“That was a fun night,” McVay said, sounding sarcastic. “A real fun night to take away from a good night.”

The situation with Stafford wasn’t resolved until late July, just hours before the start of training camp, when the Rams agreed to his demands.

McVay Discusses Stafford’s Future

With Stafford’s future still uncertain, McVay said addressing his contract will be a priority when he meets with Rams executives next week to plan for the next season.

“We don’t want to have that go on again,” McVay said in a video conference. “I don’t think that’s good for anybody. I think sooner than later. Being able to get that clarity…”

Stafford, who turns 37 on February 7, has a salary of $23 million next season, but only $4 million is guaranteed. His cap hit is scheduled to be $49.7 million.

Stafford’s Contract and Performance

Stafford’s contract, which he signed in 2022, is now lower than what top quarterbacks are earning. If Stafford doesn’t retire, he and his representatives are expected to push for another contract adjustment. Stafford threw 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season while playing through injuries, including a rib injury that wasn’t initially listed on the injury report.

McVay explained that Stafford’s rib injury from a December 12 win against the San Francisco 49ers didn’t show up in imaging tests, and it didn’t affect his ability to practice or play.

McVay on Stafford’s Impact

When asked about Stafford’s future with the Rams, McVay was careful with his words. He praised Stafford’s performance, particularly in big moments, like in the seven playoff games he’s played with the Rams. McVay emphasized that Stafford knows how much he means to the team.

“I’m sure proud of the body of work, really proud of the way he’s played,” McVay said. “He shines the brightest on the biggest stages…”

McVay also mentioned that he had a good conversation with Stafford recently.

Kupp’s Future and McVay’s Approach

McVay also has a close relationship with receiver Cooper Kupp, who was part of McVay’s first draft class in 2017. The Rams had considered trading Kupp after a 1-4 start to the season, and Kupp has admitted he isn’t sure about his future with the team.

McVay plans to have an open discussion with Kupp about his future. “There’s no good way to go about hard conversations other than just straight to the point,” McVay said. He added that honesty and directness have always been important in their relationship.

Kyren Williams Extension Discussion

McVay also mentioned that the Rams would discuss an extension for running back Kyren Williams, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

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Kupp shared in the Rams’ final locker room meeting of the season, “I feel like I’ve got a lot of good football left in me. I’ll be playing football next year. That much I know.”

He addressed the trade rumors that came up during the season, noting, “Who knows what’s going to happen? That’s out of my control. And we will see what it’s going to be. … I don’t have any clarity on what that’s going to look like or anything like that. So yeah, obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that’s going to look like.”

Kupp has two years left on the contract extension he signed in 2022, which includes $5 million guaranteed for 2025. If the Rams decide to cut him this offseason, they could save $15 million in cash and $7.52 million on their salary cap.

However, if they release him without the post-June 1 option, the team would take on $22.2 million in dead money because of the remaining prorated portion of his signing bonus and $5 million of his roster bonus.

Kupp’s best season came in 2021, when he won the receiving triple crown and was named the Super Bowl LVI MVP. This season, Kupp recorded 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns in 12 regular-season games. He missed four games after injuring his ankle in Week 2 and did not play in the final game of the regular season after the Rams had already secured the NFC West title.

It was frustrating

Kupp said the season was “frustrating” for both him personally and the offense as a whole. Even though the Rams won 10 out of their final 14 games after starting with a 1-4 record, the offense still struggled to be consistent.

He explained, “There’s all these things you’re weathering through offensively, things that I feel like, man, we should be better than the product we’re putting out there in terms of the production and the points that are being scored.

And then just for me personally feeling like, man, there’s things, I’m watching film, feeling good about football and playing, but productionwise it’s not showing up. And a lot of stuff’s outside of my control. And it is frustrating.”

In the Rams’ season-ending loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Kupp had five catches for 61 yards. Before that game, in the five previous games, he had only 10 targets, five catches, 82 receiving yards, and no touchdowns. In the first nine games of the season, Kupp had five or more targets in each game, finishing with 63 catches, 657 yards, and six touchdowns.

Kupp said, “Obviously I want to be able to feel like I’m impacting games, and that’s done on a much more discreet level, I feel like, for a lot of these games. And that is what it is, but I can look back on the season and be happy with what I put on tape and things that I was being asked to do, feel like I was executing my job. And that’s all you can do.”

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Although Kupp is under contract for the next two seasons, the large size of his deal could lead the Rams to part ways with the Super Bowl 56 MVP. Kupp is aware of this possibility.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” Kupp said Monday as the Rams cleaned out their lockers at the training complex. “A lot of stuff is out of my control. We’ll see what it’s going to be. There’s obviously stuff that was going on early on in the season, and we’ll see.

I don’t have any clarity on what that’s going to look like or anything like that. So yeah, obviously would love to be in LA, but I don’t know what that’s going to look like.”

The “stuff” Kupp referred to includes the trade talks that reminded him that nothing is permanent in the NFL. When the Rams started the season 1-4, they received calls to see if they were willing to trade Kupp, who was injured at the time.

One reason for considering a trade was to move his three-year, $80.1 million contract extension, which he received after his remarkable 2021-22 season, where he won the Triple Crown of receiving and the Super Bowl MVP award during the Rams’ victory over Cincinnati.

Kupp’s contract for 2025 is a big financial burden. He is set to take up nearly $30 million in cap space, but the Rams could save about two-thirds of that by releasing him, as he will be 32 next season.

The Rams could also attempt to restructure Kupp’s deal, but Kupp knows that the front office is not sentimental. General manager Les Snead has already released or traded players like Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, and Robert Woods before their contract extensions even began.

However, Kupp is not retiring anytime soon.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of good football left in me,” Kupp said. “So I definitely will be playing football next year, that much I know.”

Kupp called the just-completed season “frustrating,” mainly because of his injury and his limited production after returning to health. Despite this, he is proud of how the Rams turned things around after their rough start, eventually winning the NFC West title and making it to the postseason. They almost managed to defeat the Eagles and host the NFC championship game this week, but a few fumbles in the cold weather cost them.

The Rams’ close playoff loss in snowy Philadelphia won’t change the positive outlook surrounding the team. After winning 10 of their last 14 games, the Rams are showing faster progress in their rebuild than many expected and look ready to contend next season.

Kupp said Monday that he wasn’t dealing with any injuries that would limit his offseason work, but his numbers weren’t as impressive as usual. He had 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns, but just 12 catches for 162 yards in the last five games of the regular season, marking the least productive stretch of his career.

Kupp seemed to hint that he would have liked a more prominent role in coach Sean McVay’s offense as the season ended.

“Watching film, there’s things that I’m feeling good about, but production-wise it’s not showing up,” Kupp said. “A lot of stuff is outside my control and it is frustrating, but at the same time, we’re finding ways along that stretch to win games, finding ways to come out of games with Ws, and even though it wasn’t pretty a lot of the times offensively, we got it done.

And so there’s frustration there, and I want to be able to feel like I’m impacting games. I can look back on the season and be happy with what I put on tape. Things that I was being asked to do, I feel like I was executing my job.”

After catching just one pass in the Rams’ wild-card round win over Minnesota, Kupp had five receptions for 61 yards against the Eagles.

The Rams’ offseason plans will depend heavily on quarterback Matthew Stafford, who said Sunday night he would “take some time to think about” his future. However, Stafford sounded optimistic about returning, even after fumbling twice in the fourth quarter of a tough loss.

Next season would be Stafford’s 17th year, and although he dealt with a rib injury down the stretch, he took less physical punishment this season, being sacked only 28 times—his fewest since 2013 in Detroit.

Stafford did not speak to reporters on Monday.

The Rams also face some big decisions regarding free agents. Left tackle Alaric Jackson, an unrestricted free agent, is in line for a significant payday after a strong season. Other unrestricted free agents include receiver Tutu Atwell, who may seek a team more willing to use him, veteran tackle Joe Noteboom, linebacker and special teams standout Michael Hoecht, and defensive lineman Bobby Brown.

Veteran receiver Demarcus Robinson, who set career highs with 505 yards and seven touchdowns, expressed interest in returning: “I love the organization, love my coaches. Whatever I have to do to try to be here in the same system, because I think it fits well for me.”

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If his time with the Rams is over, his NFL career is far from finished. Stafford, who was drafted first overall in 2009, is still confident in his abilities. “I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball,” he said. When asked if he had more to offer, he responded, “Sure feels like it.”

At 36 years old, Stafford has two years left on his current contract. This includes a $4 million fully guaranteed roster bonus due in March, along with a non-guaranteed $23 million salary for next season. While his contract is below the current market rate for top quarterbacks, Stafford’s performance remains high.

Earlier in the year, the Rams adjusted Stafford’s contract. This was partly due to underlying tensions between the team and player, which had been brewing since the draft when the Rams did not select a first-round pick to eventually replace him. After a rough 1-4 start, rumors circulated that Stafford might want a trade.

However, the Rams turned things around and managed to win the NFC West and a Wild Card playoff game before losing to the Eagles.

The Rams’ trade for Stafford, which involved sending quarterback Jared Goff and multiple draft picks to Detroit, paid off with a Super Bowl win in the 2021 season. However, following the 2022 season, there were hopes that the Jets might trade for him, especially if their efforts to acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Packers fell through.

The Rams are currently in a rebuilding phase, with a focus on developing a young defense and offensive stars like running back Kyren Williams and receiver Puka Nacua. Coach Sean McVay might be considering bringing in a younger quarterback to lead the team moving forward.

When McVay was asked about Stafford’s future, he declined to comment, saying, “I’m not really interested in talking about anything as it relates to next year.” This is similar to how McVay handled questions about defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who unexpectedly retired in March after ten seasons in the NFL.

As the offseason progresses and teams begin looking for new quarterbacks, Stafford could become a sought-after option. The Rams themselves might also find themselves in the market for a new quarterback, depending on how the situation plays out with Stafford.

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On the very next series, Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass but was strip-sacked, and the Eagles recovered another fumble. These turnovers led to two field goals by the Eagles in the fourth quarter, changing the momentum of the game. The Rams lost 28-22 in Philadelphia on Sunday, falling just short of hosting the NFC Championship game.

“We had two turnovers that don’t necessarily occur in different elements,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.

After a tough 1-4 start to the season, the Rams had fought back to become NFC West champions. They had a short week following their playoff win over Minnesota and managed to keep the game close until the final possession, despite the difficult snowy conditions. The Rams were still in a position to pull off an upset, even as wildfires had affected large parts of Southern California.

Stafford, despite dealing with sore ribs, kept the Rams in the game with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson, which made the score 28-22. The Rams had one last chance with two minutes left, and Stafford completed passes of 11 and 37 yards to move the ball into Eagles’ territory.

However, Stafford was sacked by Jalen Carter on third down, and his fourth-down pass attempt fell incomplete, ending the Rams’ hopes.

“I felt like we had total control toward the latter part of that game,” McVay said. “The momentum was in our favor and we had an opportunity to be able to win that game and we just came up short.”

Cooper Kupp had a surprisingly small role in the game, catching just five passes for 61 yards. Tyler Higbee, who had been hospitalized just six days before for a chest injury after coughing up blood, returned to catch a 4-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 7 in the first quarter.

Williams, who had rushed for 106 yards, fumbled, which could have potentially cost the Rams a chance to win the game.

“It felt like as an offense, we had them on the ropes, and that they probably felt it, too,” Stafford said. “We were moving the rock really well the last two drives, and then just a couple of unforced errors here and there and got behind the sticks.”

