Benster and Pick Your Games -- Super Bowl LIII Edition

Old dude, 17 years ago today the Patriots beat the Rams to start their road to becoming a hated sports team that can't win without cheating. It's also the first Super Bowl I remember watching.

I remember Super Bowl V. Which was a bad game. Most of them were bad until the 1980s, actually.

I think everyone can agree that New England has been around too long, and some diversity in teams would be great.

Sure, but that requires the other AFC teams to get better. Other than Pittsburgh, and the Colts under Peyton Manning, has anyone been equal to that task? And is that Brady and Belichick's fault?

No, but let's be honest, Geritol Fan -- we're tired of these dudes.

Yeah, but it's been amazing to watch.

Maybe it's over, though. Maybe today. Watch me work!

New England Cheatriots (-2.5) vs. Los Angeles Rams. It's eerie how circular this game is compared to Super Bowl XXXVI. The Patriots are playing the role as favorite and the dynasty talk will be secured further with a win. The Rams have faced a long road back and are starting a young quarterback who nobody seems to trust outside of Hollywood. If that sounds familiar, it does echo back to 2002. The key to this game is going to be the first two full possessions of the second quarter. That sounds random, but hear me out. New England's experience in Super Bowls is that they do not start fast, but play better once they get settled in. I expect the Rams know this, and they tend to play better as the game goes on. Whomever plays better on the first two possessions of the second quarter should win. I think the Rams are a dangerous team and they are too flexible. Rams 35, Patriots 29.

This Patriots team is flawed, but they are playing very well right now. The underrated part of New England's dynasty is how they've been consistently able to take away what their opponents do best. The Rams present a different challenge, though, because the thing they do best, surprisingly, is on defense. Aaron Donald is again the Defensive Player of the Year and he's the closest thing to an unstoppable defensive lineman I've ever seen. And his partner in crime Ndamukong "Hong Kong Dirty" Suh has been lights out for the last month. Tom Brady rarely has to face a team that can get pressure right up the middle quickly, but that's what the Rams will do. The Patriot O-line is good, but it's strength is on the edges, not up the middle. That's the question today -- can Tom Brady win the game if Donald and Suh can put him on his back consistently? If they can, chalk up another Lombardi Trophy for the Pats. I say. . . Patriots 31, Rams 27.

So the Old Dude disagrees with me yet again. I shake my head. And don't worry, I'm sure there will be plenty of HYYYYYYPPPPPPE! in the pre-game show, which began last Wednesday, I think. Ben out!