![]() ![]() The Rams now feature a 1-2 punch in Todd Gurley and C.J. Lindsey Thiry's pick: The loss earlier this season lingers, but this is not the same Rams team that visited the Superdome in November. The only other players in limbo this weekend are Keith Kirkwood (calf) and Benjamin Watson (illness), both of whom missed practice Wednesday and Thursday for the Saints. But the Saints will be without defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (torn Achilles in last Sunday's win), a big blow to the New Orleans defense. Injury update: The Rams have a clean bill of health. One twist to be aware of: The Rams are 0-8 in games Vinovich has handled since the start of the 2012 season. Vinovich was the referee for the teams' Week 9 matchup, and there were seven flags in that game. 7) were among the NFL's least-penalized teams. Referee Bill Vinovich's regular-season crew threw the fewest flags per game (13.1) this season, and he called 11 in the Colts-Texans wild-card game. Officiating scouting report: Chances of a low-penalty game are good. As for the total, the over is 4-0 in the four postseason games with an over/under of at least 57 in the past 30 seasons (all have come since 2009). Bowenīetting nuggets: The Rams haven't been an underdog all season, but Jared Goff struggled in this spot during his first two seasons, going 2-8 against the spread in 10 career starts as an underdog. With Aqib Talib now healthy, however, don't be surprised if the Rams play more man-to-man coverage to get the veteran corner matched up with Thomas to limit the quick game and challenge the fade on the boundary. Look for Payton to bump Thomas inside to get favorable matchups against the Rams' zone coverage while featuring Thomas on deep inside cuts that allow Brees to make high-percentage throws. Thomas caught 12 passes for 211 yards - including a 72-yard touchdown over Peters - in New Orleans' Week 9 victory over L.A. Though the Rams did rank sixth in defensive efficiency on the road, it will be a tough task against the Saints, who ranked second in offensive efficiency at home (85.0), led by Brees' league-leading 89.7 Total QBR in home games this season. 3 (Saints) offenses in terms of efficiency this season, according to FPI. GrazianoįPI win projection: NO, 63.2 percent. Peters responded by saying he looked forward to seeing Payton again and having a "nice little bowl of gumbo together." Well, there are myriad gumbo options in the neighborhoods surrounding the Superdome, where the Saints are 7-2 this season. After the game, Rams cornerback Marcus Peters, who was the victim of the big Thomas catch, was told that Saints coach Sean Payton said he liked the Thomas-Peters matchup for his side. A Wil Lutz field goal put New Orleans back on top, then a 72-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Michael Thomas sealed the victory. In that game, the Saints built a 35-14 second-quarter lead, but the Rams came back and tied it up at 35-35 in the fourth. ET | Fox | Point spread: NO -3.5 | Matchup quality: 87.2 (of 100)īy record, these were the two best teams in the NFL, and the reason the 13-3 Saints are hosting the 13-3 Rams is because the Saints won their regular-season matchup 45-35 in Week 9 in New Orleans. Plus: Key matchups to watch from Matt Bowen, what to know from a sports betting perspective by Rob Nelson of ESPN Stats & Information, officiating nuggets from Kevin Seifert and more. Now we're previewing Sunday's conference championship game slate with a rundown for both matchups from Dan Graziano, score predictions and injury updates from our NFL Nation reporters, and Football Power Index projections from ESPN Stats & Information. Two rounds of the 2018 NFL playoffs are in the books, and only four teams remain. Guide to NFL conference championships: Predictions, key matchups, more You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser ![]()
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