Sean McVay had seen it earlier than. It had truly taken place simply two weeks prior on the finish of the NFC Championship Recreation. Together with his crew defending a 20-17 lead, McVay watched as defensive deal with Aaron Donald bull-rushed his manner within the 49ers‘ backfield. Donald’s strain of Jimmy Garoppolo led to an errant throw that was intercepted whereas securing the Rams‘ victory and berth in Tremendous Bowl LVI. 

On Sunday evening, with the Rams defending a 23-20 lead, McVay had a sense that Donald was going to make an identical play on fourth-and-1 with 49 seconds to play. 

“For the world championship proper right here,” McVay mentioned. “Aaron Donald’s going to make a play.” 

McVay was proper. Donald, who had already recorded two sacks of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, was capable of get to him once more on fourth down. Burrow was capable of get the throw away, however the go fell harmlessly to the turf, securing the Rams’ first championship since 1999. 

“I knew it!” McVay yelled at Donald afterwords. “I knew that you’d make that play!” 

Donald and McVay have been two of the principle driving forces behind the Rams’ success for the reason that franchise moved again to Los Angeles. Since McVay’s arrival in 2017, the Rams have by no means had a dropping season whereas advancing to the playoffs 4 instances. Los Angeles made it to the Tremendous Bowl 2018, solely to fall to Tom Brady’s Patriots within the lowest-scoring Tremendous Bowl ever. 

It took three years, however Donald, McVay and the Rams made it again to the massive sport this season. And whereas the Bengals made them work for it, the Rams have been on the successful finish of Sunday’s remaining rating.