In case you didn’t know, the San Francisco 49ers are taking on the Los Angeles Rams tonight in the NFC Championship game. The winner goes on to face the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford got off to a rough start by throwing an interception on the goal line to 49ers safety Jimmie Ward.
To be fair, the ball was batted, but at the same time, Stafford should know better. He can’t be throwing that ball. Look to the flat, for example, his back was wide open, and may have walked in for the score. Instead, the Rams walk away with zero points, giving the 49ers a lot of momentum, riling up the visiting crowd.
Matthew Stafford suffers late hit from Fred Warner, no flag thrown
What that play didn’t show was what happened in the pile, or near it after the throw. 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner delivered a dirty hit to Matthew Stafford, which should have drawn a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but no flag was thrown on the play.
No matter what, it wouldn’t have mattered. Stafford still threw the interception, trying to force the ball where it shouldn’t have been thrown with so much traffic nearby. It’s a mistake that can’t be made in the biggest game of his career. Not if he wants to help bring the Rams to the Super Bowl, where they could be playing at home in SoFi Stadium.
