The Vikings plan to hire Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell to be the 10th head coach in the franchise’s 61-year history, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.
A deal with O’Connell cannot be completed until after Los Angeles plays the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. But the Vikings on Wednesday night had begun informing the other finalists in their coaching search they would not get the job, sources said.
The Vikings spent most of Wednesday interviewing Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh but never made him a job offer, a source with knowledge of the discussions said. According to multiple news media reports, Harbaugh has informed Michigan he is returning to the school.
The Vikings chose O’Connell, 36, after conducting a second interview in Los Angeles with him on Monday. The Vikings also had second interviews with Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
O’Connell, a former quarterback, was Washington quarterbacks coach in 2017, Kirk Cousins’ final season as the starter there, and would figure to run a similar system in Minnesota to the one the Vikings first installed with Kevin Stefanski and Gary Kubiak in 2019.
O’Connell also worked with new Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in San Francisco in 2016, when the coach was on the 49ers staff doing special projects under Chip Kelly. Sources said Adofo-Mensah held O’Connell in high regard before he got the Vikings job, putting him on a list of coaches the GM wanted to work with, and O’Connell emerged as one of the favorites for the Vikings job as the team started its second round of interviews this week.
The Vikings will bank on the relationship between their 40-year-old general manager and their 36-year-old coach, as they try to refresh an organization that was rife with tension at the end of Mike Zimmer’s and Rick Spielman’s time together. Zimmer and Spielman were not on speaking terms toward the end of the 2021 season, and linebacker Eric Kendricks hinted at a desire for change after the Vikings fired both the coach and the GM on Jan. 10.
“I think just having that voice, no matter how big your role is, is important, to listen up and take each other’s feelings into account,” Kendricks said. “I don’t think a fear-based organization is the way to go.”
O’Connell was Washington’s offensive coordinator in 2019 and was hired for the same position with Rams in 2020. The Vikings’ search committee came away thrilled about how O’Connell would lead the team, a source said.
He will become the fourth former assistant of Rams head coach Sean McVay to get an NFL head coaching job. Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who will face the Rams in the Super Bowl, was McVay’s quarterbacks coach before Cincinnati hired him. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur had previously been McVay’s offensive coordinator, and Brandon Staley became the Chargers’ head coach last year after working as the Rams’ defensive coordinator.
Morris and Graham figure to stay with their current teams as defensive coordinators. Graham and Morris, who are Black, were the two coaches of color to hold in-person interviews with the Vikings. The team had planned a second interview with 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans this week, but he withdrew his name from the process.
Graham came to the Twin Cities for a nine-hour in-person interview on Tuesday, the same day former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a lawsuit alleging systemic racism in the league’s hiring practices for coaches.
All four head coaches to get jobs in the 2022 hiring cycle are white; O’Connell would become the fifth. At the moment, there are only three minority head coaches in the NFL (the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, the Jets’ Robert Saleh and the Commanders’ Ron Rivera). Adofo-Mensah, who became the first Black man in Vikings history to hold the GM title, is one of six GMs of color in the NFL.
The Bengals upset the reigning AFC champion Chiefs in Kansas City, and the Rams snapped a six-game losing streak to their division rival 49ers. Now, Cincinnati and Los Angeles are set to square off in the biggest game of the biggest season in NFL history: Super Bowl LVI. Can Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the young, upstart Bengals steal the spotlight yet again, this time on the grandest stage in all of sports? Or are the glitzy Rams, assembled like an all-star team with Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. leading the way, destined to become the second straight NFL team to win it all in their own stadium?
Either way, this Super Bowl is gonna be must-see TV. Here’s everything you need to know in advance of the big game:
When is the Super Bowl?
The Bengals and Rams will square off on Sunday, Feb. 13, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Where is the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl LVI will be played at SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, California. That’s the home of both the Rams and Chargers, so Sean McVay and Co. will have a chance to become the second straight team to win a championship in its own home after Tom Brady and the Buccaneers routed the Chiefs in Tampa, Florida, to close the 2020 season.
How to watch the Super Bowl
TV: NBC | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Who’s favored to win?
