The year is 2002, and the New England Patriots are getting ready to square off in their first Super Bowl under Bill Belichick. Second-year quarterback Tom Brady was under center, replacing the injured Drew Bledsoe earlier in the season. Sean McVay is merely a sophomore in high school, and Jared Goff is just seven years old.

They went on to win the Lombardi Trophy, defeating the then St. Louis Rams 20-17. Adam Vinatieri delivered the dagger to the hearts of Rams fans, knocking the game-winning field goal through the posts as time expired.

No one knew it then, but that was just the beginning of one of the most prolific dynasties in NFL history, let alone sports history.

Tom Brady, Patriots

Fast forward to now. Belichick and Brady are still going strong, with Brady still dominating at 41 years old. What the Patriots are doing right now is unfathomable in a league built for parity. New England has perfected building a winning roster, even in a league that handicaps teams with a salary cap.

The Patriots have done it by instilling a mindset of playing for each other for the common goal. That one goal is to win Super Bowls, and it has become the “Patriot Way“.

Teams are constantly changing players and schemes while they struggle to stay afloat at the top. The NFL constantly makes modifications to the way the game is played. This season, new rules have helped make offense as prevalent as ever, and it showed.

Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, and the Los Angeles Rams all scored 30 or more points per game. We had a game between the Rams and Chiefs end with a score of 54-51—the most combined points in a game since 2004.

With the amount of turnover that goes on within the NFL, not many teams can stay contenders year after year. The Patriots, on the other hand, have had a historic run that will likely never be reached again. If you play in New England, it is Super Bowl-or-bust every single season.

Since Belichick and Brady came together in 2000, the Patriots have made it to 13 AFC Championship games and nine Super Bowls. Could there possibly be a team or duo to match this level of supremacy? New England could be facing the next-dynasty-up on February 3rd in Super Bowl 53, in the Los Angeles Rams.

Sean McVay, Rams, Jared Goff
ClutchPoints

Sean McVay and Jared Goff could be the next duo to carry the torch that Belichick and Brady have carried for nearly two decades. McVay is the youngest head coach to ever make the Super Bowl. To go along with that, Goff is one of the youngest quarterbacks to play on the biggest stage.

Although youth is on the Ram's side, there is no guarantee they can maintain their reign over the NFC.

McVay has completely changed the culture of the Rams organization. Just like the Patriots have the “Patriot Way”, McVay has made “We Not Me” the movement within the Rams' locker room.

Before McVay arrived, the Rams were a laughing stock of the NFL under Jeff Fisher. Just two years ago, the team went 4-12 and frantically searched for a fresh start. Luckily, Los Angeles landed on a bright offensive coordinator from the Washington Redskins to be their new head coach.

Goff struggled in his rookie season with Fisher calling the shots. He went 0-7 as the starter, throwing just five touchdowns and seven interceptions. After a Week 16 loss in 2016, Goff made a promise to Los Angeles Rams fans that “it would get fixed.”

Jared Goff, Sean McVay

The dynamic duo of McVay and Goff have done more than just fix this franchise. They have turned them into an unstoppable force in just two seasons together.

Last year was a huge step in the right direction for the Rams. They ended the season at 11-5, making the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Unfortunately, they lost to the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round. Everyone within the Rams organization knew they'd be back and better the following season.

In 2018, they officially put the league on notice, beginning the season 8-0. At the end of the regular season, the Rams were 13-3, winning the NFC West title again while clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs. Goff and company lit the NFL on fire with their high-flying offense.

Goff took a leap in his third season, throwing for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. With a plethora of weapons at his disposal and a great offensive line, the Rams had one of the best offenses in the NFL. Rightfully so, the labels of Goff being a “system” quarterback evaporated quickly.

Of course, McVay deserves a ton of the credit as brains of the operation. McVay is the genius behind it all, running a dynamic offense that always has the defense on its heels. The rapid turnaround by Goff and McVay is uncanny, to say the least.

Executives and football junkies have fallen in love with the aura of McVay. So much so, that with just two seasons under his belt, he has two guys on his coaching tree already (three if you count Kliff Kingsbury as an extension of McVay).

Tom Brady, Jared Goff
ClutchPoints

Similarly to the Rams, the Patriots were 5-11 the season before Brady became the starter. The Patriots never looked back after that. Los Angeles wants to match the level of success and the longevity of the Patriots going forward.

The only overlying differences between these two duos is that Belichick is a defensive-minded guy, while McVay is an offensive mastermind. Still, in a world where there are always constant variations, there are three constants. Death, taxes, and the Patriots dominating.

If McVay and Goff can sustain their level of success together, they could be added to that old adage. In a decade from now, we could possibly be looking at this Rams team in the same light as today's New England Patriots. It can all begin with a win in Super Bowl 53 for L.A., with McVay and Goff conquering the duo they strive to be.