Saquon Barkley was a major force for the Eagles, running for 205 yards and scoring rushing touchdowns of 62 and 78 yards. Barkley had a total of 459 yards and four touchdowns in the two games this season against the Rams, with all touchdowns coming from runs over 60 yards.

“Saquon got to the second level, similar to the first game, but there were some different layers that we did have in our defense,” McVay said. “He was able to pull away.”

Joshua Karty kicked two field goals for the Rams, and the defense managed to sack Jalen Hurts for a safety, cutting the Eag

les’ lead to 16-15.

Unlike earlier in the season, the Rams were out of time to make a comeback.

“There were a lot of people at 1-4 that were talking about who was going to replace everybody on every position of our team and, ‘Should we sell the farm at the trade deadline? Should we tank?’ All of that,” Stafford said. “So just proud of our guys for not listening to all that and just going and playing and doing what we can do. And we did that.”

The playoff game ended with a few shirtless fans celebrating in the crowd of 65,000 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. These were the same fans Rams rookie linebacker Jared Verse had mentioned before the game that he “hates.”

Verse, who attended high school in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles from Philadelphia, was trolled by Barkley after the Eagles running back scored on a 62-yard run. Barkley slowed down near the end zone and looked back to taunt Verse, who had been goading the fans during warmups and relished their boos.

Once the game began, the Eagles showed Verse on the big screen, and the fans booed him again. Verse winked at the camera, cementing his place as a target for Philly sports fans.

Despite his playful trash-talking, Verse, who made the Pro Bowl and is a strong candidate for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award with 77 pressures and 4.5 sacks, earned respect from his teammates.

“It’s still cool. I love his game,” Carter said. “He’s a baller.”

In the end, while Verse had his fun, it was Barkley and the Eagles who dominated the field and are now just one win away from their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons.

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However, Kupp’s performance this season hasn’t been at the same level as his previous year, when he led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. His production in the push for the playoffs has been much lower, and this trend continued with a single catch in the Rams’ wild-card victory over Minnesota last Monday.

Despite the dip in his numbers, the Rams are confident that Kupp can still be a major contributor when needed, including in their upcoming divisional round matchup against Philadelphia on Sunday.

“He’s very much involved in this offense, even if the stats sheet doesn’t show it right now,” said offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. “But any moment, Cooper’s still Cooper, and he’s a huge part of what we’re trying to get done.”

Kupp caught just one pass in the wild-card game—a 29-yard reception on the Rams’ first drive of the third quarter, helping to set up a field goal that pushed the Rams’ lead to 27-3. Head coach Sean McVay called only five more passing plays for the rest of the game.

A main reason for Kupp’s limited involvement in recent weeks has been fewer opportunities. The Rams have focused more on running back Kyren Williams and their strong defense as they closed out the regular season.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford didn’t throw for more than 189 yards in the final three games to secure the NFC West title, with Kupp managing just four catches for 53 yards on nine targets in those contests.

Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson explained, “I think we just doing whatever it takes to win at this moment. I’m sure we probably could get him the ball more or whatever it is. … Like, I’ll be wanting the ball more, but it ain’t nothing to, like, argue about. We still winning.”

LaFleur also noted that there were situations where plays intended for Kupp couldn’t happen due to factors like defensive coverage or pressure on Stafford.

“I think it’s more of an anomaly right now,” LaFleur said. “Honestly, there’s opportunities where we tried to get him the ball, and for one thing or another, not getting into too many specifics, it just hasn’t worked out. And then there’s other times where the coverage just hadn’t dictated it.”

Kupp, for his part, is staying positive about the situation.

“That’s football, and I’m on a really long streak with some unfortunate things that happen,” Kupp said. “That’s how it goes sometimes.”

This season has been unusual for Kupp, who is in his eighth year with the Rams. He started strong, catching 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the season opener but then missed four games due to an ankle injury in September and October.

There were also trade rumors surrounding Kupp before the November 5 deadline, but he responded with some of his best performances, including 100-yard games against Seattle and New England and a 92-yard, one-touchdown game in a shootout against Buffalo.

Despite the circumstances beyond his control, Kupp is focused on doing his best to put himself in a position to make plays.

“In the same way, I just want to be playing good football,” Kupp said. “I want to go watch the tape and see that I’m doing things the right way, separating, competing for my teammates, blocking and doing my assignments. I am, and that’s all I can do.”

This attitude has earned respect from the Rams’ younger wide receivers.

“He’s just very intentional,” rookie Jordan Whittington said. “You can just see with every step, every step means something.”

If things go right, the Eagles (15-3) could see Kupp making a big impact again.

Stafford recalled a play from the Rams’ 37-20 loss to Philadelphia in Week 12, where Kupp was open but Stafford was hit before he could throw the ball to him. Kupp finished that game with eight catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s like, ‘It’s kind of been the way it’s gone,’” Stafford said. “Sometimes those things happen, and he’s an unbelievable teammate, a guy that sacrifices for our team in so many different ways.”

Stafford added, “Anything we can do to get him the ball, that’s great. If you talk to him, he’s just such a great team guy. He’s all about us winning and doing whatever he can to help us win.”

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Verse stood by his comments made on Friday, when he told the Los Angeles Times that he “hates Eagles fans.” He attended high school in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

It wasn’t a surprise when Verse woke up to find his phone flooded with messages ahead of the NFC divisional round game.

“I check my phone and my Twitter blowing up out of nowhere,” Verse said. “I’m like, ‘What happened?’ First thing I see, ‘I hate Eagles fans.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m done.’”

When asked if he wanted to take back what he said, Verse replied, “I just want to move on. What was said was said. That was the past. We got a game to handle.”

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who spent six years with the New York Giants and played games in Philadelphia, thinks Verse made a mistake by sharing his thoughts so openly.

“Probably not the smartest thing to say when you’re coming to Philadelphia,” Barkley said. “I’m pretty sure Philly fans have seen that comment. It was already going to be loud and rocking, so it’s just only going to add to it.”

Verse, who was selected to the Pro Bowl, has had a standout season and is a strong contender for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He’s impressed many by recording 77 pressures and 4 1/2 sacks. During the Rams’ Week 12 game against the Eagles, he had seven tackles but didn’t register a sack or tackle for loss in the Eagles’ 37-20 win.

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The Rams’ path to this stage has been remarkable and challenging. Their Wild Card victory against the Minnesota Vikings came after relocating the game due to devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Despite the adversity, the Rams dominated with a 27-9 win, fueled by a suffocating defense that recorded nine sacks and forced two turnovers. This battle-tested resilience gives the Rams confidence as they prepare to face the formidable Eagles, who boast a 14-3 record and have been dominant all season.

Eagles’ Strengths: Ground Game and Defense

Philadelphia has been defined by its powerful rushing attack and the league’s top-ranked defense. In their Wild Card victory against the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles set the tone early with a fumble recovery on the opening kickoff and a relentless defensive effort. They intercepted Jordan Love three times on their way to a 22-10 win. The Eagles’ strategy has been clear throughout the season—control the game with a dominant ground attack and stifling defense. Against the Rams, they will look to replicate this winning formula.

One critical storyline is whether Cooper Kupp, the Rams’ former Super Bowl MVP, can return to form. Kupp has struggled recently, with only 82 receiving yards in his last four games. While Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams have stepped up offensively, the Rams will need a vintage performance from Kupp to challenge the Eagles’ strong secondary. On the other side, Saquon Barkley poses a significant threat to the Rams. Barkley shredded Los Angeles for 255 rushing yards in their Week 12 meeting, and stopping him will be a top priority for the Rams’ defense, which has improved since that earlier clash.

Building Tensions: Jared Verse’s Remarks

The lead-up to the game has been marked by controversy after Rams linebacker Jared Verse criticized Eagles fans, calling them “annoying” in a fiery statement. While Verse later expressed some regret over the backlash, his comments have ignited further tension between the teams. Philadelphia fans, known for their intense and vocal support, are sure to bring even more energy to Lincoln Financial Field. This added drama only heightens the stakes for Sunday’s game.

The winner of this heavyweight battle will advance to the NFC Championship to face either the Detroit Lions or Washington Commanders. For Philadelphia, it’s an opportunity to continue their march toward another Super Bowl appearance. For the Rams, this game represents a chance to extend their Cinderella story. With both teams fully capable of delivering memorable performances, this showdown promises to be a classic in every sense. Fans can expect a hard-fought, emotional contest that will leave one team celebrating and the other reeling.

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“I hate Eagles fans,” Verse told Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times this week. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”

Verse had his first real experience with Eagles fans during the Rams’ Week 12 loss to Philadelphia at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Eagles supporters in the stands booed him before the game, and he hasn’t forgotten that moment.

“I didn’t even do nothing to ’em,” said Verse, who had seven tackles in the game. “It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans. … When I see that green and white, I hate it. I actually get upset. Like I actually genuinely get hot.”

This Sunday, Verse will face a full stadium of Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field. After hearing his comments, it’s clear that Verse will be public enemy number one during the game, especially if the outcome mirrors Week 12, when Saquon Barkley scored twice and ran for a franchise-record 255 yards, including 72- and 70-yard touchdown runs.

Verse acknowledged that he played a role in Barkley’s big day, saying he tried to do too much in trying to stop Barkley and the Eagles’ offense. This time, Verse will have a tough challenge ahead, going up against the Eagles’ offensive line, which includes All-Pros Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata.

Despite that, Verse did have a standout moment against Mailata earlier this season, nearly recording a sack on quarterback Jalen Hurts.

“I remember when I got flat-backed,” Mailata said this week. “It was a good rush by him. The guy plays with a high motor. I think he plays well, he plays hard. He’s got some great moves. … To be fair, I got a couple on him too. Good on good.”

Verse had a successful college career, playing at Albany and Florida State before being selected by the Rams in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. His standout rookie season earned him a Pro Bowl nod and likely secured him a spot as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

He finished the regular season with 66 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He was also fourth in the NFL with 76 quarterback pressures. His ability to disrupt offenses continued in the Rams’ 27-9 wild-card win over the Minnesota Vikings, where he had two tackles and a fumble return for a touchdown.

A win on Sunday in front of a hostile crowd of Eagles fans would put Verse and the Rams one win away from the Super Bowl. That would be a strong response to the criticism that he expects to receive.

No matter how the game turns out, Verse will have to face Eagles fans again soon. The two teams are on each other’s schedules for the 2025 season, with the Rams scheduled to visit Philadelphia.

For now, Verse is focused on helping the Rams take the next step toward a championship.

“I’m going to go crazy,” Verse said. “It’s going to be something.”

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“If they get a beat on what you’re doing,” McVay, the Super Bowl-winning coach, said, “they will pound you and they will embarrass you.”

McVay and the Rams know this well.

One of the best performances of Barkley’s season came in November, when he faced the Rams. Barkley ran for two touchdowns, one from 70 yards and another from 72 yards, in the second half. He finished the game with 255 yards rushing, setting a new Eagles franchise record. His performance was the ninth-highest rushing yardage in a single game in NFL history.

He also had 302 total yards from scrimmage, making him the 12th player in NFL history to top 300 yards, and the first to do so for the Eagles.

Now, Barkley is gearing up for another strong performance against the Rams when the Eagles meet them again in the divisional round on Sunday.

This game will mark the second consecutive week in the playoffs where the NFC East champion Eagles face a team they’ve already played in the regular season. After defeating Green Bay for the second time last week, the Eagles are set to host the Rams, just seven weeks after Barkley’s big performance in a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium.

