Final thoughts
Best team won
— Mary Collins (@MCollinsVAGirl) January 20, 2019
This is very true. It’s less that the Saints lost this game, it’s that the Rams won it. These teams were competing for the title of the best team in the NFL for much of the game. It makes sense that four quarters weren’t going to be enough and that it would come down to a field goal (hey did someone predict that the key player would end up being the kicker?) In any case, I’m going to become a mere spectator to the AFC Championship Game (join David Lengel for his liveblog here and The game report for this game is down below.). Meanwhile, thanks to everybody who read along to our liveblog, especially those who contributed. Ciao!
Ben Dunn:
The Saints just cannot catch a break in the post-season. On the wrong end of the Miracle last year, and this year the wrong side of the New Orleans No-Call. Unreal.
There will be plenty of talk about the no-call at the end of regulation, and that’s understandable and man would I be mad as a New Orleans fans, but the Saints had mishandled that drive from the very beginning. They had chances to win and couldn’t convert.
The Rams have won the NFC Championship Game! What incredible poise by Goff and the Rams who could have been dead several times there.
Rams win!
Rams 26-23 Saints, FINAL
The Rams can win it here with a field goal, since the Saints have already had possession in this overtime.
AND IT’S GOOD! THE RAMS ARE HEADED TO THE SUPER BOWL!
Rams 23-23 Saints, 11:47, OT
The Rams pick up a first down on their first possession of overtime, but lose three yards on the next play. Goff finds Higbee for a 6 yard gain. It’s 3rd & 7 at the New Orleans 39. On the next play, Goff throws to Cooks who drops it. Saints take a timeout, with Zeurlein coming out for a 57 yard attempt.
Rams interception!
Rams 23-23 Saints, 13:55, OT
Brees throws a dangerous long pass and it’s intercepted by Johnson at the Saints 46! Falling on the back as he does so.
Rams 23-23 Saints, 14:48, OT
On 1st & 10, Brees’s pass is tipped and goes incomplete. 2nd & 10, Brees throws deep and this time there’s a flag, leading to some sarcastic clapping. It’s defensive pass interference, which gives them 14 yards and an automatic first down. They’re at their own 40 now. On 1st & 10, Ingram gets stuffed, a huge loss. Six yards.
Rams 23-23 Saints, 15:00, OT
Kamara brings out the ball to start overtime. He gets to the NO 26.
Soooo how long will this NFC Championship no-call be talked about? 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/S1WhmmJTFp
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) January 20, 2019
Saints win overtime coin toss
Ben Dunn:
If the Rams win this, that non-call on the obvious foul on the Saints WR is going to be a huge talking point. If that was called, as it should have been, that was game over.
Not wrong. The Saints will have the ball to start overtime, so they have a shot still.
We're going to overtime!
Rams 23-23 Saints, end of regulation
The Rams kick it off, probably just hoping for no return here. Kamara takes it out of the end zone and gives it a decent return but remains well within Saints territory. Drew Brees takes a knee and we’re going to overtime and the crowd is steamed.
Game-tying field goal (Rams)
Rams 23-23 Saints, :15, 4th quarter
The Rams get it into field goal range. It’s a 48-yard attempt for Zuerlein. The crowd gets loud. The kick is JUST good.
Rams 20-23 Saints, :45, 4th quarter
3rd & 3, Goff finds Woods who gets it to the New Orleans 33. The Rams take another timeout.
Rams 20-23 Saints, 1:12, 4th quarter
2nd & 10, Goff hits Reynolds for a first down that takes them to their own 44. On 1st & 10, Goff throws incomplete. 2nd & 10, Cooks gets seven yards.
Rams 20-23 Saints, 1:37, 4th quarter
On 1st & 10, Goff throws incomplete. That’s a start for the Saints defense.
Rams 20-23 Saints, 1:41, 4th quarter
Now the Rams have a lot of time to even this thing out or win it outright. Lutz’s kickoff goes for a touchback.
