THURSDAY NIGHT PREVIEW:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-6) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-4)
Week 14 of the 2020 NFL season gets underway on Thursday, December 10 (8:20 PM ET, FOX/NFL Network/Amazon), as the New England Patriots visit the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch of both Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl LIII. In the final game of the 2018 season, the Patriots defeated the Rams, 13-3, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the sixth Super Bowl title in franchise history as running back SONY MICHEL rushed for the game-deciding touchdown with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In Super Bowl XXXVI (February 3, 2002, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans), the Rams overcame a 14-point deficit to tie the game at 17 with 1:30 remaining before ADAM VINATIERI kicked a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired to capture the first Super Bowl win in Patriots history.
Last week, New England earned a 45-0 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers as quarterback CAM NEWTON totaled three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) in the victory. He has four games with two rushing touchdowns this season, the most by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history, and has 10 career games with at least two rushing touchdowns, the most ever by a quarterback. Newton leads all quarterbacks with 11 rushing touchdowns this season and is the first quarterback in league annals with three career seasons of at least 10 rushing touchdowns, having also reached the mark in 2015 (10 rushing touchdowns) and 2011 (14). Last week, wide receiver GUNNER OLSZEWSKI had his first-career touchdown catch and a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown while defensive back DEVIN MCCOURTY returned a blocked field goal 44 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots are the sixth team in NFL history with both a punt-return touchdown and blocked field goal return for a touchdown in the same game and first since the BALTIMORE RAVENS in Week 12, 2015. Cornerback STEPHON GILMORE recorded an interception and forced fumble in Super Bowl LIII and has five passes defensed in three career games against the Rams, including the postseason. In eight career games on Thursday, he has 11 passes defensed along with one interception and one forced fumble. Cornerback J.C. JACKSON registered his career-high seventh interception last week, second-most in the NFL this season.
In Week 13, Rams quarterback JARED GOFF passed for 351 yards with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) and zero interceptions for a 104.9 rating in the team’s 38-28 win over Arizona. Since 2017, he leads the league with 14 games with 350-or-more pass yards. In four career starts on Thursday Night Football, Goff has 1,287 passing yards (321.8 per game) with nine touchdowns and one interception for a 116.5 rating. Rookie running back CAM AKERS registered a career-high 94 scrimmage yards (72 rushing, 22 receiving) with a rushing touchdown last week and aims for his fourth in a row with a touchdown. Wide receiver ROBERT WOODS led the team with 10 receptions and 85 receiving yards in Week 13, his sixth career game with at least 10 catches. Woods (71 receptions) along with wide receiver COOPER KUPP (74) are the only pair of wide receiver teammates each with at least 70 receptions this season. Defensive lineman AARON DONALD registered his 11th sack of the season last week, tied with T.J. WATT (11) for the most in the NFL. He has 83 career sacks, tied for the fifth-most among players in their first seven seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. In six career games on Thursday Night Football, Donald has four sacks and seven tackles for loss. Cornerback TROY HILL recorded a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown last week, his second-consecutive game with a touchdown. Hill is one of two players (JEREMY CHINN) with two defensive touchdowns this season.
Adding to television availability, several streaming options will be available to fans. FOX Thursday Night Football games will be available to stream on Amazon via Prime Video and Twitch in addition to NFL, FOX and FOX Deportes digital properties across devices.* During the season, fans can learn all of the ways to watch at NFL.com/TNF.
For the Week 14 New England-Los Angeles Rams capsule, click here.
*NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video and Twitch simulcast subject to change.