“They will see stuff on tape that they will want to do differently,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said.

The Rams’ defense, which ranks 22nd in the NFL against the run, would likely rather forget that game and not have to watch Barkley dominate them again.

Barkley broke several Eagles franchise records in that game. His 255 rushing yards surpassed the previous record of 217 yards set by LeSean McCoy in 2013. He also exceeded Duce Staley’s record of 296 total yards from 2000. Barkley’s 255 rushing yards were also the most ever gained against the Rams, breaking the record of 253 yards set by DeMarco Murray of the Dallas Cowboys in 2011.

The Rams couldn’t stop Barkley in their first matchup, and there isn’t much to suggest that they will be able to do so in the rematch. Los Angeles allowed 353.1 yards per game this season, including 130 yards rushing.

“I think when you have humbling experiences with the right kinds of people, those are where the real growth (opportunities) exist,” McVay said. “I think we had a lot of guys that really, as a team, you can look inward and you can say, ‘Is this really what we want to be about? Where are the things that we can adjust and adapt from a coaching perspective?’”

The Rams’ defense responded well to that humbling defeat. They adjusted and became one of the team’s strongest units as the regular season came to an end and into the playoffs.

Just ask the Minnesota Vikings.

In their wild-card win over Minnesota, the Rams not only sacked quarterback Sam Darnold nine times, but they also held All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson without a catch in the second half of their 27-9 win.

That performance sent a clear message to the Eagles.

“Any time guys play together, build cohesiveness, build connection, they are going to play better and better and better,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said.

In his playoff debut with the Eagles, Barkley rushed for 119 yards. Having spent his entire career playing in East Coast winters, the Pro Bowl back is no stranger to cold temperatures. With the game expected to be played in the teens with some snow, Barkley is more than ready for the challenge.

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For the Los Angeles Rams, reaching the Super Bowl might require beating all three of them. They’ve already defeated one.

One of the biggest surprises of the wild-card round was the Rams’ dominant 27-9 win over the Vikings. Even though they had to move their home playoff game to Glendale, Arizona due to wildfires in Los Angeles, they still managed to defeat a 14-3 team. Now, in the divisional playoffs, the Rams must face another 14-3 team—the Philadelphia Eagles—this time on the road in Philadelphia.

The matchup
No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (11-7) at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (15-3)
Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia
3 p.m. ET

How to watch Rams at Eagles
The game will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

Betting odds
The Eagles are favored by 6 points at BetMGM. The total for the game is set at 44. In Week 12, the Eagles were 3-point favorites at home against the Rams and won 37-20, easily covering the spread.

X-factor
Will Cooper Kupp have a big game? He has been surprisingly quiet in recent weeks, with just five catches for 82 yards in the Rams’ last four games. Puka Nacua has stepped up as the Rams’ top receiver, and Kyren Williams has been effective on the ground, but to beat one of the NFL’s best defenses, the Rams might need a breakout performance from Kupp. However, that won’t be easy against the Eagles’ strong cornerbacks.

How the Rams can win
When the Rams first faced the Eagles, Saquon Barkley had one of the best rushing games in NFL history, running for 255 yards. That performance likely served as a wake-up call for the Rams’ defense. Since then, they’ve allowed an average of 104.1 rushing yards per game. However, they haven’t faced a running back of Barkley’s caliber since. The Eagles will try to control the game with Barkley and their offensive line, so the Rams must stop their ground game to have a chance at an upset.

How the Eagles can win
The Rams’ run defense will be crucial, as the Eagles haven’t been great at passing. They gained just 121 net passing yards against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round and have failed to throw for over 210 yards in 12 of their 18 games this season.

At some point, the Eagles will need to make some big passing plays if they want to go far in the playoffs. If the Eagles can pass effectively against the Rams—especially with Jalen Hurts, who almost won the MVP two seasons ago—they will be hard to beat.

Prediction
This game should be much closer than the regular-season matchup in Los Angeles. The Rams’ defense, which played great in their wild-card win over the Vikings, has improved since their first meeting with the Eagles and Saquon Barkley. The Rams will also have a solid plan for moving the ball against the Eagles’ top-tier defense. The Eagles are 13-1 since the end of September and are one of the best teams in the NFL, but the Rams won’t be an easy opponent. This game should be close.
Eagles 17, Rams 14

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Despite its youth, inexperience, and lack of standout stars, the defense has proven effective, especially during the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. In their 27-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night, the defense played a key role in the win, showing improvement.

Shula’s defense still needs more work, but it has been surprisingly strong at critical moments. Head coach Sean McVay said on Tuesday that the team’s difficult experiences helped them grow and that challenging times often provide the greatest learning opportunities.

Aaron Donald watched from the stands in Arizona as his former teammates showed impressive performance. The Rams’ defense has held its last four opponents to under 10 points when the starters were playing, even though the starting lineup isn’t packed with high-profile names. The team has been good at making key plays with smart game plans.

Against the Vikings, the Rams defense dominated, sacking Sam Darnold and his offensive line nine times and keeping All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson from catching a pass in the second half. This was a strong showing for a group with only one Pro Bowl selection (rookie edge rusher Jared Verse) and one player who received an AP All-Pro vote (nose tackle Kobie Turner).

The Rams were riding high after their big win over a strong team, but they know that emotions can only carry them so far. The Philadelphia Eagles (15-3) are a tougher opponent, and the Rams are still mindful of Saquon Barkley’s 255-yard performance at SoFi Stadium two months ago.

What’s working:

Matthew Stafford and the offense did well early, scoring on four of their first six drives, which gave the Rams a 24-3 lead at halftime. The 16-year veteran quarterback did a great job spreading the ball around, finding eight different pass catchers, including four tight ends after Tyler Higbee got injured early.

What needs help:

Despite being the least-penalized team in the regular season, the Rams committed a season-high 10 penalties for 95 yards against the Vikings. This included unnecessary roughness calls on rookies Beaux Limmer and Kam Kinchens, and a penalty by special teamer Jake Hummel for roughing the punter.

Stock up:

The Rams’ cornerbacks had strong coverage against Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and also helped with the pass rush. Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant both sacked the quarterback on cornerback blitzes, with Witherspoon forcing a fumble that led to a touchdown return by Jared Verse. Durant got more playing time after losing his starting job to Witherspoon last month. Though the Rams’ defensive backs have had an up-and-down season, they were solid in Glendale.

Stock down:

Cooper Kupp had a surprisingly small role, playing only 29 snaps—his fewest of the season, except for when he was injured in Arizona. He caught one pass for 29 yards on his only target. Demarcus Robinson had more snaps (38) than Kupp, and the Rams often used two-tight-end sets.

Injuries:

McVay mentioned that Tyler Higbee expects to play against Philadelphia, even though he went to the hospital on Monday after a chest injury. Higbee had a brief appearance, with five catches for 58 yards, before rejoining the team for their flight home.

Key number:

Stafford became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw multiple touchdown passes in each of his first six playoff games with the Rams.

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Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford couldn’t have been happier. “Our defense,” he said, “just went crazy.”

This game came during a difficult week for Los Angeles, as wildfires had devastated parts of the city. The Rams turned that frustration into a dominant performance, sacking Darnold nine times, tying an NFL playoff record, and winning 27-9 in an NFC wild-card game moved to Arizona.

Stafford threw two touchdown passes, and the Rams (11-7) took control early. They scored a touchdown on the opening drive and led 10-0 by the end of the first quarter.

“I thought they epitomized and represented the city the right way,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “You talk about sports offering a platform for people to come together and offer a little temporary relief — I thought the way our team competed tonight was what that looked like.”

The game was moved to Arizona, almost 400 miles away from Los Angeles, because of the wildfires and the need for public safety resources in California. The Rams will play their next game against the Philadelphia Eagles on the East Coast.

Verse’s fumble return for a touchdown in the second quarter gave the Rams a 17-3 lead. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound linebacker somersaulted into the end zone after scoring.

“I was going to dunk on the field goal post, but I was too tired,” Verse joked after the play.

The fumble return caused a loud celebration from Rams fans. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned that around 45,000 fans had traveled from California for the game, and the stadium appeared nearly full.

It was a tough first half for Darnold, who was making his first NFL playoff appearance. He was sacked five times before halftime and threw an interception when Cobie Durant picked off a pass meant for Jordan Addison.

Minnesota (14-4) had a chance to secure the NFC’s top seed in their final regular-season game, but Darnold struggled in a loss to Detroit. His poor performance raised questions about his future with the Vikings after he played this season on a one-year deal.

“You’ve got to play to a certain standard,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. “And we didn’t do that.”

The Rams extended their lead to 24-3 when Stafford hit tight end Davis Allen for a 13-yard touchdown with just 15 seconds left in the first half. Stafford finished the game with 209 yards passing, completing his first 10 passes, including all six on the opening touchdown drive.

“This time of year, it doesn’t really reward you to be timid,” Stafford said. “You’ve got to go out there and make plays. Gotta go win games in the playoffs, not just hope that things fall your way.”

The Rams took a 27-3 lead after Joshua Karty kicked a 44-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half. Kobie Turner also contributed with two sacks.

Los Angeles got a break early in the second quarter when a potential game-changing fumble was overturned by replay. Stafford was being pulled to the ground when he managed to shovel the ball forward, just before hitting the turf. Minnesota’s Blake Cashman grabbed the ball and ran 26 yards for a touchdown, but the play was ruled an incomplete pass after a replay review.

“It hurt to get that called back,” Cashman said. “But it was early in the game. We’ve got to continue to grind, play the tough downs and find a way to put us in a position to win.”

The Vikings never got close again.

Darnold completed 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards, but he lost 82 yards on the nine sacks. Minnesota managed just 269 total yards, with much of it coming when the game was already out of reach.

“They were just better than us today,” Darnold said. “I left a couple throws out there that I could be better on, especially early in the game. … Just too many mistakes.”

The Rams learned on Thursday that their playoff game would be held in Glendale, Arizona, which is home to the Arizona Cardinals. They traveled to Phoenix on Friday and practiced at the Cardinals’ facility on Saturday.

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Instead, the Seahawks (9-7) are finishing the season without making the playoffs for the second year in a row, while the Rams (10-6) are focused on staying healthy for the postseason.

Matthew Stafford will not play, and many other key players are expected to have limited playing time for the Rams, who have already clinched the NFC West title. The Rams are headed to the playoffs for the sixth time in eight years under coach Sean McVay, who secured his fourth division title last week.

That means veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be starting for the Rams in this game.

“I’m always trying to make decisions that I think are best for our football team,” McVay said. “It might not be best for everybody else, but if you said risk-reward, I think it’s a great opportunity for Jimmy to be able to play. I think it’s also an awesome opportunity for Matthew to be able to get rested, rejuvenated and ready to roll for the playoffs.”

The Rams have won three straight games and 11 of their last 15 against Seattle, who were eliminated from playoff contention after Washington’s win over Atlanta last Sunday, which secured the division for Los Angeles.

Although the Seahawks’ controversial decision to fire longtime coach Pete Carroll didn’t immediately return them to Super Bowl contention, they made it clear they aren’t giving up just yet.

“The focus is on really closing the year out the right way and starting (2025) the right way, too,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “So it’s not what we wanted to be at stake, but it is what it is, and we’re gonna make the most of it.”

