekker boots Super Bowl-record 65-yard punt; Rams still trail, 3-0, in third quarter

Rams punter Johnny Hekker has been one of the Rams’ most effective weapons in Super Bowl LIII and now he has multiple records to show for it.

Hekker’s eighth punt of the night — on the Rams’ eighth possession — went a Super Bowl record 65 yards. The Rams and Hekker are also the first team to punt on their first eight possessions of the game.


Nearly half of the way through the third quarter, the Rams have only three first downs. They have gained just 82 yards, or 10.25 yards per drive. They’ve gained just 2.7 yards per play. The Patriots have gained 236 yards but still only hold a 3-0 advantage.

Shotgun Spratling | 5:55 p.m.

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Patrick Chung exits game for Patriots after suffering arm injury

Patriots safety Patrick Chung is helped by medical staff after suffering an arm injury Sunday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

The Patriots lost a key defensive player when veteran safety Patrick Chung left the game with an air cast on his right arm during the third quarter. Chung’s arm was sandwiched between Rams ballcarrier Todd Gurley and a Patriots defender trying to make the tackle.

He was officially ruled out a short time after leaving the field for the locker room.

Gurley picked up more yards on back-to-back runs on the Rams’ opening drive of the second half than he and C.J. Anderson combined for the first 30 minutes of the game. Gurley ran for 10 yards on three carries in the first half. He broke off a game-best 16-yard run and then gained five yards before being tackled by Chung and Jonathan Jones.


Shotgun Spratling | 5:43 p.m.

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Patriots lead Rams after second-lowest scoring half in Super Bowl history

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady fumbles the ball on a tackle by Rams defensive end John Franklin-Myers during the first half. (Larry W. Smith / EPA)

The Patriots dominated the first half of Super Bowl LIII, but only hold a 3-0 lead on the Rams at halftime. It is the second-lowest scoring first half in Super Bowl history.


New England drove the ball to at least the 40-yard line on the Rams’ side of the field on five of its first six possessions before taking a knee on the final play of the half. Each time though, the Rams defense found a way to minimize damage.

Nickell Robey-Coleman tipped a pass that was caught by Cory Littleton for an interception on the game’s opening drive. Stephen Gostkowski missed a 46-yard field goal attempt. John Franklin-Myers got the first postseason sack against the Patriots this season and forced a punt. And the Rams got a turnover on downs when Tom Brady couldn’t connect with Rob Gronkowski in the final two minutes.

Brady has completed 15 for 25 passes for 160 yards with the interception. He is only eight for 16 when targeting anyone other than Julian Edelman.

Edelman is well on his way to MVP honors, if the Patriots can win the Lombardi Trophy. He has seven catches on nine targets for 93 yards through a half of play. Six of his catches have picked up first downs. He is the first player in Super Bowl history with at least seven receptions and 75 yards in the first half. His seven receptions are a first half record.


Edelman has outgained the Rams’ high-powered offense. Los Angeles has managed just 57 total yards.

Jared Goff completed five of his 12 pass attempts and has thrown for 52 yards. He was sacked for a 14-yard loss on a promising Rams’ drive, pushing them out of Patriots’ territory.

Shotgun Spratling | 5:10 p.m.


Rams get important fourth-down stop just before halftime

The Rams defense continues to bend but not break.

They stopped the Patriots on a fourth-and-one play at the Rams’ 32-yard line with 1:16 left in the first half.

Tom Brady tried to connect with Rob Gronkowski. Rams linebacker Cory Littleton got a hand on the ball and John Johnson III was all over the Patriots’ tight end to keep him from making the catch.

The Patriots could have tried to kick a field goal for a potential 6-0 lead, but chose not to rely on Stephen Gostkowski, who missed his first attempt and skated one just inside the uprights on his second.


Shotgun Spratling | 5:01 p.m.

Rams still sputtering in second quarter, trail Patriots, 3-0

Johnny Hekker has been a busy man…and that’s not a good thing. The Rams have been unable to find consistency on offense during their first four drives of the game.

