Category: Game News Today

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What time are NFL playoff games today? TV schedule, channels for AFC, NFC championship games

The championship round of playoff games will have a lofty bar to clear to top last weekend’s slate of games.

The NFL’s divisional round featured each of its four games ending in a walk-off score, with the Bengals, 49ers and Rams each winning via a field goal and the Chiefs walking off the Bills in overtime on a touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce.

But this weekend’s slate of games, which will decide the two teams headed to the Super Bowl, are sure to continue delivering on what has already been a thrilling postseason. Cincinnati and Kansas City square off in the AFC Championship in a battle of two of the game’s highest powered offenses, led by a pair of dynamic young quarterbacks in Joe Burrow and Mahomes. In the NFC, the 49ers and Rams ended the regular season in an overtime battle, and should pick up where they left off in Los Angeles and give fans another exciting NFC West matchup.

Sporting News has you covered with all the information you need to know to watch the AFC and NFC championship games on Sunday.

MORE: Watch NFL playoff games live with fuboTV (free trial)

What time are the NFL playoff games today?

Game 1

  • Date: Jan. 30, 2022
  • Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals
  • Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
  • Start time: 3 p.m. ET

Game 2

  • Date: Jan. 30, 2022
  • Matchup: Rams vs. 49ers
  • Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
  • Start time: 6:30 p.m. ET

Sunday’s championship matchups begins with what should be yet another high-scoring affair in Kansas City.

The Chiefs and Bengals ranked fourth (4,791) and seventh (4,403) in team passing yards in 2021 and each ranked in the top 10 in scoring. Even beyond the quarterbacks, both teams offer some of the game’s most electric offensive weapons, with Kansas City boasting Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce and Cincinnati countering with Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.

The two teams last faced off against one another in Cincinnati in Week 17. The Bengals came back from a 28-17 halftime deficit to beat Kansas City 34-31 and claim the AFC North title, with Chase having an explosive game with 266 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while Burrow passed for 446 yards and four scores.

The NFC West clash wraps up the day of title games and will send one of the NFC’s most recent representatives back to the Super Bowl.

San Francisco has been riding high in the series against Los Angeles as of late as it has won each of the past six games. During the 2021 regular season, the 49ers beat the Rams 31-10 in San Francisco in Week 10 before edging out Los Angeles 27-24 in overtime in Week 18 to clinch a playoff spot.

The Rams come into the game led by Matthew Stafford and one of the league’s best passing attacks. Los Angeles ranked fifth in total passing yards (4,642) and second in passing touchdowns (41), while the 49ers were more adept at picking up yards on the ground, rushing for 2,166 yards, seventh-most in the NFL. Both defenses finished the regular season among the top in the NFL, with the 49ers having allowed the third-fewest total yards (5,270) and sixth-fewest passing yards (3,510), while the Rams allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards (1,754) and ninth-fewest yards per play (5.2).

What channel are NFL games on?

Chiefs vs. Bengals

The AFC Championship will feature CBS’ primary broadcast group with Jim Nance and Tony Romo up in the booth, while Tracy Wolfson and Evan Washburn will be reporting from the sideline.

Rams vs. 49ers

Fox will be handling broadcast duties for the NFC Championship with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman providing commentary and analysis. Erin Andrews will be reporting from the sideline.

NFL live streams for playoffs

Both CBS and Fox will have alternate options to stream the matchups beyond the traditional cable route for prospective viewers.

CBS carries its games on Paramount Plus, while Fox will have its game available to watch on the Fox Sports app.

Streaming option Cable subscription needed? Free? Cost Free trial?
Fox Sports Live Yes Yes – –
Paramount Plus No No $4.99/month Yes
Amazon Prime Video No No $8.99/month No
NBC Sports Yes Yes – –
ESPN.com/ESPN App Yes Yes – –
NFL App Yes Yes – –
Yahoo! Sports App No Yes – –
fuboTV No No $64.99/month Yes
AT&T TV Now No No $69.99/month Yes
Hulu Plus Live TV No No $64.99/month Yes
Sling TV No No $35/month Yes
YouTube TV No No $64.99/month Yes

NFL playoff schedule 2022

Wild-card round

Saturday, Jan. 15

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Bengals 26, Raiders 19 4:35 p.m. ET NBC Peacock, fuboTV
Bills 47, Patriots 17 8:15 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+, fuboTV