Still motivated
The Seahawks are still focused on finishing the season strong. After going 9-8 in each of the last two seasons, they have a chance to reach 10 wins for the first time since 2020. Several individual milestones are also within reach, which could lead to big rewards for quarterback Geno Smith.

“You want your guys to hit those numbers,” Macdonald said. “If it’s within your power, you’re going to try to make that come to life and create as many opportunities for those guys as possible, all within the lens of what’s best for the team and trying to win.”

Resting Rams
Stafford will not suit up, with Stetson Bennett stepping in as Garoppolo’s backup. Right tackle Rob Havenstein will also rest due to a shoulder injury, and he won’t be the only one.

As McVay’s approach in these situations suggests, the Rams will likely give their top players minimal playing time or keep them off the field completely.

McVay may even give himself a break, as offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur called the plays last year in Week 18 when backup Carson Wentz filled in for a resting Stafford.

“That might be the approach that we’ll take this week,” McVay said.

A record within reach
Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is just five catches away from breaking Tyler Lockett’s single-season franchise record for receptions, a fact he learned two weeks ago when Lockett told him in the locker room.

“He was like, ‘I think you’re going to break my record. I hope you break my record,’” Smith-Njigba said. “I was like ‘Oh, really?’ A special, special moment.”

While some players might protect their records, Lockett seems ready to pass the torch. Lockett, who has spent 10 seasons with Seattle since being drafted in 2015, set the franchise record with 100 catches in 2020.

“That speaks volumes,” Smith-Njigba said. “That’s just the type of guy he is. He’s going to move the bar really high and help you get there. That means everything to me. And one day, you know, I’ll be doing the same because of the culture that he has built in this building.”

Smith-Njigba also has a chance to break DK Metcalf’s single-season team record for receiving yards if he gets 183 yards in the final game.

Lockett’s record could be broken in what might be his last game with Seattle. After restructuring his contract to reduce his 2024 cap hit, Lockett’s cap number next season is $30.8 million, making it possible that he could leave the team.

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Multiple fires have killed 10 people and destroyed thousands of homes, causing chaos in the city this week.

The Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and Houston Texans, along with the NFL Foundation, are making the donation. The money will go to local groups helping those impacted by the fires.

“We are heartbroken over the devastating losses experienced by so many in the Los Angeles area and inspired by the heroism of first responders and residents who have supported their neighbors,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

Rams players will wear special Los Angeles Fire Department hats and shirts during Monday’s wild card playoff game, which was moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, because of the fires.

“The league did the right thing,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said about the decision to move the game. “And I think it’s a real credit to a lot of people in our organization to be able to seamlessly adjust.”

McVay’s family evacuated their home in Hidden Hills on Thursday because of the wildfire threat. Although his wife, Veronica, and son, Jordan, were unharmed and their house was not damaged, McVay said the evacuation made the situation feel more real.

“When you see as the smoke rose up yesterday, there were a lot of guys that live in proximity and that hits home in a different way,” he said. “As soon as I knew Veronica and Jordan were good, I was good as well.”

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Smith’s performance in the game was historic for both himself and the Seahawks. He ended the season with 4,320 passing yards and a 70.4% completion rate, breaking the franchise records he set the previous year. Additionally, Smith became the 20th quarterback in NFL history to finish a season with a completion rate of 70% or better. His four touchdown passes in the game, including a decisive one to Noah Fant late in the fourth quarter, marked a career-high and underscored his ability to lead under pressure, earning him his fourth game-winning drive of the season.

The financial implications of Smith’s performance were notable, as he secured the $6 million in escalator money that will be added to his $10 million roster bonus due in March if he remains with the team. Both Smith and head coach Mike Macdonald emphasized that his focus during the week was on winning the game, not the monetary rewards. Macdonald praised Smith’s leadership and commitment, describing his week-long preparation and game performance as exemplary. Smith reciprocated the sentiment, expressing gratitude for his teammates’ efforts and their resilience despite having no postseason prospects.

Looking ahead, Smith, 34, will be eligible for a contract extension this offseason. While he remained noncommittal about the specifics of the negotiations, he expressed respect for keeping discussions private. Reflecting on the season, Smith acknowledged his mistakes, particularly his interceptions, while crediting Coach Macdonald for unwavering support. Smith’s self-awareness and determination to improve highlight his leadership qualities and value to the franchise as they consider his future with the team.

Smith also showed strong support for first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, whose play-calling has faced criticism due to the Seahawks’ inconsistent run game. Smith praised Grubb’s potential and the offensive system he implemented, urging patience as Grubb continues to grow in his role. Smith’s endorsement and belief in the team’s direction suggest optimism for the Seahawks’ future, with Smith aiming to build on his record-breaking season and strengthen his role as the team’s leader.

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At 11-5, Green Bay enters the final week of the season as the No. 7 seed in the NFC. However, they could move up to the No. 6 seed with the right outcomes.

Here’s an update on the Packers’ playoff scenarios, possible opponents, NFC North standings, and what’s next:

Most likely opponent: Philadelphia Eagles (61%) According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Philadelphia Eagles have a 61% chance of being Green Bay’s first-round opponent.

Green Bay put itself in a tough spot after losing to Minnesota, combined with an overtime win for the Washington Commanders, making both teams 11-5. Washington has the tiebreaker, meaning the Packers, as the seventh seed, may face Philadelphia (13-3) in the first round and possibly Minnesota (14-2) or Detroit (14-2) in the following round, both teams being strong contenders.

The Eagles are locked in as the No. 2 seed as NFC East champions, unable to surpass the NFC North winner for the top spot.

To avoid the Eagles and play an easier first-round matchup against the NFC South or NFC West winner, the Packers need to beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday and hope the Commanders lose to the Dallas Cowboys.

A likely opponent: Los Angeles Rams (28%) The Los Angeles Rams (10-6) have a 28% chance of being Green Bay’s first-round opponent. The Rams have already won the NFC West and are in the No. 3 seed, holding a one-game lead over the NFC South leaders, Tampa Bay.

Green Bay beat the Rams 24-19 in October before the Rams had their key receivers, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, fully healthy. However, Green Bay’s previous win gives them some comfort.

For the Packers to face the Rams, they need to beat the Bears, the Cowboys must beat the Commanders, and either:

1. The Rams (10-6) beat the Seattle Seahawks (9-7), or
2. The New Orleans Saints (5-11) beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7).

Longshot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11%) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) might still lose their playoff spot if Atlanta (8-8) wins the NFC South, but that would require the Bucs to lose to the 5-11 Saints, while Atlanta beats the 4-12 Carolina Panthers.

Green Bay cannot face Atlanta, but they might meet Tampa Bay in Florida, though this would require several games to fall in the right direction for both teams.

To face the Buccaneers, the Packers must beat the Bears, the Cowboys must beat the Commanders, and:

1. The Seahawks (9-7) must beat the Rams (10-6), and
2. The Buccaneers (9-7) must beat the Saints (5-11).

Commanders-Packers tiebreaker With both teams having an 11-5 record, Washington holds the tiebreaker over Green Bay based on a better win percentage in conference games. Therefore, if they finish tied, Washington will be the No. 6 seed. The two teams didn’t play each other this season, so there’s no head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Packers will try to bounce back from their loss on Sunday when they play the Bears in their last regular-season game at home. The game will start at noon on Sunday.

The Packers have a good chance since they haven’t lost to the Bears in 11 games, with their last loss to Chicago dating back to the 2019 season. In fact, Matt LaFleur has never lost to the Bears as head coach of the Packers.

The Bears have lost their last 10 games. One of those losses was to the Packers, who won 20-19 after blocking a field goal on the final play of the game.

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Head coach Sean McVay shared on Friday that the Rams (10-6) will rest receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, running back Kyren Williams, and offensive linemen Alaric Jackson, Kevin Dotson, and Rob Havenstein. Los Angeles secured the NFC West title last week.

McVay said, “What I think is great about it is it will give us an opportunity to evaluate some guys that have done a really good job. We’ll get a chance to see some other offensive linemen play that we’re excited about.

We’ll get a chance to see those receivers work with Jimmy. (Rookie running back) Blake Corum will hopefully get a good workload. Look forward to seeing (third-string running back) Cody Schrader do some different things.”

McVay also mentioned he will give some defensive players rest, but they will likely still play to help the Rams fill the roster for the game.

“We’ll give a handful of guys some work,” McVay said. “Because of the youth that we have on the defensive side of the ball, we’ll be able to keep some opportunities for guys to play, but maybe not the amount of workload you’re accustomed to.”

Quarterback Matthew Stafford had already been ruled out for Sunday’s game after playing every snap for Los Angeles this season. Jimmy Garoppolo will start for the Rams against the Seahawks, with Stetson Bennett as the backup.

Nacua will end the season just 10 yards short of reaching 1,000 yards in a standout rookie year. The former fifth-round pick recorded 79 catches for 990 yards and four total touchdowns, despite missing five games due to a knee injury early in the season.

Kupp will finish with 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns, while Williams will end the season with 1,299 rushing yards, 182 receiving yards, and 16 total touchdowns.

Stafford threw for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns in his 16th NFL season, which were both career lows in a season where he started at least 15 games. However, Stafford’s eight interceptions were his fewest in a full season, and his 28 sacks were his second-lowest total.

Joe Noteboom will take over for Jackson at left tackle, and Jonah Jackson will start at right guard in place of Dotson.

Jonah Jackson signed a three-year free agent deal with the Rams last March but struggled with injuries early in the season and could not regain his starting center spot from rookie Beaux Limmer.

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Coach Sean McVay announced the decision on Wednesday, saying that Stafford, the 16-year veteran, will be rested. The Rams have not yet decided which other starters will sit out.

Los Angeles (10-6) has already secured the NFC West title over the Seahawks (9-7) thanks to their strength of schedule. The Rams are currently the third seed in the NFC playoff race but could drop to the fourth seed if they lose to Seattle and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) beat Atlanta to win the NFC South.

The wild-card seeding is still uncertain among Minnesota, Washington, and Green Bay, so McVay seems unconcerned whether the Rams enter the playoffs as the third or fourth seed.

Garoppolo has not played for the Rams since signing with them last spring to back up Stafford. The 33-year-old veteran, who led San Francisco to Super Bowl 54, missed the first two games of his first season with the Rams after being suspended for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Stafford has played every snap this season for the Rams, who have won nine of their last 11 games to make the playoffs for the third time in his four years with Los Angeles. Stafford has 3,762 passing yards and 20 touchdowns this season, both his lowest totals in a season with at least 15 games.

However, his eight interceptions are also his fewest in a nearly full season, and his completion rate (65.8 percent) is above his career average.

Stafford improved to 13-1 as a starter in Rams games played in December when Los Angeles beat Arizona 13-9 last Saturday. However, his offense has struggled recently. The Rams have scored more than 21 points just once during their five-game winning streak and have scored only three touchdowns in their last three games combined.

Los Angeles’ third-string quarterback is Stetson Bennett, the two-time national champion from Georgia, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2023. Bennett has not played for the Rams yet, having missed all of last season due to undisclosed personal reasons.

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If you only saw their first meeting in Week 2, it would be surprising to know which team is which.

The Rams (9-6) have rarely been blown out during coach Sean McVay’s eight years, with seven of those seasons having winning records and playoff hopes. But that’s exactly what happened when the Cardinals (7-8) defeated them 41-10 in mid-September, marking the second-largest defeat of McVay’s career.

“We got our butt kicked, and it happened quick,” Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “It was one of those things that you don’t really want to experience, but it does happen from time to time, where before you blink, you’re almost out of it.”