They have gained just 55 yards with two first downs.


Jared Goff has struggled, connecting on only four of his first 10 passes for 38 yards while Todd Gurley’s contributions have been non-existent. Gurley ran for two yards on the team’s first play from scrimmage and has not touched the ball since.

One positive is the Rams have followed this pattern before, coming to life in the second quarter of their first two postseason games after trailing Dallas, 7-3, and New Orleans, 13-0.

Todd Gurley carried the ball on the #Rams' first play from scrimmage. He hasn't touched the ball since. — Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) February 4, 2019

Rams once again have some explaining to do about Gurley.....either that knee is worse than everyone things and yet he was still kept off injury report or, well, something is up..how can he be sound and not be playing? — Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) February 4, 2019


The #Rams have run 19 offensive plays on five drives.



Without a turnover, that's almost hard to do. They have run only four plays over the minimum for five drives. — Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) February 4, 2019

Shotgun Spratling | 4:41 p.m.

Patriots get on scoreboard, take 3-0 lead over Rams in second quarter

Rams quarterback Jared Goff throws a pass during the first half against the Patriots. (Morry Gash / Associated Press)

New England scores the first points of the game on a 42-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. The Patriots’ fourth drive followed a similar pattern of the first three. They moved the ball to at least the Rams’ 40-yard line, only to have the drive stall out.


Tom Brady connected with Julian Edelman on a third-and-one pass play to pick up 25 yards to get into scoring range when things faltered. A jet sweep attempt by Cordarrelle Patterson went no where. Brady couldn’t connect on a short throw to Chris Hogan. He did hit Rob Gronkowski to his left for four yards. The Rams defense rallied to the ball to combo-tackle Gronkowski, hitting him high and low short of the first down.

Gronkowski limped off after the play while Gostkowski jogged on. He kept the ball just inside the upright after missing outside of the post a quarter earlier.

Shotgun Spratling | 4:25 p.m.

Rams remain tied with Patriots, 0-0, at start of second quarter

Rams quarterback Jared Goff signals during the first quarter of Sunday’s game. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)


The Rams continue to play with fire.

For the third straight game, the Rams’ offense has struggled to get anything going in the first quarter. However, unlike in their wins over the Cowboys and Saints, the Rams are not facing a first quarter deficit. The Patriots have driven the ball inside Rams’ territory three times but have nothing to show for it as the game remains scoreless.

Just before the end of the quarter, New England moved the ball past the 50-yard line for the third time. Julian Edelman had two catches for first downs to move the ball beyond the midfield stripe.

The Rams defensive line responded with two big plays.


John Franklin-Myers fought through the block of John Thuney to create a strip sack — the first sack New England’s offensive line had allowed this postseason, on their 100th pass play. The Patriots recovered the fumble, but lost nine yards. Aaron Donald fought through a block to reach Brady two plays later. He didn’t get a sack, but his pressure forced an incompletion and a punt.

This is the ninth game in Super Bowl history that went scoreless in the first quarter. New England has gone scoreless in the Super Bowl five times in the first quarter before going on to win four of those games.

Shotgun Spratling | 4:19 p.m.

