Phillip Dorsett has been watching the Rams all season
Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO: New England Patriots wide receiver Phillip Dorsett catches a touchdown pass against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson in the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium. (Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Some professional football players, like James Harrison, have surprised people by saying they don’t actually watch football outside of work. Patriots receiver Phillip Dorsett is the polar opposite of that.
Dorsett spoke to reporters on Wednesday about how quickly he stopped celebrating and started preparing for the Los Angeles Rams, who the Patriots will face a week from Sunday in Super Bowl LIII. He explained how, as an NFL fan in addition to an actual player, he’s been keeping an eye on the Rams since September- and right up to the AFC Championship Game.
“There’s only two teams left standing so you’ve got to enjoy it, but I’ve been looking [at the Rams]. I’ve been looking all season,” said Dorsett. “I’m a fan of the game. I like the way they play football. I mean the Rams have been a really good team the whole season, obviously offensively, defensively and on special teams. I tried to watch as much of the NFC Championship game as I could. I had it on my phone watching it while I was on the bus [headed to Arrowhead Stadium].”
Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO: New England Patriots wide receiver Phillip Dorsett celebrates after catching a touchdown pass in front of Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson during the first half of the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium. (Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Dorsett has flashed a knack for coming up with big plays in the postseason for the Patriots. He caught a huge 29-yard touchdown from Tom Brady less than a minute before halftime in the Pats’ 37-31 win over the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game last Sunday, and also caught four passes for 41 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers in the divisional round.
One of the more fascinating storylines of Super Bowl LIII is how the Rams defense will match up with the Patriots’ receivers in the secondary. They have two physical outside corners in Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, but neither of them are necessarily ideal matchups for Dorsett and his combination of speed and route-running. At the same time, slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman almost certainly has to match up with Julian Edelman.
Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips may need to come up with a good plan for Dorsett, or else he could burn them at an opportune time for the Patriots. If only for one big play.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