Immediately following the Rams’ NFC Championship win over the 49ers, Los Angeles entered the week as 4-point favorites in Super Bowl LVI over the Bengals.
Key Bengals vs. Rams matchups
Joe Burrow vs. Aaron Donald: More like Cincy’s O-line versus Los Angeles’ front seven, but you get the picture. Burrow absorbed a record nine sacks in the Bengals’ win over the Titans earlier this postseason, but he stayed upright against the Chiefs on Sunday. Donald and the Rams, however, boast one of the nastiest fronts in the NFL, so it’ll be imperative that Zac Taylor and the Bengals’ staff gets creative, if necessary, to keep their star QB on his feet.
Ja’Marr Chase vs. Jalen Ramsey: One of the game’s top playmaking pass-catchers against one of the game’s top cover men. Chase has made electrifying plays against virtually everyone in his historic rookie campaign, but Ramsey is no stranger to big-time one-on-ones. If the Rams’ front gets after Burrow, this matchup might be especially crucial as the Bengals QB looks to loft it up for his go-to game-changer.
Sean McVay vs. Zac Taylor: The latter emerged from under McVay in Los Angeles, and now he has a chance to upstage his fellow young gun on the biggest stage of them all. McVay squandered his timeouts in the NFC Championship and has gone conservative in some odd spots over the years, but he may have a chance to put the pedal to the floor if Matthew Stafford can take advantage of Cincy’s defense early.
Bengals vs. Rams prediction
Latest Odds:
Los Angeles Rams
-4.5
Don’t hold me to this (unless it turns out to be right), but here’s the early assessment: my heart says Bengals, but my head says Rams. Can Los Angeles be trusted? Probably not. For all their star power, they’ve now survived two straight playoff wins by the skin of their teeth, and you might say that about the Bengals, too, except the Rams were literally built to win it all. They are the win-now team, assembled with one big-name veteran after another. Cincy feels like the right call, with all their fun-loving, expectation-shattering youth. But Aaron Donald and the Rams’ defensive front is a different animal, and we saw in Tennessee what can happen when Joe Burrow’s blocking is up against real pressure. If Sean McVay can actually put a game plan together, L.A. should be able to do quite a bit more than it did against the 49ers, and that spells a big-play win at home.
After a string of five Super Bowls featuring either Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and the Rams’ Matthew Stafford, made sure that trend didn’t continue.
Two weeks from now, the Cincinnati Bengals will face the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. It will be only the second time that two quarterbacks who were No. 1 draft picks will face off in the championship game (Peyton Manning and Cam Newton were the first pair in 2016).
Both quarterbacks survived close calls on Sunday to get there. Burrow led the Bengals to a second-half comeback against Kansas City in the A.F.C. championship game to advance to his first Super Bowl, the third in Cincinnati’s franchise history. A few hours later, the Rams advanced to their second Super Bowl since the 2018 season after getting past San Francisco in the N.F.C. championship game.
In just his second season as an N.F.L. starter, Burrow made the Bengals’ postseason aspirations a reality, ending the team’s streak of 31 years without a playoff win. Cincinnati finished the regular season with a 10-7 record and one of the league’s hottest offenses, powered by Burrow’s poise, a record-setting season by the rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase and a career rushing season from running back Joe Mixon. Chase, who topped 1,400 receiving yards in the regular season, caught a game-tying touchdown in the A.F.C. championship game on Sunday.
The group, which is as young and inexperienced as any team in the postseason, got past Derek Carr and the Raiders in the wild-card round. Then the Bengals used a walk-off field goal against the A.F.C.’s top-seeded Tennessee Titans to win the divisional round. On Sunday, the team stunned Kansas City, the A.F.C.’s two-time defending conference champion, in the conference title game — keyed by a defense that stifled Mahomes, Kansas City’s superstar quarterback.
Burrow’s success in his final season at L.S.U. foreshadowed the successful and electrifying N.F.L. quarterback he had the potential to be. His confidence was lauded by teammates, and he has been credited with implemented a winning culture in Cincinnati, despite not even playing a full season his rookie year.