1 / 54 Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates a touchdown by Sony Michel against the Rams inthe 4th quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 54 Rams quarterback Jared Goff watches after throwing an intereption in the fourth quarter as Patriots Adrian Clayton (94) and Duron Harmon celebrate. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 54 Rams receiver Brandin Cooks has his pass broken up by Patriots Duron Harmon (center) and Stephon Gilmore in the fourth quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 54 () 5 / 54 () 6 / 54 Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman hoists the Lombardi Trophy after New England beat the Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 54 () 8 / 54 () 9 / 54 () 10 / 54 Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) sits on the bench behind his teammate after giving up a late game interception. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 54 Rams quarterback Jared Goff is hit by Patriots Dont’a Hightower in the end zone after an incomplete pass in the 3rd quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 54 () 13 / 54 () 14 / 54 Rams losing head coach Sean McVay walks off the field after meeting with Patriots head coach BIll Belichick in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 54 New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) hugs New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) as the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3 in the Super Bow. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 54 Rams receiver Robert Woods walks off the field after losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 54 Rams running back C.J. Anderson, left, and reeiver Josh Reynolds look at the scoreboard late in the 4th quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 54 Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski catches a pass in front of Rams linebacker Samson Ebukam in the 4th quarter in Super Bowl LIII. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 54 Patriots running back Sony Michel breaks free from the Rams defense in the 3rd quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 54 Rams receiver Josh Reynolds makes a catch in front of Patriots Jason McCourty inthe 3rd quarter in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes Benz Satdium in Atlanta Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 54 Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks (12) was wide open in the end zone but couldn’t hang onto a pass while getting hit by New England Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty (30) in the second half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 54 New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) beats Los Angeles Rams linebacker Dante Fowler (56) for a reception in the Super Bowl. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 54 Patriots receiver Julian Edelman leans into Rams defensive back Aqib Talib during first half catch and run in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 54 Patriots defensive lineman Trey Flowers tips a pass that was ultimately completed to Rams receiver Josh Reynolds from Jared in Goff during the first half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 54 Rams quarterback Jared Goff is harrassed by Patriots defenders as he throws a second half pass in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 54 Rams receiver Brandin Cooks fails to haul in a pass after it is broken up by Patriots defenders Stephon Gilmore and Duron Harmon during the fourth quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 54 Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore intercepts a pass intended for Rams receiver Brandin Cooks near the end zone during the fourth quarter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 54 Rams receiver Brandin Cooks can’t haul in a pass in the end zone as he is defended by Patriots defensive back Jason McCourty in the third quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 54 Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) barely gets a pass off under pressure from Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers (98) and outside linebacker John Simon (55) during the second half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 54 Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski just misses a pass from Tom Brady as he is defended by Rams linebacker Cory Littleton. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 54 Linebacker Brandon King (36) lies in the confetti on the field after the Patriots defeated the Rams 13-3 in the Super Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 54 Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald drags down Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, forcing an incomplete pass during the first half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 54 Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) celebrates with offensive lineman Ted Karras (75) after kicking a field goal late in the fourth quarter to give New England a 13-3 lead. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 54 Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore prevents Rams receiver Brandin Cooks from making a catch in the third quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 54 Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) intercepts a pass intended for Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks (12) to end a scoring threat late in the fourth quarter. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 54 Rams receiver Brandin Cooks walks away as Patriots defensive backs celebrate an interception by Stephon Gilmore to kill a fourth-quarter drive. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 54 () 38 / 54 Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore intercepts a Jared Goff pass in the fourth quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 54 Patriots running back Sony Michel dives into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 54 Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski hauls in a 29-yard pass to set up a Patriots touchdown. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 54 () 42 / 54 Adam Levine of Maroon 5 performs during the Super Bowl LIII halftime show. ( Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 54 From fire to lights, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 performs during the Super Bowl LIII halftime show. ( Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 54 Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, before he peeled off his shirt, performs during the Super Bowl LIII halftime show. ( Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 54 Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty tries to grab the ball after breaking up a pass intended for Rams receiver Josh Reynolds during the first half. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times ) 46 / 54 Rams defensive end John Franklin-Myers (94) and defensive tackle Ethan Westbrooks sack Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and forces him to fumble in the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 54 Rams linebacker Cory Littleton intercepts a pass intended for Patriots receiver Chris Hogan in the first quarter. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times ) 48 / 54 Patriots middle linebacker Kyle Van Noy sacks Rams quarterback Jared Goff for a loss in the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 54 Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise takes down Rams running back C.J. Anderson for a loss in the first half. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 54 Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski can’t catch a pass while defended by Rams cornerback Aqib Talib during first-quarter action. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times ) 51 / 54 Patriots fans outnumber Rams fans at the Marta train stop near Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Super Bowl LIII. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 54 Rams tight ends Tyler Higbee (89), Johnny Mundt (82) and Gerald Everett (81) take the field to warm up for Super Bowl LIII. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 54 Rams running back Todd Gurley jogs around the field during warmups for Super Bowl LIII. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 54 Patriots fans yell for players during warmups before Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)


Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski misses field-goal attempt, game tied 0-0

The New England Patriots missed out on an early opportunity for a 3-0 lead when Stephen Gostkowski’s 46-yard attempt wobbled left of the uprights. No kicker had missed a field goal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season. They had been a perfect 31 for 31.

