2. 2001 NFC CHAMPION ST LOUIS RAMS
Record: 14-2
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 1st
Def: 7th
1st NFC West
d. Packers Div Rnd 45-17
d. Eagles NFC Title 29-24
lost Super Bowl Patriots 20-17
HC Mike Martz OC Bobby Jackson DC Lovie Smith
America's Center Dome
Steve Savard/Jack Snow
Offense
QB Kurt Warner 30 All Pro N Iowa
RB Marshall Faulk 28 All Pro S Diego St
FB James Hodgins 24 S Jose St
WR Isaac Bruce 29 Memphis
WR Torry Holt 25 NC St
TE Ernie Conwell 29 Washington
LT Orlando Pace 26 All Pro Ohio St
LG Tom Nutten 30 W Michigan
C Andy McCollum 31 Toledo
RG Adam Timmerman 30 S Dakota St
RT Ryan Tucker 26 Ohuo St
Defense
LDE Chidi Ahanotu 31 Cal
LDT Brian Young 24 UTEP
RDT Jeff Zgonina 31 Purdue
RDE Grant Wistrom 25 Nebraska
LLB Tommy Polley 23 R Florida St
MLB London Fletcher 26 J Carroll
RLB Mark Fields 29 Wash St
LCB Aeneas Williams 33 All Pro
RCB Dexter McCleon 28 Clemson
SS Adam Archuleta 24 R Ariz St
FS Kim Herring 26 Penn St
K Jeff Wilkins 29 Young St
P John Baker 24 N Texas
KR Trung Candidate 24 Arizona
PR Az-Zahir Hakim 24 S Diego St
A half dozen Rams teams are safely into Round 2 - here's the 20th overall seed in the field, the second seed in region 13, the 2001 NFC Champs. Best offense in football. 30 year old Kurt Warner is an All Pro, 36 scores and 22 picks. 28 year old Marshall Faulk is also an All Pro with over 2000 yards from scrimmage and 21 TDs. Both 29 year old Isaac Bruce and 25 year old Torry Holt had over a thousand yards receiving. 26 year old Orlando Pace is also an All Pro. One All Pro on defense, 33 year old Aeneas Williams. 25 year old Grant Wistrom had 9 sacks.
15. 2011 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 11th
Def: 2nd
1st NFC West
d. Div Rnd Saints 36-32
lost NFC Title Giants 20-17
HC Jim Harbaugh OC Greg Roman DC Vic Fangio
Offense
QB Alex Smith 27 Utah
RB Frank Gore 28 Miami
FB Bruce Miller 24 R C Florida
WR Michael Crabtree 24 T Tech
WR Josh Morgan 26 Va Tech
TE Vernon Davis 27 Mary
LT Joe Staley 27 C Michigan
LG Mike Iupati 24 Idaho
C Jonathan Goodwin 33 Mich
RG Adam Snyder 29 Oregon
RT Anthony Davis 22 Rutgers
Defense
LDE Ray McDonald 27 Florida
NT Isaac Sapoaga 30 Hawaii
RDE Justin Smith 32 All Pro Missouri
LOLB Ahmad Brooks 27 UVA
LILB NaVorro Bowman All Pro 23 Penn St
RILB Patrick Willis All Pro 26 Ole Miss
ROLB Parys Haralson 27 Tenn
LCB Carlos Rogers 30 Auburn
RCB Tarell Brown 26 Texas
SS Donte Whitner 26 Ohio St
FS Dashon Goldson 27 Wash
K David Akers 37 All Pro Louisville
P Andy Lee 29 All Pro Pitt
KR/PR Ted Ginn 26 Ohio St
8 49ers teams have won in Rnd 1 - if the 15th seeds in region 13 can pull off the big upset, that'll make #9. The '11 Niners had the second best defense in the league, they'll match up against that great Rams attack. 3 All Pros on defense, 32 year old Justin Smith, 23 year old NaVorro Bowman, 26 year old Patrick Willis. Both kickers, 37 year old David Akers, 29 year old Andy Lee were also First Team All Pro. On offense, Alex Smith is 27, 19 scores and 5 picks. 28 year old Frank Gore had 1200 yards rushing. We're headed to St Louis for the last game in Region 13.
1st Qtr
Rams start at the 27.
One first down, Warner 9 to Bruce, but the drive ends in a punt, Niners at the 27.
On the third play, Alex Smith is Intercepted - Aeneas Williams picks off Alex Smith and the Rams are in business at the Niner 36.
