The Superteam is headed to the Tremendous Bowl.
The Rams overcame the ghosts of six straight rivalry losses, an invasion of followers at SoFi Stadium that made a house sport really feel like an away sport, and — most daunting of all — a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit Sunday to beat the 49ers, 20-17, within the NFC Championship sport. They'll face the shocking Bengals on their house area in Tremendous Bowl 56.
Why? As a result of Matthew Stafford, who by no means gained a playoff sport in 12 seasons with the Lions, threw for 337 yards and led the Rams to 13 unanswered factors by scoring on every of their remaining three possessions earlier than two victory-formation kneel-downs
As a result of Odell Beckham Jr. and Cooper Kupp mixed for 20 catches and 255 yards and two touchdowns. As a result of Aaron Donald compelled Jimmy Garoppolo to fling a circus go that went by JaMycal Hasty’s fingers and was intercepted with 69 seconds remaining. As a result of …
“The celebrities shined the brightest once they wanted to,” coach Sean McVay mentioned.
Kupp’s second landing — each on third downs — closed the Rams’ hole to 17-14 with 13:35 remaining. Matt Homosexual tied the rating on a 40-yard area aim with 6:53 to go and delivered the profitable factors on a 30-yard kick simply contained in the two-minute warning.
Hoping for a seventh straight win towards their rival after sweeping three seasons’ price of regular-season sequence, 49ers followers traveled the 5 hours south to Los Angeles to make noise on third downs and chant “Beat LA.” However the Rams turned the primary crew to win a convention championship sport (began in 1970) after trailing by at the least 10 factors at first of the fourth quarter.
“The story couldn't be written any higher for us to play them within the NFC Championship,” Beckham mentioned, “after which shut the door.”
Each halves modified on drops.
Within the remaining three minutes of the primary half, after Kupp and Deebo Samuel traded landing catches to arrange a 7-7 tie, a streaking Kupp turned his head to have a look at inexperienced area earlier than securing a catch over the center. Three performs later, Ben Skowronek was left uncovered as Kupp drew double-team protection, however an arcing 38-yard go slipped by his fingers.
The 49ers turned a punt right into a area aim and led 10-7 regardless of getting dominated within the field rating. Their stuck-in-the-mud blueprint was working properly into the second half, after George Kittle’s 16-yard landing reception from a surprisingly efficient Garoppolo.
“Go down 17-7, doesn’t look good,” McVay mentioned, “however the guys stayed within the second.”
The drop to recollect got here within the fourth quarter.
The Rams have been out of timeouts and out of replay challenges for the ultimate 10 minutes remaining of the fourth quarter, after McVay went 0-for-2 asking for reversals. Stafford’s quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 was confirmed to be stopped brief — resulting in a 49ers landing — and 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk was dominated down by contact earlier than dropping a fumble.
Maybe feeling a have to make up a 17-14 deficit quick as a result of the Rams have been going to be combating the clock, Stafford threw a wounded duck proper to Jaquiski Tartt, who let a simple interception bounce off his chest. The second life instantly paid off with a 44-yard acquire (29-yard reception plus 15-yard private foul penalty) from Stafford to Beckham that arrange the tying area aim.
“I believed, ‘He f—ed up. We about to win this sport,’ ” Tartt mentioned. “I simply didn’t provide you with it. … That’s a play I ought to make in my sleep, and I didn’t make it.”
The 49ers squeezed a horrible possession in between the Rams’ remaining two scores, going three-and-out on three incompletions and a penalty whereas solely taking 17 seconds off the clock.
The place was the dominant dashing assault that fueled their three-year dominance of the Rams and turned Samuel into probably the most distinctive offensive weapon within the NFL? The place was the protection that stifled Aaron Rodgers’ Packers final week?
Stafford — who was acquired in a commerce precisely one yr in the past to the day as a lacking piece with stars Donald and Jalen Ramsey after which surrounded with Von Miller and Bekcham — led a 49-yard drive.
“I do know I’m going to be sick watching the tape,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner mentioned. “If we imagine we’re the No. 1 protection, we have to come out and play a lot better than we did.”
Garoppolo, who might need performed his remaining sport earlier than a commerce or launch this offseason, couldn’t reply as he was twisted round and practically dragged down for a sack earlier than throwing up his prayer.
“I don’t assume there’s anything he may’ve performed,” coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned.
Post a Comment