TAMPA —
The Rams’ dream to play within the Tremendous Bowl on their dwelling area is alive, needing a victory over the San Francisco 49ers within the NFC championship recreation to qualify for Tremendous Bowl LVI. Rams beat author Gary Klein, NFL author Sam Farmer and columnist Invoice Plaschke of the The Occasions focus on their prospects.
It appeared somewhat odd that the Rams solely gave Sony Michel one carry as a result of he’s been so regular and Cam Akers has been liable to fumble previously. Did that catch you off guard? Will this be a kind of Sean McVay cliches — “Yeah, I ought to have gotten him the ball extra”?
Farmer: That was somewhat unusual. I anticipated to see extra of Sony Michel, though he did log snaps on third down. I feel he’s somewhat higher in move safety. Possibly McVay bought excited in seeing what Akers did towards the Cardinals and needed to step in up towards Tampa Bay. Akers is healthier at getting across the edge, and that’s the place groups have hand extra success towards the Buccaneers, versus working it between the tackles and into that wall of Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh. Both method, the Rams paid the value with that dropoff in ball safety.
Klein: McVay is enamored of Akers, who may be very proficient and made a exceptional comeback from an Achilles harm. To date within the playoffs, McVay and working backs coach Thomas Brown seem to have made him the brand new shiny toy that causes the previous reliable one to be left on the shelf. Suppose “When She Cherished Me,” the tune from the film “Toy Story.” Yeah, it will get me each time. In any case, Michel carried the Rams throughout their five-game profitable streak. He fumbled a grand whole of as soon as in 229 touches this season. Akers bought 24 carries towards the Buccaneers, Michel one. Until Michel was injured, it’s a thriller why a participant who had playoff and Tremendous Bowl expertise with the Patriots wasn’t utilized extra, particularly late within the recreation when ball safety was paramount.
Plaschke: Much more odd than the Rams’ refusal to make use of Sony Michel is the good Gary Klein’s utilization of a tune from “Toy Story” to clarify it. Possibly McVay must get extra touches for Woody?
Did you might have any thought Nick Scott and David Lengthy have been able to stepping in and serving to the depleted secondary as a lot as they did? Had they proven something earlier than? Of their newest displaying, Lengthy led the workforce with seven solo tackles. Scott had 5 tackles and an interception and knocked away two passes.
Plaschke: The high-quality play of Nick Scott and David Lengthy, in addition to some other Rams defensive again, is partially because of the Rams’ entrance seven inserting such stress on the quarterback. These DBs are seeing loads of determined passes from loads of fleeing males.
Farmer: Within the wild-card recreation towards Arizona, Nick Scott had that hit on A.J. Inexperienced that knocked the ball free. On the subsequent play got here that Kyler Murray desperation hook-shot factor that led to the loopy David Lengthy pick-six. Lengthy was a third-round choose the Rams have at all times preferred at nook. If something, Scott is the shock, making that ascent from a special-teamer to a probably dependable security. Folks discuss on a regular basis concerning the stars on groups, and for apparent causes, however on a roster just like the Rams, you want the David Longs and the Nick Scotts to step up and contribute. They don’t must turn out to be stars, however they do must turn out to be gamers you may depend on. That method you may afford the celebs and fill out the remainder of the roster with workmanlike solutions.
Klein: Scott has stepped up all through the season, and Lengthy is having fun with a resurgence within the playoffs. The Rams picked Scott within the seventh spherical of the 2019 draft primarily as a result of former special-teams coordinator John Fassel cherished him as a special-teams prospect. However Scott additionally has developed right into a rotational security whose function was elevated after Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp suffered accidents. Lengthy started the season as a beginning slot cornerback however misplaced his job to rookie Robert Rochell after struggling early within the season towards the Arizona Cardinals. It was becoming that he intercepted a move towards the Cardinals within the Rams’ wild-card victory. They weren’t the one unheralded gamers to carry out nicely towards the Buccaneers. Left deal with Joe Noteboom began at left deal with instead of Andrew Whitworth — and doubtless noticed his worth go up being that he's within the remaining yr of his contract — and tight finish Kendall Blanton caught his first landing move.
The Rams-Buccaneers recreation was paying homage to the Rams’ collapse at dwelling towards the 49ers within the season finale, which led to an extra time loss. What appears to be the Rams’ drawback?
Plaschke: The Rams’ swashbuckling tradition doesn’t place a premium on ball safety. They’re about scoring and dazzling and dismissing their turnovers as the value of doing enterprise. Why else do you assume Akers was not benched after his first fumble … or his second fumble? Simply as no Rams deficit is insurmountable, no Rams lead is ever protected.