1/10 - Marshall Faulk gets 7.
2/3 - Robert Holcombe gets 2
3/1 - Kurt Warner takes a shot - but he's bowled over by Justin Smith and now the Rams have a 4th and 10 at the 36 --
Mike Martz is gonna go for it -- Martz looking to set the tone against this Niner defense.
4/10 - Ahmad Brooks sacks Warner - back to back sacks and the Niners turn the Rams over on down, Niners at their own 43.
1/10 - Grant Wistrom sacks Smith - 4 plays for San Francisco, one is a sack, one is a pick.
2/17 - Short pass to Alex Smith.
3/13 - Alex Smith -- he finds Michael Crabtree in open space - Crabtree's got 21 yards and the Niners have a first down at the Ram 39.
1/10 - Frank Gore gets a yard, illegal motion on the next play makes it 2nd and 14.
2/14 - Incomplete -- but a pass interference call gives the Niners a first down at the Ram 30.
1/10 - 4 yards for Gore
2/6 - Bruce Miller is stopped at the line.
3/6 - Smith - Crabtree -- 11 yards and a first down to the Ram 15.
1/10 - 9 yard gain for Gore.
2/1 - Miller stopped at the line.
3/1 - Gore picks it up and the Niners have a first and goal at the 4.
1/goal - Ted Ginn is in the backfield - he takes a pitch from Smith but is stopped for a loss of 2
2/goal -- Gore -- Gore will Rumble Into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS - 6 yard run for Gore, the Niners took 7 minutes to go 57 yards and get the game's first points.
Rams at the 33, two plays net 5 yards and the qtr ends.
2nd Qtr: 49ers 7 Rams 0
The top seed in the region, the '72 Dolphins, fell - the second seeds trail after a qtr, Rams have a third and 5 at their own 38.
NaVorro Bowman gets the Niners 3rd sack of the day --- Fumble -- Fumble -- the Niners recover -- Bowman sacks Warner, Warner fumbles - Niners take over at the Ram 32.
Offsides on first down, Niners at the 27.
1/5 - Smith hits Delanie Walker, 8 yard pickup.
The drive ends here, Akers kick makes it 10-0.
Rams at the 26.
1/10 - A yard for Holcombe
2/9 - Trung Candidate rushes for 8
3/1- Faulk picks it up. Rams at the 35.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Faulk busts for 16 across midfield.
1/10 - Candidate gets a yard, lot of running right now for the Rams.
2/9 - Candidate stopped
3/9 - Warner picks it up - Hakim 9 yard reception.
1/10 - Faulk for 8 to the Niner 29.
2/2 - James Hodgins gets a carry and he goes for 14 yards to the 49er 15 yard line.
That's where the drive ends and with a little more than 2 to go in the half, Wilkins makes it 10-3.
Niners get it back on the 34 - quick 3 and out - Brian Young getting a sack.
Rams get it back with a little more than a minute left, 2 timeouts. 32 yard line
1/10 - Warner has to run - big gainer, 14 yards to the 46. Out of bounds.
1/10 - A draw to Hodgins, big gainer, 19 yards to the 35 and the Rams call their second timeout..
1/10 - Warner - Holt, 6 yards, clock running.
2/4 - Give to Faulk, he gets 8 yards, Rams call their final timeout at 23 seconds left at the Niner 21.
That's as far as it goes - Wilkins FG at the whistle makes it 10-6.
3rd Qtr: 49ers 10 Rams 6
2 late FG for St Louis makes it close - Rams not lighting up the scoreboard, the Niner defense setting them up for the possible 15/2 upset.
Niners at the 27.
3 and out. Rams at the 30.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Faulk loses 1
3/11 - Warner to Isaac Bruce, the Rams receivers so quiet today, 15 yards.
1/10 - Here we go - Warner to Torry Holt, 14 yards and StL crosses midfield.
1/10 - Warner - Ernie Conwell, 4 yards
2/6 - Faulk gets 2
3/4- 11 yards for Marshall Faulk and the Rams are at the 25.
1/10 - Candidate for 1
2/9 - Warner -- End Zone -- Bruce --- Picked Off by Donte Whitner! Whitner picks off Warner in the end zone -- Huge play for the Niner defense, an interception and SF will start at the 20, up 10-6, 7 minutes left in the third.
3 and out, Wistrom picks up his second sack. Rams in good shape to open the drive at their own 46.