After he tore multiple ligaments in his left knee in Week 11, he faced a test of how he would respond.
“I’m sure there was a lot of uncertainty on his end,” Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor told reporters this week. “He wanted to respond the right way.”
The Rams’ general manager, Les Snead, brought in Stafford during the off-season after the team decided that Jared Goff, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl after the 2018 season, was not its quarterback for the future. Stafford, who was known for his big arm, had built a formidable reputation as the Detroit Lions’ quarterback. Yet he had never won in three postseason appearances with Detroit, something that many credited to a lack of talent around him.
In Los Angeles, he forged a connection with one of the most productive receivers in football, Cooper Kupp, and found another weapon in receiver Van Jefferson. After the deep threat Robert Woods tore an anterior cruciate ligament during the season, Stafford was given another reliable target in Beckham, who was one of the most talented receivers in the N.F.L. but had been a poor fit with his previous team, the Cleveland Browns.
Snead’s methods of putting together this Super Bowl-caliber team have been unconventional and aggressive. He decided to forgo draft picks for established, impactful players like Beckham, who gave Stafford a dependable second target to replace Woods. Los Angeles plucked a former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, Von Miller, from the Broncos to play alongside the dominant defensive lineman Aaron Donald. The Rams also added running back Sony Michel in a trade with the Patriots when Cam Akers tore an Achilles’ tendon before the season.
That added up to a team that many predicted had too much talent not to reach this stage.
Los Angeles’s road to the Super Bowl was not without bumps, however, as Stafford piled up late-game turnovers down the stretch. But after throwing 17 interceptions during the regular season, he has turned the ball over just once in the playoffs.
The Rams glided past Arizona in the wild-card round and survived a Tampa Bay comeback attempt in the divisional round, with Stafford using a long pass to Kupp late in the game to set up a winning field goal. Then, on Sunday, Los Angeles outlasted the 49ers in a close N.F.C. championship game.
The Super Bowl matchup appears to favor the Rams, who indeed opened as a 4-point betting favorite in sports books. Taylor, who has been the Bengals’ head coach since 2019, was the Rams’ quarterbacks coach under Head Coach Sean McVay before that. He was with the team from 2017 to 2018 and was a part of Los Angeles’s Super Bowl run.
Los Angeles seems to have the advantage in terms of pass rush, with Donald, Miller and Leonard Floyd waiting to face Cincinnati’s much-maligned offensive line.
The Bengals allowed the most sacks (51) during the regular season, but that only made Burrow’s elevated passing numbers all the more impressive. He had 4,611 passing yards and 34 touchdowns during the regular season, and has tacked on 842 more yards and four touchdowns in the postseason.
Stafford, after throwing for 41 touchdowns in the regular season, had six passing touchdowns in the playoffs, including two straight 300-yard passing games.
After Sunday’s conference championship games had concluded, both quarterbacks had entered uncharted territory for them.
“This is a whole lot better than what I thought it was going to be like,” Stafford said after the Rams’ win.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — There were still 25 seconds left in Sunday’s NFC championship game when Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay left the sideline in search of his quarterback.
As soon as he spotted Matthew Stafford at the 35-yard line, McVay sprinted in his direction and wrapped him in an emotional hug, one year in the making.
Exactly 365 days before they eliminated their biggest nemesis and secured the chance to host Super Bowl LVI, the Rams made a seismic trade that was perceived as a gamble at the time. They sent two future first-round draft picks, a third-round selection and onetime franchise quarterback Jared Goff to Detroit in exchange for the talented but inconsistent Stafford.
One year later, during a heart-pounding 20-17 victory over the 49ers to reach the Super Bowl, Stafford showed why the Rams were right to give up that haul to get him. He completed 31 of 45 passes for 337 yards and made a series of big plays with the season on the line that Goff never could have.
Sometimes, Stafford wowed the Rams with his pinpoint passes. He capped a 97-yard, 18-play second-quarter march with a gem of a corner route to Cooper Kupp between two helpless defenders.
