2022 NFC Championship Game: Los Angeles finally defeats San Francisco 20-17, Super Bowl bound
Inglewood, California-- The 2022 NFC championship was more than a football game.
It was a battle of the golden state.
Los Angeles vs San Francisco.
The fabled rivalry.
It does not get any better than this.
The Los Angeles Rams are headed back to the Super Bowl after finally defeating their arch-nemesis, the San Francisco 49ers, 20-17.
That snapped a six-game losing streak to their divisional foes and punched their ticket to Super Bowl LVI, where they will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium.
49ers fans, can you say Déjà vu?
The end of this game had parallels to the Super Bowl loss to Kansas City two years ago as Garoppolo floundered in the fourth quarter, and the defense could not supply the big play as it had all season. Jaquiski Tartt's dropped interception was the most consequential against the Rams.
"It's a moment that a lot of athletes dream of," Tartt said. "Being in this moment, tie ball game, and you can make that game-changing play, and for me, that's something I was thinking about all week. I know I can make that play, and the play came up and I didn't make it. I know it was a big play in the game, a big opportunity for me and for the team, and as a player, I feel like I let my brothers down."
Garoppolo went 3 for 9 for 30 yards in the fourth quarter and threw an interception on what could have been his final pass with the 49ers.
49ers coach Kyle Shannahan wanted no parts of that conversation just yet.
“I’m not going to sit here and make a farewell statement or anything right now, that’s the last stuff on my mind,” coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. "But Jimmy has battled. ... He battled today. And he did some unbelievable things today and I love coaching Jimmy.”
After blowing two double-digit fourth-quarter leads in Super Bowl LIV and the 2022 NFC championship game, the 49ers have experienced some bleak finishes to end their season.
Now, that's enough reminiscing and back to the game.
Before Sunday, the Rams had been 0-14 under coach Sean McVay when trailing by 10 or more points entering the fourth quarter, including playoffs. That included 0-4 this season.
It looked like it was going to be 0-15 until Aaron Donald gathered the defense on the sideline.
"It was great," Von Miller said when asked about Donald's message to the defense with the Rams trailing 17-7. "He's been Aaron Donald -- vocally, physically, emotionally. ... That's what leaders do. He's a great leader. It just feels good to contribute. Like I said, a Super Bowl is all he needs. He could walk off into the sunset, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make that happen for him."
Donald didn't have a QB pressure through the first three quarters Sunday, as the immaculate 49ers offensive line buried Miller and Donald until the fourth quarter.
Rams as a whole pressured Garoppolo on just four of his 22 dropbacks in the opening three quarters (18%). In the fourth quarter, however, Los Angeles pressured Garoppolo on seven of his nine dropbacks (77%).
Donald and Von Miller combined for seven QB pressures Sunday, all in the second half, and Garoppolo was 1-of-7 passing on those plays.
The 49ers did not gain a single yard in the final 12 minutes of the game thanks to the Rams buckling down.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford led three straight fourth-quarter scoring drives, as Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr established a dynamic duo throughout the comeback.
Beckham caught nine passes for 113 yards. That included a 29-yard reception on the Rams tying field goal drive.
"Everything about this place is right, and it's done right," Beckham said. "It's just been an incredible opportunity that I feel like I'm just trying to make the most of. Here we are playing in the Super Bowl, one game away from our dreams. Just keep going."
All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp caught a pair of touchdown passes, one coming during that late rally.
Kupp, the fifth player since the 1970 merger to win the NFC receiving the triple crown, finished with 11 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns, giving him four this postseason.
His 386 yards are the third most in a postseason before the Super Bowl.
Although the Rams would not be anywhere without Cooper Kupp, they can say the same about Matthew Stafford.
On the first anniversary of his trade to the Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford finished 31-of-45 for 337 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on a goal-line throw to Kupp that was tipped.
He was 0-3 in the playoffs over his first 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions and has now led winning drives in successive playoff victories after a stress-free win over the Arizona Cardinals in the wild-card round.
"It's great that it's here," Stafford said of the Super Bowl. "If we were playing in it, I didn't give a hell where it was. I'm like, I just want to play in the dang thing. But the fact that it's under this roof, it's going to be awesome. Our fans did an unbelievable job tonight, making it a tough environment. And it's nice to send some of those red jerseys home."