Vin+ 3,121 Posted January 6, 2018 http://hosted.stats.com/fb/preview.asp?g=20180106014&home=14&vis=1 THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams are trying to get to where the Atlanta Falcons were last season -- the Super Bowl. That's a lofty goal for the NFL's youngest team. But Los Angeles (11-5) can take its first step in that direction when hosting the Falcons (10-6) in an NFC wild-card game Saturday night. In the Rams' second year in their return to L.A., they will host a playoff game at the storied Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first time since the 1978 season. Atlanta returns to the playoffs after last season's painful loss in Super Bowl LI. The Falcons led the New England Patriots by 25 points before succumbing, 34-28 in overtime. Falcons coach Dan Quinn isn't expecting that meltdown to haunt his squad. "I love the resiliency and the toughness of this team," Quinn said. "When you've been through some of the fire together, you come out the other side stronger as a brotherhood." The Rams have done little wrong under rookie head coach Sean McVay. At 31, McVay is the league's youngest coach and is directing its most prolific offense. Behind a unit averaging nearly 30 points per game, McVay helped flip a team that went 4-12 last season to NFC West champions and back in the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Quarterback Jared Goff has gone from bust to being accurate and efficient. Running back Todd Gurley churned out a league-best 2,093 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns. With wide receivers Sammy Watkins, Roberts Woods and rookie Cooper Kupp, there's no shortage of targets for Goff to aim his passes. But the Falcons have a core of players and the motivation from that painful Super Bowl lesson tucked away. They are older and maybe wiser, but the No. 3-seeded Rams, aren't fretting over their lack of postseason reps. "I don't think it is a concern," McVay said. "When I say that, I have a whole lot of respect for experience and what that does and the value that it provides. But I do think that we've got a confident group, a mature group for a young football team." How Goff responds to the oversized setting is among the red flags the team's detractors mention. But after going 0-7 in his rookie year, Goff has thrown for 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions this year in leading a balanced attack. He seems at-ease with the task at hand. "I think more than anything it's a big game," Goff said. "I think that's what it boils down to and we do have experience with that stuff. "We played a big game in Seattle a couple weeks ago. We played a big game two weeks ago against Tennessee. We played a big game against the Eagles ... we had a bunch of big games against top teams this year and so I think that experience will translate mostly to this game." Quinn is familiar with Goff's offensive coordinator, Matt LaFleur. He held that same position with the Falcons last year. "What I have been most impressed by is you have to defend the entire field," Quinn said of LaFleur's approach. "When you have a team that has the run, has the play-action, the quarterback-boot and stuff, it makes it real difficult and challenging to defend." The sixth-seeded Falcons will lean on savvy quarterback Matt Ryan (20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions) and a deep running attack spearheaded by Devonta Freeman (865 yards, seven touchdowns). Although Julio Jones has had an inconsistent season, he remains dangerous with 1,444 receiving yards and three touchdowns. While McVay is the youthful vibe of offense, it'll be the sage Wade Phillips, the Rams' 70-year-old defensive coordinator doing his best to stop the Falcons. All of this will be played out in the historic L.A. Coliseum venue with an expected 70,000 on hand to toast the Rams return to the playoffs in L.A. The Rams left Los Angeles and relocated to St. Louis after the 1994 season, an absence that lasted until 2016. "It's definitely a cool thing," Goff said. "After football has been gone here for so long and we came back year two and being able to bring a playoff game to the Coliseum is very cool." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted January 6, 2018 The legacy of Cooper 'Ball in a' Kupp begins in earnest. Hall of fame career is gonna start with a massive styling on the Falcons. 34 16 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted January 6, 2018 Upset special. Falcons keep it close all game, the Rams offense can't close it out in the fourth quarter, and Matty Ice can. 34 28 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted January 6, 2018 Gonna go with the home team here. 31 28 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted January 7, 2018 That was really disheartening to watch. I mean, seriously LA? What the fuck was that?The Falcons looked really, really good, and as far as I'm concerned, you can punch their ticket to the NFC Championship game. The Eagles defense can't handle Jones and Sanu. Not a chance. Even if they shut down the running game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted January 7, 2018 If only we had drawn the Rams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted January 7, 2018 I dont think the Falcons really looked that particularly good. Just like I mentioned in the shoutbox Friday, I think the Rams just werent used to a game with stakes as high as this. Falcons have done this time after time and just went through the motions. They have the experience and knowledge to get out of the first round and then they pull a Wentz-less and again fairly inexperienced (playoff wise) team in the Eagles. Sometimes life just isnt fair. And sometimes luck means more than actual skill. GG Atlanta 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted January 7, 2018 Has the Falcons defense been this good all year? Holy crap they were awesome. Secondary was smothering Rams receivers (who normally get all kinds of separation) and the front seven kept Gurley bottled up until the fourth quarter, and by then it was too late. The Rams will be back. Young coach, young QB...no shock that they lost tonight. Their roster is still stacked. Jared Goff is a good QB but he's not the real deal yet. McVay will get him there. My money's on the Rams to repeat in the NFC West next season. The problem for Atlanta continues to be kicking FGs instead of TDs. Fortunately for them, the Foles-led Eagles won't make them pay for that, but their NFCCG opponent certainly will. Miscellaneous thought: Why didn't the Falcons go for 2 after their final TD (to go up 14 pts)? Had the Rams managed to score 2 TDs they would have won, 27-26. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanbrock 1,684 Posted January 8, 2018 Honestly I thought Goff played his ass off and his team outside of Gurley and the defense really let him down. Woods and Watkins got fucking owned by Trufant and Alford lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted January 8, 2018 At this point in time I think it's safe to say that Sammy Watkins fucking sucks. And Woods is a nice splash player but that's about it. There's a reason opposing defenses paid the most respect to Kupp all season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