Other times, his resilience was his biggest attribute. He kept right on slinging the ball, even after Kupp and Ben Skowronek dropped potential second-quarter touchdown passes and the Rams fell behind by 10 points midway through the third quarter.
And once, Stafford caught a lucky break and capitalized. After 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt had a gift-wrapped interception bounce off his chest and fingertips early in the fourth quarter, Stafford steadied himself and drove the Rams for game-tying and game-winning field goals.
In his postgame news conference, as jubilant Rams fans banged on the walls and pulsating rap music blared in the background, McVay was asked, “Is this why you went out and got Matthew Stafford?”
The Rams coach stifled a laugh and said, “What do you think the answer to that question is?”
“We went out and got him because we thought it was a chance to get a great player,” McVay continued. “Those chances don’t come around often. What he’s done, he’s elevated everyone around him. He’s made me a better coach. He’s made his teammates better. He’s such a great person. If you don’t root for this guy, something’s wrong with you.”
A few minutes later, seated at the same podium that McVay had just occupied, Stafford reminisced about his “excitement” at learning the Rams had traded for him. In an instant, he went from a Detroit team that hadn’t won a playoff game in three decades to a Rams franchise that had pushed all their chips into the middle of the table to try to win the Super Bowl.
“This is a long time coming, you know?” Stafford said. “I’ve spent a lot of years in this league and I’ve loved every minute of it. But I sure am happy for this opportunity, not only for myself but for a lot of other guys in the locker room that deserve it too.”
The Rams traded for Matthew Stafford to help them win a Super Bowl. He’s very close to delivering. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
That Stafford’s crowning moment came at the expense of the 49ers made the victory all the more sweet. Not only had the Rams lost six straight games against their NFC West rivals, they had also squandered two chances to step on the 49ers’ necks already this season.
On a Monday night in mid-November, the 49ers entered a home game against the Rams at 3-5, teetering on the brink of a second straight lost season. That night, the 49ers ambushed the previously surging Rams, rediscovered their identity and gained the belief they had what it took to compete with the NFC’s best teams.
Eight weeks later, the 49ers traveled to SoFi Stadium needing to win to salvage a playoff spot. Energized by a roaring red-clad crowd, the 49ers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to save their season and ignite a playoff run.
When the Rams faced a 17-7 third quarter deficit on Sunday night, it seemed that the Rams might regret not eliminating the 49ers when they had the chance. Their desperation even began to show when they burned all three second-half timeouts by the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter, two on dubious McVay challenges that had little hope of reversing calls.
Despite relentless pressure from the 49ers’ formidable defensive line, Stafford and his receiving corps saved McVay from an offseason of second-guessing. Kupp caught both of Stafford’s touchdown passes, Odell Beckham Jr. furthered his redemptive arc with nine catches for 113 yards and backup tight end Kendall Blanton filled in admirably for an injured Tyler Higbee with five crucial receptions.
That group had a chance to put their team up seven late in the fourth quarter, but the Rams had to settle for a go-ahead Matt Gay field goal after their drive stalled deep in 49ers territory. That left Stafford pacing nervously in front of the bench until three plays later, when Aaron Donald muscled through the 49ers’ offensive line and forced Jimmy Garoppolo into a catastrophic interception.
“I wish we would’ve put seven up there,” Stafford said with a smile afterward. “I would have felt a whole lot better on the sideline.”
Finally, after Travin Howard’s interception secured victory for the Rams, Stafford could exhale. At 33, he reveled in shedding the label of not being able to win a big game and piloting his new team to its second Super Bowl in four years.
When speaking to reporters, Stafford fielded a question about what it would be like to play the Super Bowl at home. His bluntly honest answer offered a window into his mindset.
“As long as we’re playing in it, Stafford said, “I don’t give a s*** where it is.”
The experts predicted a defeat for the San Francisco 49ers, but with just one quarter left to go, they seem like they might make the experts look bad. they have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Los Angeles Rams 17-7 after three quarters
The 49ers have been relying on QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who has passed for two TDs and 202 yards on 21 attempts, and WR Deebo Samuel, who has caught three passes for one TD and 60 yards. No one has had a standout game offensively for Los Angeles, but they have gotten one touchdown from QB Matthew Stafford. Stafford has been efficient, with a passer rating of 127.20.
