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N.F.L. Playoffs Live: Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints Updates and Analysis

The Rams head to New Orleans to face the Saints for the N.F.C. championship game with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

By Scott Cacciola and Zach Schonbrun

Jan. 20, 2019•Updated

Right Now

The Rams are within 3 after a 1-yard touchdown by Tyler Higbee. The Saints lead, 20-17, in the fourth quarter.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for one touchdown in the first quarter against the Rams on Sunday.CreditCarolyn Kaster/Associated Press

Click here to refresh for live updates from the Rams vs. Saints by Zach Schonbrun and Scott Cacciola, who is reporting from New Orleans.

Fourth Quarter: Saints’ Defense Comes Up Big

That was a huge series for the Saints defense, which forced the Rams to punt from their own 12-yard line — and just when the Rams looked to be seizing momentum (again). Add in a personal foul against the Rams on the punt, and the Saints will take over at the Rams' 46.

— Scott Cacciola

Third Quarter: The Rams Are Not Done

Rams continue to gash the Saints for big yardage plays, just as they did against the Dallas Cowboys last week. Brandin Cooks now has 100 yards receiving after a 25-yard catch and run. An end around by Josh Reynolds then went for 16 yards all the way to the 1-yard line, setting up a touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee to make it 20-17. After the score, Higbee immediately put his finger to his lips. Shhhhhhhh. (Don't think the Saints fans will listen, though).

— Zach Schonbrun

Third Quarter: Taysom Hill Gets a Turn

So much for the Rams’ momentum. After they went three-and-out on their opening series of the second half, the Saints took over and marched down the field. Their 12-play, 71-yard drive culminated in a 2-yard touchdown pass from Brees to Taysom Hill, the team’s third-string quarterback. (!) But really, that drive was all about Alvin Kamara, the Saints’ do-everything tailback. Kamara caught four passes for 34 yards and ran once for 6 yards, sparking New Orleans — and the crowd is once again in a tizzy.

— Scott Cacciola

Second Quarter: Spoke Too Soon

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The Rams’ Todd Gurley scored a 6-yard touchdown just before the end of the half against the Saints.CreditDavid J. Phillip/Associated Press

Don't count the Rams out yet. They turned up the defensive pressure on Brees, sacking him on consecutive plays. Then two big throws by Jared Goff to Brandin Cooks — including a beautiful 31-yard completion to the 6-yard line — have put the Rams right back in it. A touchdown run by Gurley (remember him?) makes it a 13-10 game at halftime.

— Zach Schonbrun

That series was the best possible sequence of events for the Rams. Not only did Gurley get involved with the touchdown run — welcome back, Todd — but the Rams also absolutely silenced the crowd before halftime. And don't forget: The Rams will get the ball to start the second half.

— Scott Cacciola

Second Quarter: Going Away From Gurley

Something to watch: The Rams have gone away from Todd Gurley, their All-Pro running back, since that early pass that wound up being an interception slipped through his hands. C.J. Anderson, signed late in the regular season when Gurley was sidelined with a knee injury, has been getting the bulk of the carries in his place. Anderson and Gurley were both terrific last weekend in the Rams' divisional-round victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

— Scott Cacciola

Second Quarter: The Rams Go For It, and Get It

Special teams are already a factor in this game, which features two of the best and most creative units in the league.

On the Rams’ last drive, Coach Sean McVay made the gutsy call to fake the punt and throw a pass on 4th and 5, which finally gave the Rams some offensive momentum. (The result was a field goal to get on the board, 13-3).

On the other side, the Saints’ special teams were the most efficient in the N.F.L. this season, led by the well-respected Mike Westhoff. And they love to employ Taysom Hill in innovative ways.