Field goal (Saints)
Rams 20-23 Saints, 1:45, 4th quarter
It’s 3rd and 10 now for the Saints, who are in danger of botching this drive. Brees throws incomplete… and it feels like there should be a flag on the play somewhere. Instead, the Saints have to settle for a field goal. Lutz’s kick is good. The crowd is booing, which is understandable.
Rams 20-20 Saints, 1:49, 4th quarter
Kamara gets stuffed for no gain and the Rams take a timeout.
Rams 20-20 Saints, 2:00, 4th quarter
The Saints are now on the Rams 13. On 1st & 10, Brees throws incomplete to Thomas. They take a time-out, that feels like a miscalculation on the Saints considering the clock. And on the next play, Brees has to use a timeout.
Rams 20-20 Saints, 2:00, 4th quarter
There’s Aaron Donald for the Rams, pushing back Ingram for a two-yard loss. 2nd & 12 for the Saints, Brees throws deep, 43 yards to Ginn! And we’re at the two minute warning with the Saints in good position to win this whole thing.
Rams 20-20 Saints, 3:37, 4th quarter
Brees finds Austin Carr for a five yard down on first down. It’s 2nd & 5 at their 35. Saints are in shotgun, they hand it off to Ingram who is immediately tackled. On 3rd & 2, he throws to Kamara who stays inbounds and reaches the New Orleans 46. That’s a first down.
Rams 20-20 Saints, 5:03, 4th quarter
I would have went for the touchdown on 4th down. Of course, I would always go for it on fourth down I would be a terrible head coach. Saints are back on the field, Kamara takes the kickoff for a 30 yard gain.
Ben Dunn:
The game is great. The coaches are having a stormer. Rams and Saints are making adjustments and they are working. They’ve studied the life out of each other and their season strengths are being largely negated. Fascinating to watch. Two high-quality chess-playing head coaches not making many errors so far.
And it’s heading for a great finish… perhaps overtime.
Game-tying field goal (Rams)
Rams 20-20 Saints, 5:16, 4th quarter
2nd & goal, Goff takes it on his own and gets it to the second-yard line. The Saints are lucky there’s not a touchdown. 3rd & goal, Anderson gets the ball… and he’s just short of the goal line.
It’s 4th & goal and it looks like they’re going to go conservative and bring out the field goal unit. It’s a chip-shot, a 19 yarder, except there’s a delay of game which pushes it back to the 24 yard line. No worries, it’s good nonetheless and we have a tied game.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 7:23, 4th quarter
And another huge throw by Goff, who throws to Reynolds all the way at the Saints 7. That’s a 30+ yard gain. 1st & goal, Anderson gets to the 5 yard line.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 8:50, 4th quarter
Oh wow. This might be the biggest play of the game, Goff hits Everett who gets the ball and runs it down for a 39 yard gain all the way from deep into their own territory to the Saints’ 39 yard line.
Anderson picks up 5 yards on first down, their at the New Orleans 40.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 9:38, 4th quarter
Well, Gurley’s back out there it seems and he gets the ball to start things off, getting about six yards on first down. Woods gets the ball next and gets just one yard. It’s 3rd & 3 on the Rams own 16. On the next play, the Rams take a timeout right before Goff throws incomplete, which the fans aren’t super-happy about.
And we do have a Gene Loves Jezebel appearance!
Surprised how well the Saints D are playing..Helluva game.@HunterFelt
— Gene Loves Jezebel (@gljezebel) January 20, 2019
They did a fantastic job last possession, the offense just couldn’t convert. What a huge penalty that ended up being on New Orleans.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 11:04, 4th quarter
On 2nd & 20, Kamara gets stopped by Suh after a 3 yard gain. It’s 3rd & 17, and it’s looking like this promising drive could fizzle quickly. And it does, Brees’s throw to Ginn is incomplete, nearly picked off, and that will do it. Morstead’s punt puts the Rams on their own 9.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 11:51, 4th quarter
Saints are at the LA 46. Ingram picks up 4 yards, but wait there’s a penalty that will push them back 10 yards. It’s 1st & 20 at the New Orleans 44 now. Brees throws incomplete to Dan Arnold. So make that 2nd & 20.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 12:29, 4th quarter
The Rams are punting from their own seven… except there’s a penalty on the Saints that pushes them up five yards. And there’s a flag on the punt, this time on the Rams, a 15-yard chop block penalty that, after the catch, means that the Saints are starting in LA territory.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 12:59, 4th quarter
Let’s see if that “no call” ends up hurting the Saints here. The Rams take the field with a chance to tie or better. The announcers are speculating on Gurley’s health here, it’s a surprise we haven’t seen him.
