Rams’ fourth-quarter comeback to beat 49ers makes spot in home Super Bowl extra sweet

All these billions Stan Kroenke spent to construct SoFi Stadium and host Tremendous Bowl LVI.

All these trades for star gamers.

All these strikes to go all-in.

All of it paid off.

On Sunday, the Rams continued their dream season and fulfilled their mandate to play within the Tremendous Bowl by defeating the San Francisco 49ers, 20-17, within the NFC championship recreation earlier than 73,202 at SoFi Stadium. The Rams superior to the Tremendous Bowl on Feb. 13, the place they’ll play the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.

“Love this staff,” mentioned coach Sean McVay, who led the Rams to the Tremendous Bowl for the second time within the final 5 seasons. “We received yet one more.”

On the one-year anniversary of the blockbuster commerce for quarterback Matthew Stafford — the Rams’ pronouncement that they had been pursuing a boom-or-bust run to the Tremendous Bowl — Stafford linked with star receiver Cooper Kupp for 2 touchdowns and led a game-winning scoring drive for the second week in a row.

Stafford had greater than the 42 seconds wanted to knock off Tom Brady and the defending Tremendous Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however he escaped a close to catastrophe and led the Rams to a different 30-yard discipline aim by Matt Homosexual that gave them a 20-17 lead with 1 minute 46 seconds left.

Star lineman Aaron Donald pressured 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo into desperation mode, and linebacker Travin Howard intercepted a go that sealed the victory, breaking the Rams’ six-game dropping streak towards the 49ers and sending them to the Tremendous Bowl.

“It feels wonderful,” star cornerback Jalen Ramsey mentioned. “That’s actually the one phrase I can consider.”

In 2019, the Rams traded for Ramsey, pairing him with Donald, a three-time NFL defensive participant of the yr. Final yr they traded for Stafford, after which in the course of the season traded for star linebacker Von Miller. Just a few days later they signed star receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

On Sunday, Kupp caught 11 passes for 142 yards. Beckham had 9 catches for 113.

“They’ve superstars everywhere in the discipline,” 49ers tight finish George Kittle mentioned. “And their guys made nice performs.”

So did unheralded gamers corresponding to Howard, backup tight finish Kendall Blanton and security Nick Scott, who performed a really bodily recreation towards one of many NFL’s most bodily groups.

However on the heart of all of it was Stafford, who toiled for 12 seasons in Detroit earlier than the Rams despatched quarterback Jared Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round decide to the Lions for a quarterback who had by no means gained a playoff recreation.

Stafford now has led the Rams to playoff victories over the Arizona Cardinals and the Buccaneers and 49ers.

“He’s performed like we thought he would,” McVay mentioned. “No second’s too large for him.”

Stafford was cherishing the second.

“Very long time coming, you already know,” he mentioned. “Spent quite a lot of years on this league and I’ve beloved each minute of it. I really feel blessed to have the ability to play on this league for so long as I’ve, however I certain am completely satisfied for this chance for not solely myself, however actually so many guys in that locker room that deserve this too. So, and that’s what it’s. It’s a chance to go on the market and win one other.”

Aaron Donald tackles 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo, whose desperation throw was intercepted to seal the Rams’ win.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)

To advance with a victory over the 49ers was particularly candy for a Rams staff that misplaced twice to their NFC West rival, together with a 27-24 time beyond regulation defeat at SoFi Stadium within the regular-season finale that dropped the Rams from the No. 2 seed to No. 4.

“No matter was gonna occur,” Beckham mentioned, “the story couldn’t be written any higher than for us to play them within the NFC championship and shut the door.”

McVay ended three years of frustration towards the 49ers and coach Kyle Shanahan, his good friend, mentor and nemesis.

“We simply checked out being on this second,” McVay mentioned of the staff’s six-game dropping streak towards the 49ers, “taking good care of this recreation.”

It didn’t begin effectively for the Rams — 49ers security Jimmie Ward intercepted a go by Stafford contained in the five-yard line.

Regardless of the turnover, the Rams took a second-quarter lead on Stafford’s first landing go to Kupp, a 16-yarder.

Deebo Samuel, the 49ers’ do-everything star, answered with a 44-yard catch and run for a landing. And after Homosexual missed a 54-yard field-goal try, the 49ers took the lead on Robbie Gould’s 38-yard discipline aim on the finish of the second quarter for a 10-7 lead.

Garoppolo prolonged the result in 17-7 within the third quarter with a landing go to Kittle.

That’s when Donald addressed the protection on the sideline. His message?

“We received to provide a bit of bit further — we received to provide extra,” Ramsey mentioned. “We simply type of went on the market and did that.”

Early within the fourth quarter, Stafford pulled the Rams to inside three factors together with his second landing go to Kupp, an 11-yarder. After which he received a break.

On the Rams’ subsequent possession, the 49ers misplaced a chance to probably shut out the sport when security Jaquiski Tartt dropped a sure interception. Stafford took benefit, and Homosexual tied the rating with a 40-yard discipline aim with 6:49 left.

The protection pressured the 49ers to go three and out, and Stafford received the ball on the Rams’ 39-yard line with barely greater than six minutes left.

“He had that look in his eyes all recreation,” Beckham mentioned.

Stafford’s 25-yard strike to Kupp arrange Homosexual’s discipline aim that put the Rams forward.

Then Donald stepped up, practically taking Garoppolo to the turf earlier than the quarterback tried to flick the ball to operating again JaMycal Hasty. However the ball bounced of Hasty’s arms into the arms of Howard, clinching the victory and sending the Rams to the Tremendous Bowl.

Miller was probably the most helpful participant of Tremendous Bowl 50 when he performed for the Denver Broncos. He was ecstatic about getting one other alternative.

“It’s like having a second child,” he mentioned. “You’re keen on the primary one, then you may have one other, you’re keen on the second child too.”

Stafford is thrilled to be taking part in in his first.

“It’s nice that it’s right here,” he mentioned. “I don’t give a s— the place it’s. I’m like, I simply wish to play within the dang factor.

“However the truth that it’s beneath this roof, it’s going to be superior.”

The Rams supposed to rejoice Sunday night time. Then McVay would start to arrange to face off towards Bengals coach Zac Taylor, a former Rams assistant.

“I’m wanting ahead to diving into the tape,” McVay mentioned, “and determining how we will put collectively recreation plan to attempt to see if we will end this factor off.”

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