The Cardinals’ 489-yard performance was one of coach Jonathan Gannon’s high points and one of McVay’s most disappointing losses. He had never lost in Glendale before, and his Rams’ biggest defeat was a 45-6 loss to Baltimore in 2019.

This loss might have been even worse than the one to the Ravens, who had a standout performance from Lamar Jackson during his MVP season.

The Rams had no answers for Kyler Murray, a quarterback they had been able to handle in previous years, while their offense did almost nothing against an Arizona defense that hasn’t been impressive.

“It was a test of who we truly were,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “You were almost shocked how bad you played, and to go out and put on that type of performance, it was embarrassing, to be honest. To see what type of guys we are, we challenged them.”

Both teams’ situations have changed dramatically since September. The Rams have won eight of their last 10 games after their bye week, while the Cardinals have lost four of their last five, eliminating them from playoff contention.

Injuries have played a big role: The Rams are healthier now, while the Cardinals have lost several key players.

The Rams don’t necessarily have to beat Arizona at SoFi Stadium to win the NFC West, but they are eager to keep their momentum going for their season finale against Seattle (8-7).

Meanwhile, Murray and the frustrated Cardinals say they’re not focused on being spoilers in the rematch of their big win.

“Going into Week 2, we didn’t think that they were a bad team or anything like that,” Murray said. “I don’t think the mindset changes. Obviously, I think they’re playing better football, but no, I wouldn’t say that our mindset looking at them Week 2 versus now is any different. We still respect them.”

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They will look to keep this momentum going when they face the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night in Inglewood, Calif.

Los Angeles (9-6) just won 19-9 against the New York Jets last week, despite trailing 9-6 going into the fourth quarter and being outgained by almost 100 yards. It was their biggest win of the season so far. Since their bye week, when they were 1-4, the Rams have won 8 of their last 10 games.

“You don’t want to ride the emotional roller coaster that these games can take you on,” said Rams coach Sean McVay. “You do have the ability to stay steady, to stay the course and try to right the ship. Certainly that’s not complete by any stretch, but our guys have done an excellent job of not allowing the way that we started, especially in those first five games, to affect what we did coming off that bye.”

The Rams have clinched their seventh winning record in eight regular seasons under McVay. Before he took over in 2017, the franchise had 13 straight non-winning seasons.

A strong running game led by Kyren Williams has helped quarterback Matthew Stafford during their December winning streak. Williams, a Pro Bowl selection last season, has a career-high 1,243 yards and 13 touchdowns on 303 carries, including 122 yards against New York.

Arizona (7-8) has lost four of its last five games and was eliminated from playoff contention with a 36-30 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers last week. The Cardinals might have to play their last two games without running back James Conner, who was injured in the third quarter against Carolina. He had 117 yards and a touchdown before going out with a knee injury.

Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said on Monday that Conner wants to keep playing despite the injury and the Cardinals’ playoff hopes being gone. “If they’re healthy enough to play, they’ll play,” Gannon said. “We’re gonna play who we think gives us the best chance to win.”

Conner, who has a career-high 1,090 rushing yards, has never played a full season in his eight years in the NFL. He also has 410 receiving yards, close to his career-high of 497 in 2018.

Arizona right tackle Jonah Williams and left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. were both placed on injured reserve with knee injuries on Tuesday.

Quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 202 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the loss to Carolina. He also rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown. Conner was his top receiver with 49 yards on four catches.

Gannon plans to play Murray in the last two games, including a home game against the San Francisco 49ers next week. “He gives us the best chance to win,” Gannon said. “He’s gonna play.”

Arizona safety Joey Blount (ribs) and cornerback Elijah Jones (ankle) did not practice Wednesday, while Conner was limited. For the Rams, right tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulder) was listed as limited in practice on Wednesday.

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In the Jets’ 19-9 defeat, Rodgers threw for 256 yards and one touchdown. With New York officially out of playoff contention, Rodgers was asked about maintaining a positive mindset as the season winds down.

“I think we’re kinda past the ‘keeping it positive’ thing,” Rodgers said, via SNY. “I think it’s just about perspective. Perspective informs your truth, and your truth makes your reality.

“So, the reality of the situation is what it is, but your perspective is what you can change every single day. What you’re focusing on is the most important thing now. It’s not about changing the reality of the situation—being 4-11, out of the playoffs, and heading into an uncertain offseason.”

Rodgers also discussed what the upcoming two weeks mean for the team’s future.

“You gotta figure out what it means to be a professional,” Rodgers said. “That’s a crucial part of building culture. These last two weeks give us a chance to see who’s fully committed moving forward and who’s ready to check out.

It’s just part of the game. I’ve been on teams out of playoff contention before, and it’s always interesting to observe the practice and preparation habits.

“Hopefully, we’ll do the right thing, and it will matter because everyone’s watching. This league is a ‘who-you-know’ business.

The next couple of weeks will bring some intriguing conversations, but for now, we need to focus on the relationships we have with each other and finish this season like professionals.”

The Jets have undergone significant changes this season, including the dismissal of their head coach and general manager, as well as a blockbuster trade for Davante Adams.

More changes could be on the horizon, as wide receiver Garrett Wilson has remained noncommittal about his future with the franchise. New York is now 4-11 on the season.

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When McVay was asked on Monday if there was any chance of Donald coming back, he made it clear that he doesn’t expect it. He also said he wouldn’t bring up the subject with Donald, who retired last March after playing 10 seasons.

“I have a really special relationship with Aaron,” McVay said. “He has done so much, and he puts so much into everything. I would almost feel disrespectful reaching out to him, just based on the principles and knowing him the way that I do.

If that was something that he got interested in, then that would obviously be something that you’re always open to, but I almost feel like it would be disrespectful to broach that subject with him, just based on our conversations and the clarity and the completedness that he felt like he had when he stepped away when he did.”

Rams fans have been hoping for a comeback from Donald ever since he retired at 32 while still at the peak of his career. Donald won three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and was selected for 10 Pro Bowls during a career that included the Rams’ Super Bowl win in February 2022.

Donald finished with a franchise-record 111 sacks in his career, which he spent entirely with the Rams in both St. Louis and Los Angeles. He hasn’t given any public reason for fans’ hopes for his return, except for his regular appearances at sports events in Los Angeles, including at least one Rams game.

“I don’t think there’s anything but positive vibes, and I don’t think he could have any regrets based on the way he handled every single day of his career,” McVay said.

“I know he’s really happy doing the things that he’s doing right now, and he stays up with what we’re doing, and he still physically looks like he could go do some really special stuff on the field. But that wouldn’t be something that would come up, out of respect for him and our relationship.”

Donald probably couldn’t return this season even if he wanted to because players on the reserve/retired list can’t come back after Week 12. Donald was still under contract when he retired, so the Rams would have to release him if they wanted to sign him for the rest of the season. But then Donald would have to go through waivers before he could return.

The Rams had to rebuild their defensive line after Donald’s retirement, but it has become the strength of their otherwise inconsistent defense. Second-year players Kobie Turner and Byron Young, along with rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, have helped strengthen Los Angeles’ pass rush and run defense, though none of them are at Donald’s level.

McVay also said the Rams haven’t discussed bringing back receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was waived by Miami last week. Beckham caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl and formed a close relationship with McVay and other Rams players during his memorable time in Los Angeles.

“That’s not something that we’ve talked about yet,” McVay said. “You know the respect I have for him, but that isn’t something that we’ve discussed.”

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp lead the Rams’ solid group of receivers, with Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell playing important supporting roles.

The Rams (8-6) have surged to the top of the NFC West, winning seven of their last nine games since their bye week. They control their playoff chances as they get ready for a game against the New York Jets this weekend, followed by home divisional games against Arizona (7-7) and Seattle (8-6).

“It doesn’t change anything that we’ve talked about for the last handful of weeks,” McVay said about the Rams’ rise to first place after a 1-4 start. “Unless the season ended today, it’s all just temporary. … All of it is not relevant unless we continue to do something about it.”

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Joshua Karty kicked four field goals, and the Rams held on to win 12-6 against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night in an important game for the NFC West race.

“What’s really cool is this team has found a bunch of different ways to be able to win football games,” coach Sean McVay said. “You come off a 44-42 game the other day and then you win 12-6. Our group did what they needed to do to be able to get it done.”

The Rams (8-6) followed up their high-scoring win over Buffalo with a seventh win in their last nine games after starting 1-4. The Rams are now just half a game behind division-leading Seattle. This was the first time the Rams won a game without a touchdown since 2016.

The 49ers (5-8) led 6-3 heading into the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on, dealing a major blow to their playoff chances.

This was the fourth time this season the Niners lost to a division opponent after leading by at least three points in the fourth quarter, making them the first team to do that since New England in 2000 during coach Bill Belichick’s first season.

“It was the story of the year,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “Just not doing enough to win games. Not playing complementary. Just coming out a little too short.”

Karty tied the game with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, capping a 17-play drive. Then, he kicked a 27-yarder after Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua on a 51-yard pass.

Karty made all four of his kicks, a big improvement after missing four in the past five games of his rookie season.

“He’s steady,” McVay said. “He’s consistent. He’s kind of unflappable.”

The Niners drove into field-goal range but Brock Purdy’s deep pass to the end zone was intercepted by Darious Williams, allowing the Rams to secure their first series sweep against the 49ers since 2018.

Stafford then led a clock-draining drive, which ended with Karty’s fourth field goal with 18 seconds left. Stafford finished 16 of 27 for 160 yards, with 137 of those yards coming after halftime when the heavy rain stopped.

“In the second half, the weather was good enough to do it all,” Stafford said. “We had the feeling that that was the kind of way this game was going to be played and it’s going to have to be one of those games. We scored 44 four nights ago and come out here and score 12 but they both count for one.”

Purdy finished 14 of 31 for 142 yards, and the 49ers failed to score a touchdown in a game for the first time since 2019.

The first half was played in heavy rain, which greatly impacted the offenses, with neither team able to move the ball.

The Rams had no first downs on their first four drives for the first time since 2013 before getting a late field goal to tie the game. The Niners went three-and-out three times and scored one field goal.

The teams combined for 11 punts, nine first downs, and 197 yards, just days after both teams had season highs in points.

The rain mostly stopped at halftime, but both offenses still struggled.

The post The Rams win 12-6 over the 49ers, scoring four field goals in a messy game appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

The Bills (10-3) see Sunday as a great opportunity to show they are better than their last game when they face the NFC-leading Detroit Lions (12-1), who lead the NFL in scoring and have an offense similar to the Rams.

“I think our mindset is just going to be attack,” Johnson said after practice on Wednesday. “We can’t wait to play Sunday just to prove people wrong and prove to ourselves that how we played wasn’t who we are.”

The Bills acknowledge they had several reasons for their poor performance in the 44-42 loss — being a bit overconfident after a big division win, making a long trip across the country, and facing a more motivated opponent in the playoff race.

However, what is unacceptable is the hesitation their normally dependable defensive backs showed in coverage and the lack of pressure from their defensive front.

On the bright side, the poor performance could serve as a reminder not to take their foot off the gas at this point in the season.

“A lot of teams have scars on their way to having a darn good season. And we’re having a darn good season,” coach Sean McDermott said.

“So what has to be in front of us this week is the opportunity that’s in front of us, quite frankly, to challenge that team,” he added, referring to Detroit. “You better bring your heart, you better bring your guts, you better put it on the line.”