And thanks to a huge sack by Cam Jordan, they limit the Rams to a 3-0.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 14:56, 4th quarter
Brees throws incomplete to start the fourth quarter, Saints fans want a call here and there might be holding here. The Saints have to punt instead. Natson catches the punt on the Rams 34.
Rams 17-20 Saints, end of the 3rd quarter
The ball comes out on the next play, but Kamara gets right on so all they lose is a down. 2nd & 10, Ingram picks up three. That will due it for the third. I’m thinking this might be a suspenseful fourth quarter, so stick with us.
Rams 17-20 Saints, 1:57, 3rd quarter
Zuerlein’s kickoff is another touchback. Not a lot of drama when it comes to that department. The Saints immediately get the first down thanks to Brees throw to Tre’Quan Smith. Brees, working in the shotgun, then finds Thomas to their own 44 and Ingram gets the first down and more, all the way to midfield.
Touchdown! (Rams)
Rams 17-20 Saints, 3:06, 3rd quarter
It looks like an elbow injury for Bell (and by looks, I mean the replay made painfully clear). Josh Reynolds gets stopped right before the goal line. It’s 1st & goal at the one.
And almost disaster for the Rams, as Goff fumbles at the snap to lose a few yards. They’re at the 3 now. Anderson picks up a yard on next down and on 3rd & goal, Goff finds Tyler Higbee open in the end zone for a touchdown. With another successful extra point it once again becomes a three-point game.
Rams 10-20 Saints, 5:15, 3rd quarter
And Goff goes long… a long throw to Cooks that gets them to the halfway mark. On the next play, Anderson gets about a yard. 2nd & 9… a yellow flag flies down, it’s offside on the Saints. That’s five yards and no play. 2nd & 4. Goff finds Cooks for a 25 yard gain and they’re already at the Saints 17. The Saints’ Von Bell looks to be hurt so we get an injury timeout.
Rams 10-20 Saints, 7:25, 3rd quarter
Anderson picks up four yards. Huge 3rd & 2 here, and the Rams convert. Goff throws short to Cooks for a another four. That’s a new first down.
Rams 10-20 Saints, 8:04, 3rd quarter
Lutz’s kickoff is yet another touchback, they’ll be on their own 25. Goff finds Woods for a four-yard gain to start their possession.
Touchdown! (Saints)
Rams 10-20 Saints, 8:37, 3rd quarter
They’re rolling now. On 2nd & 1, the Saints pick up a first down and it’s 1st and goal. On his first attempt, Brees throws incomplete, underthrown to Thomas. 2nd & goal, Taysom Hill gets the ball for some reason, his throw to Kamara is complete. 3rd & goal, Hill decides to go back to being a receiver, which works out rather well. Brees connects with him for a touchdown. Lutz’s extra point is good.
Rams 10-13 Saints, 11:08, 3rd quarter
Saints are going super-fast now. Brees finds Kamara again, why go away with what’s working, he gets 8 yards here. They’re in the red zone now.
Rams 10-13 Saints, 11:55, 3rd quarter
And Kamara gets the ball again and picks up 9 this time around. 2nd & 1… yep that’s Kamara again, this time for a seven-yard run. That’s another first down and on the next, Ingram runs it again and they’re already on the LA 26.
Rams 10-13 Saints, 13:03, 3rd quarter
On 1st & 10, Ingram gets about six yards. 2nd & 4, Brees targets Kamara, their MVP of the game so far, who easily gets a first down.
Rams 10-13 Saints, 14:16, 3rd quarter
Woods gets the ball to start the first half, who gets taken for a four-yard loss. On 2nd & 13, Goff throws incomplete to Woods who can’t make the catch. 3rd & 14, Goff throws incomplete yet again. Let’s see if they fake punt again
And nope. Just a real punt, one that puts the Saints at the own 29 after a bit of rolling.