Who’s Playing
San Francisco @ Los Angeles
Regular Season Records: San Francisco 10-7; Los Angeles 12-5
What to Know
The Los Angeles Rams haven’t won a game against the San Francisco 49ers since Dec. 30 of 2018, but they’ll be looking to end the drought Sunday. At SoFi Stadium at 6:30 p.m. ET, Los Angeles and San Francisco will grapple for the championship and a ticket to the Super Bowl. Matchupthese two teams experienced a bit of a scare in their previous matchupthese two teams experienced a bit of a scare in their previous but managed to pull out a pair of wins.
The Rams earned some more postseason success in their contest last week. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sneaking past 30-27. Los Angeles’ QB Matthew Stafford did his thing and passed for two TDs and 366 yards on 38 attempts in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown. Stafford’s 70-yard touchdown toss down the right side of the field to WR Cooper Kupp in the second quarter made for one of the most memorable moments of the afternoon.
Special teams collected 12 points for Los Angeles. K Matt Gay delivered a perfect 3-for-3 game.
Speaking of close games: last week San Francisco sidestepped the Green Bay Packers for a 13-10 victory.
As it got past the Packers’ offensive line to sack QB Aaron Rodgers five times for a total loss of 29 yards. The heavy lifting was done by DE Arik Armstead and DE Nick Bosa, who each racked up two sacks.
The Rams are the favorite in this one, with an expected 3.5-point margin of victory. They might be worth taking a chance on against the spread as they are currently on a two-game streak of ATS wins.
A couple defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Los Angeles enters the matchup having picked the ball off 19 times, good for third in the league. As for the 49ers, they rank first in the NFL when it comes to forced fumbles, having caused 22 on the season.
How To Watch
When: Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, California
TV: FOX
Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Rams are a 3.5-point favorite against the 49ers, according to the latest NFL odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 3.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -110
See NFL picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
San Francisco have won ten out of their last 14 games against Los Angeles.
Jan 09, 2022 – San Francisco 27 vs. Los Angeles 24
Nov 15, 2021 – San Francisco 31 vs. Los Angeles 10
Nov 29, 2020 – San Francisco 23 vs. Los Angeles 20
Oct 18, 2020 – San Francisco 24 vs. Los Angeles 16
Dec 21, 2019 – San Francisco 34 vs. Los Angeles 31
Oct 13, 2019 – San Francisco 20 vs. Los Angeles 7
Dec 30, 2018 – Los Angeles 48 vs. San Francisco 32
Oct 21, 2018 – Los Angeles 39 vs. San Francisco 10
Dec 31, 2017 – San Francisco 34 vs. Los Angeles 13
Sep 21, 2017 – Los Angeles 41 vs. San Francisco 39
Dec 24, 2016 – San Francisco 22 vs. Los Angeles 21
Sep 12, 2016 – San Francisco 28 vs. Los Angeles 0
Jan 03, 2016 – San Francisco 19 vs. Los Angeles 16
Howdy folks, and welcome to our coverage of the NFC championship, which in this case is kind of an extension of the NFC West championship.
It’s the San Francisco 49ers, on the road in the cushy conditions of a state of the art soon to be Super Bowl facility, against an embattled, support challenged home team: the Los Angeles Rams.
Indeed, the Rams – better quarterback, more talent, better divisional finish, home game – are in something of a strange position. LA seem to fit neatly into the “nobody likes us” category, despite all the advantages listed above, including that January home game you play all season to earn. Or even worse, perhaps it’s the “nobody cares about us” slot they sit in (gulp).
Such is the life of a Los Angeles based NFL team: fancy address, few fans. There was a reason the city was a void of the nations most popular league for so long: they’re just not that into it. Or maybe LA, a city of considerable diaspora, are just into others, like the 49ers for example: this weeks visiting home team.
