Tag: championship

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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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Bills vs. Chiefs final score, results: KC wins OT thriller, reaches fourth consecutive AFC championship

The Chiefs are headed to the 2022 AFC championship game after a thrilling 42-36 overtime win over the Bills in the divisional round Sunday night in Kansas City, Mo. 

All four divisional games this weekend were determined on the final play of the game, but the Chiefs were the only home team to win and the only team to win with a touchdown rather than a field goal. 

The last four drives of regulation produced 25 total points in final two minutes: Bills touchdown and 2-point conversion, Chiefs touchdown, Bills touchdown, Chiefs field goal. The Bills took a three-point lead with 13 seconds remaining, but the Chiefs quickly got into field goal range as Patrick Mahomes connected with Tyreek Hill for a 19-yard completion and Travis Kelce for a 25-yard pass play. Harrison Butker’s 49-yard field goal sent the game into overtime. This was redemption for Butker, who missed a 50-yard field goal attempt and an extra point kick earlier in the game.

Mahomes’ and Josh Allen’s stat lines Sunday were extremely similar. Mahomes finished with 378 yards and three touchdowns passing, while Allen finished with 329 yards and four touchdowns. Mahomes rushed for 69 yards and one touchdown, while Allen had 68 rushing yards. 

Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis set an NFL single-game playoff record with four receiving touchdowns. He scored all four of the Bills’ touchdowns and finished with 201 receiving yards.

The Chiefs will host the Bengals next Sunday afternoon in the AFC championship game. This will be Kansas City’s fourth consecutive AFC championship appearance.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Bills vs. Chiefs on Sunday. Read below for complete results from the 2022 NFL divisional playoff game.

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

Bills vs. Chiefs score

  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
Bills 7 7 7 15 36
Chiefs 7 7 9 13 42

Bills vs. Chiefs live updates, highlights from NFL playoffs

(All times Eastern.)

End of game: Chiefs 42, Bills 36

9:55 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, CHIEFS. Kelce catches an eight-yard pass for touchdown and for the win. Chiefs 42, Bills 36.

9:54 p.m. — Hardman rushes 26 yards to the Bills’ 8-yard line. The Chiefs are now set up for 1st-&-Goal.

9:53 p.m. — The Chiefs make it into Bills territory after Hardman advances 16 yards. The Chiefs need a touchdown to win the game.

9:51 p.m. — The Chiefs won the coin toss and get the ball first. Kelce gives the Chiefs a first down, putting them on their own 44-yard line.

End of regulation: Chiefs 36, Bills 36

9:45 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, CHIEFS. Butker makes a 49-yard field goal to tie up the game as regulation ends. The game is headed to overtime. Chiefs 36, Bills 36.

9:44 p.m. — Kelce advances 25 yards to put the Chiefs in field goal range.

9:42 p.m. — Hill advances 19 yards to put the Chiefs closer to field goal range. They are on their own 44-yard line with eight seconds remaining.

9:39 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, BILLS. Davis scores his fourth touchdown, this time with a 19-yard catch. Davis becomes the first player in playoff history to have four touchdown receptions. The Chiefs will get the ball with 13 seconds left. Bills 36, Chiefs 33.

9:38 p.m. — Emmanuel Sanders catches a 16-yard pass to put the Bills on the 19-yard line with 17 seconds left.

9:35 p.m. — Allen throws a long pass to Davis, who then advances for a total of 28 yards. The Bills are on the Chiefs’ 47-yard line with 49 seconds to go.

9:32 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, CHIEFS. Hill scores a 64-yard touchdown to put the Chiefs back on top with a minute left of the game. Chiefs 33, Bills 29.

9:31 p.m. — Kelce catches an 11-yard pass for a Chiefs first down.

9:26 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, BILLS. Davis was wide open to catch a 27-yard touchdown pass from Allen. The two-point conversion is good, caught by Stefon Diggs. Bills 29, Chiefs 26.

9:22 p.m. — Singletary is brought down for a loss of seven yards. The Bills are now on the 27-yard line on 4th-&-13 with two minutes left of the game.

9:19 p.m. — The Bills convert on fourth down after Allen runs six yards. The Chiefs defenders couldn’t stop him. The Bills are on the Chiefs’ 24-yard line.

9:12 p.m. — Allen runs nine yards to keep the Bills’ drive alive with 5:23 left of the game. He now has 53 rushing yards. The Bills are on the Chiefs’ 48-yard line.

9:05 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, CHIEFS. The Chiefs go three-and-out despite starting close to the end zone. Butker makes the 38-yard field goal. Chiefs 26, Bills 21.

9:01 p.m. — On the punt return, Hill runs 45 yards to the Bills’ 16 yard line. Hill was ultimately taken down by the punter, Matt Haack.

8:58 p.m. — Allen is sacked by Jarren Reed on third down for a loss of five yards. The Bills punt the ball.

8:55 p.m. — Davis catches a 17-yard pass from Allen to open up their drive.