With extra motivation, the Bills are returning to basic defensive principles after a game where very little went right. From the start, the defense struggled to stop the run and then allowed the Rams to pass easily, letting them score on every one of their first six drives (except for a kneel-down before halftime) to build a 38-21 lead.

The most frustrating part was the Bills’ failure to get off the field on third downs, allowing the Rams to convert 11 of 15 opportunities. The Rams’ 73.3% conversion rate was the third highest against the Bills and the worst since Miami converted 75% of its chances in 1986.

“The recipe to lose a football game is what we did (Sunday) and it starts with me, first and foremost,” defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said on Monday. “Move on and let it not happen again. Let it be a learning lesson. Failure is the best teacher.”

Now, the Bills must prepare for a very balanced Lions offense that ranks fourth in the NFL in both rushing and passing, averaging 32.1 points per game.

McDermott said the goal is not to overreact but to stick to the basics that helped the Bills win seven straight games before losing to the Rams.

He stressed the importance of winning at the line of scrimmage and forcing turnovers, something the Bills didn’t do last week for the first time this season. A bit more urgency would help too.

“It is a mentality. It is an attitude, and if you want to play good defense, that’s where it starts,” McDermott said. “There’s not a lot of shortcuts or ways around it. It’s got to be a mentality.”

The message also got through to the offense. Quarterback Josh Allen almost led the Bills to a comeback victory, throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for three more scores.

“It was a case of you saw a team that’s fighting for their lives to try to make the playoffs in the Los Angeles Rams, and they came out ready to play. And maybe we didn’t have that type of urgency,” Allen said. “It forces us to know that we’ve got to be better. We know that.”

The post The Bills’ defense is looking to show it’s stronger than its poor performance against the Rams when facing the high-scoring Lions appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

But first, the good news. There’s not much wrong with Buffalo’s offense, led by Josh Allen, after the quarterback improved his NFL MVP case.

A week after a four-touchdown performance, which included an unusual play where he scored two touchdowns on the same play in a 35-10 win over San Francisco, Allen became the first player in the NFL to throw and rush for three touchdowns each in a 44-42 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday.

What’s troubling is that Allen’s amazing performance still ended in a loss, which raises concerns for the five-time AFC East champions (10-3) as they try to prove they can avoid falling short in the playoffs, as they have in the past five years.

Buffalo’s defense struggled to stop the Rams’ high-powered offense, allowing a season-high 457 yards. Even worse, the Bills let Los Angeles convert 11 of 15 third downs, with a 73.3% success rate — the third worst percentage allowed by Buffalo and the worst since giving up a 75% conversion rate to Miami in 1986.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Bills lost for the first time in 39 games where they scored at least 42 points, and they became the second NFL team to lose when scoring 42 or more points and not turning the ball over.

Special teams didn’t help either. On top of allowing a blocked punt to be returned for a touchdown, the Bills failed to block the Rams’ final punt from midfield with 7 seconds left because they only had nine players on the field.

As coach Sean McDermott said after finally speaking to reporters more than an hour after the game ended: “I thought we lost two of the three phases today.” He didn’t mention another mistake with clock management.

Instead of having Allen spike the ball to stop the clock after a failed quarterback keeper from the Rams’ 1-yard line with 62 seconds left, McDermott called a timeout. That left Buffalo with two timeouts and depending on a very slim chance of recovering an onside kick after Allen scored on his next attempt.

McDermott defended his decision by saying he was worried too much time would pass before the Bills could snap the ball again. However, it wouldn’t have been as much time as the 45 seconds the Rams ran off on their final possession after Buffalo used its final two timeouts.

These kinds of mistakes have hurt the Bills in their recent playoff losses. The good news is the loss to the Rams didn’t end the Bills’ season, even though they are now two games behind Kansas City (12-1) in the race for the AFC’s top seed.

Maybe the loss can be explained by a team that was a bit too confident after clinching a playoff spot and then had to travel across the country to play a Rams team still fighting for its division.

If that’s the case, the Bills have a chance to fix their mistakes and prove their doubters wrong by how they respond in their big game against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions (12-1) on Sunday.

“They’re the top dog in football right now,” Allen said, looking ahead to Detroit. “We have to have a good week, learn from this one, and put it behind us.”

The post The Bills’ struggles on defense, special teams, and clock management in their loss to the Rams are issues they have faced before appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Sean McVay is usually a more cautious coach, so it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had tried a long field goal or even punted. But he kept his offense on the field, and Matthew Stafford calmly went through his options before connecting with Tutu Atwell across the middle for an 11-yard gain.

This key play helped the Rams hold on for a 44-42 win over the powerful Bills, a victory that could change their season.

“We felt like we needed to make it a two-possession game,” McVay said Monday. “They were rolling. We talked about aggressively going to win that game. … It was just a reflection of the confidence in that group and what we felt like we needed to do to be able to win the game.”

The Rams offense has earned the trust McVay showed in it at that important moment. While the offense has not been great this season, ranked just 18th in the league before last weekend, it is now mostly healthy and performing well.

Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams are both playing at a Pro Bowl level, like they did last season.

This was bad news for Buffalo, and it could be a challenge for other NFC teams if the Rams (7-6) continue playing at this high level. Los Angeles will look to keep this offensive rhythm going with a short week as they head to San Francisco for a Thursday night game.

Nacua said it was “fantastic being able to feel like, man, this is what it feels like when the Rams are moving and connecting on all cylinders.”

Los Angeles had six scoring drives of at least 65 yards while gaining 457 total yards against Buffalo. Stafford threw for a season-high 320 yards, and Nacua had another outstanding game with 162 yards receiving, two touchdowns, 16 yards rushing, and another touchdown on five carries.

It was also the Rams’ first 40-point game with Stafford as their quarterback.

Thanks to their impressive offensive performance, the Rams are now above .500 for the first time this season and are just one game behind Seattle (8-5) in the NFC West after winning six of their last eight games. A team that seemed headed for a tough season after a 1-4 start is still very much in the playoff race, also trailing Washington (8-5) by just one game for the final wild-card spot.

“It’s cool to be able to play meaningful football in December,” said McVay, who led the Rams to five playoff appearances in his first seven seasons. “You never take that for granted.”

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In contrast, wide receiver Keon Coleman remains a game-time decision. Like Kincaid, Coleman was limited in practice throughout the week, which led to him being listed as questionable. The rookie receiver, who has had an impressive season with 417 receiving yards and three touchdowns, missed the last three games due to a wrist injury. However, Coleman still has a chance to play and could potentially suit up for the crucial game against the Rams.

This Week 14 game is particularly important for the Buffalo Bills as they continue to chase the top seed in the AFC, despite already securing the AFC East title. A win over the Rams would strengthen their position in the playoff race, but the absence of Kincaid, and possibly Coleman, could hinder their offensive efficiency. Buffalo will need to adapt and make adjustments as they aim to keep their momentum going without these key contributors.

The Bills will face a 6-6 Los Angeles Rams team on Sunday, with the game scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET in Los Angeles. Despite the injuries to Kincaid and potentially Coleman, the Bills (10-2) remain in a strong position for a playoff run. However, the Rams will present a tough challenge, and Buffalo will need to perform well, especially on offense, where the absence of two key pass catchers could create difficulties.

Injuries continue to affect many teams across the NFL heading into Week 14. Notable players like Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver DJ Moore are expected to play, while Las Vegas Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers is active despite an ankle injury. Miami Dolphins’ Raheem Mostert, however, will not play due to a hip issue. Other teams, such as the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, also have key players dealing with injuries, highlighting the widespread impact injuries have as teams approach the final stretch of the season.

The post Dalton Kincaid Out for Bills vs. Rams; Keon Coleman Questionable as Injuries Shake Up Week 14 appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Nacua caught 12 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown, and he also rushed for 16 yards and another touchdown for the Rams (7-6). Kyren Williams added 87 yards and two rushing touchdowns, and Cooper Kupp had five catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Josh Allen made NFL history by becoming the first player ever to pass for three touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in a single game.

He threw for 342 yards, completing 22 of 37 passes, and ran for 82 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries for Buffalo (10-3). Matthew Stafford completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams, who have now won two consecutive games and three of their last four.

In other games:

Eagles 22, Panthers 16
Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Eagles past the Panthers. Hurts completed 14 of 21 passes for 108 yards, while Saquon Barkley rushed for 124 yards. Philadelphia (11-2) won their ninth consecutive game. Bryce Young passed for 191 yards, one touchdown, and one interception for Carolina (3-10), who lost their third straight game.

Chiefs 19, Chargers 17
Patrick Mahomes threw for 210 yards and a touchdown, and Matthew Wright kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired, helping the Chiefs win and claim the AFC West title. Kansas City (9-4) extended their record to 15 consecutive one-score victories. Justin Herbert threw for 213 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers (7-6), who lost their second game in their last seven.

Steelers 27, Browns 14
Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes to help the Steelers beat the Browns. Najee Harris ran for a touchdown, while Van Jefferson and Pat Freiermuth each caught scoring passes. Pittsburgh (10-3) has now won seven of their last eight games. Jameis Winston threw for 212 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions for Cleveland (3-10), who have now lost nine of their last 11 games.

Dolphins 32, Jets 26 (OT)
Tua Tagovailoa threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith in overtime to give the Dolphins a win over the Jets. Tagovailoa passed for 331 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyreek Hill caught 10 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers passed for 339 yards and one touchdown for New York (3-10), who have lost four straight games.

Vikings 42, Falcons 21
Sam Darnold completed 22 of 28 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Vikings to a dominant win over the Falcons. Jordan Addison caught eight passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Minnesota (11-2) won their sixth consecutive game. Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson each rushed for a touchdown for Atlanta (6-7).

49ers 38, Bears 13
Brock Purdy passed for 325 yards and two touchdowns, while Isaac Guerendo rushed for two scores, helping the 49ers defeat the Bears. San Francisco (6-7) stopped a three-game losing streak. Chicago (4-9) lost their seventh consecutive game.

Saints 14, Giants 11
Derek Carr passed for 219 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with an injury, helping the Saints defeat the Giants. Bryan Bresee blocked a field goal attempt with eight seconds left to secure the win for New Orleans (5-8). Drew Lock threw for 227 yards for New York (2-11), who lost their eighth consecutive game.

Seahawks 30, Cardinals 18
Zach Charbonnet rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns as the Seahawks won their fourth straight game, beating the Cardinals. Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Jason Myers kicked three field goals for Seattle (8-5). Kyler Murray passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns for Arizona (6-7), who have lost three straight games.

Jaguars 10, Titans 6
Tank Bigsby ran for an 8-yard touchdown to give Jacksonville a win over Tennessee. The Jaguars (3-10) ended their five-game losing streak. Will Levis threw for 168 yards for the Titans (3-10), who lost their second consecutive game.

Buccaneers 28, Raiders 13
Rachaad White and Jalen McMillan each scored two touchdowns as the Buccaneers defeated the Raiders. Tampa Bay (7-6) extended its winning streak to three games. Aidan O’Connell passed for 104 yards before leaving the game with an injury for Las Vegas (3-10), who lost their ninth consecutive game.

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The Rams (7-6) barely managed to hold on for a win that could change their season.

Stafford threw for 320 yards and connected with Puka Nacua for a 19-yard touchdown with 1:54 left to play. The Rams beat the Bills 44-42, ending Buffalo’s seven-game winning streak. Allen threw for 342 yards and ran for 82 yards for the Bills (10-3), who hadn’t lost since October 6.

