One down, one to go.
On Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Rams became the first team to clinch a berth in the upcoming Super Bowl (Feb. 3 in Atlanta) by stunning the Saints in overtime, 26-23.
The conquering hero: Kicker Greg Zuerlein, famously known as "Greg The Leg," nailed a 57-yard field goal in overtime, the immediate and final response to a Rams interception during the Saints' only possession of extra time.
For sure, the long field goal was a risky call from Rams head coach Sean McVay. If Zuerlein hadn't split the uprights, Drew Brees (249 yards passing, 2 TDs) and the Saints would have assumed the ball around midfield.
However, none of that mattered to McVay in the moment, in lieu of the Rams collecting the NFC's first road victory of Championship Weekend in six years.
What's more, the 32-year-old McVay (former #Team11 alum with The Marist School) became the youngest-ever coach of the modern era to lead a team to the Super Bowl.
Sunday's triumph at Mercedes-Benz Superdome secures the Rams' fourth Super Bowl appearance of the last 40 years (1979 season, 1999, 2001).
It also means that, as the NFC champion, the Rams will temporarily take over the Atlanta Falcons' training facility in Flowery Branch.
(Where will the Falcons coaches and executives be during Super Bowl Week? We've been positing theories in the 11Alive newsroom for a few days.)
A BLOWN CALL FOR THE AGES
Give the Rams credit for overcoming multiple deficits throughout the day. But at the same time, let's be honest: The Saints were victims of a blown interference call late in the fourth quarter.
Here's the scene: With less than two minutes to play and the score knotted at 20, the Saints had entered red-zone territory and remained aggressive throughout this tense sequence.
As Exhibit A, for the 3rd and 10 from the Rams' 13, Brees dropped back and attempted to hit Tommylee Lewis on a sideline route.
However, before Lewis could reach for the ball, on his way to perhaps guaranteeing victory -- since Los Angeles had just one timeout left -- Rams cornerback Marcus Peters boldly collided into the receiver ... without any pretense of looking back for the ball.
At any time during the regular season, this would have been a textbook pass-interference call. Instead, the officials inexplicably chose not to be the determining factor of a championship game.
So, how should this error in judgment have led to a Saints victory?
Instead of New Orleans draining the clock to under 10 seconds in regulation, thanks to a full set of downs, Wil Lutz's chip-shot field goal merely put the Saints up three, with plenty of time remaining.
Consequently, Rams QB Jared Goff (297 yards passing, 1 TD) marched the offense 45 yards downfield ... setting up Zuerlein's game-tying effort from 48 yards.
The snap and hold were perfect ... but Zuerlein's funky kick had to endure a few twists and turns before finding its way between the goal posts.
As things turned out, Zuerlein would require no such drama in overtime.
