CULTURE

Los Angeles Rams Headed to Super Bowl After Defeating New Orleans Saints

3:40 PM PST 1/20/2019

by


Kimberly Nordyke
,
the Associated Press

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime; the big game will air Feb. 3 on CBS.

Greg Zuerlein kicked a 57-yard field goal in overtime to send the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl with a 26-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship game Sunday.

The stunning finish came after New Orleans got the ball first in the extra period. Under pressure, quarterback Drew Brees fluttered up a pass that was picked off by John Johnson III, who was able to hang on to the interception while falling onto his back.

The Rams weren’t able to do much offensively, but it didn’t matter. Zuerlein, who had already delivered a tying 48-yard kick with 15 seconds left in regulation, booted through the winning field goal with plenty of room to spare.

The Superdome in New Orleans, which had been in uproar all afternoon, suddenly turned eerily silent. It was the first home playoff loss for the Saints with Brees and coach Sean Payton.

Meanwhile, the second game of the day — the AFC championship — also went to overtime in Kansas City, where the home team Chiefs took on the New England Patriots. The Patriots, who were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles in last year’s Super Bowl after having won the year prior, beat the Chiefs by a score of 37-31.

The Patriots have won the Super Bowl a total of five times, while the Rams have won once, in 1999, when they were in St. Louis, over the Tennessee Titans. They last appeared in the big game in 2002, when they lost to the Patriots.

Meanwhile, there’s no doubt who President Donald Trump is rooting for, tweeting his congratulations to the Patriots after their win (he’s long been a fan of the team and its quarterback Tom Brady and even appointed coach Bill Belichick as a member of his Council on Sport, Fitness and Nutrition last year):

Congratulations to Bob Kraft, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the entire New England Patriots team on a great game and season. Will be a fantastic Super Bowl!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2019

Super Bowl LIII will air live on CBS on Feb. 3 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.

Gladys Knight will sing the National Anthem, while Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi will perform at halftime.

Updated 7:25 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20: Added outcome of Patriots-Chief game.