Even worse for the Rams, San Francisco beat them twice in the regular season, most recently, 27-24 in this very same venue just a few weeks ago, extending their formidable winning streak to six against the SoCal franchise.
So yes, there’s a lot of negative story lines out there when it comes to these Rams. And not all of it is fair of course: these Rams are actually an excellent team, and are actually favored to win today. And if they do win, they’ll be in their second Super Bowl in four seasons. Plenty of franchises would sign up for that (I can think of two right here in New York).
This is the team of QB Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Even Matt Gay, whose clutch kick put them into the NFC title game is a Pro Bowler. So this team has Supeer Bowl caliber weaponry – they just have few fans and can’t beat the Niners. Which is a bit problematic.
That’s because the Niners strikingly handsome quarterback Jimmy Garropolo, ok/fine to good, only sometimes very good, is further proof that it is possible for a franchise to get into big games without the Mahomes’ and Rodgers’ of the world, and actually win them. (Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer also helped).
The mortal Jimmy G does excels beyond his natural talent level, in part because he can rely on the dynamic cast he’s surrounded with – five pro-bowlers, seven alternates, including wideout Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle. They are well coached by head coach Kyle Shanahan, and have the mettle to win on the road, in the cold and snow against a team with three more wins and a Rodgers.
That means there’s no fear for these 49ers in the controlled, considerably friendlier atmosphere where these two teams will play today.
How will it end? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out. We’ll have a bit more pre-game fodder before kickoff and get to your thoughts, providing you snd them in. Seriously, hit me with anything – I’m here for you. Email me with your thoughts or tweet @LengelDavid and I’ll put your name in the paper (your mom will be so proud).
Two division rivals face off tonight for the right to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVI. It’s the San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams, Kyle Shanahan vs. Sean McVay. Shanahan’s 49ers swept the Rams in the regular season, and have won six straight against McVay. Matthew Stafford and Co. are coming off of a win over the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however, and are looking for revenge against a rival.
This will be the fourth intra-division conference championship game since realignment in 2002. Interestingly enough, the previous three winners of intra-division conference championship games have gone on to win the Super Bowl. The Rams are the first team to host a conference championship game in the same stadium that will host the Super Bowl, so they can’t let this opportunity go to waste.
Below, we will examine the different betting angles for this matchup. We will provide picks from both CBS Sports and SportsLine experts on this NFC showdown, as well as a few player props that we view as enticing.
All NFL odds are via Caesars Sportsbook.
How to watch
Date: Sunday, Jan. 30 | Time: 6:40 p.m. ET Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV (try for free) Odds: Rams -3.5, O/U 45.5
49ers at Rams spread picks
“49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Rams coach Sean McVay are good friends who have worked together in their careers. But since becoming head coaches, Shanahan has gotten the better of McVay. He is 7-3 in 10 games against him, winning six straight, including two this year. In Week 18, the 49ers beat the Rams on the road to earn a spot in the playoffs. Here we are three weeks later, and they are back in the same building meeting for a chance to get to the Super Bowl.
“In the last meeting, the 49ers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to win the game, 27-24. The 49ers defensive line dominated the Rams offensive line in that game. In two games against the Rams, the 49ers have seven sacks and 21 pressures without doing a lot of blitzing, which is something Matthew Stafford has killed this season.
“The Rams love to run the ball in their zone scheme, but the 49ers have run it better in the two games, getting an average of 87.5 yards more per game on the ground. That’s where this game will be won. The team that runs it best will win. The 49ers need to run it take the pressure off Jimmy Garoppolo, while the Rams key their offense off that wide-zone scheme.
“As for attacking the 49ers defense, it’s simple. Block them against the pass and you will beat them. That’s something the Rams have not done. I don’t think they will do it here, either.
“The Rams are the star-studded team, but the 49ers are the more physical team. The last time a team won three games, including a conference title game on the road, against the same team in the same season came in 1999. That year, the Jacksonville Jaguars were the star-studded team, but it was the Tennessee Titans that were the more physical team. The Titans won the championship game to get to the Super Bowl on the Jaguars’ field. That will happen here as well. The 49ers will continue their run to a title with a tough, physical victory.”
— CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco is calling the upset this weekend in the NFC. To read his conference championship column, click here.
“The Rams under Sean McVay are winless against Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. The 3.5-point spread for the 49ers makes me think Vegas wants us all on San Francisco. The Niners swept the regular season series. San Francisco is a bad matchup for the Rams because the L.A. defense is designed to snuff out superstars on the other side of the ball and punish questionable offensive lines.
“The 49ers have plenty of stars but no alpha the offense runs through. Deebo Samuel isn’t someone you can just put Jalen Ramsey on. Using Ramsey on George Kittle works pretty well with Ramsey playing more in the slot, but George Kittle is used in run blocking so much it’s not necessarily maximizing his skillset.
“My heart’s rooting for Stafford and my brain is sending off a Spidey Sense signal the Rams might be ready to break through. Maybe they get us the Chiefs-Rams Super Bowl we’ve been waiting on for a few years now. My wallet wants a 49ers-Bengals matchup and I picked just that before the playoffs. I can’t possibly lay down now.”
— CBS Sports’ Will Brinson had a tough time deciding between his heart and his mind on the NFC side of things. To read his picks column, click here.
“When these two teams have met in their second game each of the past three seasons, the Niners have won them each by a field goal as time expired. It’s uncanny. It’s hard to beat a good team three times, and I just don’t see it happening this weekend.”
— CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones is taking the Rams to get the last laugh on the 49ers. To read his Sunday picks and the NFL insider notebook, click here.
“The Rams were swept by the 49ers in the regular season. There’s no way they go 0-3 against Jimmy Garoppolo, right? A team losing three times to one opponent in the same season hasn’t happened since 2017. Additionally, if L.A. loses on Sunday, it would be Sean McVay’s seventh-straight loss to Kyle Shanahan. The last time a head coach lost to an opposing head coach seven straight times was Marvin Lewis and his Bengals struggling against Mike Tomlin’s Steelers.
“San Francisco’s comeback against the Rams in Week 18 was incredible, but I don’t think that happens again. The 49ers’ postseason run has been impressive, but it certainly hans’t been perfect. They almost blew a lead to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round and needed a blocked punt touchdown to down the Green Bay Packers last weekend. Matthew Stafford hasn’t been in this situation before, but I think he’s ready for it. He threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and orchestrated a game-winning drive. He’s not going to let this opportunity to play in the Super Bowl in his new home stadium slip through his fingers. His legacy is still being established.”
— CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani is taking the Rams to win and cover vs. the 49ers. To read his weekly column, click here.
Before you make any 49ers vs. Rams picks or any other NFL predictions, you need to see which side SportsLine NFL expert Micah Roberts is on. Roberts has worked in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry for 20-plus years, including a 13-year run as Station Casinos’ book director. He is 10-6 against the spread in his last 16 NFL picks, for a profit of $345. In addition, Roberts has gone an astounding 10-1 in his last 11 picks involving San Francisco.
We can tell you he’s leaning Under, but head on over to SportsLine to see his against the spread pick.
49ers at Rams total picks
“These two teams hit the Over/Under once apiece this year in their two meetings. If you recall how their matchup went earlier this month, the Rams jumped out to a 17-0 lead, and the 49ers had to score 14 unanswered in the third quarter to tie the game. I don’t think the Rams get off to that hot of a start this time around. The 49ers’ path to victory includes controlling tempo and establishing the run. Betting unders in Championship Weekend isn’t fun, but that’s where my lean is.”
— CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani gives his thoughts on the total in the NFC Championship game.
Before you make any 49ers vs. Rams picks, you need to check out the latest NFL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,500 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. The model enters championship weekend in the 2021 NFL playoffs on an incredible 137-97 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. Amazingly, it hasn’t missed a top-rated pick since Week 14 of the regular season. To see what it has to say about the total this Sunday, click here.