Sunday, Jan. 16

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Buccaneers 31, Eagles 15  1:05 p.m. ET Fox fuboTV
49ers 23, Cowboys 17 4:40 p.m. ET CBS, Nickelodeon Paramount+, Amazon Prime, fuboTV
Chiefs 42, Steelers 21 8:15 p.m. ET NBC Peacock, fuboTV

Monday, Jan. 17

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Rams 34, Cardinals 11 8:15 p.m. ET ESPN ESPN App, fuboTV

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 22

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Bengals 19, Titans 16 4:35 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+, fuboTV
49ers 13, Packers 10 8:15 p.m. ET Fox fuboTV

Sunday, Jan. 23

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Rams 30, Buccaneers 27 3:05 p.m. ET NBC Peacock, fuboTV
Chiefs 42, Bills 36 6:40 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+, fuboTV

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 30

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Chiefs vs. Bengals 3:05 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+, fuboTV
Rams vs. 49ers 6:40 p.m. ET Fox Fox Sports app, fuboTV

Super Bowl 56

Sunday, Feb. 13

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Super Bowl 56 6:30 p.m. ET NBC NBC Sports app, fuboTV

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Is Wordle still free to play? Free game play could end soon after New York Times purchase

What’s a five letter word for the best cause to get the wildly well-known, and cost-free, on the internet word-guessing recreation Wordle?

Very well, that would almost certainly be M-O-N-E-Y, but for now the New York Occasions, which introduced Monday it experienced bought the recreation in a “low-seven figure” deal, claims it will maintain Wordle totally free as it transitions to new possession. But a mindful read through of the language applied by the subscription-only on the net publication in that assertion reveals a bit of subtlety that would seem to hint that no-cost access could not last.

“At the time it moves to The New York Moments, Wordle will be absolutely free to enjoy for new and current gamers, and no improvements will be produced to its gameplay,” according to a Occasions push launch.

If you have not witnessed it or played it, Wordle offers players 6 tries to guess a five-letter mystery phrase by using a internet site that refreshes the puzzle every working day. The very simple, gridded interface suggests accurate letters and placements for each individual guess. Every person performs to guess the exact same word, and Wordle also offers a progressive tally of every single player’s stats.

Brooklyn program engineer Josh Wardle unveiled the guessing recreation to the public in October 2021, according to the Instances. Wordle exploded in reputation and has swiftly come to be a everyday obsession for solvers. Ninety individuals performed the video game on November 1. Just about two months later, 300,000 individuals played it. Now, the puzzle has tens of millions of each day players.

And the origin of the match tracks back again to a pair wanting for ways to kill time together through pandemic-induced property isolation.

In a Jan. 3 Periods story, Wardle stated he to start with designed a very similar prototype in 2013, but his mates were being unimpressed and he scrapped the strategy. In 2020, he and his associate, Palak Shah, “got definitely into” the New York Moments Spelling Bee and the day-to-day crossword, “so I wanted to occur up with a sport that she would delight in,” he claimed.

The breakthrough, Wardle instructed the Situations, was limiting players to 1 game per day. That enforced a sense of shortage, which he said was partially influenced by the Spelling Bee, which leaves men and women seeking additional, he mentioned.

The New York Periods setting up is proven in New York in this 2009 file picture. The New York Instances has acquired the common on line phrase-quessing match Wordle.
Mark Lennihan, Associated Press

Wardle claimed his activity now ending up as a new node in the New York Periods empire entirely tends to make feeling.

“If you have adopted along with the story of Wordle, you are going to know that New York Periods Online games engage in a huge element in its origins, and so this step feels extremely pure to me,” Wardle said in a assertion. “I’ve very long admired The Times’s strategy to the top quality of their video games and the respect with which they deal with their players. Their values are aligned with mine on these issues and I’m thrilled that they will be stewards of the activity going forward.”

For tens of millions of its past and present worldwide audience, the New York Times possible demands no further bonafides when it will come to the puzzle realm, acquiring reached its personal benchmark results with its namesake each day crossword puzzle. And the Situations provided this reminder of that achievement in Monday’s press release.

