THOUSAND OAKS http://www.tampabaybuccaneersteamonline.com/matt-gay-jersey , Calif. (AP) — When the Los Angeles Rams‘ team bus rolled into their suburban training complex after a boisterous flight from New Orleans, the players and coaches were greeted by rowdy fans welcoming home the new NFC champions in the middle of the night.The Rams and their fans lost some sleep Sunday night — but not about that missed pass interference on Nickell Robey-Coleman that could have altered the outcome of Los Angeles’ 26-23 overtime victory in the NFC championship game.“I’m not going to sit here and say there clearly wasn’t a little bit of contact before that ball actually arrived,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday. “But whether he catches it or not, there’s a lot of things that go into that. … I feel bad for when it occurred in the framework of the game, but I thought (Saints coach) Sean (Payton) said it best: There’s a lot of other opportunities, and there’s a lot of things that do dictate and determine the outcome of the game.”And after watching the tape of their remarkable win, the Rams had a few questions of their own for the officiating crew.Specifically, the Rams couldn’t understand how the refs didn’t call Saints linebacker A.J. Klein’s apparent grab of Jared Goff’s facemask on the Rams’ previous drive. A penalty would have given a first down to the Rams at the New Orleans 1, putting them in prime position to take a 24-20 lead with a touchdown with 5:03 to play.“When you slow it down, clearly you can see some of the things that took place. If you want to do that on every single play, though, there’s a lot of instances. You want to slow some things down with a facemask on Goff, some different things,” McVay said. “What we try to do a good job of understanding is that it is an imperfect game.”The Rams’ latest victory wasn’t perfect, but it was historic. This franchise is still deep in the years-long process of rebuilding its once-huge fan base in Southern California after 21 years away in St. Louis.A trip to the Super Bowl in just their third season back home is an awfully good way to send that process into warp speed.The Rams are headed to their first Super Bowl in 17 years. The Rams had only two winning seasons in between those Super Bowl runs, but McVay’s team has swiftly reversed years of failure and put the Rams on the brink of Los Angeles’ first NFL championship since the 1983 season http://www.tennesseetitansteamonline.com/a.j.-brown-jersey , when the Raiders won it all.“We’ve been through a lot, and for us to go out there and grind through all this adversity just shows you how close we are in this room,” said guard Rodger Saffold, the longest-tenured Rams player in his ninth season. “The fans were excited for us to come back, and now, three years later, we’re on the biggest stage in sports. The city is electric for us.”Aside from the late-game theatrics and twists, the Rams’ victory was even more surprising because of the relatively small role played by their biggest offensive star.Todd Gurley touched the ball only five times, while backup C.J. Anderson led the Rams’ meager rushing game with 44 yards. Gurley was on the field for 32 snaps to Anderson’s 37, but last season’s Offensive Player of the Year didn’t look like himself.McVay on Monday reiterated his claim that Gurley is fully healthy even though the running back missed the Rams’ final two regular-season games with an injured knee.“He’s feeling good, and he sure looked pretty healthy on that touchdown run where he ran through guys and demonstrated some explosion,” McVay said. “More than anything, I’ve got to get him more opportunities.” FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons were looking to bulk up in the trenches after a disappointing season.They stuck to that plan, even when one potential target after another was snatched up ahead of the 14th pick in the NFL draft.In a bit of a surprise, the Falcons selected offensive guard Chris Lindstrom from Boston College with their first-round choice Thursday night http://www.tennesseetitansteamonline.com/amani-hooker-jersey , adding another piece to a line that needed a big upgrade after star quarterback Matt Ryan took a pounding in 2019.As it turned out, Atlanta wasn’t done. Just before midnight, the Falcons dealt their second- and third-round picks to Los Angeles for the next-to-last selection of the first round, which they used to grab Washington offensive tackle Kaleb McGary at No. 31. Atlanta also got a sixth-round pick in the deal.The Falcons were thought to covet a wealth of stellar defensive linemen, but six of those players were gobbled up in the first 13 picks. Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams went to Cincinnati at No. 11, depriving Atlanta of another possible selection. When Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was grabbed by Miami just ahead of the Falcons’ pick, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Lindstrom became the choice.He’ll now be charged with protecting fellow Boston College alum Ryan, who was the Falcons’ top pick in 2008.“He’s come up to speak with the team a few times,” Lindstrom said. “He’s a great ambassador for what it means to be a BC man. I’m thankful to be able to play with him.”Ryan will be looking for a lot better protection from the guys up front. He was sacked 42 times and took 108 hits, a career high.“We were focused on offensive line,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “We need to protect Matt.”Atlanta hasn’t used a first-round pick on an offensive guard since Bill Fralic was chosen at No. 2 overall in 1985. Lindstrom joins a revamped offensive line that includes two other new guards, free agent signees James Carpenter and Jamon Brown.“I’m just trying to help the team,” Lindstrom said. When asked pointedly if he was capable of starting right away, he deferred. “I’m just trying to come in and work right now and try to be a great player.”The pick was not well received by Falcons fans watching the draft at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Many appeared baffled by the choice, perhaps because many draft analysts projected Lindstrom as possibly slipping into Friday’s second round.At least he comes from good bloodlines. His father Taylor Rapp Jersey , also named Chris, was a lineman at Boston University who went on to play three seasons in the NFL. Younger brother Alec just completed his freshman year on Boston College’s offensive line.McGary is a 6-foot-7, 324-pounder who will get a chance to compete for the starting job at right tackle.While the Falcons received offers to move up from the 14th pick and were interested in players such as Wilkins, Dimitroff insisted that offensive line was the top priority.Lindstrom, he added, was the guy the Falcons wanted all along.“We knew we would have to be aggressive,” Dimitroff said. “We’re not looking back. We made the choice of Lindstrom. We’re not concerned about anyone thinking he’s a reach.”Set at quarterback with former MVP Ryan and veteran backup Matt Schaub, the Falcons were hoping several teams ahead of them would go in that direction. The Arizona Cardinals selected Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray with the top overall pick, and Daniel Jones of Duke went to the New York Giants at No. 6.That was it.After the Falcons selected Lindstrom, Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins was scooped up by Washington at No. 15.Atlanta had its highest spot in the draft since 2015, when the team was heading into its first season under coach Dan Quinn. On the heels of two straight playoff appearances, including a run to the Super Bowl during the 2016 season, the Falcons were ravaged by injuries and slipped to 7-9 a year ago.Quinn fired all three coordinators in a shake-up that led to the head coach taking over the defensive play-calling duties.Lindstrom watched the draft from his family’s home in Massachusetts.“It was just my immediate family until I got drafted,” he said during a teleconference with Atlanta media. “It sounds like a lot of people just showed up.”
