NFC Championship
(6) San Francisco 49ers at (4) Los Angeles Rams
49ers: It’s never about who has the best record come playoff time. It’s all about who plays the best in January when it matters most and who can get hot and click. I remember back in December, I had a phone caller for Monday Evening Quarterback and I mentioned to him if there was a team that you didn’t want to see in the postseason, it’s this group right here. Injuries can destroy the confidence of a football team. Look at last year. George Kittle was in and out of the lineup, Nick Bosa tore his ACL and Jimmy Garoppolo was dealing with ailments of his own. Now, all three have been healthy and it’s made all the difference. I can admit, I didn’t know what to expect from the 49ers after they almost gave up the game against the Cowboys in the Wild Card round. I thought their offensive gameplan was perfectly executed which was a mix of run and pass. Last weekend in Green Bay, the offense wasn’t necessarily potent, but when they needed to move the chains, they did it. What won that game for them were defense and special teams. Once again, they beat the Packers and continued their ownership of Aaron Rodgers. Since 2011, they have been in the NFC Championship a total of five times. They will look to advance to their second Super Bowl in three seasons on Sunday evening.
Rams: Let’s rewind for a second. It was around this time last season when they decided to trade Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford. I just want to reiterate this one fact. Matthew was never the problem in Detroit. Coming to Los Angeles was a blessing in disguise for the veteran quarterback. He has weapons galore, a running game he can lean upon, and one of the best defenses in the league that can get him the ball back and get him that short field to work with. The chemistry he’s developed with Cooper Kupp has been incredible and as I’ve said earlier in the year, I haven’t seen Stafford in sync with a receiver like this since his days with Calvin Johnson. There’s another guy I want to discuss on this L.A. offense. That’s Odell Beckham Jr. I’m so happy for him because he finally looks comfortable within an offensive system. I’m also proud of him because he’s matured as a football player. He’s not acting out nor is he a distraction. He just wants to play football. The Rams had me scared on Sunday in Tampa Bay because they almost blew it. When the defense is active, they’re a difficult unit to do much on. They can rush four without having to blitz and they draw up so many different looks to confuse your offense. They’re back home and they have a bigger home game on their minds if they take care of business on Sunday.
49ers X-Factor: Fred Warner– I love the way this guy plays the game! He’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Brian Urlacher. He’s a top-three linebacker in this league. His intensity on the field is so contagious and those are the guys you want to play with because it encourages you to be better. What’s always stood out to me about Fred’s game is his IQ. He knows where to be at all times to make the best play for his team.
Rams X-Factor: Cam Akers– I didn’t think I’d be talking about him being a contributing factor after hearing he tore his Achilles before the season started. I’ve told people he’s cut from the Arian Foster cloth. Cam just knows how to maneuver himself around without doing too much. Cam is tough to bring down in the open field and more than shifty to get around a would-be tackler. I’m happy he’s back on the field.
Final Thoughts: It’s an all-Cali battle to decide the NFC! Dating back to 2019, the 49ers have dominated the Rams winning the last six meetings. When they last met, the Rams had a 17-point lead and blew it. The 49ers came back and won in overtime. Weeks later, here we are. I need to see more from the San Francisco offense. I’m not saying make the game a track meet, but take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. You won’t beat the Rams how you were able to squeak by Green Bay. The Rams can’t beat themselves up with turnovers as they did last weekend in Florida. This Rams offensive line will also be tested against this San Francisco pass rush. This game will also come down to which quarterback can avoid making the big mistake at crucial points of the game.
Prediction: Rams 28, 49ers 23