“New York Occasions Game titles have captivated solvers considering that the start of The Crossword in 1942,” the Situations wrote in its press launch. “Our industry experts build partaking phrase and visual games — in 2014 we launched The Mini crossword, followed by Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Tiles and Vertex.

“Our games were being performed more than 500 million times in 2021, and in December, we achieved one particular million Video games subscriptions.”

In accordance to its web-site, a membership for unlimited access to the Times’ present-day portfolio of online games will operate you $5 for every thirty day period.

Jonathan Knight, normal manager of The New York Moments Games, said he was a personal lover of Wordle and mentioned the Times was dedicated to making sure a vibrant upcoming, and wider audience, for the activity.

“If you’re like me, you possibly wake up every single early morning contemplating about Wordle, and savoring people treasured times of discovery, surprise and accomplishment,” Knight claimed in the Periods release. “The match has accomplished what so several games have completed: It has captured our collective imagination, and brought us all a tiny closer collectively.

“We could not be much more thrilled to turn out to be the new residence and proud stewards of this magical activity, and are honored to help deliver Josh Wardle’s cherished generation to extra solvers in the months ahead. As aspect of our portfolio of games, Wordle will have an remarkable long term with the assistance of a staff of proficient engineers, designers, editors and far more, furthering the consumer working experience.”

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49ers vs. Rams final score, results: LA headed to Super Bowl, Kupp finishes with 2 TDs

The Los Angeles Rams are headed to Super Bowl 56 after defeating the 49ers 20-17 in the NFC Championship on Sunday night. 

The Rams defied the odds by making a second half comeback after trailing by 10 points heading into the half. The Rams shut the 49ers out in the second half, scoring 13 unanswered points. A pick off Jimmy Garoppolo sealed the deal for the Rams with just over a minute remaining in the game.

Cooper Kupp (142) and Odell Beckham Jr. (113) both finished with over 100 receiving yards. This is the first time two Rams players have finished with at least 100 receiving yards this season. The last time the Rams did this in the playoffs was during the 2004 wild-card game (Torry Holt and Kevin Curtis), when they were the St. Louis Rams, according to ESPN Stats & Info .

Kupp scored the Rams’ only two touchdowns of the night. Deebo Samuel scored the longest touchdown of the night, though, with a 44-yard scoring play in the second quarter. Samuel finishes his season with an average of 10 yards per catch, which leads wide receivers in the league this season. George Kittle scored the 49ers’ other touchdown of the game.

The Rams won’t have to travel for the Super Bowl on Feb. 13 as their home stadium, SoFi Stadium, will be hosting the biggest game of the year. The Rams will face the AFC champions, the Bengals.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from 49ers vs. Rams on Sunday. Read below for complete results from the 2022 NFC Championship game.

MORE: Watch NFL games live with fuboTV (free trial)

49ers vs. Rams score

  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
49ers 0 10 7 0 17
Rams 0 7 0 13 20

49ers vs. Rams live updates, highlights from NFC championship

(All times Eastern.)

End of fourth quarter: Rams 20, 49ers 17

9:35 p.m. — INTERCEPTION, RAMS. Travin Howard intercepts the pass intended for Hasty after the ball jumped into the air from an Aaron Donald block. Howard ran to the 13-yard line with just over a minute remaining.

9:34 p.m. — Not a great start to the 49ers’ drive after Gaines knocks away Garoppolo’s pass intended for JaMycal Hasty.

9:32 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, RAMS. The Rams take the lead after Gay makes a 30-yard field goal. They have now scored 13 unanswered points. 1:46 remains in the NFC Championship. Rams 20, 49ers 17.

9:30 p.m. —  Samson Ebukam and Bosa take down Stafford for a loss of seven yards on second down. This moves the Rams to a 3rd-&-18 attempt with under two minutes to play.

9:25 p.m. — Kupp makes another huge play, this time for 25 yards. This is his sixth converted third down of the game. The Rams are on the 49ers’ 12-yard line.

9:24 p.m. — Blanton continues to step up after Higbee was ruled out of the game this half. Blanton completes an 8-yard first down for the Rams.

9:21 p.m. — The 49ers go three-and-out thanks to a delay of game.

9:14 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, RAMS. Fred Warner takes down Sony Michel on third down to force the Rams to settle for a field goal. Gay makes the 40-yard field goal to tie the game. Rams 17, 49ers 17.