— Zach Schonbrun

Second Quarter: MAKE NOISE

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The Superdome is known for being noisy, but the fans have taken it to another level for the N.F.C. championship game.CreditGerald Herbert/Associated Press

If there's one word to sum this game up so far, it might be noise. It is so loud inside this building. And just to give Saints fans a friendly nudge, the game operations department here keeps flashing a giant "MAKE NOISE" sign on the Jumbotron, with flames licking all the letters. Noise, of course, is part of the strategy. Veterans in the press box who have been to many sports events here at the Superdome are saying this is the loudest they've heard it — and the noise is clearly affecting the Rams. Jared Goff had the experience of playing against the Saints here earlier this season, but suffice it to say the atmosphere was slightly more muted back in November than it is today.

— Scott Cacciola

End of First Quarter: Los Angeles Did Not Get Far

Fifteen. That's the total yardage for the Rams in the first quarter, their lowest total for a quarter this season. That does not include a single first down. And they're facing another third down when the second quarter begins. More alarming: The crowd noise at the Superdome caused the Rams to commit a false start AFTER they had just called a timeout … because of the crowd noise.

— Zach Schonbrun

First Quarter: Good Start for Griffin

First Quarter: Are the Rams in Trouble Already?

It’s starting to look like a nightmarish start for the Rams in New Orleans.

In the red zone for a third time already in the first quarter, the Saints brought their do-everything backup quarterback Taysom Hill in on third down but could not convert the run-pass option play. No matter: New Orleans brought Brees back onto the field on 4th and 2 from the 10-yard line, and he got the Rams to jump offside.

On the next play, two Rams defenders ran into each other, and Brees found Garrett Griffin wide open in the end zone. 13-0 New Orleans.

Los Angeles looks completely out of sorts on defense. But the Saints have that effect on a lot of teams.

— Zach Schonbrun

It’s probably worth noting the colossal difference in time of possession here so far: While the Rams have had the ball for a grand total of 3 minutes 9 seconds, the Saints have had it for 10:16. The Rams’ defense is already working hard, and probably did well to limit the Saints to two field goals on their first two series. Goff and his offense could do the defense a huge favor by keeping the ball here for more than another three-and-out.

— Scott Cacciola

First Quarter: Goff Can’t Hear You

On the N.F.L.'s radio broadcast, they are reporting that Rams quarterback Jared Goff was having problems with the audio inside his helmet, meaning he couldn't hear Coach Sean McVay. The Rams are hoping that the issue is resolved.

— Scott Cacciola

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First Quarter: Saints Force a Turnover

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Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) intercepted a pass intended for the Rams’ Todd Gurley during the first quarter Sunday.CreditStreeter Lecka/Getty Images

Oh boy. New Orleans forces a turnover as a dropped pass by Todd Gurley goes right into the arms of Saints linebacker Demario Davis on the Rams' own 16-yard line. It was L.A.'s first turnover in three games, and it gives New Orleans a chance to take a commanding early start.

— Zach Schonbrun

First Quarter: A Little History for Drew Brees

It did not take long for Drew Brees to make a little history. With his third completion of the Saints’ opening drive, he passed the great Dan Marino for sixth on the all-time postseason completions list with 385. Incidentally, the Rams made an unusual decision to defer after winning the coin toss, giving the Saints the ball to start — a small gamble when Brees is the opposing quarterback and this crowd is fired up. (The kids might refer to the Superdome as “lit.”) All things considered the Rams were fortunate to get off the field after giving up just a field goal.

— Scott Cacciola

For a Trip to the Super Bowl

The last time the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints met, they combined for 80 points and 970 yards of offense, and the Saints ended the Rams’ dreams of going undefeated the entire season.

Here is what to know now:

The winner gets to go to the Super Bowl, to face the winner of the AF.C. championship game. That matchup features the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots (6:40 p.m. Eastern, CBS). Click here for our preview of that game.
The Rams have added two critical pieces: Aqib Talib and C.J. Anderson. Talib has noticeably improved the secondary, and Anderson has shown to be a valuable running option beside Todd Gurley.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees ended the season with 74,437 passing yards, after breaking Peyton Manning’s record early in the season. Click here for a timeline charting how offense took over the N.F.L.