8:52 p.m. — The Chiefs punt the ball after not reaching field goal range.

End of third quarter: Chiefs 23, Bills 21

8:45 p.m. — Mahomes rushes six yards. This is his first running play after he broke his single-game record for rushing yards with 63. He now has 69 after this play.

8:40 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, BILLS. On the first play of the Bills drive, Allen throws a long pass to Davis for a 75-yard touchdown. It took the Bills 10 seconds to score this touchdown. Chiefs 23, Bills 21. 

8:36 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, CHIEFS. Mecole Hardman runs 25 yards for a touchdown. The extra point is no good, though. Chiefs 23, Bills 14.

8:35 p.m. — Edwards-Helaire runs 20 yards to put the Chiefs on the Bills’ 25-yard line.

8:29 p.m. — On 4th-&-1, the Bills decide to punt instead of going for the conversion. It’s their third punt of the night.

8:23 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, CHIEFS. Butker just barely makes a 39-yard field goal to put the Chiefs on top. Chiefs 17, Bills 14.

8:19 p.m. — McKinnon advances 20 yards to the Bills’ 20-yard line. He leads the Chiefs for most total yards so far with 57.

8:16 p.m. — McKinnon gets the first first down of the half after rushing three yards on third down. 

End of second quarter: Bills 14, Chiefs 14

8:00 p.m. — Harrison Butker misses a 50-yard field goal attempt as time expires. 

7:56 p.m. — Kelce catches an eight-yard pass to put the Chiefs in field goal range on the Bills’ 32-yard line. 

7:54 p.m. — Hill advances 26 yards to put the Chiefs on the Bills’ 44-yard line. The Chiefs are about six yards short of field goal range.

7:50 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, BILLS. Gabriel Davis catches an 18-yard pass from Allen and pushes into the end zone. The game is tied with 37 seconds left of the half. Bills 14, Chiefs 14.

7:46 p.m. — Cole Beasley completes the longest Bills play of the game for 24 yards. The Bills are on their own 49-yard line with a minute and a half left of the half.

7:42 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, CHIEFS. Bryon Pringle catches a two-yard pass from Mahomes for the touchdown, giving the Chiefs their first lead of the game. Chiefs 14, Bills 7.

7:36 p.m. — Mahomes is sacked by Ed Oliver for a loss of seven yards. The Chiefs are still in spot for 2nd-&-Goal.

7:32 p.m. — Clyde Edwards-Helaire is back and gets the Chiefs their fourth consecutive first down. He ran 22 yards to the Bills’ 21-yard line.

7:31 p.m. — Mahomes throws a big first down pass to Travis Kelce for 21 yards. 

7:28 p.m. — The Bills also go three-and-out.

7:20 p.m. — The Chiefs go three-and-out.

7:15 p.m. — The BIlls punt for the first time all post season after Allen was sacked. Last week, the Bills went the entire game without punting.

7:12 p.m. — Allen adds to his rushing yards total after running 14 yards for a first down.

End of first quarter: Chiefs 7, Bills 7

7:08 p.m. — On third down, Stefon Diggs catches a five-yard pass to keep the Bills’ drive alive. 

7:01 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, CHIEFS. Mahomes has a spectacular first drive, finishing it off with a touchdown. He ran eight yards for the touchdown. He finished the drive with 49 rushing yards, which is his most in a single drive in his career.  Chiefs 7, Bills 7.

6:59 p.m. — Mahomes runs for another first down, this time for seven yards. The Chiefs are on the Bills’ 13-yard line.

6:57 p.m. — Mahomes runs 34 yards for a huge first down. This is the biggest play of the game so far.

6:56 p.m. — Jerick McKinnon helps the Chiefs get their first first down after Patrick Mahomes escaped being sacked. 

6:49 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, BILLS. Singletary seals the deal for the Bills’ opening drive, scoring a touchdown on fourth down. The drive lasted almost seven minutes with 13 plays. Bills 7, Chiefs. 0.

6:46 p.m. — Singletary runs for his third first down of the drive, this time for 15 yards.

6:43 p.m. — Josh Allen converts on fourth down after running 10 yards. 

6:40 p.m. — The Bills receive the ball first in the final divisional game in this year’s playoffs. The Bills’ first play results in a first down after Devin Singletary runs 13 yards.

Bills vs. Chiefs start time 

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 23
  • Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

The Bills vs. Chiefs game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

What channel is Bills vs. Chiefs on today? 

  • TV channels: CBS
  • Live streams: Paramount+, fuboTV

The Bills vs. Chiefs matchup will be broadcast nationally on CBS with announcers Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call and Tracy Wolfson on the sidelines.

For those hoping to stream the matchup, CBS will carry the game on its streaming platform, Paramount+. You can also stream NFL games live online with fuboTV, which offers a free trial.

In Canada, viewers can watch Bills vs. Chiefs with a subscription to DAZN,  which includes every NFL game .