3 and out - the Niner defense standing up today against the Greatest Show on Turf.
Niners at the 30.
They get a big, big first down on a Kendall Hunter 45 yard run - the quarter ends with the Niners having a 4th down at the Ram 16.
4th Qtr: 49ers 10 Rams 6
15 minutes away from the 2nd seed in the region falling; the Niners are up 4 and are lining up for a 33 yard FG.
It's good. 13-6.
Rams start at the 23, one first down, Bruce 21 yard reception - but Justin Smith gets his second sack, the 4th for San Francisco, and the Rams punt.
Niners at the 40, 12:24 left, up 7.
3 and out - big stop there for the Rams, London Fletcher gets the 4th Rams sack of the day.
Rams pinned deep by the Lee punt, they're at the 8. 10 minutes to go. Down 7.
1/10 - Warner to Bruce for 10.
1/10 - Canidate 6 yard run.
2/4 - Incomplete
3/4 - Warner finds Conwell, 27 yards and the Rams cross midfield.
1/10 - Warner - to Faulk - he is Leveled by Patrick Willis as he catches the ball -- it is in the air -- Intercepted by Bowman! Intercepted by Bowman! With less than 8 minutes to play the 49ers have the football at their own 42 and lead 13-6! Big play by those Niner linebackers and they can smell, they can smell this huge upset.
San Francisco gets a first down - Alex Smith 15 to Vernon Davis - the drive ends, but David Akers Drills a 52 yard FG and with 5 minutes to play, San Francisco has a 10 point lead!!
Rams at the 34.
1/10 - Give to Faulk, he is stuffed in the backfield for a 3 yard loss. Rams in the hurry up.
2/13 - Incomplete
3/13 - Warner, huge pickup to Holt, 17 yards.
1/10 - Warner back to Holt, 17 more and the Rams are at the Niner 29.
1/10 - Warner is locked in on Holt - 14 yards to the 15.
1/10 - Warner -- End Zone - Hakim --- TOUCHDOWN RAMS - it takes just 68 seconds, the Rams go 64 yards and cut the deficit to 16-13. Warner 15 yards to Hakim.
Rams kick it deep - Niners at the 22, 3:35 left.
1/10 - Play fake - Niners not running the ball - Smith finds a wide open Crabtree, it's a 15 yard pickup - St Louis uses their first timeout, Niners at the 37 with 3:20 to play.
They run the ball 3 times now - nothing going - it forces the Rams to burn their final timeouts, but with 2:43 to play the Rams have the ball back, at their own 19.
1/10 - Warner - 7 yards to Faulk, out of bounds.
2/3 - Faulk -- he is just short, it's 3rd and 1 and we will go to the 2 minute warning.
3/1 - Warner - Faulk -- 13 yards, out of bounds at the 41.
1/10 - Warner -- Warner Looking for the Home Run -- Torry Holt ----- Caught! Caught! Torry Holt to the 20 - the 10 -- TOUCHDOWN RAMS - Kurt Warner 59 yards to Torry Holt and the St Louis Rams score twice in two minutes and they take a 20-16 lead! Warner to Holt! Warner the big shot to Torry Holt!
Niners have 1:29 and all 3 timeouts, they start at the 27.
1/10 - Adam Archeleta sacks Smith on the safety blitz, timeout Niners.
2/17 - Smith to Crabtree, back to the original line of scrimmage.
3/10 - Incomplete
And this is it - Niners at their own 27, down 20-16. 3rd and 10.
4/10 - Incomplete
And that's it - the Rams score twice in the last 4 minutes of the game to come back and beat the Niners.
Final: Rams 20 49ers 16.
Just 11 Niner first downs; the defense held on for 56 minutes, but 2 late scores and the Rams win.
Warner: 15 for 25, 248 yds, 2 TD/2 INT
Smith: 9 for 16, 93 yds, INT
Faulk: 20 carries, 79 yds
Gore: 16 carries, 39 yds, TD
Holt: 6 catches, 125 yds, TD
Crabtree: 4 catches, 51 yds
Wistrom/Smith: 2 sacks
Bowman: 10 tackles, sack, INT
Player of the Game: Torry Holt
Region 13 Rnd 1 MVP: Jim Plunkett
Here's the Rnd 2 Matchups:
1992 Eagles v. 1991 Oilers
1995 49ers v. 1966 Cowboys
2012 Patriots v. 1963 Packers
2001 Rams v. 1983 Raiders
