H-S sports writers Super Bowl picks
The 缅北禁地 staff and Steelers correspondent Jim Wexell give their predictions for Super Bowl 53:
Rob Burchianti, H-S 缅北禁地 Editor
Can a veteran team like the Patriots still learn from experience? I think they鈥檒l be even more prepared and determined to get that sixth Super Bowl ring to match the Steelers after the Eagles鈥� loss. Nick Foles fooled me last year in that he didn鈥檛 fold on the big stage. It won鈥檛 be that way today for the Rams with third-year QB Jared Goff. Too green, not enough playoff experience to handle two weeks of planning from Bill Belichick. It鈥檒l be great to see Pitt鈥檚 Aaron Donald of the Rams in the Super Bowl as long as he doesn鈥檛 get frustrated into one of his notorious meltdowns. Take New England (-2.5) and the under (56.5). Patriots 41, Rams 13. Since they have proven to be better than me at this, I鈥檒l allow my sons to have their say. Colton, 14, says Pats 23-17. Westley, 13, says Pats, 31-18.
Jim Downey, H-S 缅北禁地 Writer
My nephew Brian Lohr correctly picked the St. Louis Rams to defeat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIII in his first prediction. Out of respect to his dad鈥檚 allegiance to the Rams (鈥淚 can鈥檛 break his heart鈥�), Brian鈥檚 going with Rams, 30-17. 鈥� His brother Jason is going with the Rams, too, 31-27 鈥� Great-nephew Collin Downey says the Patriots, 45-35 (boo). 鈥� As for Uncle Jim, if the Rams can draw at least two offensive holding penalties (and have them flagged) and hit the GOAT twice (without getting mysteriously flagged), Los Angeles wins, 30-26. Otherwise, it鈥檚 the Patriots again in the final five minutes by two points. But, I鈥檓 going LAR for the win!
Jonathan Guth, H-S 缅北禁地 Writer
I am usually very bad at these, so don鈥檛 listen to me when you head to Rivers Casino and put a few dollars down, but here goes nothing. New England wins, 28-24. Tom Brady named MVP. Now for some prop bets that they are throwing in at the North Shore casino. Will the game go into overtime: I would go with no. A safety to be scored: Take no. Total yards of longest touchdown (over/under 46.5): Take under. Player to have most passing yards: Brady. First team to score: New England.
Jim Wexell, H-S Steelers Correspondent
The Steelers were the last team to beat the New England Patriots, and if you would鈥檝e told me then they were going to make it this far I wouldn鈥檛 have believed it. Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman were shells of their former selves, and their defense had (has) no playmakers. The two wideouts they had picked up off the scrapheap were either cut for drugs (Josh Gordon) or can鈥檛 catch (Cordarrelle Patterson). But, after losing to the Steelers, the Pats went back to the comfort of perennially the weakest division in football and won two easy home games, got a weak off to heal Gronk and Edelman, and buzzed through the AFC playoffs.
Sigh.
And now here they are.
I was looking to pick against them. Tom Brady is 5-3 in Super Bowls but the last two wins were gifted by horrendous coaching decisions. The Rams also have karma going their way since the Pats illegally filmed the Rams鈥� walk-through the day before the Pats鈥� first Super Bowl win in 2002. But I broke down the stats of common opponents between these teams this year, and those six games tell me everything鈥檚 even except for the hole in the Rams鈥� pass defense. That doesn鈥檛 make me want to pick against Brady. Not with another week off and presumably a healthy Gronk and Edelman. Patriots, 33-30.