Start of the second half
And we begin the second half with a touchback. The Rams will start at their own 25.
The Ying Yang Twins apparently are doing the halftime performance, which makes more sense for New Orleans than Jimmy Buffett who should legally be forced to root for the Dolphins.
Donald Buchnowski:
I am here in the Dominican Republic keeping up and my family in Buffalo are all for the Saints!!!
Well, they’re ahead for now but that was a brutal way to end the half. Still, we knew 13 points wasn’t going to be a comfortable cushion in this game.
From Pranjal Tiwari:
I’m still confused by “love will tear us apart” making an appearance today. Do you know if that’s a Saints anthem or something, or was it the broadcaster that used it? Very strange.
And now “She Sells Sanctuary” by The Cult! Goth / New wave production manager perhaps?
I’m hoping for Gene Loves Jezebel next. I guarantee that there is no NFL team that has a Joy Division song as an anthem but if there did it would probably be the Browns.
Roger Kirkby:
To The comment about headphones, up in the rafters sit a bunch of guys relaying what is going on, on the field to the coordinators on the ground. Either that or they podcast the game.
I knew someone in the audience would know the full answer. I guess the way to tell is if they start advertising SeatGeeks.com midway through their conversations.
Halftime thoughts
Well this was looking like a one-sided affair until the last minute of the half. That huge completion by Goff changed everything and the Rams will have the ball to start the half. This is definitely looking different from most of the snoozers last weekend.
Halftime
Rams 10-13 Saints, end of the first half
That will quiet down the crowd. What an absolute game-changer for the Rams. Kamara returns the Rams punt to the 20. Drew Brees decides to kneel here and take things to the half.
Touchdown (Rams)
Rams 10-13 Saints, :23, 2nd quarter
There’s a flag on the punt, on the receiving team it turns out. It’s a 10-yard penalty on the Rams, which will mean that they will be starting at their 19. Goff throws to Reynolds who gets 9 yards. 2nd & 1. They connect again for a 13 yard gain that brings them to their own 41. The clock is now a factor here as well. 1st & 10, Goff throws in complete. On 2nd & 10, Goff’s pass is tipped, and is also incomplete. So it’s 3rd & 10, less than a minute to go in the half… and Goff finds Cooks for a 17 yard gain into New Orleans territory. Rams used their second timeout.
Holy heck, Goff throws to Cooks for 36 yards! They’re at the Saints 6… for a split second! Gurley runs in for a touchdown. The extra point is good! It’s a three-point game!
Super dome too loud. If Saints win it’s because Rams can’t hear anything. Bad place for a playoff.
— Mary Collins (@MCollinsVAGirl) January 20, 2019
It’s certainly a factor.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 2:00, 2nd quarter
That’s a better showing for LA, Ndamukong Suh sacks Brees for a six yard loss, and then gets a half-sack on the next play, by pushing Brees back on first yard. The Rams get another stop on the next play, a play that brings us to the two-minute warning.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 3:50, 2nd quarter
Kamara gets two yards on 1st down. Ginn picks up 6 yards on 2nd & 8. A big 3rd & 2 here for the Rams defense.
And they do not pass the test, Brees finds Kamara for a first down.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 5:27, 2nd quarter
2nd & 10, Anderson picks up 6 yards, to the Rams 40. He’s having another big night. On 3rd & 4, Goff throws incomplete and that will stall things out. Hekker’s punt will put the Saints at their own 17.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 6:18, 2nd quarter
Goff throws incomplete and the Saints take a timeout.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 6:18, 2nd quarter
Anderson picks up 3 yards for the Rams on first down. On 2nd & 7, Woods makes a great catch of Goff’s throw for a 6 yard gain. A big 3rd & 1 for Los Angeles here. Anderson just gets it.
Email from Ezra Finkelstein:
Do all players have headsets in their helmets? Because otherwise why are all the coordinators talking into their headsets?