9:12 p.m. — Kupp continues to keep the Rams alive after he advances 16 yards to the 49ers’ 25-yard line.

9:09 p.m. —  Jaquiski Tartt almost picks off Stafford, but he drops the ball. The pass is ruled as incomplete.

9:02 p.m. — The Rams force the 49ers to a fourth down after Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson take down Kyle Juszczyk. Sean McVay uses his last challenge to review this play. The play stands as the runner being down on contact ruling.

8:59 p.m. — The 49ers open their drive with a 21-yard gain from Elijah Mitchell. 

8:55 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, RAMS. Kupp catches an 11-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to make it a three-point game. 49ers 17, Rams 14.

End of third quarter: 49ers 17, Rams 7

8:50 p.m. — Kendall Blanton advances 20 yards to the 49ers’ 20-yard line to finish out the third quarter.

8:47 p.m. — On the first play of the Rams drive, Azeez Al-Shaair was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for something he said to Kupp after the play. This penalty moves the Rams up 15 yards.

8:42 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, 49ERS. Kittle catches a 16-yard touchdown pass for Garoppolo. This was Kittle’s first touchdown in six games. 49ers 17, Rams 7.

8:40 p.m. — Jauan Jennings makes his biggest play of the game, fighting for an 11-yard first down. 

8:38 p.m. — Samuel runs 14 yards to put the 49ers on the Rams’ 26-yard line.

8:37 p.m. — Aiyuk catches a 13-yard pass on third down to keep the 49ers’ drive alive.

8:30 p.m. — On 4th-&-1, Stafford attempts to get the first down but was ruled short. The Rams challenged the call, but the call stands.

8:27 p.m. — Beckham Jr. catches two first down passes in a row, one for 13 yards and another for 26 yards.

8:21 p.m. — Garoppolo has two incomplete passes in a row to force the 49ers to punt.

8:18 p.m. — Another Rams penalty gives the 49ers a new set of downs after Ramsey was flagged for illegal contact.

8:15 p.m. — The 49ers get a first down thanks to a neutral zone infraction penalty on Greg Gaines.

8:13 p.m. — Garoppolo is nearly picked by Jalen Ramsey on his first throw of the second half.

End of second quarter: 49ers 10, Rams 7

7:58 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, 49ERS. Robbie Gould makes the 38-yard field goal attempt to end the first half. The 49ers head into the locker room on top, and they will receive the ball in the second half. 49ers 10, Rams 7.

7:56 p.m. — Aiyuk continues to make big plays, this time for 13 yards. The 49ers stop the clock with 20 seconds left of the half on the Rams’ 24-yard line.

7:54 p.m. — Kittle makes his first catch of the game for 11 yards. The 49ers make it to Rams territory on this play.

7:47 p.m. — Matt Gay’s 54-yard field goal attempt finishes wide right, so the Rams end their drive with no points.

7:43 p.m. — Stafford throws a big pass to Ben Skowronek in the end zone, but the pass is incomplete. The Rams remain on the 49ers’ 38-yard line.

7:38 p.m. — Beckham Jr. grabs a 13-yard pass from Stafford on third down. The Rams are on their own 37-yard line.

7:33 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, 49ERS. Deebo Samuel scores a 44-yard touchdown to tie the game. Unlike the Rams’ drive, the 49ers only took five plays to score. 49ers 7, Rams 7.

7:31 p.m. — Aiyuk nearly made a long touchdown run, but he stepped out of bounds after 31 yards on the Rams’ 42-yard line. Regardless, a huge first down for the 49ers.

7:25 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, RAMS. Kupp catches a 16-yard pass from Stafford for a Rams touchdown. The Rams’ drive took up 18 plays in 97 yards, which is statistically their best drive of the year. The extra point is good, too. Rams 7, 49ers 0.

7:24 p.m. — Nick Bosa sacks Stafford for a loss of five yards on first down.

7:23 p.m. — Kupp catches a 15-yard pass from Stafford on the Rams’ 15th play of the drive. They are on the 49ers’ 13-yard line.

7:20 p.m. — Tyler Higbee and Cam Akers are both questionable to return to the game.

7:18 p.m. — Stafford runs 14 yards for a big Rams first down. 

