NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS

BY ADAM GREENE

We are officially off book when it comes to my preseason Super Bowl predictions in the NFC bracket. It’s a glorious place to be.

If you check out that preseason predictions article, you’ll see that I nailed the NFC’s final four participants, if not the games and final results. I had the Los Angeles Rams traveling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in my NFC conference final. Instead, they played that last week so now we’ve got to forge a new path.

LA hosts the NFC Championship and, if they win, will be the first team to do that before hosting a Super Bowl. All that stands in their way is a team that’s beaten them six consecutive times with a quarterback that’s never lost to them.

This is the oldest rivalry still left in the playoffs and it’s a good one, going back to 1950. San Francisco leads the all time series 75-67-3 and has put together a solid streak here since Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay took over their respective franchises. Shanahan is 7-3 all time against McVay, with the biggest win coming back on Jan. 9 in the regular season finale. San Fran had to win to get into the playoffs and did, taking it 27-24 in overtime after a game-tying final minute drive led by Jimmy Garoppolo in regulation. Garoppolo finished 23 of 32 for 316 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Deebo Samuel caught four passes for 95 yards, rushed eight times for 45 yards and a touchdown and threw a 24 yard TD to Jauan Jennings. Brandon Aiyuk caught six passes for 107 yards. Elijah Mithcell rushed 21 times for 85 yards.

In the loss, Matt Stafford finished 21 of 32 for 238 yards, three TDs and two interceptions. Sony Michel had 43 yards on the ground and Cooper Kupp caught seven passes for 118 yards and a score.

In spite of the fact that the teams have 10 Super Bowl appearances between them, this is just their second playoff match up with both coming in the NFC Championship. Back in the 1989-90 season, it was the Rams navigating the Wild Card only to see their season come up one game short to the Joe Montana-Jerry Rice 49ers 30-3 in the NFC title game.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (-3.5, O/U: 46.5)

Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.

Broadcast: FOX

Kickoff: Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (12-7)

If Aaron Rodgers did have any boycotting plans heading into the Super Bowl, the 49ers ruined them as they have on three other occasions last Saturday. San Francisco entered Lambeu Field a touchdown underdog and left victorious, 13-10, after a last second field goal.

Garoppolo finished 11 of 19 for 131 yards and an interception. Mitchell rushed for 53 yards and Samuel rushed for 39 and added 44 as a receiver. San Fran’s defense sacked Aaron Rodgers five times and held Green Bay to just 67 yards on the ground.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (14-5)

The Rams knocked off the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday in dramatic fashion. LA surrendered a 27-3 lead thanks to four fumbles, but a dagger strike from Stafford to Kupp in the game’s final seconds set up the game winning field goal as time expired. Los Angeles won 30-27.

Stafford finished 28 of 38 for 366 yards and two touchdowns. Cam Akers rushed for 48 yards and Kupp caught nine passes for 183 yards and a TD. The Rams defense sacked Tom Brady three times, picked him off once and Von Miller recorded a sack fumble.

THE PICK

There’s no way to make this one more dramatic. The Rams could have kept the 49ers completely out of the playoffs three weeks ago, but couldn’t get it done. Now, they’ve lost six straight to San Francisco. Can the 49ers do it again, make it three in a row this season or is the third time the charm for LA? Or the seventh time, as it were? Rams 31, 49ers 24

Last Week

Straight up: 1-3

Against the spread: 3-1

Playoffs

Straight up: 6-4

Against the spread: 6-4

Season

Straight up: 176-105-1

Against the spread: 149-133

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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