WASHINGTON -- Greg Zuerlein kicked a 57-yard field goal in overtime Sunday to send the Los Angeles Rams into Super Bowl 53 with a 26-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
The Rams, who fell behind 13-0, made their greatest NFL playoff comeback and never led until Zuerlein kicked the longest playoff field goal in team history to win the National Conference final.
"Unbelievable. Can't find the words," said Rams quarterback Jared Goff. "To be down 13-0, the defense to play the way they did. And our kicker made a 57-yard field goal. Unbelievable."
The Rams advanced to the February 3 NFL championship spectacle in Atlanta against the winner of the American Conference final later Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots.
Rams coach Sean McVay, who turns 33 on Thursday, became the youngest coach to reach the Super Bowl.
"It's a credit to the people you have around you," McVay said. "Our team demonstrated great mental toughness. It was a tough start. We had confidence and we got it done. It was a great win."
The Rams seek their fourth NFL crown but their first for Los Angeles in the Super Bowl era. The team won NFL titles in 1945 based in Cleveland, 1951 based in Los Angeles and by winning the 2000 Super Bowl while based in St. Louis. The franchise lost two other Super Bowl trips in 1980 (Los Angeles) and 2002 (St. Louis).
"I'm so happy and proud for the players and coaches and so happy for the city of Los Angeles," Rams owner Stan Kroenke said.
The Saints received the ball to open the extra period but Rams linebacker Dante Fowler hit quarterback Drew Brees as he threw and safety John Johnson picked off the awkward lob while falling onto his back.
That lone New Orleans turnover set up Zuerlein's winner after he made earlier field goals from 36, 24 and 48 yards.
"I'm proud of our defense," said Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. "We've got one more to take care of. I was crying on the bench. I've never been this excited."
- 'It's a tough call' -
The Saints, who beat the Rams 45-35 in the regular season at New Orleans, were deadlocked late at 20-20 when Brees lofted a long pass that Ted Ginn Jr. grabbed for a 43-yard gain to the Rams 13-yard line.
A controversial no-penalty call on third down when Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman ran into Saints intended receiver Tommylee Lewis led to a 31-yard Wil Lutz field goal to give the Saints a 23-20 lead, but it also gave Los Angeles 1:41 to respond.
The Rams drove to set up Zuerlein's 48-yard equalizer with 15 seconds remaining to force overtime, leaving Saints coach Sean Payton upset at officials well after the last whistle.
"They felt like the player arrived at the same time the ball did," Payton said. "It was an interference call. It was a tough call when you're in a position to go the Super Bowl.
"Credit the Rams. They made the plays when they had to. I'm proud of our team. They accomplished a lot. It's just disappointing to get to this stage and not get any farther."
- Rams rally from 13 down -
The Rams, who like New Orleans went an NFL-best 13-3 this season, pulled within 13-10 at half-time on Todd Gurley's 6-yard touchdown run with 24 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Gurley's 58th touchdown in 61 career NFL games came one play after Goff connected with Brandin Cooks on a 36-yard pass.
New Orleans responded early in the second half with a 12-play, 71-yard march capped by a 2-yard Brees touchdown pass to Taysom Hill as the Saints seized a 20-10 advantage.
Los Angeles answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive resulting in Goff's 1-yard touchdown toss to tight end Tyler Higbee. Zuerlein equalized from 24 yards with 5:03 to play.
The Rams, who had never won a playoff game when trailing by seven or more points, managed only 15 yards in the opening quarter as the crowd noise from Saints' supporters in the Superdome made it difficult for LA players to hear signals.
Lutz kicked field goals of 37 and 29 yards and Brees flipped a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Griffin for a 13-0 Saints lead.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
LOS ANGELES -- The New Orleans Saints handed the Los Angeles Rams their first defeat of the NFL season on Sunday, thwarting the Rams' second-half rally in a 45-35 triumph in the Superdome.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw four touchdowns, connecting with Michael Thomas for a 72-yard TD with less than four minutes remaining that put New Orleans up 45-35.
It was the Saints' first touchdown of the second half, and came after the Rams had roared back from 21 points down to knot the score at 35-35 early in the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing Los Angeles drive, Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw three straight incompletions and the Saints got the ball back, eventually converting a fourth-and-one play that sealed the win.
Overall Goff connected on 28-of-40 passing attempts for 391 yards and three touchdowns. But his first-half interception helped set up one of five Saints touchdowns before halftime.