Farmer: Nonetheless, in these video games they have been two several types of meltdowns. The 49ers have been extra churning and methodical, chipping away on the Rams within the second half after falling behind 17-0. On Sunday, the Rams served up a Buccaneers comeback on a pewter platter with all these turnovers and freakish errors — Akers fumbling on the one whereas stepping into to attain, a snap crusing proper previous Matthew Stafford, a extremely uncharacteristic fumble by Cooper Kupp … and Tom Brady on the opposite facet profiting from these miscues.
Klein: The Rams didn't survive their turnovers towards the 49ers, however they managed to towards the Buccaneers. Let’s be trustworthy: Would anybody of their proper thoughts guess that a workforce that loses 4 fumbles would beat Tom Brady in a playoff recreation? All of us can agree that loopy issues occur within the NFL. I’m nonetheless worn out from watching the endings of these 4 divisional-round video games. But when the Rams repeat these errors towards the 49ers, you may guess that Kyle Shanahan will make them pay.
What do you assume the Rams might want to try to do otherwise this time towards the 49ers?
Plaschke: This one is straightforward. Cease the run and put Jimmy G. in third and longs.
Klein: Be certain Deebo Samuel misses the bus to the stadium? The Rams should keep away from turnovers and cease the run, which might put stress on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to make performs. Don’t get me flawed: Garoppolo has been completely clutch towards the Rams. However the Rams have principally made it straightforward on him by permitting the 49ers to remain out of apparent passing conditions. Within the final two video games towards the Rams, Brady handed greater than 50 occasions. Garoppolo has performed six video games towards the Rams since 2017. He has by no means had greater than 33 makes an attempt.
Farmer: The Rams have to complete what they’ve began. That’s been a constant drawback — taking their foot off the gasoline. Of their final three video games, the Rams have outscored their opponents within the first half 58-6. These video games shouldn’t be that shut.
What makes you assume the Rams can beat the 49ers this time? In that regular-season finale, everybody appeared to assume L.A. was as a result of beat Kyle Shanahan. Six and counting ...
Plaschke: It’s inconceivable to imagine that a soccer whiz like Sean McVay will enable his workforce to be overwhelmed 3 times in a single season by one workforce. It’s simply not taking place. To cite once more from the good Gary Klein’s favourite film, the Rams are going “to infinity and past!”
Farmer: Beating an opponent 3 times in a season is actually tough, though San Francisco clearly has had the Rams’ quantity. I lean towards the higher quarterback at dwelling, and Matthew Stafford is healthier than Jimmy Garoppolo. Plus, we’re in L.A. What higher Hollywood story than a bully lastly getting his comeuppance? I feel the Rams win this time.
Klein: Properly, on the danger of being redundant, after six consecutive losses, the percentages of that streak ending must be within the Rams’ favor, proper? Jalen Ramsey stated earlier than the season finale that the Rams weren't victims of thoughts management. And veteran left deal with Andrew Whitworth stated it was fairly easy: Sooner or later, you may’t have excuses that you simply didn’t play nicely. He stated, “You’ve bought to indicate up and play.” One factor working within the Rams’ favor is that the 49ers performed a really bodily recreation in very chilly climate towards the Packers. Samuel bought knocked out of the sport for a time after a very violent collision, and, after he returned, he hopped off the sector on one leg. Left deal with Trent Williams additionally was limping to the sideline.
After the Chiefs received their playoff recreation on the primary possession of extra time towards the Payments, the equity of the OT rule arose once more. Do you assume the extra time rule ought to change?
Klein: Completely. It was nice to see Patrick Mahomes show all of his expertise within the extra time victory towards the Payments, however the rule because it stands now prevented Josh Allen from answering. That’s ridiculous. Every workforce ought to get the ball not less than as soon as. If the rating is tied after these possessions, it ought to turn out to be a sudden-death scenario.
Plaschke: The NFL extra time rule is arguably the worst rule in sports activities. It permits one workforce to win the sport with out using all sides of the game and causes one other workforce to lose and not using a probability to reply. It's unfair at finest, and farcical at worst. Give each groups the ball, and, sure, in the event that they’re nonetheless tied, go to sudden loss of life.
Farmer: This quantity caught my eye: Beneath the present extra time guidelines, there have been 11 postseason video games which have gone to extra time. The workforce that received the coin toss has gone 10-1 in these video games. OK, that’s a reasonably small pattern dimension, however it’s nonetheless fairly alarming. The competitors committee has to take one other have a look at extra time this offseason, with a watch towards a.) deemphasizing the significance of the coin toss, and b.) giving each groups a possession, whether or not the primary workforce to get the ball scores a landing or not. There are quite a lot of inventive thinkers on the market, and now’s the time to take a critical have a look at this.
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