He became the first player in NFL history to throw three touchdown passes and run for three touchdowns in a game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Buffalo’s 17-point deficit going into the fourth quarter.

“Josh Allen is an alien,” said Rams coach Sean McVay. “We knew he was capable of some of the stuff that he can do and the things that he can create. He’s shown that. That’s why he’s as well-respected and well-regarded in this league as he is. But our guys made just enough plays to be able to come out on top.”

Allen finished his third long touchdown drive of the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:00 left. But Ronnie Rivers recovered the onside kick, and the Rams ran out the clock for their first win over the Bills since 2012 and their first home win against Buffalo since 1983.

This game was huge for both teams. The Rams and Bills combined for 902 yards of offense without any turnovers or sacks. Los Angeles controlled the clock for 17 more minutes and ran 18 more plays than Buffalo. The Rams needed all of that to survive.

Nacua, who caught 12 passes for 162 yards and also scored his first career rushing touchdown, said, “It’s fantastic being able to feel like, man, this is what it feels like when the Rams are moving and connecting on all cylinders.”

Hunter Long returned a blocked punt for a 22-yard touchdown for the Rams, who have won six of their last eight games to stay in the NFC West race. Kyren Williams rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns as LA moved above .500 for the first time this season.

Despite Allen’s record-setting performance, the Bills ran out of time after struggling in the first three quarters. The Rams led 38-21 heading into the fourth quarter before Buffalo began to rally after clinching their division title.

“Hate losing,” Allen said. “If you lose by two or lose by 100, it doesn’t matter, you are still losing. Offensively, we have to find ways to score before and after the half. We didn’t do our part.”

Allen wasn’t focused on his historic six-touchdown game: “I have to make one more play than they do. It was a total team loss in three phases. We didn’t play up to our standards.”

Ty Johnson and Khalil Shakir caught long touchdown passes for the Bills, who became the first NFL team to score six touchdowns without a turnover in a loss. Buffalo’s 42 points were the most scored in a defeat in the team’s history.

“They did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” said Bills coach Sean McDermott. “Defensively and special teams, neither were good enough to help us win this game.”

A week after Buffalo clinched the AFC East title by beating San Francisco, the Bills started poorly in Los Angeles, allowing 24 points in the first half. Cooper Kupp caught a 17-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.

“Obviously, offensively, what those guys have been doing is very impressive,” Kupp said. “Seeing it firsthand, they’re a really good football team, so we needed everything we had as a team today.”

Allen ran for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter before Buffalo forced the Rams’ first punt. But after Mack Hollins caught a 21-yard touchdown pass for the Bills with 8:49 left to play, Stafford led the Rams on a long drive, including an 11-yard pass to Tutu Atwell on a critical fourth-and-5 play near midfield with less than four minutes left.

After Nacua’s touchdown, Buffalo was penalized for pass interference, giving them a 34-yard penalty. The Bills made it to the Rams’ 1-yard line with 1:06 left but couldn’t score. Omar Speights stopped Allen on the first attempt, forcing Buffalo to burn a timeout that ultimately cost them.

The post Allen sets a new NFL record with three touchdown passes and three rushing touchdowns, but Stafford’s Rams edge out the Bills 44-42 appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

With the Bills trailing by nine in the fourth quarter, Allen was stopped for no gain on a sneak up the middle on first-and-goal at the Rams’ 1-yard line. The Bills then used their first of three timeouts with 1:02 remaining.

“I have to find a way to get in,” Allen said, who threw for 324 yards and ran for 82. “I don’t know the stats, but I know it wasn’t good enough to win the game.”

After being stopped, Allen ran left for a touchdown on second down, his ninth rushing score of the season, bringing the Bills within two points. But with only a minute left, Buffalo was forced to attempt an onside kick.

The Rams’ Ronnie Rivers recovered the onside kick at the Bills’ 45-yard line, allowing Los Angeles to run out the clock and end Buffalo’s seven-game winning streak.

Instead of staying in the hunt for the top spot in the AFC, the Bills are now 10-3 and tied with Pittsburgh for the second seed.

Allen and the Bills have been successful with short-yardage sneaks this season. It was just the third time in 19 rushing attempts he was stopped on a 1-yard gain. Two of those stops have been at the 1-yard line.

Allen is 20 of 27 on sneaks from the 1-yard line in his seven-year career and four of six this season.

Bills coach Sean McDermott, who spoke to the media 67 minutes after the game, defended the play call and the timeout. McDermott also mentioned that using the timeout instead of spiking the ball would have taken 15 to 20 more seconds off the clock.

“You have two options and neither are great,” he said. “When you’re in that situation with three timeouts, we were underneath the time where we could get the ball with a legit chance to win with no timeouts. We ran what we thought was our best play all year.”

He added, “I thought we could get it on the first play. If we did get the onside kick, we had 15 yards and roughly 50 seconds and felt good about ourselves.”

Recovering an onside kick has been difficult this season. Of the 41 attempts, only three teams have successfully recovered the ball.

Despite the loss, the Bills reached the end zone on their last four possessions. Allen, who completed 22 of 37 passes, said not scoring at the end of the first half and then going three-and-out on their first drive of the second half were key moments in the game.

“We have to find ways to score before and after the half. We didn’t do our part,” Allen said. “I have to make one more play than they do. It was a total team loss in three phases. We didn’t play up to our standards.”

Allen had almost all of his rushing yards in the second half as the Bills nearly came back from a 38-21 deficit late in the third quarter. He became only the second player in NFL history to have three touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in multiple games.

This was also Allen’s fifth game with at least two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns, surpassing Steve Young for the most in NFL history.

“He’s a nightmare to defend, and so it’s a balance,” said Rams coach Sean McVay. “I don’t think you can just sit back and let him move around in the pocket. He can beat you from the pocket, he can beat you with his mind, he can beat you with his arm, he can beat you with his legs. That’s why he’s a legitimate MVP candidate.”

Buffalo forced the Rams to punt only twice in nine possessions and also had a special teams mistake when Sam Martin’s punt in the second quarter was blocked by Jacob Hummel. Hunter Long picked up the loose ball and ran it 22 yards for a touchdown, extending Los Angeles’ lead to 17-7.

McDermott praised Allen’s performance but emphasized the need to improve around him, especially with a road game against 12-1 Detroit coming up.

“We have our work cut out for us this week,” McDermott said.

The post Josh Allen’s record-breaking performance wasn’t enough as the Bills’ seven-game winning streak came to an end with a loss to the Rams appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Defensive tackle Braden Fiske won the NFL’s defensive rookie of the month award on Thursday—but he had to share the spotlight with nose tackle Kobie Turner, who was revealed Wednesday night as one of the final four costumed performers on The Masked Singer, Fox’s celebrity singing competition show.

Fiske, Turner, and edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young motivate and challenge each other as they form the new core of the Rams’ defense. They regularly compare everything from their sack totals (the group has combined for 21 1/2 sacks this season) to their basketball skills, always trying to outdo each other while having fun.

But when Turner took off his mask on TV after being eliminated from the show, his teammates knew he had won this round.

“It really caught me by surprise,” Fiske said, laughing. “We saw it in the group chat last night, and it was all over social media. But knowing Kobie, knowing who he is, that’s pretty cool.

I know it was pretty special to him and his family with how his upbringing was with music and how much he appreciates that. I’m glad to see he had that opportunity. That’s definitely not my forte, to be out there singing in front of people.”

Fiske also received congratulations for his own performance, after a five-sack November in which the second-round draft pick established himself alongside Turner as two of the best young interior pass rushers in the league. Fiske is the third member of the Rams’ young group to earn the defensive rookie of the month honor in the past two years, following Verse (September 2024) and Turner (December 2023).

Meanwhile, Turner amazed a different part of the entertainment world with his strong voice.

The second-year player has shared his musical talent at various events, including singing the national anthem before Lakers and Kings games. After each sack, Turner conducts an imaginary orchestra as part of his signature celebration.

He balanced choral classes and weightlifting throughout high school and college, keeping both passions alive. But singing and dancing in the heavy costumes on The Masked Singer was an entirely new challenge.

“To be up under that mask and be the silly, goofy version of myself that I always have been wasn’t something I was really expecting,” Turner said, adding that he fell asleep onstage during one break while wearing his costume, which was extra bulky due to his athletic strength.

Turner said his marketing agent got him on the show. He filmed his first episode during the Rams’ organized team activities last summer, but he had to keep his participation a secret until this week.

“Once the recording was done, it was like, ‘OK, let’s get back to ball,’” Turner said. “And then when the show started coming on (this fall), I got really excited.”

Turner admitted he was “frustrated” not to make it to the show’s finale, saying he still has a competitive spirit even in his musical side. However, he makes sure to enjoy himself.

“Sometimes there are expectations on how you handle yourself on a football field, and with my personality, I’ve pushed those limits,” Turner said. “Last year, AD (Aaron Donald) used to always pick on me about doing crazy dance moves in walkthrough. But when it’s time to go, I was completely locked in.”

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“We knew the second half was going to be ours,” said Williams, who ran for a season-high 104 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown, in the Rams’ 21-14 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

“It felt great. It felt like I was me, myself and I when I was out there playing like that,” Williams said. “I was playing instinctive football and had great energy.”

Matthew Stafford threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and the Rams (6-6) stayed in the NFC West race while handing interim Saints coach Darren Rizzi his first loss.

“All we could do is get one win this week, and we were able to,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “There was improvement for our team collectively, and that’s what I want to continue to see.”

The Saints (4-8) reached the Rams’ 10-yard line in the final minutes, but Derek Carr’s pass on fourth-and-3 was deflected by edge rusher Jared Verse and fell incomplete.

“I realized the tight end was staying on me,” Verse said, referring to the Saints’ Foster Moreau. “The No. 1 rule on the edge is you can’t be blocked by the tight end — you just can’t. I just walked him back and was able to peel off and affect the throw.”

That allowed the Rams to run out the clock on the Saints and Rizzi, who had won his first two games since taking over after the firing of Dennis Allen.

“We did a lot of things in the game that we set out to do and played the game in a lot of ways that we wanted to, but we didn’t execute in crunch time,” Rizzi said. “We had a chance to win there. We had a guy open in the end zone and we can’t get the ball off. So, unfortunate.”

Stafford passed for 183 yards with no turnovers. His touchdown passes were for 3 yards to Demarcus Robinson and 7 yards to Puca Nacua, the latter putting the Rams up for good with 8:54 left.

“The first half was definitely frustrating, but we knew at the same time, every time we were handing it off we were getting good yards,” Stafford said. “You have to keep playing. Football is a game of ebbs and flows.”

Saints tight end Taysom Hill, who had been key in New Orleans’ previous victory with one of his best games, injured his left knee and had to be carted off after converting a fourth-and-short run late in the fourth quarter.

The 34-year-old Hill, a fan favorite, waved from the cart as the Superdome crowd chanted his name. Rizzi did not provide an update on Hill after the game, stating more tests were needed before the full extent of his injury was known.

The Saints slightly outgained the Rams and held the ball for longer but struggled to score. New Orleans had to settle for three field-goal attempts in the first half, with Blake Grupe making two from 54 yards but missing one from 36.

This gave New Orleans a 6-0 halftime lead, before Williams’ 10th touchdown of the season put the Rams ahead 7-6.

“Kyren’s energy was outstanding,” McVay said. “He was excellent in being really decisive. He was putting his foot in the ground, leveling off well and doing a great job on slash running to the second and third levels.”

