Sunday’s NFC championship game at SoFi Stadium is a Southern California-Northern California affair between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers. So we brought together Kevin Modesti, who covers the Rams for the Southern California News Group, and Cam Inman, the Bay Area News Group’s 49ers writer, for an email chat about what to expect. They begin by discussing the intrigue in the stands, after fans in Niners red were a loud presence in the teams’ last regular-season meeting.
CAM INMAN: I’m so glad we can do this via e-mail. I feared you may not have heard me over all those 49ers’ fans shouting throughout Southern California about sacred, overpriced tickets. Speaking of, are the Rams justifiably petrified of a “Red Out,” and are you already scalping my press box seat?
KEVIN MODESTI: Your seat is safe! You’ll even have parking within a day’s hike, which isn’t a given at SoFi Stadium. Sounds as if you’re as curious as I am about what the stands will look like Sunday. Fewer Rams fans might scalp their seats to 49ers fans this time. The playoff season is different from the regular season, after all. As the 49ers and Packers demonstrated. Or should I say the Dodgers and Giants? That’s a way to start thinking about this game: How do you suppose it will be different from the two this season — or the past six meetings — won by the 49ers?
INMAN: The difference would be the Hollywood glitz that comes with a championship celebration. I’m expecting Oscars-like music to cue the 49ers off stage with the Halas Trophy. This 49ers’ team has striking similarities to their 2019 version that won the NFC: strong running game, suffocating pass rush, and a quarterback with a movie-star jawline. Speaking of stars, it looks like the Rams’ are ready for this, from Triple Crown horse Cooper Kupp to newcomers like Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller, right?
MODESTI: Weirdly, when the Rams acquired Miller and Beckham in November, they immediately went on a three-game losing streak that included the 31-10 loss at Levi’s Stadium. Since that slump, their only defeat is the loss to the 49ers in Week 18. Miller is healthy and piling up sacks with Aaron Donald, and OBJ has fit nicely in injured Robert Woods’ receiver spot alongside Kupp. Stafford was turnover-free in the playoff wins over Arizona and Tampa Bay. My question remains how long the aggressive Stafford can string together games like that. Are there similarities to Jimmy Garoppolo?
INMAN: Jimmy G is 6-0 against the Rams, 5-1 in playoff starts, and, yet, this game is not on his shoulders the way it is for Stafford. Remember, two years ago, Garoppolo was 6-of-8 for 77 yards in a run-fueled win to the NFC title against Green Bay. Critics pounce when, each game, he throws untimely and unsightly interceptions (see: Jalen Ramsey’s Jan. 9 in a tied fourth quarter). Still, he comes through in the clutch. To come back next season and keep No. 3 draft pick Trey Lance on the bench, Garoppolo probably must win this game. Can Aaron Donald alone prevent that?
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MODESTI: If anyone could do that by himself, it’s Donald — the best player suiting up Sunday. He’s more driven than usual, if that’s possible, sniffing a second shot at an elusive Super Bowl victory. This week, teammates have been talking about how they too are motivated by trying to get him back to the Super Bowl. Donald is 30 now, and as a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, he has done just about everything except win a ring. So that might be a significant emotional component for the Rams this week. What’s the mood, the mindset, the identity — pick a sports-psychology catchword — in 49ers camp?
INMAN: That win-a-ring theme holds true at 49ers HQ, too, not only for Kyle Shanahan with his near misses (gulp) but for the 22 players still here from the 2019 runner-up team. Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa were rookies on that team and are their best players this season. Left tackle Trent Williams is so hellbent on advancing he’ll likely play on a bum ankle, which he did in the frosty comeback at Lambeau. Their collective confidence, plus their 2019-21 ownage of the Rams, has me picking the Niners 24-23 and staying for Super Bowl LVI. “Hello, Manhattan Beach, I’d like a late checkout.” How’s that sound?
MODESTI: Ownage! I know that’s Bay Area sports lingo. But we Southern Californians can figure out what it means if we think about recent 49ers-Rams history. The 49ers probably deserve more credit than a lot of people here give them. And more credit than Las Vegas gives them when it makes the Rams 3-1/2-point favorites. I’d be disappointed only if it’s not the close, hard-fought game that fans of both teams deserve. I’ll pick the same score as you did but a different winner, Rams prevailing 24-23. We’ll see how popular that result is in their own stadium.