The Keys to the 'Ship

By Peyton Schultze

There are many X-factors on both sides of the ball for Sunday’s super matchup that will help determine the winner between the Rams and Patriots.

Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup should be one for the ages. In a rematch of 2002’s Super Bowl XXXVI matchup between the Rams and Patriots, there will be a surplus of stars ready to contribute under the bright lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday night in Atlanta. But who is going to help determine this game, and who has a chance to steal the show on sports’ biggest stage? Without further ado, here’s our ranking of the most important X-factors that could help swing the momentum and lead their respective team to a major victory in Super Bowl LIII.

8. Rams’ Cornerback, Aqib Talib

Talib has past Super Bowl experience from his time with the Denver Broncos and provides key veteran leadership for a very young and inexperienced Rams’ squad.

After holding the elite Saints’ wide receiver, Michael Thomas, to only four catches for 36 yards in the NFC Championship, Aqib Talib has been a huge reason why the Rams’ defense has rebounded throughout the playoffs and risen to become a formidable unit. Talib was injured for a large part of the year with a hurt ankle, and the Rams’ defense proved to be inconsistent and shaky during the regular season. However, the Rams’ defense has played great in their last two weeks against two solid offenses with superstar talent in the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. While players such as Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald have certainly been a part of this, Talib’s ability to take away an opposition’s top talent out wide has been a huge reason behind the defense’s recent hot stretch. This week will be no different. Although Talib has shadowed Rob Gronkowski in prior matchups against New England throughout his tenure in Denver, the Rams’ corner is likely to follow Patriots’ wide receiver, Julian Edelman, on Sunday. After Edelman’s continued playoff success this postseason, teams must place a large amount of focus upon the 32-year-old player out of Kent State with his quick route running and knack for timely catches. Talib is a key player for the Rams on Sunday and if we know anything from the past about the Pro Bowl corner, he will certainly be up to the major task in front of him.

7. Patriots’ Quarterback, Tom Brady

The great quarterback has seen it all this point in his career; but can he win another ring to add to his collection?

You probably expected to see him higher on this list. But make no mistake about it; Tom Brady is still as great as ever and is the most clutch quarterback of all-time in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. On Super Bowl Sunday, there is little doubt that Brady will be energized and come ready to play in his quest for another Super Bowl title. Although critics constantly try to write off Brady’s greatness by saying he will soon come face to face with Father Time or by saying the Patriots’ success is due to Coach Belichick, the future Hall of Famer has proven time and time again that he is one of the game’s greatest to ever play, even at the age of 41. Look no further than his late-game performance in Kansas City in the AFC Championship where Brady was able to put the Patriots on his back and put the game away to seal another Super Bowl berth. With that being said, it’s hard to imagine Brady playing poor on Sunday with his advanced knowledge of the game and experience in prior Super Bowls. However, Brady will still have to play at his normally high level, and there is a good chance that he will be expected to deliver in a game that many expect to be tight. Will he recover from last year’s crushing loss to Philadelphia? We’ll have to see in Atlanta on Sunday.

6. Patriots’ Running Back Group (Michel, White, Burkhead)

The Patriots have one of the best running back groups in the league, featuring the likes of Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead.

Although the Patriots often rely on the great Tom Brady, New England boasts a great group of running backs that have helped propel the team to this point. Although none of the backs are perennial Pro Bowlers or even considered elite in circles around the league, the Patriots have found ways to use their backs effectively to dominate opposing defenses. With rookie Sony Michel and veteran Rex Burkhead, the Patriots often pound the ball into defenses to establish the run early, to build a play action game to develop some easy throws from the right arm of Brady. With that being said, running back, James White, is one of the elite weapons on this Patriot roster. White has had some phenomenal performances in the postseason, such as his great game in Super Bowl LI, and could certainly be used a lot this weekend against Los Angeles. In fact, the Rams allowed Saints’ running back, Alvin Kamara, to catch 11 passes for 96 yards in the NFC Championship, which New England likely noticed and will then disperse White as part of their game plan. The Patriots’ backs are a legitimate threat that could change the course of the game on Sunday if Los Angeles is not able to control the line of scrimmage on defense.

5. Rams’ Wide Receiver, Brandin Cooks

Cooks will get another shot at Super Bowl redemption on Sunday against his former squad in the New England Patriots.

In last year’s Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles, Patriots’ wide receiver, Brandin Cooks, was knocked out of the game in the first half with a nasty concussion. Fast forward one year later, and Cooks is now a member of the Los Angeles Rams and about to face his former team in the Super Bowl. As the Rams’ top WR, Robert Woods, will likely be shadowed all game by All-Pro corner, Stephon Gilmore, Cooks will have to win his individual matchups against the Patriots’ other members of the secondary in the Super Bowl to help the Rams’ offense move the ball down the field early and often. With that being said, Cooks had a great game in the NFC Championship Game and will likely need to put up similar numbers in Super Bowl LIII to ease the pressure off Jared Goff and the inexperienced Rams’ offense against a veteran defense with the Patriots. Cooks will be a major X-factor on Sunday for the Rams and should be expected to contribute throughout the game if the Rams want to pull off the upset against the powerful Patriots.

4. Patriots’ Wide Receiver, Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman has been an elite wide receiver for the Pats in the playoffs over the years as Tom Brady’s ultimate security blanket.