I believe just the quarterback and an additional player on the defense.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 8:15, 2nd quarter
On 2nd & 12, a pressured Brees throws on the run for a seven yard gain. Not sure how exactly he did it, but it’s still a 3rd & 5 and his throw to Kamara goes incomplete. The Saints punt and JoJo Natson makes a fair catch on the Rams 22.
Rams 3-13 Saints, 9:45, 2nd quarter
Zuerlein’s kickoff ends up being a touchback. On first down, Kamara gets stuffed for a two yard loss back to the Saints 23.
Field goal (Rams)
Rams 3-13 Saints, 9:49, 2nd quarter
Goff finds Brandin Cooks for a four-yard gain on first down. On second down, they hand off to CJ Anderson who can’t quite get anywhere. It’s 3rd & 6 at the Saints 18, Gurley gets the ball and drops it but there’s a flag on the play… but there’s no penalty. It’s 4th down for the Rams. Greg Zuerlein makes his debut for a 36 yard field goal that’s down the middle and the Rams are on the board.
Rams 0-13 Saints, 11:47, 2nd quarter
The Rams are at the Saints 26 in their first real scoring chance of the game. Anderson gets the ball the next carry for a four yard gain and another first down.
Hekker has more passing 4th down conversions this season than Jared Goff https://t.co/qhkooYdu5B https://t.co/ZBVAgY5hxT
— ProFootballReference (@pfref) January 20, 2019
Rams 0-13 Saints, 12:09, 2nd quarter
The Rams allow Goff to return as quarterback. On 1st & 10 at the Saints 45, he throw incomplete. On 2nd & 10, Goff finds Gerald Everett for 11 yards and another 1st down. CJ Anderson picks up 8 yards on the next down. The Saints’ AJ Klein gets medical attention as we head into an injury break.
Rams 0-13 Saints, 13:31, 2nd quarter
Woods gets a gain of a single yard on 3rd down… and the Rams decide to let punter Johnny Hekker find Sam Shields for a 12 yards gain on a fake punt! Now that is some creative offense! Their first 1st down!
Roger Kirkby:
No imagination from either team so far, and that’s why it’s low scoring. Maybe they are just too scared of both offences. Remember the Rams were way down against the Saints earlier this season.
Well, the Saints offense seems to have picked up. The Rams… not so much.
Rams 0-13 Saints, end of the 1st quarter
2nd & 10. The crowd has not gotten louder, CJ Anderson picks up 5 yards again… for the last play of the quarter. The Rams have a total of 15 yards and have had zero first downs.
Rams 0-13 Saints, :32, 1st quarter
CJ Anderson gets his first carry of the game, for 5 yards. On 2nd & 5, the Rams pick up another penalty, this time a false start that negates their gain. The Rams take a timeout. The announcers speculate that the crowd noise is a factor here.
Rams 0-13 Saints, 1:40, 1st quarter
Another Lutz kick, another touchback. Now would be a good time for the Rams to get their first 1st down.
@HunterFelt With #Brexit making Brits understandably nervous, please make sure your audience knows that 100% of the US economy consists of cars and beer. I’m watching Rams-Saints so I know I’m correct.
— Ron Stack (@ronstack) January 20, 2019
And “The Masked Singer” episodes, apparently.
Touchdown! (Saints)
Rams 0-13 Saints, 1:40, 1st quarter
On 1st & 10, Brees throws to Ginn who can’t quite make the completion. 2nd & 10, Kamara gains about 6 yards. 3rd & 4 at the Los Angeles 12… and Kamara can only pick up another two yards. On 4th and 2, the Saints, who are aggressive, put the offense back on the field… an they draw a defensive encroachment penalty for a first down.
And on the next play, Brees finds Garrett Griffin for the first touchdown of the game and the extra point is good. That was Griffin’s first catch of the year.
Rams 0-6 Saints, 3:08, 1st quarter
The Saints pick up two yards on first down. On 2nd & 8, Thomas catches a Brees pass and gets tackled immediately. It’ll be 3rd & 2, and another chance for the Rams to shut down a promising drive by New Orleans.
Instead, Brees finds an open Thomas who picks up a first down at the Rams 18.
