Poll shows most NFL fans want the Patriots to lose the Super Bowl — but think they’ll win

Well, this is familiar. It’s the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl for the ninth time in the last two decades and the third year in a row.

For fans in Boston, it’s awesome. For most of the rest of the country, it’s time to become a fan of the Los Angeles Rams.

In SB Nation’s FanPulse poll this week, over 1,700 fans responded with their Super Bowl picks. Three times as many fans said they’re hoping the Rams will win than fans who are pulling for the Patriots:

That shouldn’t come as a surprise. A couple weeks ago, a large majority of NFL fans said they were crossing their fingers that the Patriots wouldn’t get past the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. But because the Patriots love to stomp on dreams, they won in overtime, 37-31.

The Patriots are unavoidable, and so — even though most are hoping to see them lose — the majority of fans have resigned themselves to the fact they shouldn’t expect to see it.

New England has tried hard to convince itself that it’s the underdog team. Tom Brady keeps saying they’ve been counted out and no one believes in them. Julian Edelman’s even selling shirts.

It makes sense, because the Patriots thrive in that role.

But don’t let them fool you. They’re the betting favorite and the team that six of the eight members on our expert panel (including a coin) are picking to win.

The Patriots are possibly making the mistake of confusing everyone who is hoping they will lose with everyone who is potentially thinking they will lose. Then again, perhaps the Patriots are doing so intentionally. It doesn’t change the fact that most people begrudgingly think the Patriots will win.