As unlikely as it may sound, Julian Edelman is now the 4th leading playoff receiver in the history of the National Football League at 1,271 career yards. Edelman has been key over the past decade for the Patriots in big time moments, with iconic moments in Super Bowl XLIX and Super Bowl LI with some clutch receptions in important moments. And once again this postseason, Edelman has been nothing short of spectacular in the Patriots’ two playoff games with 247 yards on 16 receptions. Although New England’s wide receiving core is not elite by any means, Edelman has been a major focal point of their offense over the past two postseason games and has been a reliable target once again for Tom Brady. At this point, the Rams will likely put Talib on Edelman for most of Sunday afternoon to see if they can stop the Patriots’ top offensive weapon. If the Rams are able to win this matchup, Los Angeles could own a distinct advantage all afternoon with the Pats’ great playmaker being a non-factor. However, if Edelman and New England can win the matchup against Talib and the Rams’ secondary, there is certainly a great chance that the Patriots can once again reign for another year over the rest of the NFL.

3. Rams’ Quarterback, Jared Goff

Jared Goff was huge in the 2nd half of the NFC Championship Game against New Orleans displaying lots of poise behind a crazy crowd and making big time throws in crunch time.

During the 1st half of the NFC Championship, the Rams’ offense was rattled and unable to generate much of anything. But in the 2nd half, things quickly changed. In their 26-23 win over New Orleans two weeks ago, Jared Goff made some awesome plays down the stretch to make his case as the game’s best young quarterback. With 297 yards and a touchdown in that game, Goff managed the game perfectly for the Rams to set up long drives for scores, whereas the Rams’ defense was able to contain the Saints’ offense for most of the afternoon. This Sunday, the Rams will need more of the same, plus even a little more. Similar to the position Nick Foles was in last year, Jared Goff will face the tall task of having to outscore the great and experienced Tom Brady, while also facing the pressure that comes with making his first career Super Bowl start. Yet, Goff has shown an ability to rank among the game’s best quarterbacks all season long. Although he had a rough run towards the tail end of the season, Goff has played great for most of the year and very well in the playoffs, even reminding many around the league of a younger version of Brady. While Goff certainly will not single handedly determine the outcome on Sunday, his ability to keep the Rams in the game and not turn the ball over will be a huge if the Rams are able to stick around and potentially steal a Super Bowl win. This is the biggest game of Goff’s career and all eyes will be placed upon him. But will he deliver?

2. Patriots’ Tight End, Rob Gronkowski

A huge question lingers in the Super Bowl: will the often-injured Gronkowski put on a throwback performance to help the Patriots win another Lombardi Trophy?

There is little debate that Rob Gronkowski is not the same player he once was. Maybe it is because of his increasing age and skillset, but it is likely because of the numerous injuries he has suffered over the course of his career to his now-battered body. Gronk has virtually been invisible for most of the season on the pass-catching end of things, yet still remains a great blocker in the Patriots’ run game. However, his 6’6 frame can still give opponents some football nightmares on the outside and this weekend’s matchup could be interesting for the former All-Pro tight end. The Rams have virtually zero defenders (assuming Talib follows Edelman) that can contain a healthy Gronkowski on every play and limit his impact on the game. But that’s where the debate lies. Is he truly healthy and at 100%? With Talib probably shadowing Edelman, the Rams will likely leave one on one matchups for Gronkowski anytime the Patriots want to look in his direction, which makes it noteworthy to see if Brady looks his way in the 4th quarter as he did in the AFC Championship Game against Kansas City. Gronkowski has been quiet almost all year, but has been unguardable at times in the Patriots’ previous Super Bowl appearances, leaving room for discussion if he can once again return to his peak form for just one game. Keep your eyes on Gronk on Sunday afternoon; if he goes off and proves to be a major threat again for the Patriots, New England may add a sixth title to their collection.

1.Rams’ Defensive Tackle, Aaron Donald

The best defensive player in the game, Aaron Donald might have to put up a game for the ages for the Los Angeles Rams to be able to pull off a Super Bowl upset.

In the history of the Super Bowl, there have only been 10 defensive Super Bowl MVPs, with the last one going to Denver’s Von Miller in Super Bowl 50. If the Rams are able to pull off a miraculous win on Sunday, Aaron Donald may become the 11th. Certainly the best defensive player in the league and an absolute game-wrecker, Donald is virtually unguardable, as even Coach Belichick alluded to in a previous interview. This type of utter defensive dominance that has only been seen among the legends of the game is simply just a part what makes Donald the biggest key to Super Bowl LIII. If you look at past teams that have been able to cause issues for Brady and the Patriots (Denver, Baltimore, New York), there is one ingredient that they all have in common: their interior pass rush has caused major problems for Brady by forcing him to hold onto the ball and getting hit. All postseason long, Brady has faced little interior pressure and has delivered the ball with ease (he has yet to be sacked). But if the Rams want to win on Sunday, they will likely have to rush Brady with only four pass rushers and obliterate the Patriots’ usually-solid offensive line on a consistent basis. Luckily for the Rams, there may be no better team in the league that is currently capable of doing this. This begins and ends with the elite defensive tackle, Donald. The Patriots seem to be acknowledging that scheming against the Rams’ defensive line will be tough, which makes it even more interesting to see what they will do to combat Donald. The defensive tackle is the biggest X-factor in Super Bowl LIII and if he is able to destroy Brady and the Patriots’ offense, the city of Los Angeles will likely rejoice in seeing Donald and the Rams holding their first Lombardi Trophy since their move from St. Louis back to LA.