Thursday’s NFL Matchup

NEW ENGLAND (6-6) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-4)

KICKOFF: 8:20 p.m. FOX, NFL Network

OPENING LINE: Rams by 61⁄ 2

RECORD VS. SPREAD: Patriots 6-6; Rams 7-5

SERIES RECORD: Patriots lead 9-5

LAST MEETING: Patriots beat Rams 13-3, Feb. 3, 2019, in Super Bowl, Atlanta

LAST WEEK: Patriots beat Chargers 45-0; Rams beat Cardinals 38-28

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES: Many key people on both teams return for a rematch of the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever, won 13-3 by the Patriots in Atlanta in February 2019. … This is New England’s second game in five days at SoFi Stadium after thrashing the Chargers on Sunday. … The Patriots have won four of five to surge back into playoff contention after their worst start to a season (2-5) since 2000. … The Patriots are 14-6 in Thursday night games, including 13-3 under Bill Belichick. New England has won each of its past three games on Thursday night. ... New England is 89-31 in December since 1994. ... The Patriots are 53-3 since the 2000 regular season when a player rushes for at least 100 yards. ... The Patriots have been whistled for a league-low 45 penalties. ... New England enters the week ranked third in the NFL, averaging 150.9 rushing yards per game. ... Cam Newton leads NFL quarterbacks with 11 rushing touchdowns. It is his third season with 10 or more rush TDs, the most by a quarterback in league history. ... With one more rushing TD, Newton will tie Steve Grogan for the team record for most rushing TDs in a season by a quarterback. ... RBs Damien Harris (3) and Sony Michel (1) have combined for four 100-yard rushing performances so far in 2020, the most by the Patriots since 2007 (5). ... WR Gunner Olszewski leads the NFL with a 26.9 punt return average. He had a 70-yard punt return for a TD against the Chargers. He also got his first career receiving TD. ... CB J.C. Jackson is second in the NFL with seven interceptions. He’s had a pick in three of his past four road games. ... CB Stephon Gilmore has five pass breakups and two INTs in three career games against the Rams, including his famed Super Bowl interception. ... Pats K Nick Folk has made 20 consecutive field goals, the second-longest streak of his career. He made 23 in 2013 for the Jets. P Jake Bailey is second in the NFL with 45.4 net yards per punt. … With a win, the Rams would secure four consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1983-86. … Los Angeles is in first place in the NFC West with four weeks to go, and with three of its final four games at home.