INGLEWOOD — When the Rams and Arizona Cardinals open the playoffs, they’ll do it in a new time as well as a new place.
The first postseason game at SoFi Stadium will also be the first playoff game held on a Monday night, the NFL announced after the NFC’s final regular-season season games concluded Sunday.
The Jan. 17 game will kick off at 5:15 p.m. Pacific time.
The rest of this year’s wild-card round games will be played Saturday and Sunday.
It will be the third meeting this season between the Rams and Cardinals, each of whom won on the other’s turf. The Cardinals handed the Rams their first loss of the season 37-20 at SoFi in October. The Rams won 30-23 at State Farm Stadium in December.
The Rams (12-5) backed into the NFC West title Sunday when they lost to the San Francisco 49ers 27-24 in overtime but the Cardinals (11-6) lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
That made the Rams the No. 4 seed in the conference and set up the meeting with No. 5 seed.
It’s the second straight year that the Rams open the playoffs against a division rival. Last year the Seahawks were the division winners, the Rams the wild card. The Rams went on the road and won 30-20.
KUPP WEARS THE CROWN
Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp completed the NFL’s first receiving Triple Crown in 16 years, leading the league in catches (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16).
Kupp is the 16th player in NFL history to sweep the receiving Triple Crown, a list that includes the Rams’ Elroy Hirsch in 1951.
But Kupp came up four catches and 17 receiving yards short of matching single-season records in those categories.
He had seven catches for 118 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown that looked as if it was going to win the game Sunday.
With that seven-point lead, the Rams got the ball back with 1:50 on the clock and the chance to ice the game, but three runs by Sony Michel netted five yards.
“We have to do a better job finishing,” said Kupp, who didn’t talk about his own accomplishments after the game. “We had a situation on offense where if we get a first down, we can really put it away. We didn’t do a good enough job, and gave the 49ers a chance.”
UNFAZED
Kupp delivered that comment as a shrill alarm sounded in the Rams’ interview room and a voice on loudspeakers ordered, “ATTENTION, ATTENTION. AN EMERGENCY HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE BUILDING. PLEASE CEASE OPERATION AND LEAVE THE BUILDING, UTILIZING THE NEAREST EXIT OR FIRE EXIT.”
Kupp paused briefly but then continued talking as the recording repeated on a loop.
The Rams said it was a false alarm.
STAFFORD WATCH
Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes to match his career high with 41 this season, but also threw two interceptions to finish with his third-most at 17.
Stafford entered the final week of his first regular season with the Rams fourth in the league with a 103.5 passer rating and posted a 93.0 rating Sunday.
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HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Rams safety Jordan Fuller was helped off the field, keeping his right foot off the ground, in the fourth quarter.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey took over defensive signal-calling duties.
VISITORS WELCOME?
The first 49ers-Rams game with fans at SoFi Stadium looked a lot like games between the teams at the Coliseum, where Niners red always was prominent in the stands.
Stafford said the noise from 49ers fans made it hard for the Rams’ offense to communicate late in the game.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said it sounded like a home game.
“It always has when we’re here,” Shanahan said. “It’s so cool to go to opposing stadiums and see half of it red. I didn’t know how it’d be here in SoFi, but the Coliseum was always some of the best experiences.”