Rams 0-6 Saints, 5:05, 1st quarter
It really feels like the Saints should already be up by two touchdowns considering their first two possessions. Wow, Josh Hill picks up 24 yards to get to the LA 44. He comes off a little dazed, however. That’s not a good sign.
Rams 0-6 Saints, 5:35, 1st quarter
The Rams’ punt puts the Saints at their own 34, decent starting position. Wait, I’m pretty sure the broadcast just went out with “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” Kind of a downbeat choice there, guys.
Rams 0-6 Saints, 5:35, 1st quarter
And the Saints hold the Rams to a 3-0. Might be a decent defensive battle brewing here.
Rams 0-6 Saints, 7:10, 1st quarter
Lutz’s kickoff goes to the end zone again for a second straight touchback.
Email from Ezra Finkelstein
Pretty dull game so far,with the run game of both teams not working.Wonder if Bill Belichick is watching...
Good question, I would think he’s still getting the Patriots prepared.
@hunterfelt happy football day! That anthem was bizarre. So were the puppets. #saints
— Kerri Maguire (@KerriKezzbox) January 20, 2019
Updated
Field goal (Saints)
Rams 0-6 Saints, 7:10, 1st quarter
So, the Saints take over at the Rams 15. The Rams defense steps up though, limiting Brees and the Saints to a 3-0. Lutz kicks a 29 yard field goal right through the uprights. Again, could be worse for the Rams.
Rams 0-3 Saints, 8:42, 1st quarter
On 2nd & 3, Gurley gets stuffed for a loss. It’ll be 3rd & 7, Goff’s pass gets deflected and then intercepted by Demario Davis! Oof!
Rams 0-3 Saints, 9:26, 1st quarter
Well, that could have gone worse for the Rams. It looked like Brees had thrown a sure touchdown pass at the end of that Saints drive. There’s a flag on the kickoff, an illegal block on the Rams, who will start on their own 10. On 1st & 10, Jared Goff throws to Robert Woods, who picks up about seven yards.
Field goal (Saints)
Rams 0-3 Saints, 10:07, 1st quarter
On 3rd & 7, Brees throws to Dan Arnold who can’t quite hold on for the touchdown. Big drop. The Saints have to settle for a field goal here. Wil Lutz’s 37 yard field goal is good and New Orleans is on the board first.
Email by Roger Kirkby:
Hi Hunter, watching the game in a pub in London, definitely not the same as watching it in a bar in California. I’d like to see the Rams win. It would make coming back to LA the right decision.
They have to fight for the honor of LA football after the Chargers laid an egg last Sunday.
Rams 0-0 Saints, 10:12, 1st quarter
And on the next throw, Drews and Kamara connect again and get to the 22 yard mark. 1st & 10, Brees throws incomplete. On 2nd & 10, Brees finds Thomas for a three yard gain before Aqib Talib stops him. The Saints take a very early timeout.
Rams 0-0 Saints, 11:53, 1st quarter
Mark Ingram picks up 9 yards on 1st down but then gets stuffed for a two yard loss. 3rd & 3, Rams could make a big stop here. Instead Brees throws long to Kamara. A beautiful 21 yard pass to get the Saints to the Rams 36.
Updated
Rams 0-0 Saints, 14:16, 1st quarter
The Saints are starting at their own 25. Brees throws to Michael Thomas on 1st & 10, but it’s incomplete. On 2nd down, Alvin Kamara picks up about two yards. On 3rd and long, Brees finds Ted Ginn for a nine yard completion and a first down.
Opening kick
Rams 0-0 Saints, 15:00, 1st quarter
Rams win the toss and they will (rightfully) defer. That’s my one NFL strategy: always defer on the opening coin toss. That means the Saints will receive to start the first half while the Rams will start off the second half. The Ram’s kickoff goes to the end zone for a touchback.
National Antem
Jimmy Buffett is singing the national anthem (?). Okay I’ve definitely taken something. I’m giving it a 3/10 and I’m being super-generous.
And the lights go out and the fire display goes off (I hope that’s what I’m seeing) as the players start taking the field.
