NFL Game Of The Week: San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams

The 49ers will continue their improbable playoff run when the visit the Rams at SoFi Sunday in the NFC Championship game. San Francisco beat Green Bay on a 45-yard Robbie Gould field goal as time expired on Saturday night, while Los Angles nearly blew a 25-point lead but hung on to knock off the defending champion Bucs on Sunday. 

The 49ers didn't score an offensive touchdown against Green Bay, but held the Packers to 67 yards rushing, managed both a blocked field-goal and a blocked punt, and scored 10 unanswered points in the last five minutes en-route to the 17th conference championship appearance in team history. They'll now face a Rams team they have beaten in six of their last six meetings, including two games this season. 

49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's stats were not incredible Sunday. He completed 11-of-19 passes for 131 yards with no touchdowns with an interception while being sacked four times. But he completed his last four passes of the game for 56 yards, helping to set up Gould's game-wining field-goal. Garropolo has yet to throw a touchdown pass this post-season, but improved his playoff record with the 49ers to 4-1. San Francisco won for only the second time this season when Garropolo throws an interception.  

Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel has emerged as a true duel receiving and running threat for SF. Samuel (83 REC, 1,487 YDS, 6 TDS) is fifth amongst NFL wideouts in receiving yards. He has also carried the ball 79 times for 476 yards and nine touchdowns. His rushing yards and rushing touchdowns are most amongst NFL wideouts. Tight End George Kittle (76 REC, 991 YDS, 6 TDS) has battled through injuries this season, but remains one of Garoppolo's favorite targets and is tied for first on the team in touchdown receptions with Samuel. 

Wideout Brandon Aiyuk has also turned a corner after a disappointingly slow start to the season. Aiyuk has 61 catches for 892 yards and five TDs. Juan Jennings has 28 REC, 317 YDS, 5 TDS and has emerged as another arsenal in Kyle Shanahan's passing scheme. The 49ers are averaging 236.8 yards per game through the air (12th). 

The 49ers ground attack has thrived this season thanks in part to both Samuel and Elijah Mitchell. The rookie out of Louisiana has carried the ball 251 times for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. The 49ers are averaging 128.5 yards per game on the ground (7th).

San Francisco's defense, which struggled during their 3-5 start, has emerged as one of the most feared units of the teams remaining in the playoffs. They are giving up 207.2 yards per game through the air (6th) and 100.2 rushing yards per game (6th). They've held opponents to an average of just 69.3 yards on the ground in the last three games. They have 20 DPIs this season for 367 yards, both are most in the league. Linebacker Fred Warner's 148 total tackles (85 solo) leads the team. The 49ers sacked Aaron Rodgers five times for 48 yards Sunday, and have 48 team sacks this year, tied for fifth in the league. 

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 28-of-38 passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in Los Angeles's 30-27 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. The tenth-year quarterback, acquired from Detroit this offseason, finished the regular season with 4,886 passing yards and 41 touchdowns with 17 interceptions. In his two playoff wins with the Rams, the first two post-season wins of his career, he has completed 41-of-55 passes for 568 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He'll face a 49ers team Sunday that has picked him off four times this season in two games. 

Cooper Kupp finished the regular season with 145 catches for 1,947 YDS and 15 touchdowns, leading the team and the league in touchdown catches and receiving yards. Van Jefferson (53 REC, 872 YDS, 6 TDS) and Tyler Higbee (68 REC, 657 YDS, 5 TDS) also thrived in Sean McVay's system this season. Newly acquired Odell Beckham Jr. has caught 37 passes for 428 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games with the team and appears to have found his place within the offense. The Rams are averaging 275.4 yards per game through the air (5th). 

Darrell Henderson Jr. (149 ATT, 688 YDS, 5 TDS) and Sony Michel (222 ATT, 907 YDS, 4 TDS) have split the load at running back for a Rams rush that has been relatively pedestrian on the ground, averaging 99.8 yards per game (23rd). Michel's 121 yard game against Jacksonville in Week 12 was the first of only two 100-yard rushing performances by a Rams back this season. Los Angeles managed just 73 yards on the ground on 30 carries for a 2.4 average against Tampa bay. The Rams are clearly more of a pass-oriented offense, but both Henderson and Michel are making the most of their opportunities, with each averaging over four yards per carry. 

Safety Jordan Fuller leads the defense with 113 tackles (63 solo) while the always dangerous Aaron Donald leads the team with 14 sacks. Los Angeles finished the regular season with 50 sacks, good for third in the league. They got to Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady three times for 21 yards in Sunday's win. The Rams are weakest against the pass, giving up 238.1 yards per game (21st), but they finished the year tied for third in interceptions with 19, and have recorded three in their two playoff wins. They are one of the best in the league against the run, allowing 98.2 yards per game (5th). 

Prediction

San Francisco has not put up big offensive numbers in their two playoff games, but with two wins over Los Angeles this season, they seem to have the Rams figured out. Niners advance to their second Super Bowl in three years. 

49ers 30-Rams 20