The Rams dodged a bullet after a questionable penalty helped jumpstart the Patriots’ drive.

Los Angeles appeared to have forced a third-and-long when Nickell Robey-Coleman came up to lay a hard hit on Rex Burkhead behind the line of scrimmage. But instead of a four-yard loss and a third-and-18 due up, Robey-Coleman was flagged for unnecessary roughness against a defenseless receiver.

Man, that unnecessary roughness call on #Rams CB Nickell Robey-Coleman looked a little questionable ... a crushing hit, yes. Roughness seems necessary in this game. A loss of four turns into 15-yard penalty and first down for #Patriots. — Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) February 3, 2019


Combined first-quarter points by Patriots in nine Super Bowls -- 3. — Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) February 3, 2019

Shotgun Spratling | 4 p.m.

Rams’ Nickell Robey-Coleman lets Tom Brady know who he is

Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman celebrates after an interception by teammate Cory Littleton on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the first quarter. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

The nation learned who Nickell Robey-Coleman was the last two weeks after his hit on Tommylee Lewis was not flagged late in the Rams’ NFC championship win over the Saints. For two weeks, people questioned him about the play, his subsequent Facebook video where he said he “smacked” Lewis and put him “on a Waffle House frying pan and quotes that surfaced about Tom Brady’s age.


Brady learned about Robey-Coleman on his first pass of the game when the Rams slot cornerback undercut a throw intended for Chris Hogan. Robey-Coleman tipped the ball up in the air and linebacker Cory Littleton slid to catch an interception to end a promising Patriots opening drive that had gone 27 yards on the first four plays.

It was the first time in Brady’s historic postseason career that he has thrown an interception on his first pass of the game.

Unfortunately, the Rams went three-and-out on their first possession.


It's like everyone in the stadium, and certainly in the press box, knew that was a terrible pass by #Patriots QB Tom Brady. A long sideline throw to Chris Hogan gave #Rams CB Nickell Robey-Coleman plenty of time to defend. LB Cory Littleton intercepted tipped pass. — Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) February 3, 2019

Shogun Spratling | 3:40 p.m.

Rams win coin toss, defer to Patriots

Rams captains Johnny Hekker, Todd Gurley, Andrew Whitworth, Aqib Talib, Michael Brockers and Jared Goff got the first win of the night for the Rams after Matthew Slater called heads on the coin flip.


Los Angeles chose to defer to the second half, so New England will get the opening kickoff. It’s a gamble for Sean McVay and the Rams to hand the ball to Tom Brady first as the Patriots have had success with the ball in their hands early in games.

Shotgun Spratling | 3:34 p.m.

The Patriots and Rams take the field

We’re getting closer to kick off. The Patriots and Rams have taken the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

There were questions throughout the week about whether sunlight would peak through the Mercedes-Benz Stadium ceiling. After fears of snow and ice in Atlanta early in the week and some early morning showers Sunday, it is now 65 degrees and sunny.


The decision has been made to open up the stadium’s retractable roof, so fans will get an opportunity to see the flyover of six F-16 Fighting Falcons that is expected.

Strong “Beat L.A.” chant before kickoff. pic.twitter.com/6ZpHQflR9L — Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 3, 2019


Shotgun Spratling | 3:19 p.m.

Wade Phillips makes a Bum fashion statement upon arrival

Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is a social media master and one heck of a defensive mind. He’s also the son of legendary Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips, a man whose passion for football was only matched by his whopping persona.

Wade Phillips honored his late father by wearing his trademark coat and Cowboy hat while walking into Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. Will the football gods show more Luv ya Blue (and yellow) respect to the Rams?


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