Player props
Deebo Samuel receiving yards: Over 52.5 (-115). Samuel hasn’t crossed this number in the playoffs yet, and has caught just three passes in each postseason game. Still, he’s San Francisco’s most talented weapon, and the 49ers will have to ride him if they want to outscore Stafford. Samuel caught four passes for 95 yards in Week 18 vs. the Rams, and then five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in their first meeting. He has averaged 87.8 receiving yards per game this season, and has that big-play ability where he can get to this number on just a few catches.
Jimmy Garoppolo total interceptions: Over 0.5 (-140). Jimmy G has thrown an interception in each playoff game. Additionally, he threw two in both of the final regular-season games for a total of six interceptions thrown in his last four outings. Garoppolo’s last game where he didn’t throw an interception came Dec. 19 against the Atlanta Falcons, and he’s thrown at least one pick in 10 of 17 games played this year.
Matt Gay made extra points: Over 2.5 (+105). The 49ers haven’t had a team attempt or make three extra points against them in any game this postseason, which is a credit to their defense. But Gay has made at least three extra points in each of the last three games — including in Week 18 vs. the 49ers. He’s missed just one extra point all season.
TD props
Cam Akers to score a touchdown: (-104). Akers made a miraculous return after suffering a torn Achilles in July. He hasn’t scored a touchdown in three games played, but McVay will get him one in this important home game.
Kyle Juszczyk to score a touchdown: (+575). Juszczyk is one of the better players in the NFL even though he’s not a household name due to his position. Juszczyk has scored just two touchdowns all year, but has recorded two touches per game in each playoff contest. He caught two passes for 15 yards against the Cowboys and rushed two times for 14 yards against the Packers. This is obviously a flier, but when San Francisco gets in the red zone, look for him.
A lot has been made about what’s expected to be a large turnout of San Francisco 49ers fans for Sunday’s NFC Championship against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
If a Saturday Niners pre-game rally at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles is any indication, “large” may be an understatement.
The free event, which started at 11 a.m. and was scheduled to go through 3 p.m., was hosted by the Niners at Tom’s Watch Bar and overrun by a sea of red on the eve of the NFC title game, with a line to get in snaking around the entirety of L.A. Live’s courtyard and out onto the surrounding streets.
LA takeover is real.
Like go get into Tom’s Watch Bar is around the block #FTTB pic.twitter.com/LLtBxHLUzh
— Nick Newman (@NinerNick_22) January 29, 2022
The event was filled with all the usual pre-game rally fanfare: a raffle, special guests (49ers Super Bowl champion Eric Davis was on hand, along with the Niners’ mascot and Bay Area rapper/49ers superfan P-Lo) and, of course, free giveaways. Among those was one particular freebie that poked a bit of fun at the Rams: a red fan sign that read “Beat LA… Again!”
The 49ers have won six straight meetings between the two teams, including sweeping the two-game series set against them this season. Sunday’s affair will be a rare shot at a three-game sweep of an opponent for San Francisco.
Since Rams head coach Sean McVay took over, he’s 3-7 against 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who he worked under in Washington. His last win against S.F. came in Week 17 of 2018, a week that featured Nick Mullens lining up under center for the Niners.
Rams season ticket holders bought up every ticket to Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, but there are no restrictions on those tickets being re-sold to 49ers fans — raising concerns for the Rams that their home field will feel like a road game.
When the Rams and 49ers met in the regular season finale, 49ers fans were so loud inside SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles that the Rams had to use a silent count. That led to the Rams asking fans not to sell their NFC Championship Game tickets to 49ers fans, and putting a restriction on sales outside the Los Angeles area.
But that restriction has now been lifted, raising questions about how many of those Rams season ticket holders will choose to make a profit by re-selling to the highest bidder, which may be a 49ers fan.
“The game is sold out. Our Season Ticket members bought up all available tickets during a presale over the weekend, so there is no policy in place,” the Rams said in a statement to ABC 7 in Los Angeles.
The 49ers have plenty of fans in the Los Angeles area, so even if the geographic restriction were in place, plenty of 49ers fans could get in. Ultimately, both teams should prepare for the possibility that they’ll need to use a silent count.