Saints running back Alvin Kamara rushed for 112 yards on 23 carries.

New Orleans’ only touchdown came in the fourth quarter when Carr threw a 28-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, his fourth touchdown reception in four games since being signed midseason. Dante Pettis caught Carr’s pass in tight coverage in the right corner of the end zone for a 2-point conversion, tying the game at 14.

The post Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams lead the Rams to a hard-fought 21-14 win against the Saints appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Robinson will be able to play when the Rams (5-6) face the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Rams coach Sean McVay said Wednesday.

“I think he does understand the severity of this, and how lucky we were that nobody was injured,” McVay said. “I do believe that he’s remorseful. We are going to let the legal process take place. The league has a process as well.”

Robinson was arrested early Monday morning after California Highway Patrol officers saw a white Dodge sedan speeding over 100 mph on the 101 freeway in the western San Fernando Valley, not far from the Rams’ training facility in Woodland Hills.

The driver, who identified himself as Robinson, showed “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment,” the CHP said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Speaking after practice Wednesday, Robinson said he met with McVay and the Rams front office on Monday afternoon after he was released.

“It was tough to have that conversation, but it needed to be done,” Robinson said. “It’s a bad look. I don’t want to bring that type of light, or any type of negative energy, toward the team. Things like that are not natural for me, in my nature, stuff I usually do. I just told him that I sincerely apologize to him and the team and this whole organization for even putting the organization in a predicament like that.”

Robinson also spoke to the team and apologized for his arrest, according to McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford.

“I think it was a bad decision he made,” McVay said. “I don’t think that makes him a bad person, and I do believe this is something that, with the words that he said, our guys will learn from it, and hopefully nobody is ever going to repeat something like this. Let it be a learning opportunity, and a fortunate outcome that nobody was injured.”

Robinson said he isn’t sure when his case will progress through the court system.

Robinson has 26 receptions for 384 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches, starting all 11 games in his second season with the Rams. He caught a touchdown pass in the Rams’ 37-20 loss to Philadelphia, just hours before his arrest.

The nine-year NFL veteran has been a reliable No. 3 option for Stafford, behind star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Robinson spent his first six NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl in February 2020, and played one year with Baltimore before joining the Rams last season.

“Let this be a lesson to all of us,” Stafford said. “We’re lucky with the result that came of it, to be honest with you, that nobody was hurt or injured. I know that D-Rob is a great person. I love being around him. Love him as a teammate. … I’m just trying to support him, help him out any way I can.”

The post Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson will play on Sunday after not being suspended following his arrest on suspicion of DUI appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

The police report states that Robinson was driving a Dodge sedan at speeds over 100 mph on US-101 in Woodland Hills, California, at 5:13 a.m. on Monday. Officers said Robinson displayed “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment.” He was given a citation and then released to “a responsible party,” according to the CHP.

The Rams have not yet commented on the situation, as reported by NFL.com.

Robinson had a 2-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter of the Rams’ 37-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. He had one more reception in the game, which gained 13 yards.

The 30-year-old Robinson is in his ninth NFL season, and his second with the Rams. This season, he has caught 26 passes for 384 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games, all of which were starts.

Robinson was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft from Florida. He spent six seasons in Kansas City, where he helped the team win the Super Bowl after the 2019 season. In 2022, he played for the Baltimore Ravens.

Over his career in the NFL, Robinson has played in 141 games (62 starts) and has 245 receptions for 2,892 yards and 26 touchdowns.

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The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that Robinson was cited and released the day after he caught a touchdown pass in the Rams’ 37-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

According to the CHP, officers saw a white Dodge sedan speeding over 100 mph at about 5:13 a.m. on the 101 freeway in the western San Fernando Valley, not far from the Rams’ training complex in Woodland Hills.

The driver, who identified himself as Robinson, showed “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment,” the CHP said in a statement shared with The Associated Press. After his arrest, Robinson was “released to a responsible party.”

So far this season, Robinson has 26 receptions for 384 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches while starting all 11 games in his second year with the Rams (5-6). The nine-year NFL veteran has been a reliable No. 3 option for quarterback Matthew Stafford behind star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.

Robinson spent his first six NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl ring in February 2020. He then played one season with Baltimore before joining the Rams last year.

Rams head coach Sean McVay is scheduled to speak with reporters on Tuesday. The Rams will visit New Orleans on Sunday as they aim to stay competitive in the tight NFC West race.

The post Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was arrested on DUI charges following the team’s defeat to the Eagles appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

However, Rams head coach Sean McVay remains tight-lipped about how he plans to navigate this challenge. When asked about the running back rotation for Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, McVay simply responded with “I have a sense, yes,” and refused to share any details.

The Rams have several candidates to replace Williams and Rivers, including Zach Evans, Darrell Henderson Jr., Royce Freeman, and Myles Gaskin. In practice, the order for these running backs have been Freeman, Evans, Henderson, and Gaskin.

This running back situation is quite unclear, and fantasy football managers may want to avoid it if possible. However, with numerous teams on bye weeks and the usual running back injuries, some may need help at the position.

Evans, a sixth-round rookie from Ole Miss, is a potential sleeper to take the lead, but he has limited NFL experience with just four carries for 10 yards. Freeman has mostly played on special teams and had his best season in 2019 with the Denver Broncos, averaging 8.9 PPR points per game.

Henderson, who was waived by the Rams last year, is back, and McVay spoke highly of him, but his role remains uncertain. Gaskin, recently with the Minnesota Vikings, may not have a significant role with the Rams, but he could adapt quickly to the offensive system.

There’s still a lack of clarity, and the ideal replacement for Williams is unknown. The Steelers have allowed running backs to score well in all their games this year, so the potential is there for the Rams’ running back to perform. Until Williams returns, whoever takes the lead could be a flex option in all fantasy leagues.

For more Week 7 sleepers and DFS plays, you can check out the original article for additional recommendations.

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Here’s a review. It was the fourth down, and the Rams needed to increase five yards to keep the ball. If the Rams had converted, they would have kept possession and would have had an opportunity to score a touchdown or a field goal. Then, they’d have had enough time to prevent the Bengals, get the ball back, and score again.

However, when they chose to punt instead, it meant that the Rams had to quickly push the Bengals to have only three aggressive plays, then mount a successful drive to score points, and carry out a successful onside kick to regain possession of the ball.

Depending on the hope of recovering an onside kick isn’t a well-thought-out strategy; it’s more like a hopeless move, similar to seeing a Hail Mary pass in football.

The Rams had the ball with 6 minutes and 9 seconds remaining in the game, facing a fourth down and needing just five yards, not a more challenging fourth and 15. They should have chosen a different strategy that didn’t require them to successfully recover an onside kick just to have a chance to take the game to overtime.

However, here’s what McVay reported when asked by reporters whether he considered going for it on fourth and five with 6:09 to play.

“I did,” he said. “Thought about it, just didn’t feel like it was the right thing. There were some struggles that we had on third down and so had confidence in our defense at that point, and so that was kind of the thought process there.”

Furthermore, he should have believed in their capability to successfully regain possession through an onside kick, even though the Rams hadn’t achieved this feat in the past 11 years.

McVay also stated that the thought process in that situation is “a combination of some of the analytics, and sometimes I think a big part of it is the feel for the flow of the game.”

“A lot of it is, OK, what’s the inventory that you would have?” he said. “Where are you at in regards to who’s available? What’s your injury situation? So, there are certain models and metrics that I believe in, but I also think there’s a feel for the flow of the game, and then there are 22 moving parts. That’s a huge factor to me.”

Also Read: Cowboys Matchup: Ezekiel Elliot is a Reminder of Their No. 1 Issue on Offense

These explanations are sensible when, for instance, only one stop and one score are required to either equalize the game or secure a victory.

In this particular situation, McVay had to rely on an offense he did not have much confidence in to gain just five yards and move the ball beneficially enough to score twice. Also, the special teams had to successfully regain an onside kick for the plan to work.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was asked a different question about whether he has any say or input in those important instances and if he wishes he had more say in them.

“Yeah, at the moment, with a 40-second play clock, it’s tough,” Stafford said. “I wish the mic was two-way, but it’s only one way. Sometimes I wish I could say something back. . . . But no, in the heat of the moment, I leave it up to those guys. I trust those guys. Sean does a great job a lot of times on some of those third and longs or whatever it is in certain parts of the field, in certain situations in the game where he’s like, ‘Hey, we might have two downs here.’

And so that kind of helps train my process as far as, OK, if the underneath guy is open and we can get this thing to fourth and whatever we think is manageable at that point, I’m aggressive to that. So I leave it up to those guys, and then I just try to play accordingly.”

For the Rams, the necessary element needed for the plan to punt the ball successfully was the recovery of an onside kick. This justifies that notwithstanding what the analytics or McVay’s instinct suggested, the best decision was to aim to obtain those five yards on fourth down – even if it resulted in a final score of 22-9 or 26-9, which might not have looked as respectable as 19-16.

And to be honest, it’s difficult not to believe that part of his inspiration was influenced by the simple fact that a score of 19-16 appeared much better than 22-9 or 26-9.

The post Sean McVay Clarifies Crucial Choice to Punt Down by 10 with 6:09 Remaining appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

The Bengals have had a rough start to their season, with their win against the Rams coming after two losses in their opening two fixtures of the 2023-2024 NFL season.

The Rams, who over the trade window made some unexpected trades, were overlooked as contenders for this season but managed to prove their mettle in a Week 1 win against the Seahawks.

Bengals Baited By Rams Attitude

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been battling with a calf injury since the summer, was baited into making mistakes downfield by the Rams, who played with a fearless attitude throughout the game.

The Rams forced Burrow into making errors, reducing his trademark deep throws, which is a key feature of the Bengals’ offense.

Despite his calf injury, Burrow returned to the field, showing his mental fortitude and helping his team win their first game of what has been a rough start to the season. Chase and Higgins supported Burrow in making crucial plays. The return of Burrow may be the key to helping the Bengals get back on track following two losses in the first two game weeks of the season.

The Bengals’ offense struggled in the first half, averaging 3.8 yards gained per play. They were held back with false starts on third down, stalling multiple drives.

Burrow, who is usually very accurate, completed only 54.8% of his passes in the first half, a stark contrast from his lofty standards.

The Bengals failed to go downfield on a consistent basis through their receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Matthew Stafford Struggles

The Bengals were kept in the game due to the Rams own quarterback, Matthew Stafford, struggling to make plays despite the immense support given by a resolute Rams’ defense.

Stafford was sacked six times and threw two interceptions, completing just 18 of 33 pass attempts for 269 yards and just a singular touchdown.

The Rams were excellent in their playmaking in the first half but failed to take advantage, especially in the red zone.

Stafford’s interceptions proved costly, as they allowed the Bengals to take the lead in the second half.

The Rams now face pressure to win their upcoming games against the Colts, Eagles, and Cardinals.

Are Bengals Ready To Be Considered As Super Bowl Contenders?

With their victory over the Rams, the Bengals now seemed to have returned into the position of being considered contenders for the Super Bowl.

They were able to bounce back from a 0-2 start last season and reach the AFC Final, which has given them the confidence they need.

With a dynamic offense and a steady defense, the Bengals have put themselves in a position to be considered favorites for the AFC title, with stiff competition coming from the Chiefs, Dolphins, Bills, and Ravens.

With their losing start now behind them, the Bengals now look to reach the top, just as many had predicted before their poor start to the season.

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