7:14 p.m. — Beckham Jr. gets the Rams a much needed first down to keep their drive alive. They are on their own 43-yard line.

End of first quarter: Rams 0, 49ers 0

7:02 p.m. — The 49ers made it to the Rams’ 40-yard line, but decided not to attempt a field goal. They punt back to the Rams on fourth down.

6:59 p.m. — Brandon Aiyuk advances 13 yards for a 49ers first down, their first of the game.

6:56 p.m. — INTERCEPTION, 49ERS. Matthew Stafford’s pass to Kupp was tipped off and caught by Jimmie Ward in the end zone. Ward ran to the 23-yard line.

6:53 p.m. — Tyler Higbee, Odell Beckham Jr. and Cam Akers complete consecutive first downs to put the Rams in 1st-&-Goal territory on the 8-yard line.

6:51 p.m. — Cooper Kupp delivers the first first down of the game after advancing 17 yards.

6:46 p.m. — The 49ers also go three-and-out after Jimmy Garoppolo’s pass to George Kittle is incomplete.

6:44 p.m. — The Rams quickly go three-and-out to start the game.

6:42 p.m. — Michael Buffer starts off the game with his iconic “Let’s get ready to rumble!” phrase as the Rams receive the kickoff.

49ers vs. Rams start time 

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 30
  • Time: 6:30 p.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. PT

The 49ers vs. Rams game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Cali. 

What channel is 49ers vs. Rams on today? 

The 49ers vs. Rams matchup will be broadcast nationally on Fox with announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the call and Erin Andrews on the sidelines.

You can stream NFL games live online with fuboTV, which offers a free trial .

In Canada, viewers can watch 49ers vs. Rams with a subscription to DAZN,  which includes every NFL game .

NFL playoff schedule 2022

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 30

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Bengals vs. Chiefs 3:05 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+, fuboTV
49ers vs. Rams 6:40 p.m. ET Fox Fox Sports app, fuboTV

Super Bowl 56

Sunday, Feb. 13

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Super Bowl 56 6:30 p.m. ET NBC NBC Sports app, fuboTV

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Rams vs. 49ers: Expert picks, predictions, props for NFC Championship game today, NFL playoff schedule

Two division rivals face off tonight for the right to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVI. It’s the San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams, Kyle Shanahan vs. Sean McVay. Shanahan’s 49ers swept the Rams in the regular season, and have won six straight against McVay. Matthew Stafford and Co. are coming off of a win over the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, however, and are looking for revenge against a rival.

This will be the fourth intra-division conference championship game since realignment in 2002. Interestingly enough, the previous three winners of intra-division conference championship games have gone on to win the Super Bowl. The Rams are the first team to host a conference championship game in the same stadium that will host the Super Bowl, so they can’t let this opportunity go to waste. 

Below, we will examine the different betting angles for this matchup. We will provide picks from both CBS Sports and SportsLine experts on this NFC showdown, as well as a few player props that we view as enticing. 

All NFL odds are via Caesars Sportsbook.

How to watch 

Date: Sunday, Jan. 30 | Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Odds: Rams -3.5, O/U 45.5

49ers at Rams spread picks

“49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Rams coach Sean McVay are good friends who have worked together in their careers. But since becoming head coaches, Shanahan has gotten the better of McVay. He is 7-3 in 10 games against him, winning six straight, including two this year. In Week 18, the 49ers beat the Rams on the road to earn a spot in the playoffs. Here we are three weeks later, and they are back in the same building meeting for a chance to get to the Super Bowl.

“In the last meeting, the 49ers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to win the game, 27-24. The 49ers defensive line dominated the Rams offensive line in that game. In two games against the Rams, the 49ers have seven sacks and 21 pressures without doing a lot of blitzing, which is something Matthew Stafford has killed this season.

“The Rams love to run the ball in their zone scheme, but the 49ers have run it better in the two games, getting an average of 87.5 yards more per game on the ground. That’s where this game will be won. The team that runs it best will win. The 49ers need to run it take the pressure off Jimmy Garoppolo, while the Rams key their offense off that wide-zone scheme.

“As for attacking the 49ers defense, it’s simple. Block them against the pass and you will beat them. That’s something the Rams have not done. I don’t think they will do it here, either.

