Over their final 10 years with Tom Brady at quarterback, the New England Patriots finished with a losing record on the road just once, going 3-5 in 2018. They are in danger of doing so for the second time in three seasons, as they've gone 2-4 during Cam Newton's first year with the team. The Patriots will attempt to avoid guaranteeing the distinction when they visit the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football to begin the Week 14 NFL schedule. Kickoff from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA is set for 8:20 p.m. ET.
New England (6-6), which concludes its road schedule at Miami in Week 15, recorded an emphatic 45-0 road win over the Chargers last Sunday. Los Angeles is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Rams vs. Patriots odds from William Hill Sportsbook, down two from the opener, while the over-under is 43.5. Before locking in any Patriots vs. Rams picks, make sure you see the latest Thursday Night Football predictions from SportsLine's proven projection model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up more than $7,800 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception five-plus years ago. It is a sizzling 20-11 on top-rated NFL picks this season, returning almost $800. The model also enters Week 14 on an incredible 116-76 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.
The model ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch three of the past four years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 95 percent of CBS Sports office pool players three times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Patriots vs. Rams. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NFL odds and trends for Patriots vs. Rams:
- Patriots vs. Rams spread: Los Angeles -4.5
- Patriots vs. Rams over-under: 43.5 points
- Patriots vs. Rams money line: Los Angeles -215, New England +185
- LA: Rams are 8-2 against the spread in prime time since the start of last season
- NE: Under has hit in eight Patriots games
Why the Rams can cover
Los Angeles has secured its fourth consecutive non-losing season, a feat it hadn't accomplished since 1983-86. It has performed well on both sides of the ball, ranking third in the NFL in total offense (395.3 yards) and second in total defense (291.3). Offensively, the Rams are sixth in the league in passing (271.2 yards) and tied with Green Bay for eighth in rushing (124.2).
The team hasn't missed a beat since releasing former NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley in March, as it has three running backs who have run for more than 350 yards this year. Second-year player Darrell Henderson Jr. leads the charge with 559 yards and shares the team lead of five rushing touchdowns with Malcolm Brown, who has gained a career-high 368 yards. Rookie Cam Akers is third with 357 yards after rushing for more than 70 in each of his last two games.
Why the Patriots can cover
Newton, a former NFL MVP, will present a major problem for Los Angeles' third-ranked rushing defense (93.1 yards), as he has run for a pair of touchdowns four times in 2020, an NFL single-season record for quarterbacks. Newton is tied for third in the league with 11 rushing scores and is the first signal-caller in NFL history to reach double-digits in the category three times.
New England is hoping for a repeat performance from wide receiver Gunner Olszewski, hauled in a scoring pass and returned a punt for a TD on Sunday to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The 24-year-old from Bemidji State's 38-yard touchdown catch was his only reception of the contest and fifth in 17 games since being signed as an undrafted free agent prior to the 2019 season.
Cornerback J.C . Jackson (hip/knee) is second in the NFL with seven interceptions in 12 games.
How to make Patriots vs. Rams picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total. In fact, it says neither team has a player who records 100 yards rushing or receiving. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only get the pick here.
So who wins Rams vs. Patriots on Thursday Night Football? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rams vs. Patriots spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $7,800 on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
