Rams defy the media naysayers, advance to the NFC Championship Game

the Los Angeles Rams beat the Dallas Cowboys 30-22 to advance to Championship Sunday to face either the New Orleans Saints or the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Los Angeles Rams survived and advanced on Saturday night. In front of a prime time national TV audience, head coach Sean McVay took that next step with a team who was not a media favorite, but won a game that they needed to.

Los Angeles will face the Sunday winner of the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints. Most importantly, they demonstrated an ability to keep a high powered rushing offense led by Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott in check. He’d rush for only 47 yards on 20 carries and score one touchdown.

For the Rams, they’d execute an offensive game plan that saw them use two running backs wear down a solid Dallas defense. Pro Bowler Todd Gurley rushed for 115 yards on 16 carries, while C.J. Andeson added another 123 yards on 23 attempts. For good measure, Anderson would add two touchdowns to compliment Gurley who had one

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Most interestingly, quarterback Jared Goff had a night that won’t be a bookend kind of night given the stakes, but it was steady nonetheless. Goff would throw for 186 yards on 15 of 28. While he’d have no touchdowns, he’d also avoid any interceptions.

Simply stated, Los Angeles has managed to find the form needed to not just advance to the NFC Championship Game, but win it. Through the most fortuitous of circumstances, Anderson may end up being one of the key reasons they not just advance, but be a legitimate threat to beat either the Saints or a payback game against the Cinderella Eagles.

Ultimately whoever the Rams face, they’ll be getting a couple of teams who beat them in the regular season. Los Angeles lost to New Orleans 45-35, and lost to the Eagles 30-23. While revenge is typically overrated at the professional level, it won’t be lost on them that both games are ones that they could have won.