“The Rams are the star-studded team, but the 49ers are the more physical team. The last time a team won three games, including a conference title game on the road, against the same team in the same season came in 1999. That year, the Jacksonville Jaguars were the star-studded team, but it was the Tennessee Titans that were the more physical team. The Titans won the championship game to get to the Super Bowl on the Jaguars’ field. That will happen here as well. The 49ers will continue their run to a title with a tough, physical victory.” 

— CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco is calling the upset this weekend in the NFC. To read his conference championship column, click here.

“The Rams under Sean McVay are winless against Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. The 3.5-point spread for the 49ers makes me think Vegas wants us all on San Francisco. The Niners swept the regular season series. San Francisco is a bad matchup for the Rams because the L.A. defense is designed to snuff out superstars on the other side of the ball and punish questionable offensive lines.

“The 49ers have plenty of stars but no alpha the offense runs through. Deebo Samuel isn’t someone you can just put Jalen Ramsey on. Using Ramsey on George Kittle works pretty well with Ramsey playing more in the slot, but George Kittle is used in run blocking so much it’s not necessarily maximizing his skillset. 

“My heart’s rooting for Stafford and my brain is sending off a Spidey Sense signal the Rams might be ready to break through. Maybe they get us the Chiefs-Rams Super Bowl we’ve been waiting on for a few years now. My wallet wants a 49ers-Bengals matchup and I picked just that before the playoffs. I can’t possibly lay down now.”

— CBS Sports’ Will Brinson had a tough time deciding between his heart and his mind on the NFC side of things. To read his picks column, click here.

“When these two teams have met in their second game each of the past three seasons, the Niners have won them each by a field goal as time expired. It’s uncanny. It’s hard to beat a good team three times, and I just don’t see it happening this weekend.”

— CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones is taking the Rams to get the last laugh on the 49ers. To read his Sunday picks and the NFL insider notebook, click here.

“The Rams were swept by the 49ers in the regular season. There’s no way they go 0-3 against Jimmy Garoppolo, right? A team losing three times to one opponent in the same season hasn’t happened since 2017. Additionally, if L.A. loses on Sunday, it would be Sean McVay’s seventh-straight loss to Kyle Shanahan. The last time a head coach lost to an opposing head coach seven straight times was Marvin Lewis and his Bengals struggling against Mike Tomlin’s Steelers.

“San Francisco’s comeback against the Rams in Week 18 was incredible, but I don’t think that happens again. The 49ers’ postseason run has been impressive, but it certainly hans’t been perfect. They almost blew a lead to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round and needed a blocked punt touchdown to down the Green Bay Packers last weekend. Matthew Stafford hasn’t been in this situation before, but I think he’s ready for it. He threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and orchestrated a game-winning drive. He’s not going to let this opportunity to play in the Super Bowl in his new home stadium slip through his fingers. His legacy is still being established.”

— CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani is taking the Rams to win and cover vs. the 49ers. To read his weekly column, click here.

Before you make any 49ers vs. Rams picks or any other NFL predictions, you need to see which side SportsLine NFL expert Micah Roberts is on. Roberts has worked in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry for 20-plus years, including a 13-year run as Station Casinos’ book director. He is 10-6 against the spread in his last 16 NFL picks, for a profit of $345. In addition, Roberts has gone an astounding 10-1 in his last 11 picks involving San Francisco.

We can tell you he’s leaning Under, but head on over to SportsLine to see his against the spread pick.

49ers at Rams total picks

“These two teams hit the Over/Under once apiece this year in their two meetings. If you recall how their matchup went earlier this month, the Rams jumped out to a 17-0 lead, and the 49ers had to score 14 unanswered in the third quarter to tie the game. I don’t think the Rams get off to that hot of a start this time around. The 49ers’ path to victory includes controlling tempo and establishing the run. Betting unders in Championship Weekend isn’t fun, but that’s where my lean is.”

— CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani gives his thoughts on the total in the NFC Championship game. 

Before you make any 49ers vs. Rams picks, you need to check out the latest NFL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,500 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. The model enters championship weekend in the 2021 NFL playoffs on an incredible 137-97 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. Amazingly, it hasn’t missed a top-rated pick since Week 14 of the regular season. To see what it has to say about the total this Sunday, click here.

