The Los Angeles Rams have gone all-in this season. Now Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr. & Co. find themselves at Super Bowl ringside after beating Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in the NFC title game.
The Niners presented a significant hurdle, given the Rams had lost to them six straight heading into Sunday’s game. But in the renewed rivals’ third meeting of the season, the Rams would not be thwarted.
For only the second time, two former No. 1 overall picks will face off in the Super Bowl (Peyton Manning and Cam Newton in 2016) as Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals travel to LA
The sports world reacted to the news “Rams to the Super Bowl” accordingly:
Congratulations Bruda!!!! The story of you looking at yourself is amazing to watch #GetThatRing @obj #Example
— Jarvis Juice Landry (@God_Son80) January 31, 2022
@obj go to the Super Bowl!!! Did you all see the game he just got? EARNED NOT GIVEN!!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 31, 2022
Hey, that Rams QB looks familiar! pic.twitter.com/z31Z8iOrry
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) January 31, 2022
The Super Bowl is a home game.
Let’s Go Rams!!! pic.twitter.com/qnkU1HKmzS
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) January 31, 2022
Say it with us now…
GO!
RAMS!
GO!GO!
RAMS!
GO! #RamsHouse– LA Kings (@LAKings) January 31, 2022
obj 🙌🏽🙌🏽
—Ja Morant (@Ja Morant) January 31, 2022
Here’s how the Rams secured the NFC title and the only remaining Super Bowl berth:
Game hunting interception? Game hunting interception. The Rams are heading to the Super Bowl (well, they’re not going anywhere), after Aaron Donald’s pressure on Garoppolo ultimately resulted in a Travin Howard pick.
PRESSURE! THE CHOICE !
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/dqUUexZEIn
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 31, 2022
Two Matt Gay field goals later and the Rams secured a three-point lead with less than two minutes left in regulation.
Matt Gay gives LA the lead with 1:46 remaining. #NFLPlayoffs
📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/vywGt5Kgfz pic.twitter.com/7ovFuYqKSj– NFL (@NFL) January 31, 2022
And just like that, we’ve got ourselves a fourth-quarter three-point game with the NFC title on the line. Stafford found Kupp (who else?) in the end zone for 11 yards and the TD.
Stafford finds @CooperKupp in the end zone for the second time today! 🙌
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/zdZH99l218
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 31, 2022
The Niners extended their lead with a 16-yard touchdown on a Jimmy G-George Kittle connection. Because when a trip to the Super Bowl is on the line, you play the hits.
GEORGE. FRIGHTENING. KITTEN.#SFvsLAR on the FOX/49ers app pic.twitter.com/WQBiv8WPTu
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 31, 2022
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Robbie Gould scored the basket. The 39-year-old stays perfect in the playoffs with a 38-yard FG to give San Francisco a 10-7 halftime advantage.
Of equal importance is this video of Gould remaining oblivious to potential obstacles in the way of his practice kicks.
nothing will stop @RobbieGould09 start his practice.
📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/vywGt5Kgfz pic.twitter.com/SD70QeMAMv– NFL (@NFL) January 31, 2022
Hey, he has a job to do.
Eleven touchdowns in the last eleven games? Deebo Samuel knows a thing or two about consistency. The Niners star responded with a 44-yard touchdown to even things up at 7-7.
Anyone ask 𝒘𝒉𝒐 again?
It’s ALL-PRO DEEBO#SFvsLAR on the FOX/49ers app pic.twitter.com/lkPnzye3M6— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 31, 2022
If you guessed Stafford would find Cooper Kupp in the end zone to start scoring in the NFC title game, you’ve clearly been paying attention this season…and you were right. Including the playoffs, Kupp now has 14 games with a receiving touchdown this season. That ties Randy Moss in 2007 for the third-most games with a receiving TD in a season all-time.
The first NFC Championship touchdown goes to @CooperKupp!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/zIdx5tA2Wk
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 31, 2022
