🏈 Niners Fans Happy To Be Road Warriors

The 49ers are beginning to feel like a team of destiny to their fans. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: The San Francisco 49ers have legions of fans hitting the road with them ... we break down the rest of the NFL wild-card action ... and more! I spoke to a San Francisco 49ers fan who we’ll refer to as Jimmy C. on Sunday night, and no, that’s not his real name. We can’t use his true moniker because he spent the end of the weekend not just celebrating but also planning and plotting, eventually landing on a scheme that will involve telling a sneaky lie or two to his boss. And his colleagues. And his wife. Jimmy C. is going to follow Jimmy G. and the Niners all the way to Green Bay this coming weekend for the team’s divisional-round clash with the Packers. Problem is, his vacation time is already allocated and he’s supposed to be working on Saturday morning, which, in theory, would make such a trip for the highly anticipated matchup impossible ([Saturday on FOX at 8:15 p.m. ET](. “So, I’m going to call in sick,” Jimmy said. “We’re nearly at the end of a big project. It’s not really fair on everyone else. But I’ve got no other choice.” As for his wife, she knows about the trip — "she just doesn’t know how much it’s going to cost yet." [STORY IMAGE 1] Jimmy C. spent hours online late Sunday putting his plan into action once the schedule was announced, and he is most certainly not alone in his commitment to the 49ers cause. Over the past two weeks, the San Francisco fan base has spread its wings in a way that has gained significant notice. On the final day of the regular season, with the team needing a victory to secure its postseason spot, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles was a veritable sea of red as the other Jimmy (quarterback Garoppolo) sparked a late comeback against the Rams. And, this past weekend, the Dallas Cowboys’ plans for a whiteout were interrupted by a 49ers contingent that made up an estimated 30 percent of AT&T Stadium's cavernous expanse. “49ers fans are all over the country now,” [wrote Ann Killion in the San Francisco Chronicle](. “A hot national narrative is that everyone is abandoning the overpriced Bay Area; if true, that means more 49ers fans all over the country, including Texas, where they might use their savings on housing for pricey football tickets.” [STORY IMAGE 2] Yet many of the recent followers have made the trip from 49ers’ home territory and for those that do, it’s not cheap. Especially when Wisconsin is the destination. For Jimmy C., the final tally is guaranteed to be painful. More than $500 for a direct flight to Chicago to avoid numerous connections and awkward departure times. A projected $150 for a shared car ride from the Windy City to Green Bay with another traveling fan, and at least as much again for the return trip. Another $200 or so for two nights in a passable hotel and just over $300 for a game ticket at frosty Lambeau Field, procured from an online reseller. It feels worth it for a couple of reasons. One is that the 49ers, to their own fans at least, are beginning to feel like a team of destiny. It’s not hard to see why. The season could and would have ended if Garoppolo hadn’t driven 88 yards in 61 seconds in Week 18. And [the way the wild-card clash with the Cowboys shook out]( with time running out on Dak Prescott’s potentially game-winning drive, has reinforced the notion. ​​​​​​​ [STORY IMAGE 3] San Francisco is a [5.5-point underdog against the Packers with FOX Bet]( and is priced at +190 on the money line. There will be no shortage of confidence, however. The 49ers [thought they had Green Bay beaten in September]( only for Aaron Rodgers to embark upon an incredible 37-second drive into field-goal range to secure victory. Garoppolo insisted that the 49ers’ recent nail-biting habits have instilled a fresh sense of belief into the squad, which went winless from Sept. 19 to Oct. 31 before closing the campaign strongly. “I think whenever you have a battle at the end like that, it shows a real team,” Garoppolo told reporters. “You look guys in the eyes and you see who’s in that moment – and ready for it. It’s just going to do us well down the road.” As a No. 6 seed, it’s the road all the way for the 49ers. That won’t faze them, not with how the fanbase has responded, not after what has happened so far. [STORY IMAGE 4] “It’s so cool to go to opposing stadiums and see half of it red,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Feels like a home game,” linebacker Fred Warner added. Jimmy C., in a feat of admirable devotion and optimism, has already costed out some options for the NFC Championship Game. If the Niners can pull the upset this weekend, another journey would follow, to Tampa Bay, Los Angeles again or Arizona. Wherever it is, an army clad in red will come along for the ride — whatever the distance, no matter the price, or however many small acts of subterfuge are needed to make it happen. [STORY IMAGE 5] [IN OTHER WORDS] - What's next for the Cowboys after another playoff disappointment? The first question should be about their head coach, [FOX Sports NFL contributor Matt Mosley writes.]( - How does Tom Brady keep winning playoff games? His sheer football knowledge remains unmatched, [FOX Sports Columnist Charlotte Wilder writes.]( - Trae Young hears the derisive chants. In fact, the Hawks' guard is happiest when playing the villain, [FOX Sports NBA Writer Melissa Rohlin shares.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (ESPN, 8:15 p.m. ET) The Cards visit the Rams for a wild-card showdown between NFC West rivals. Wyoming at Nevada (FS1, 8 p.m. ET) Nevada’s men look to redeem their 0-2 record last season against the visiting Cowboys. No. 10 UConn at Oregon (ESPN2, 5 p.m. ET) The women of UConn are still without Paige Bueckers in a visit to the West Coast. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams: Rams -3.5 From FOX Sports Betting Analyst Jason McIntyre: This is the first game I bet. I took the Rams big. I just think [Sean] McVay owns [Kliff] Kingsbury and down the stretch, this Arizona offense looked terrible without [DeAndre] Hopkins. 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