Player props

Deebo Samuel receiving yards: Over 52.5 (-115). Samuel hasn’t crossed this number in the playoffs yet, and has caught just three passes in each postseason game. Still, he’s San Francisco’s most talented weapon, and the 49ers will have to ride him if they want to outscore Stafford. Samuel caught four passes for 95 yards in Week 18 vs. the Rams, and then five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in their first meeting. He has averaged 87.8 receiving yards per game this season, and has that big-play ability where he can get to this number on just a few catches. 

Jimmy Garoppolo total interceptions: Over 0.5 (-140). Jimmy G has thrown an interception in each playoff game. Additionally, he threw two in both of the final regular-season games for a total of six interceptions thrown in his last four outings. Garoppolo’s last game where he didn’t throw an interception came Dec. 19 against the Atlanta Falcons, and he’s thrown at least one pick in 10 of 17 games played this year.

Matt Gay made extra points: Over 2.5 (+105). The 49ers haven’t had a team attempt or make three extra points against them in any game this postseason, which is a credit to their defense. But Gay has made at least three extra points in each of the last three games — including in Week 18 vs. the 49ers. He’s missed just one extra point all season.  

TD props

Cam Akers to score a touchdown: (-104). Akers made a miraculous return after suffering a torn Achilles in July. He hasn’t scored a touchdown in three games played, but McVay will get him one in this important home game. 

Kyle Juszczyk to score a touchdown: (+575). Juszczyk is one of the better players in the NFL even though he’s not a household name due to his position. Juszczyk has scored just two touchdowns all year, but has recorded two touches per game in each playoff contest. He caught two passes for 15 yards against the Cowboys and rushed two times for 14 yards against the Packers. This is obviously a flier, but when San Francisco gets in the red zone, look for him. 

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Bengals-Chiefs, 49ers-Rams – NFL playoff game picks, schedule guide, bold predictions, odds, injuries, matchup keys, more

Jan 28, 2022

  • ESPN staff

The NFL’s conference championship round for the 2021 season is stacked, and we’ve got you covered with what you need to know for Sunday’s NFC and AFC championships. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to both games, a bold prediction for each matchup and, of course, final score picks.

Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. Matt Bowen picks out a key matchup to watch for both games, and Kevin Seifert tells us what to know about the officiating. Everything you should know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded two-game weekend of NFL playoff football.

First up, the Bengals head to Kansas City to face the Chiefs — an offensive showdown between Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Then it’s NFC West foes facing off in the second game, with the 49ers matching up with the Rams for a third time this season. And remember: The winners are off to Super Bowl LVI.

Jump to: CIN-KC | SF-LAR

Sunday, 3 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 73.0 | Spread: KC -7.5 (54.5)

What to watch for: Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase wrecked the Chiefs in the December meeting between these teams, catching 11 passes for 266 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The Chiefs undoubtedly won’t allow that to happen again, but at what cost? They mostly took away Buffalo receiver Stefon Diggs’ impact last week against the Bills, but then Gabriel Davis had a big game. And Cincinnati has receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd — plus running back Joe Mixon — along with Chase. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s schemes in this regard loom large. — Adam Teicher

Bold prediction: Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will throw for at least 390 yards. Kansas City leaned on a successful run game in the second half of the first matchup against Cincinnati, which led to a quiet game from Mahomes. But don’t be shocked if the reigning AFC champions look for more explosive plays in the passing game this time and get their revenge against the Bengals. Mahomes already has 782 passing yards and eight touchdown passes in two playoff games this season. — Ben Baby

Stat to know: Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow is the sixth player to enter a conference championship game with 50-plus sacks — and his 62 are easily the most. The previous five QBs all failed to reached the Super Bowl, and four of them saw their teams fail to score an offensive touchdown in that conference title game. However, Burrow is also the fifth player in the past 30 seasons to enter a conference championship game while leading the NFL in both completion percentage and yards per attempt (including playoffs). And these aren’t easy completions. The second-year QB has the NFL’s best completion percentage over expectation, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

Bowen’s game-plan key: The Chiefs need to heat up Burrow in the pocket, and outside linebacker Melvin Ingram III could play a big part. Expect Kansas City to scheme him up and get him some one-on-one matchups. Read more on E+.

