The New England Patriots played the underdog role during the AFC playoffs, but that might be a bit difficult entering their Super Bowl LIII matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
The early spread for this game was Rams by one point, but with a lot of bets coming in on the Patriots, oddsmakers have made New England favorites by a field goal.
It's hard to bet against the Patriots at this point, especially after going on the road and beating the No. 1 seed Kansas City Chiefs in overtime to win the AFC Championship Game with an impressive performance. It was their second victory against Chiefs quarterback and likely league MVP Patrick Mahomes this season.
New England also has a massive edge in Super Bowl experience over Los Angeles. In fact, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is about to play in his ninth Super Bowl, and no other franchise in league history has played in more than eight. The Patriots' run game, which has dominated opponents throughout the playoffs, has given the team's offense as much balance as it's had in a long time.
Brady also is the favorite to win Super Bowl MVP. He has won the award four times in his career, and only two non-quarterbacks have won it since 2010.
The Patriots beat the then-St. Louis Rams as underdogs in Super Bowl XXXVI. They'll need to repeat that feat as favorites in Super Bowl LIII to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for a sixth time.
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