Rams host Saints in NFC Championship game in rematch of week nine thriller

In week nine the New Orleans Saints hung the first loss on the Los Angeles Rams’ season. A 45-35 shootout victory in the Super Dome moved the Saints to 7-1 while dropping Sean McVay’s squad to 8-1.

Now, two months later, the teams will do battle again but this time there are much bigger things at stake: a trip to the Super Bowl.

LA got their first playoff win under McVay with a devastating ground attack in which they rushed for 273 yards. CJ Anderson has been a revelation for the Rams since being signed in mid-December. The former Denver Bronco has rushed for over 120 yards in all three of his games as a Ram after he was brought in while Todd Gurley nursed a knee injury for the final two weeks of the regular season.

Anderson totted the rock 23 times against Dallas for 123 yards and two touchdowns while Gurley was limited to just 16 carries. Even then, the former Georgia Bulldog racked up 115 yards and a score.

While the rushing attack was a success, Jared Goff will have to be better leading the passing offense. The third year pro completed just 53.6% of his passes against Dallas, but he did throw for 391 yards when he last saw the Saints defense.

The high-flying Rams offensive unit ended the regular season a top five unit in every major statistical category. Their defense, however, has been largely poor – especially in the secondary.

Last time out Michael Thomas shredded the LA secondary with 12 catches for 211 yards and a touchdown which came on a 72-yard catch and run after cornerback Marcus Peters got burned, the former Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro corner added some extra spice to this game with a fiery interview after the loss.

Peters had some strong words for Saints Head Coach Sean Payton after their November encounter.

“Tell Sean Payton keep talking that s**t, we going to see him soon. Because I like what he was saying on the sidelines too, so tell him to keep talking that s**t and I hope he sees me soon, you feel me? And then we’ll have a good, nice little bowl of gumbo together.”

Payton’s team made it to the NFC championship game after what looked to be a close 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles but in actuality was a game in which New Orleans controlled three of the four quarters after a shaky start. Brees threw an interception on the first offensive play of the game and had to dig his team out of a 14-0 deficit.

Michael Thomas (#13) gave Marcus Peters (#22) the runaround in their week nine clash (photo credit: New Orleans Saints).

The dynamic duo of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram led the charge against Philadelphia as New Orleans rushed for 137 yards on the ground in their Divisional win.

Payton and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael will feel good heading into their clash in Los Angeles as last time out they orchestrated 487 yards of total offense and Brees threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns.

Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips saw his secondary carved up, especially Peters who had a rough day in coverage against Thomas.

The Saints offense look likely to repeat their high-powered offensive performance, their offense finished the regular season as a top ten unit in every major statistical category apart from, surprisingly perhaps, their passing offense which ranks 12th.

However, there are some concerns for the Saints defense as they lost defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to a ruptured Achilles which will hurt the second ranked run defense – meaning Gurley and Anderson could have another big day on the ground. In week nine, the Rams were restricted to just 92 rushing yards.

A 21-point second quarter in week nine blew the Rams out of the water in November when Brees capitalised on a failed fake field goal and a missed field goal to score 14 points before Goff threw a backbreaking pick with one minute left in the first half. New Orleans scored once more before the half to make it 35-14. LA would add a field goal to reduce the deficit to 35-17, but the damage had been done.

The Saints will be hoping to capitalise on any mistakes from the second seed in the NFC, conversely, McVay will be acutely aware that his squad must execute better if Los Angeles is to have a Super Bowl representative for the first time since the LA Raiders in 1984.