Expect to see a lot of L.A. if Rams win

Only 49ers stand in the way of rivals making second seed

The Los Angeles Rams built their star-studded showpiece roster with a mandate to play in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium — owner Stan Kroenke’s $5billion (U.S.) showcase venue.

With one game left in the regular season, the Rams are positioned to possibly host multiple post-season games there.

If the Rams (12-4) defeat the San Francisco 49ers (9-7) on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, they will win the NFC West and clinch the No. 2 seed for the NFC playoffs.

The top-seeded Green Bay Packers will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs but, as the second-seeded team, the Rams could play wild-card and divisionalround games at home.

The Rams are riding a five-game winning streak, including road victories the last two weeks against the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens.

“We’re taking some good momentum into this thing and hoping to continue to build on that,” receiver Cooper Kupp told reporters during a video conference Monday.

Since 2018, the Rams have not enjoyed momentum — or wins — against the 49ers. They have lost five games in a row, including a 31-10 defeat at Levi’s Stadium in November.

“They’ve had our number the last few times we’ve played them, without a doubt,” Kupp said.

“We’ve just got to be able to play our ball.”

The Rams defeated the Vikings and Ravens despite three turnovers in each game by quarterback Matthew Stafford.

That formula probably won’t work against the 49ers.

In the first game between the teams this season, Stafford had two passes intercepted — one that was returned for a touchdown.

Stafford has passed for 38 touchdowns this season with 15 interceptions, including four that have been returned for touchdowns. The 15 picks are the most he has thrown in a season since 2013.

Most of Stafford’s miscues with the Rams have occurred in the first half of games.

“I’m not concerned,” coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday.

Once again, McVay said that every interception has “a story,” and that Stafford executed without a passing error down the stretch against the Ravens.

Linebacker Troy Reeder, who had a team-best 10 tackles and a sack against the Ravens, said “it hasn’t been all smooth” for Los Angeles, but the Rams will be ready to play for the division title.

“We’ve dealt with injuries, COVID, different random things along the way,” Reeder told reporters. “We figured out how to get five straight wins … That’s really the only stat or thing that really matters is those wins.

“And we’re just trying to get another one Sunday and keep it rolling through the playoffs.”

If the Rams earn the No. 2 seed, and the post-season plays out according to seeding, the Rams would not have to travel until the NFC Championship game at Green Bay.

“It would be nice to kind of roll through the playoffs in SoFi,” Reeder said, “but we’ll do whatever we have to do.”

We’re taking some good momentum into this thing and hoping to continue to build on that.

COOPER KUPP, RAMS RECEIVER