Belichick's Greatest Hits No. 3: The Time He Shut Down the Rams Offense. Not That Time; That Other Time.

Boston Globe. Getty Images.

When I did No. 4 on this list, I went to great lengths to point out how much of that win over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI belonged to Tom Brady, James White, Julian Edelman, and a host of their offensive teammates and coaches. While giving Bill Belichick his share of the credit for keeping his team laser focused, their heads firmly in the game, even down 28-3. And also for being the architect of game-changing defensive plays that kept getting stops against the highest scoring offense in the league and making the comeback possible. 

Today, it's all about Belichick. Here's another for us all to keep chambered the next time someone is trying to argue that all of the Patriots success is owned to Brady, and the coach who drafted and developed him was just along for the ride the whole time. Because that sixth ring was forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the Dark Lord himself, against the 2018 Rams. 

Those Rams were the second highest scoring team in the league (behind only Kansas City whom the Patriots had just beaten in the AFC title game. But were the 11th highest scoring offense in NFL history. Jared Goff was a Pro Bowler. Todd Gurley was All Pro, with over 1,800 all purpose yards and 21 touchdowns. And Sean McVay, who was in the early stages of losing all his assistants to jobs elsewhere, was America's "It Coach." And he knew what he was up against:

For his part, Belichick proved he was as dialed in as he ever was before the opening kick. While specifically discussing the opening kick. NFL Films had him mic'd up. And caught an in-depth discussion between him and the official asking about the roof at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which would be open during the National Anthem flyover. He insisted on knowing how long it would take to close, because he wanted to plan for how it would affect the kickoff:

Just the first proof we had that he was going to leave no FieldTurf pellet unturned to win that sixth banner. 

Good thing. Because Drunk Joe Namath himself could not put enough syllables in "strug-ga-ling" to describe how much the Pats offense struggled throughout. 

The first drive ended with a Brady interception. The second, with a missed field goal by Stephen Gostkowski.  But the Rams couldn't get anything going. 

The other Pats drives before the half ended with a punt, a field goal, another punt, and an incomplete pass intended for Gronk on 4th & 1.  But the Rams couldn't get anything going.

New England punted all three times they touched the ball in the 3rd quarter. But the Rams couldn't get anything going.

After the game, Belichick described how too many times they'd move the ball but a penalty or negative play would set up a 3rd & long they couldn't convert. So adjustments were made. They went to more of a 2-tight end empty look that opened things up by created some mismatches:

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A major part of the Pats offensive struggles can be traced directly to the fact that Rob Gronkowski was playing through a ton of physical issues, and was reduced basically to a blocking tight end/decoy. Still, he was targeted 7 times, with 6 receptions and 87 yards. None bigger - in fact, you can argue it was the most significant catch of his Patriots career because it directly led to the only touchdown in a Super Bowl win - came in the 4th. Thanks to one of those aforementioned mismatches when ILB Corey Littleton drew the short straw:

It would also be his last in a Patriot uniform.

And still, stop me if you heard this anywhere before, the Rams couldn't get anything going.

Behold what the offense that averaged 32.9 points per game accomplished on this night:

Belichick's defense not only kept the Rams out of the end zone, they never reached the red zone. Not one single snap. The deepest penetration they got was the New England 26. That drive stalled thanks to new ILB coach Dont'a Hightower completing his Super Bowl-Saving Defensive Play Trifecta, when he sacked Goff, forcing McVay to settle for a 53-yard field goal. 

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 It was a big game all around for a lot of Belichick's recent acquisitions. Jason McCourty came all the way across from the back side of a play to break up Brandin Cooks in the end zone, after he and Devin McCourty agreed he'd leave his assignment the next time he saw Cooks coming deep on a post route:

On the other side of the ball, Belichick's O-line of (R to L) Marcus Cannon, Shaq Mason, Dave Andrews, Joe Thuney and first year Patriot Trent Brown put up a ring of steel around Brady, who was only sacked once. And rookie Sony Michel ran for 94 yards on 18 carries (5.2 YPA) and the games only touchdown. Most significantly, DPOTY Aaron Donald was a complete non-factor, with just one solo tackle, no sacks, and one recorded QB hit that no one alive can remember.

And the play that essentially put the game away for good was the prize free agent signing from the year before, Stephon Gilmore:

The final result was arguably the most impressive display of team defense in the history of the Super Bowl. If not NFL history. If you can name a time an attack as formidable as the 2018 Rams was put on lockdown to this extent, I'd love to hear it. Be prepared to show your work. Though I'll have other examples still to come as we reach the end of this list. That I can promise you.