Los Angeles Rams kicker Matt Homosexual’s kick sneaked inside the left upright as the sport’s closing 4 seconds ticked away, giving Los Angeles a 30-27 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday to achieve the N.F.C. championship sport.
The Rams’ lead, which had ballooned to as many as 24 factors, had evaporated late within inort, and Bucand the Buccaneers’ing again Lagain,d FournetFournette, the game-tying landingtouchdown drive previouprevious to e-winning kick.
HowevHowever, quarterback Matthew Stafford relatconnected Cooper Kupp on a 44-yard go, then hustled his staff downfield to spike the ball to arrange Homosexual’s area aim.
The Rams, on paper, gave the impression to be the higher staff going into the sport. They’d an offense loaded with receiving weapons and an skilled quarterback, in Stafford, on the helm of the offense.
They’d a proction with certaf soccer’s greatest gamers, in Aa Donald. And so they had handled far fewer accidents than Tampa Bay.
However the Buccaneers had the final word benefit: the 44-year-old quarterback Tom Brady, who had performed in additional playoff video games than a lot of the gamers left within the postseason and who’s only a few years faraway from serving to his former staff, the New England Patriots, overcome a 28-3 third-quarter deficit in opposition to Atlanta to win the Tremendous Bowl.
Tampa Bay’s try at a comeback adopted a sport marred by an general staaant offense and defensive miscues. And although it appeared like Brady could lead on one other daticmoreseason comeback, the Rams, led by Stafford and their protection, held on with the walk-off area aim. They’ll face the San Francisco 49ers, who beat the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Saturday, within the N.F.C. championship sport.
The Rams by no means trailed, however Los Anbutave the Buccaneers loads of alternatives to chip away at its lead.
With theirer than 5 minutes remaining, Brady heaved a go as much as receiver Mike Evans, who had a one-on-one matchup in opposition to the star defensive again Jalen Ramsey, and Evans hauled within the go for a 55-yard rating. That made it a 7-point sport.
Within the third quarter, Tampa Bay recovered its second fumble of the sport — it recovered 4 fumbles whole — and turned the takeaway into 7 factors. Fournette, who performed in his first sport since Week 15 after getting back from injured reserve, punched the ball in from the 1-yard line.
That lower the Ramsloweredult in 14 and enertozed Raymond James Stadium’s house followerhomeo’d grown quiet as their staff struggled by way of the thru art latter .
Clinging to its two-possession lead, Los Angeles compelled two Tampa Bay turnovers on downs late within the sport to clinch its spot within the convention championship sport.
It was removed from an ideal sport by both staff. They mixed for six turnovers.
The Rams confrfacedle resistance from the Tampa Bay protedefensey and scored on three of their first 4 posfouressions.
Stafford, who’d had a topsy-turvy common season characterised by 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, appeared comfy early.
He had practically 200 passing yards earlier than the top of the primary quarter. He completed with 366 yards and two touchdowns, in contrast with 329 yards for Brady, who threw a landing and an interception.
On the Rams’ first landing drive, the Buccaneers had gifted them 15-yards due to taunting penalty on Ndamukong Suh. Stafford hit an unlikely goal, Kendall Blanton — he hadn’t had a landing all season — to present the Rams a 10-3 lead.
Los Angeles scored on their subsequent possession after a blown protection by the Buccaneers’ secondary, which struggled in protection in opposition to the Rams when the groups met in Week 3.
The misstep allowed Kupp, who led the league in the entire main receiving classes within the common season, to log a 70-yard rating.
The Buccaneers had been with out their All-Professional proper sort out Tristan Wirfs, who had an ankle harm, and it confirmed, Tampa Bay struggled in go safety for a lot of the sport.
Brady was sacked thrice.