We are getting closer to kickoff and more importantly, we’re getting closer to the end of the pregame show. Something just happened involving Rob Riggle and puppets. Or I have accidentally ingested something psychoactive. This liveblog could get dicey shortly if the latter.
Predictions
I’ve already made my prediction, I’ve got the Saints just outlasting the Rams. I am pretty much putting all my faith in the venerable Drew Brees making the Super Bowl for the first time since his 2009 victory. Your thoughts? Send them here and we’ll include them on in the liveblog, either by emailing them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweeting them to @HunterFelt.
The FOX NFL pregame show has like three more people on it than necessary, this is like a scene from a Marx Brothers movie. The set is about to topple over thanks to the combined weight.
Updated
AFC Championship Game
Later in the day, 6:40pm EST to be precise, the Guardian will be liveblogging the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs. It should be a great match between the top quarterback in the league in Tom Brady and his possible successor in Patrick Mahomes. The Patriots ran all over the Los Angeles Chargers while the Chiefs handled the Indianapolis Colts with ease. This one should be a much closer game, at least if their regular season matchup is anything to go by.
Preamble
For a good chunk of the season, the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints were fighting for the best record in the NFL, and they both managed to secure it, ending the season at 13-3. The Saints, however, owned the tiebreaker, so they’ll be hosting today’s game. So, it’s pretty fitting that the two of them will face each other in the NFC Championship Game with a Super Bowl appearance on the line.
The Rams had a slightly easier time getting to the penultimate round of the playoffs. While the final score of their win over the Dallas Cowboys was 30-22, the Cowboys were coming from behind the entire way. Led by the running back duo of Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson, they managed to end the Cowboys without much fuss.
Unfortunately for them, Drew Brees and the Saints will prove to be a somewhat more difficult task, particularly since they will have home field advantage today (not that the Coliseum makes for the most daunting place to play for opponents, but still). The Saints 20-14 comeback victory against the Philadelphia Eagles finally ended Nick Foles’s magical postseason run. Now there’s one more victory away from giving their Hall-of-Fame quarterback an attempt to pick up his second Super Bowl ring.
This should be a good game, unlike most of the ones we had last weekend. You can contribute to our liveblog by emailing us (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or tweeting at us (@HunterFelt) with your question, analysis, freewheeling commentary or what have you. It’s the LA Rams vs the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superbowl. We’re about a half-hour away from kickoff, but your humble host will be returning beforehand.
Updated
Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s his preview of today’s game:
What the Rams need to do: The Rams need to keep relying on their running game. Everyone was expecting Todd Gurley to have a big game against the Dallas Cowboys last weekend but nobody was expecting CJ Anderson to outdo him, or for both running backs to pick up more than 100 yards each. Now the Saints defense will have to game plan for both men.
What the Saints need to do: Get in front early. The Saints had to crawl out of a 14-0 hole against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. That’s not going to work against a much tougher opponent in the Rams, who dominated in the first half against Dallas, going up 20-3 on their way to a 30-22 victory.
Key player for the Rams: Aaron Donald, DT. Donald led the league in sacks during the regular season with 20.5, and is favorite to be named defensive player of the year. He’s going to have his work cut out against Drew Brees, however. Donald managed a few tackles on the future hall of famer in their last meeting, but no sacks.
Key player for the Saints: Michael Thomas, WR. Last time these two teams faced each other, Thomas accumulated 211 yards and scored a key touchdown late on. Last weekend, Thomas went off for 171 yards and yet another touchdown against the Eagles. He will be a factor again.
Unheralded players to watch: The kickers. It doesn’t get much more unheralded than being a kicker, but we’ve already seen how important they can be in a winner-takes-all scenario. Just ask poor Cody Parkey, whose blocked field-goal ended the Chicago Bears’ season. So, watch Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein and Saints kicker Wil Lutz. If casual football fans know one of their names after the game ends, that probably means something bad has happened. The usually reliable Lutz, in fact, nearly found himself the Saints’ fall guy with his fourth-quarter miss against the Eagles, but the Saints were able to hold on to win 20-14.
Prediction: Rams 24-28 Saints