NFL playoff schedule 2022

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 22

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Bengals 19, Titans 16 4:30 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 p.m. ET NBC Peacock,  fuboTV
Chiefs 42, Bills 36 (OT) 6:30 p.m. ET CBS Paramount+,  fuboTV

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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Michigan Wolverines roll past rival Ohio State Buckeyes, secure spot in Big Ten championship game

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan defeated Ohio State for the first time under Jim Harbaugh with a 42-27 win Saturday.

The Wolverines had lost 15 of the past 16 meetings, but they battered the Buckeyes for the first time since 2011 in an emphatic victory. Michigan took the lead to start the game and, despite briefly losing the lead in the second quarter, came out on top with 28 second-half points and a strong finish in the November snow.

“These guys have been disrespecting us, stepping on our jerseys, talking about hanging 100 on us,” Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said. “Doing all the rah, rah and all the talk, but we’re about it today.”

The Michigan defense gave up 458 total yards to Ohio State’s potent offense, and quarterback C.J. Stroud had 394 yards and two touchdowns. The Ohio State offense had some self-inflicted mistakes, though, that didn’t help their cause as the offense had a season-high seven offensive penalties.

Michigan’s pass-rushers have been applying pressure to opponents all season, and David Ojabo and Hutchinson were able to wreak havoc in this game as well. Hutchinson had three sacks and set a Michigan single-season sack record with 13.

Hutchinson said he visualized this win in his mind before the game and how the game would be dictated and what it would feel like to finally get a win over Ohio State.

“This was it right here; visualized storming the field, I wanted the goal posts to go down but I don’t think they’re down,” Hutchinson said. “All that, just crying, we did it and it’s something that I’ve been thinking about for years now.”

The Buckeyes were coming off of a game against Michigan State in which the offense scored 56 points with 655 total yards of offense. It was a completely different outcome Saturday, and despite racking up some big yardage, Ohio State never gained enough momentum.

“We kept fighting, but we weren’t able to turn the tides and like you said, that’s always a big part of the game. I felt like even getting three points at the end of the half, then getting the ball back, if we would’ve come down and scored with that first possession we would’ve gotten so momentum going,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “But we didn’t, and they came right down and scored. Then you just felt like you could never get the ball back on offense and that’s a bad feeling, as well. You start to force it a little too much and don’t establish the run when you’re in that situation, so this one hurts.”

Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud was visibly upset in the postgame press conference, hanging his head saying he put his heart and soul into this game and he vows to correct the loss. Safety Bryson Shaw called the defense’s performance embarrassing and ridiculous. He gives Michigan credit for winning the game. The Buckeyes didn’t give their best shot.

The Michigan players had spoken throughout the season about how this team is different and said the players aren’t flinching in big games and big situations as they have in the past.

“I told you guys at the Big Ten media day that we were emphasizing this game more,” Hutchinson said. “Everyone seemed to have a lot of questions about that in terms of how we we’re doing it and I told you to trust me, we were doing it. You go out there, you see how we played in that dominant fashion. There you go.”

That was evident during the third quarter when the entire Michigan sideline was jumping and dancing to the music in the stadium, a sight that hasn’t been seen — Michigan with some confidence — in this rivalry for quite some time.

“This is everything I’ve dreamed of,” Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara said in the postgame TV interview. “This is everything that any guy who’s committed to Michigan over the last five years — this is why they come.”

The Michigan offense was able to capitalize on its opportunities to help put the game away for the Wolverines. Running back Hassan Haskins had 169 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the game. He became the first Michigan running back to rush for at least three touchdowns against Ohio State since Mike Hart did it in 2006.

The Wolverines had 299 yards rushing as a team, which was the most rushing yards a Ryan Day-led Ohio State team has ever allowed, and it was the first time Michigan has gone over 200 yards rushing against the Buckeyes since 2011, in Michigan’s last victory over the Buckeyes. It was the run game that kept pounding and kept pushing the offense ahead in this match.

The game was never in question for Michigan, and it was a stark contrast to the past two meetings between the two teams, in which Ohio State outscored Michigan 118-66. After a loss to Michigan State, questions arose about whether Harbaugh could get his first win in six tries against the Buckeyes.

Harbaugh got that win, and his players emphasized that they knew how much this meant to their coach because of the criticism he has received in the past and the importance of this rivalry.

“You guys should have seen him in the locker room after the game, I’ve never seen him more happy, more excited. Not just for himself, but his excitement for the players, how much he knows it means, not only to the players, but the coaches and everyone involved,” Offensive lineman Andrew Stueber said. “He’s gone through some tough times, he’s faced a lot of adversity since he’s been coach here. To see him finally beat Ohio State, as a team, as a unit, we knew what this team was capable of and it all starts with him.”

This is a turnaround season for the Wolverines after winning only two games last season, and this win puts Michigan in the Big Ten championship game, representing the Big Ten East, and gives it a shot at a spot in the College Football Playoff.

“We’ve been saying all year that this team is different,” McNamara said. “And I think today we proved that.”