TODAY IN THE NJLMFL- SUPER BOWL 49
TENNESSEE TITANS VS LOS ANGELES RAMS-QUALCOMM STADIUM SAN DIEGO
The Los Angeles Rams won their 4th Super Bowl in franchise history with a 28-24 win over first-time Super Bowl opponent Tennessee Titans in a game that was not as close as the score indicates. The Rams dominated most of the day and a late rally by the Titans was too little too late.
RECAP
1st QTR- Titans took opening kick to own 42. On the first play from scrimmage Tennessee QB Vince Young hit WR Kenny Britt over the middle but a jarring hit by LA LB Isiah Robertson knocked the ball loose and LeRoy Irvin of the Rams recovered on the Tennessee 46. The Rams could not capitalize and had to punt to the Titans 9. The Titans went 3 and out and punted back to LA. A poor punt of just 21 yds to the LA 46. Eric Dickerson then ran twice for 17 yards to set up a 32 yd pass from Vince Ferragamo to Stephen Jackson all the way down to the TEN. 2 and the quarter ended scorless.
2nd QTR- On the first play of quarter 2 Eric Dickerson scored on a 2 yd run which the video replay showed was a TD and the Rams led 7-0. On Tennessee's next possession they had a short drive but had to punt again this time to the LA 11. Nolan Cromwell returned the punt 18 yds to the LA 29.
The Rams struck quickly. Jackson ran for 27 yards then Ferragamo hit Henry Ellard down to the TEN 27. Eric Dickerson followed with a perfectly executed draw play and went 27 yds for his second TD and a 14-0 Rams lead with 2:27 left in the half. The Titans took over at their own 41. Two runs by Eddie George and Chris Johnson went nowhere and we were at the 2:00 warning. On third and 6 Young went back to throw and was sacked by Deacon Jones for a 7 yd loss. Craig Hentrich came into punt. The is was the gamebreaking play for the Rams. DB LeRoy Irvin came around the corner and blocked the punt. He scooped up the ball and raced 12 yards for a TD and a 21-0 Rams lead with 1:26 left in the half. Tennessee got the ball at their own 30 and Vince Young began to show his athletic prowess using his legs. He ran twice for 15 yards and the Titans took their final timeout of the half with :35 left. Young then hit Britt for 37 yards to the LA 18 and Britt got out of bounds with :09 left. Young then threw incomplete and Rick Birones came in and kicke a 35 yd FG to get the Titans on the board 21-3 at the half.
3rd QTR- The Rams came out in the 3rd quarter and picked up where they left off. After Jackson and Dickerson ran for 7 yds Ferragamo hit TE Pete Holohan for 13 yds and a first down. Two plays later Ferragamo hit Jackson with a swing pass and Jackson turned on the burners and went 54 yds for a TD and the Rams led 28-3. Tennessee got the ball back at their own 40. Young hit Britt again for 16 yds and Chris Johnson ran for 14 yds to the LA 30. On first down Young threw a short out for Justin Gage but LA's man on the spot LeRoy Irvin picked it off and returned it to the Rams 32. The Rams were able to get a first down and the quarter ended 28-3 Rams.
4th QTR- On third and 7 Ferragamo made his only poor throw of the day when he threw deep for Ellard and TEN DB Michael Griffin intercepted at the TEN 22 and returned it 15 yds to the 37. Tennessee woke up and began a comeback. Eddie George went on a rampage. He gained 11 yds for a first down. Then Young hit Britt for 10 to the LA 39. Young then hit Johnson down to the 22 and from there George slammed through the Rams defense for a 22 yd TD to cut the lead to 28-10 with 7:04 left in the game. Then came some super Bowl history as Tennessee became the first team to recover consecutive onsides kicks. Justin Gage recovered the first one on the TEN 43. On third and 10 Young escaped the Rams rush and ran 43 yds to the LA 24. After Chris Johnson ran for 3 yds the human battering ram Eddie George busted off a 21 yd TD run for his second TD of the game. It was now 28-17 with 3:08 left. Then came the second onsides kick and geuss who recovered? Eddie George at the TEN 43. Young then hit George for 39 yds to the LA 23 with 2:00 left. This is where the comeback ended. Young threw over the middle for Gage and Rams DB Nolan Cromwell intercepted at the 18 and returned it to the LA 32 with 1:43 left and the Titans had only 1 timeout remaining. Dickerson ran twice for 7 yards and Jackson for 2 as the clock ran down to :11. On fourth down Jackson dropped the handoff and Michael Griffin recovered at the Ram 38 with :09 left. Young then hit George for a 38 yd TD as time expired. By rule Birones kicked the extra point and the official final was LA 28 TEN 24. The Rams celebrated their 4th Super Bowl win by climbing on their helmet float and then took the platform for the trophy presentation. The first time Titans never got settled down all day long until it was too late. The Rams LeRoy Irvin was named the games MVP for his fumble recovery, interception and blocked punt return for a TD.
STATS TEN LA
1ST DOWNS 11 6
RUSHING 157 89
PASSING 198 140
TOTAL YDS 355 229
TURNOVERS 3 2
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING
LA- DICKERSON 9-52 2 TD
LA-JACKSON 9-37
TEN- YOUNG 7-75
TEN- GEORGE 7-61 2TD
TEN- JOHNSON 5-21
PASSING
LA- FERRAGAMO 6-10 140 YDS 1 TD 1INT
TEN- YOUNG 9-17 198 YDS 1 TD 2 INT 2 SACKS
RECIEVING
LA- DICKERSON 1-10
LA- JACKSON 2-86 TD
LA- ELLARD 1-17
LA- ANDERSON 1-14
LA- HOLOHAN 1-13
TEN- JOHNSON 1-17
TEN- GEORGE 3-101 2TD
TEN- BRITT 5-80
SCORING
TENNESSEE 0-3-0-21- 24
LOS ANGELES 0-21-7-0 28
1ST QTR
No Scoring
2ND QTR
LA- Dickerson 2 yd run (Wilkins kick)...............................7-0 14:39
LA- Dickerson 27 yd run (Wilkins kick).............................14-0 2:27
LA- Irvin 12 yd blocked punt return (Wilkins kick)..............21-0 1:26
TEN- Birones 35 yd FG................................................ .21-3 :04
3RD QTR.
LA- Jackson 54 yd pass from Ferragamo (Wilkins kick)........28-3 8:59
4TH QTR
TEN- George 22 yd run (Birones kick)..............................28-10 7:04
TEN- George 21 yd run (Birones kick)..............................28-17 3:08
TEN- George 38 yd pass from Young (Birones kick)............28-24 :00
MVP- LeRoy Irvin - Rams
PHOTOS
1- NFC Champs
2- AFC Champs
3- Captains meet for coin toss
4- Dickerson 2 yd TD review
5- Dickerson 27 yd TD draw play
6- Irvin blocked punt return for TD
7- Jackson 54 yd TD pass part 1
8- Jackson 54 yd TD on great downfield block
9- Jackson does the "RAM"BEAU LEAP
10- George 22 yd rTD run
11- George scores from 21
12- George 38 yd TD on last play
13- Rams celebrate on team helmet float.
14- Rams Super Bowl 49 CHAMPS