It’s a great coaching matchup.

Yes, Bill Belichick is the defensive whiz, and the Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay is known as an offensive whiz.

But L.A.’s offense hasn’t been quite right this season, as the team’s strength is its defense led by Aaron Donald. Remember the Super Bowl two years ago? It was a defensive struggle.

“There’s a lot of football that’s been played since then,” Belichick said. “There’s a lot of players that played in that game that aren’t going to play in this one.”

Ahhh but the coaches are the same, and we remember when McVay was caught on NFL films gushing over Belichick when the two met and chatted during pre-game warmups.

It wasn’t a good look, and McVay got badly outcoached.

Will the same thing happen tonight? The Patriots need it to, because if they lose this, they may as well say good-bye to the postseason.

We thought the Rams were moving in the wrong direction, backwards since that Super Bowl. There have been quarterbacks that have faced Belichick and never recovered; we thought Jared Goff would be like that. He hasn’t been spectacular, but he’s done the job to get the Rams to 8-4. As Belichick said, “He certainly can make all the throws.”

This is the Rams’ second chance to make up for an egg they laid two years ago. This is the Patriots chance to get the region really glued to them the next three weeks.

And this is our chance to make up for a horrible week last week (3-4). So here goes:

RAMS 24, PATRIOTS 17

Don’t be fooled. It was a great coaching job by the Patriots this past Sunday, and they are playing as well as they have on special teams and defensively. The problem is they are facing a very good Rams defense that should be able to limit their running game.

BILLS 17, STEELERS 13

Have you seen the Steelers the last two weeks? They’ve forgotten how to run the football – or that you can run the football. Did you see Josh Allen on Monday night? There you go. Bills right now look like the AFC East winner.

CHIEFS 27, DOLPHINS 14

Tua Tagovailoa has not been impressive as the Dolphins QB, thanks in part to that bad thumb. We all know how impressive a guy named Mahomes is. The Chiefs defense isn’t great, but this isn’t Tua’s time, not yet.

RAVENS 23, BROWNS 21

Tough one. But the Browns, despite a 9-3 record, are still learning about this thing called winning and the defense they’ll face Monday night if far superior to the one they ripped apart in Tennessee last weekend. Ravens need this one badly.

EAGLES 24, SAINTS 17

Who would have thought this one would be Taysom Hill vs. Jalen Hurts? Hurts isn’t bad, and we say that he gives the Eagles the spark they need against a Saints team that ventures out of the Dome. We may be silly, but we say Philly.

BUCS 37, VIKINGS 27

Brady and the Bucs are back after a week off, and you know TB12 is itching to go. Vikes just aren’t a good team, and Brady will pick them apart.

WASHINGTON 29, NINERS 16

Washington is going to win the NFC East. Why? A defense that is playing especially well led by rookie edge rusher Chase Young. But the real difference? It finally has a quarterback, as Alex Smith gives them smart, veteran leadership. With what Smith and head coach Ron Rivera have gone through, this is suddenly a franchise you can root for. The Niners are last year’s story.

LAST WEEK: 3-4

SEASON RECORD: 58 -32

Tom King may be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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