It was 35-17 at the break. After the Rams tied things up on Goff's 41-yard scoring pass to Cooper Kupp and a two-point conversion, the Saints took a 38-35 lead on Wil Lutz's 45-yard field goal with 6:23 to play.
"We knew what we were up against," Thomas, who caught 12 passes for 211 yards, said of the powerful young Rams team. "They were playing excellent. They're playing great team football. We knew we had to execute at a high level, do our jobs and the team that made the fewest mistakes would win the game."
Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs' star second-year quarterback, enjoyed another big day, tying Andrew Luck's NFL record by throwing for 300 yards for the eighth straight game in a single season as the Chiefs beat the Browns in Cleveland 37-21.
Mahomes completed 23-of-32 passes for 375 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, and the Kansas City offense was right there with him.
Kareem Hunt ran for two touchdowns and caught a TD pass as the Chiefs improved to 8-1.
The Browns, playing their first game since head coach Hue Jackson was sacked, were down 37-21 in the final five minutes when quarterback Baker Mayfield threw an interception -- quashing any hopes they harbored of a comeback.
Stout defense lifted the Chicago Bears to a 41-9 victory over the Bills in Buffalo.
Chicago's defense forced four bills turnovers and scored two touchdowns, intercepting third-string quarterback Nathan Peterman three times. That included a pick-six by outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.
Adrian Amos and Kyle Fuller also intercepted Peterman, who was forced into action because Josh Allen (sprained elbow) and Derek Anderson (concussion) were unable to play.
The Pittsburgh Steelers notched their fourth straight win, downing the Ravens 23-16 in Baltimore.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw touchdown passes to Antonio Brown and James Corner, who had 56 receive yards and rushed for 107 yards against the top-ranked defense in the NFL.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
LOS ANGELES -- Jared Goff threw for three touchdowns as the resurgent Los Angeles Rams overpowered the Houston Texans to maintain their push towards the postseason on Sunday.
Rams quarterback Goff amassed a career-high 355 passing yards as the league's most potent offense took their time before pulling away for a 33-7 win at the Memorial Coliseum.
The victory was the latest stop on a season of renaissance for the Rams, who are now 7-2 at the top of the NFC West after finishing last year at 4-12.
A tight first half saw the Rams held to a 9-7 lead with Bruce Ellington scoring a touchdown for the Texans.
However the Rams cut loose in a dazzling third quarter, with Goff hurling a 94-yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods from inside the Los Angeles end zone to launch a 21-point scoring blitz.
Goff then picked out Sammy Watkins for a 17-yard touchdown before hitting Woods once more for a 12-yard score.
The victory keeps Los Angeles on course to reach the postseason for the first time since 2004.
Elsewhere on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys lost further ground on NFC East pace-setters the Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) after slipping to a 27-7 loss against the Atlanta Falcons in Georgia.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott rushed for a first quarter touchdown to give Dallas the lead but ultimately suffered a miserable day, being sacked eight times.
Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn was responsible for six sacks as the Cowboys offense, missing the suspended Ezekiel Elliott, failed to fire.
Dallas are now 5-4 in the NFC East, making it increasingly likely their best hope of reaching the playoffs is going to be via a wildcard slot.
In early games Sunday, Chris Boswell drilled a last-second field goal to give the Pittsburgh Steelers a comeback 20-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The victory saw the Steelers move to 7-2 at the top of the AFC North.
It was the final act of a second-half revival by the Steelers, who had trailed 17-3 in the third quarter before rallying to overturn the deficit.
"We were tested, and tested in a lot of ways," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. "Game circumstances kind of do that to you, but the guys didn't blink with it. They are to be given credit for that.
"Guys delivered in critical moments."
Elsewhere Sunday, Minnesota improved to 7-2 at the top of the NFC North with a 38-30 victory in Washington.
Vikings quarterback Case Keenum threw a career-high four touchdown passes while Adam Thielen amassed 166 receiving yards to help set up the win.
New Orleans meanwhile cemented their status as one of the form teams of the NFC after clinching a seventh consecutive victory in a 47-10 rout of the Buffalo Bills.
Running back Mark Ingram II rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns as the Saints, unbeaten since losing their opening two games of the season, improved to 7-2 to lead the NFC South at New Era Field.
Rookie Alvin Kamara also rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown while another rookie Trey Edmunds had a 41-yard gallop to score in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Drew Brees also rushed for a touchdown as Buffalo slumped to their heaviest home defeat since 2007.
In San Francisco, the 49ers finally got off the mark, winning their first game of the season with a 31-21 defeat of the hapless New York Giants (1-8).
source: news.abs-cbn.com