Injuries: Bengals | Chiefs

Seifert’s officiating outlook: Referee Bill Vinovich’s regular-season crew (crews change in the playoffs) annually throws the fewest flags among the NFL’s 17 crews, and this season was no exception. His crew averaged 10.9 flags per game, 34{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} less than the crew that called the most (Carl Cheffers, 16.6). He’ll preside over a game that features the NFL’s least-penalized team (Bengals, 84) and ninth most-penalized team (Chiefs, 129). Vinovich was the only referee in the NFL not to call a single roughing the passer penalty during the regular season, and his regular-season crew threw the third-fewest flags for holding (34).

Betting nugget: The Bengals have covered six straight games and four straight road games. They are also 5-1 against the spread as a road underdog this season. But Kansas City has covered six straight home games and is 7-1 against the spread in its past eight games against teams with winning records. Read more on E+.

Baby’s pick: Chiefs 31, Bengals 21
Teicher’s pick: Chiefs 34, Bengals 24
FPI prediction: KC, 69.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} (by an average of 6.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: Burrow can cement place among top young quarterbacks … Why Hill had to pivot this season … McShay: How Mahomes changed the way I scout QBs

Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 84.8 | Spread: LAR -3.5 (45.5)

What to watch for: The 49ers have won six straight games over the division rival Rams, which includes a 17-point come-from-behind win in Week 18 to clinch a playoff berth. The Niners bring All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle, who have led a resilient, bruising brand of football, while the Rams have a proven knack for scoring quickly on explosive plays behind quarterback Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, the NFL’s leading receiver. As for what the Rams must do to finally get the best of the Niners and advance to Super Bowl LVI? “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here,” Kupp says. “It’s just about doing our job and taking this as a new week.” — Lindsey Thiry

Bold prediction: San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will throw three touchdown passes. He has yet to throw for a score in these playoffs and has only two touchdowns, and five interceptions, in his five playoff starts. But Garoppolo has a history of playing well against the Rams — he has a 71.7 Total QBR and won all six starts against them — and the Rams still have questions up the middle of their defense, allowing a 77{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} completion rate and 7.9 yards per attempt on throws inside the numbers this season. Buoyed by a strong run game, the oft-maligned Garoppolo will deliver on the big stage. — Nick Wagoner

Stat to know: Midseason acquisitions have been key for the Rams. Since joining Los Angeles in Week 10, receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is second on the team in receptions (37) and has caught a touchdown in six of 10 games played. He has caught 10 of 12 targets this postseason, too. And outside linebacker Von Miller has recorded at least one sack in six straight games, tied for the longest streak of his career (three other times, most recently in 2018). Opposing quarterbacks have posted a 2.3 Total QBR when both Miller and defensive tackle Aaron Donald rush the passer this postseason.

Bowen’s game-plan key: Watch for linebacker Fred Warner to play a role as a blitzer in the Niners’ tilted five-man fronts. San Francisco blitzed on more than a fourth of the Rams’ third-down plays in its Week 18 win this season. Read more on E+.

Injuries: 49ers | Rams

Seifert’s officiating outlook: Referee Carl Cheffers’ regular-season crew led the NFL with 16.6 flags thrown per game, but these two teams ranked among the 14 least-penalized teams in the league. The Rams saw 92 flags and the 49ers saw 117. During the regular season, Cheffers threw 10 flags for roughing the passer, tied for sixth most in the NFL, and 61 for offensive holding, second most in the league — though he will have a different crew on Sunday.

Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 6-2 against the spread in its past eight games, but San Francisco is 9-2 against the spread in its past 11 — with four straight covers. Plus, the 49ers are 4-1 against the spread in the playoffs under coach Kyle Shanahan. Read more on E+.

Wagoner’s pick: 49ers 30, Rams 23
Thiry’s pick: Rams 28, 49ers 24
FPI prediction: LAR, 59.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} (by an average of 3.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Has Garoppolo reshaped his NFL future? … Beckham Jr. giving Rams boost in production, good vibes … Trash talk, a ticket blockade and a rivalry reborn: Rams and 49ers meet for NFC title … McVay: Whitworth, Rapp look on track to return … 49ers in wait-and-see mode with Williams’ injury … From ‘love of the game’ to Rams’ game winner: Inside the Stafford-Kupp pass

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