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This is it. The two best teams in the NFC are meeting this Sunday in the NFC Championship for a trip to Super Bowl LIII. The Rams and the Saints will butt heads once again, and if the Los Angeles wants a different outcome than the Week 9 loss in the Superdome, here are five players that must play the game of their lives:
Marcus Peters
I included both Peters and Aqib Talib, because I believe the secondary is going to be the difference in this championship game. In the Rams’ 45-35 loss to New Orleans, the secondary got torched against Drew Brees and his receiving corps. Brees picked on Peters the most.
Saints star wide receiver Michael Thomas feasted on the Rams secondary, racking up 211 yards on 12 catches. Peters took the brunt of the blame for that performance. Fast forward to January, and Peters will have some help with Talib back.
Peters has been running his mouth a lot this week on social media. It is time to put your money where your mouth is. If it is indeed “Gumbo Week,” it is time to feast on Saints receivers. If Peters, Talib and company can contain the Saints passing attack, the likes of Donald, Suh, Brockers, and Ebukam will make life harder for Brees.
Aqib Talib
Talib spent the Rams’ matchup with the Saints on injured reserve. The Rams missed Talib and his ability to get under opposing players’ skins. His on-field tenacity is disruptive to passing games. With Talib back on defense, Wade Phillips will have the flexibility to put him in double team or zone read situations with Peters guarding the Saints’ best receiver (or vice versa). Talib can be that disruptive presence, but he must play the game of his life Sunday.
Jared Goff
Jared Goff played well against the Saints the first time around. He did throw one interception late in the first half that put Los Angeles down three touchdowns. However, Goff completed 28 of 40 passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns for a passer ratting of 115.7. Goff lead the near-comeback in that second half of that game.
Unfortunately, Goff has struggled towards the end of the season, looking overwhelmed by the Bears and Eagles at times. His passes have been off, and he’s gotten back in the habit of throwing off his back foot.
Even in the Rams’ victory over the Cowboys in the Divisional round, Goff appeared to be more a game manager than star quarterback. At some point Goff must step up and make plays. It is more mental now; the ability is there. We have seen him play at an elite level. The time is now for Goff to elevate himself to the level of Brees, Brady, and Mahomes.
C.J. Anderson
C.J. Anderson has been nothing short of spectacular in his short stint with the Rams. He torched the Cowboys for 123 yards in the Divisional round victory. Anderson is going to make the difference in the rushing attack against the Saints as well.
He and Gurley combined can disrupt the Saints front seven if he has another monster game. A two-headed monster on the ground for the Rams will prove to be very difficult for New Orleans to stop. More importantly, if both running backs can get five or six yards every carry, Drew Brees and that New Orleans offense stays off the field that much longer.
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is going to be the player that will get the Rams defense going against New Orleans. If he is a disruptor at the line of scrimmage, Aaron Donald will wreak havoc on the Saints offensive line. Pressure matters. The Rams don’t want Brees standing untouched in the pocket. They want him flushed out where Samson Ebukam and Dexter Fowlers Jr. will be waiting for him. This is what they brought in Suh for, for games like these. It all starts with Suh.
Sources: pro-foofootballreference.com, Cameron DaSilva, Ramswire, Nick Shook, NFL.com, Christopher Dabe, NOLA.com
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This is it. The two best teams in the NFC are meeting this Sunday in the NFC Championship for a trip to Super Bowl LIII. The Rams and the Saints will butt heads once again, and if the Los Angeles wants a different outcome than the Week 9 loss in the Superdome, here are five players that must play the game of their lives:
Marcus Peters
I included both Peters and Aqib Talib, because I believe the secondary is going to be the difference in this championship game. In the Rams’ 45-35 loss to New Orleans, the secondary got torched against Drew Brees and his receiving corps. Brees picked on Peters the most.
Saints star wide receiver Michael Thomas feasted on the Rams secondary, racking up 211 yards on 12 catches. Peters took the brunt of the blame for that performance. Fast forward to January, and Peters will have some help with Talib back.
Peters has been running his mouth a lot this week on social media. It is time to put your money where your mouth is. If it is indeed “Gumbo Week,” it is time to feast on Saints receivers. If Peters, Talib and company can contain the Saints passing attack, the likes of Donald, Suh, Brockers, and Ebukam will make life harder for Brees.
Aqib Talib
Talib spent the Rams’ matchup with the Saints on injured reserve. The Rams missed Talib and his ability to get under opposing players’ skins. His on-field tenacity is disruptive to passing games. With Talib back on defense, Wade Phillips will have the flexibility to put him in double team or zone read situations with Peters guarding the Saints’ best receiver (or vice versa). Talib can be that disruptive presence, but he must play the game of his life Sunday.
Jared Goff
Jared Goff played well against the Saints the first time around. He did throw one interception late in the first half that put Los Angeles down three touchdowns. However, Goff completed 28 of 40 passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns for a passer ratting of 115.7. Goff lead the near-comeback in that second half of that game.
Unfortunately, Goff has struggled towards the end of the season, looking overwhelmed by the Bears and Eagles at times. His passes have been off, and he’s gotten back in the habit of throwing off his back foot.
Even in the Rams’ victory over the Cowboys in the Divisional round, Goff appeared to be more a game manager than star quarterback. At some point Goff must step up and make plays. It is more mental now; the ability is there. We have seen him play at an elite level. The time is now for Goff to elevate himself to the level of Brees, Brady, and Mahomes.
C.J. Anderson
C.J. Anderson has been nothing short of spectacular in his short stint with the Rams. He torched the Cowboys for 123 yards in the Divisional round victory. Anderson is going to make the difference in the rushing attack against the Saints as well.
He and Gurley combined can disrupt the Saints front seven if he has another monster game. A two-headed monster on the ground for the Rams will prove to be very difficult for New Orleans to stop. More importantly, if both running backs can get five or six yards every carry, Drew Brees and that New Orleans offense stays off the field that much longer.
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is going to be the player that will get the Rams defense going against New Orleans. If he is a disruptor at the line of scrimmage, Aaron Donald will wreak havoc on the Saints offensive line. Pressure matters. The Rams don’t want Brees standing untouched in the pocket. They want him flushed out where Samson Ebukam and Dexter Fowlers Jr. will be waiting for him. This is what they brought in Suh for, for games like these. It all starts with Suh.
Sources: pro-foofootballreference.com, Cameron DaSilva, Ramswire, Nick Shook, NFL.com, Christopher Dabe, NOLA.com
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