Epic clash lines up for NFC title
Gritty, reinvented Rams defense will test soaring Saints
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Marcus Peters was in Amari Cooper’s face from the Cowboys’ opening drive until the postgame handshakes, where the Los Angeles Rams cornerback gave one last shove to the Dallas receiver.
Peters didn’t win all of his matchups with Cooper. In fact, his unnecessary roughness penalty from his first scrap with Cooper led directly to Dallas’ first touch- down in the clubs’ NFC divisional playoff game Saturday night.
But for better or worse, Peters also exemplified his team’s determination not to be pushed around by anyone. Sometimes, they’ll even start the fights.
With their 30-22 victory against the Cowboys, the Rams (14-3) are headed to the NFC championship game Sunday against the New Orleans Saints with an incendiary attitude and renewed proof of their toughness on both sides of the ball.
“Our sense of focus and the sense of urgency have gone up tremendously,” guard Rodger Saffold said at the team’s training complex.
The Rams have built a reputation for cerebral, clever play during two seasons of coach Sean McVay’s influential offensive schemes. But one big difference between last season’s team, which lost its first playoff game, and this season’s NFC championshipbound squad is the new, provocative Rams defense, led by Peters and fellow cornerback Aqib Talib, along with a team-wide embrace of physical, disruptive play.
The Rams know they’ll have to be tough again when they visit New Orleans for the third time this season, counting a preseason trip to
the Big Easy.
Los Angeles took its first loss of the year at the Superdome on Nov. 4 in a 45-35 shootout with the Saints.
“I think we match up really well [with the Saints],” Saffold said. “I think we’ll have a better plan against them on the second goround.”
The Rams also will have Talib, who was out with an injury when Los Angeles native Michael Thomas made 12 catches for 211 yards as the Saints ran wild in the Rams secondary.
“The Saints have a highly controlled game plan,” edge rusher Dante Fowler said. “They’ve got everything down pat and they’re going to execute it. You’ve just got to try your best to stop it. They’ve got great offensive linemen and a Hall of Fame quarterback and a twoheaded monster in the backfield, and Michael Thomas is a great receiver. We’ve just got to come with it.”
The Rams are respectfully confident about their chances playing for a Super Bowl berth — but these Rams also have an attitude, and it’s taking them far.
The Rams are in their first NFC title game in 17 years because of their physicality, which was on display as they manhandled the Cowboys. Dallas entered the Coliseum with one of the NFL’s top rushing defenses, along with their own powerful rushing offense led by NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott, yet the Rams dominated en route to the conference title game.