The Los Angeles Rams are barely in the running for the NFC playoffs, and a miraculous finish would be necessary to keep them from suffering their second consecutive losing season.
The Rams (4-6) are rebuilding, but their defense has performed so well this season that they deserve credit for even having a chance at such a comeback. This is the result of a significant roster purge.
In Los Angeles’ 17-16 comeback victory on Sunday, coordinator Raheem Morris’ team had yet another stellar performance. In Seattle’s three-point second half, the Rams gave up 87 yards and only four first downs; for the last 50 minutes, LA kept the Seahawks out of the end zone.
Finally, Matthew Stafford’s offense put up 10 points in the fourth quarter, and when Seattle missed a last-second 55-yard field goal attempt, the Rams emerged victorious. Everyone was aware of the LA unit that completed the task.
“Unbelievable effort by our defense today,” coach Sean McVay said. “They kept us in the game. I think the grit was on display. The mental toughness, the ability to get stops, the ability to be able to feed off of one another.”
Late in the game, Seattle lost Geno Smith for two series, but that didn’t account for the Rams’ recent defensive play, which has been far better than almost anybody could have predicted. Los Angeles held Smith and his stellar group of receivers to 73 yards passing in the second half, forcing Smith to make a crucial interception.
It’s getting harder to recall that the Rams’ defensive talent was ranked in the bottom three of the NFL by almost all preseason evaluators this summer, following the team’s decision to part ways with nearly every veteran contributor surrounding Aaron Donald.
The only confirmed returnee was linebacker Ernest Jones, and the Rams mostly used rookies and backups from the previous season to replace players like Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, Leonard Floyd, Nick Scott, and Taylor Rapp.
Morris and Donald, however, are pulling it off. With hard work, clever playcalling, and huge plays, the Rams are making up for their lack of talent, even though Donald is once again playing at a high level. In the third round of the draft, they also selected nose tackle Kobie Turner and edge rusher Byron Young, two players who could be future stars.
They rank in the middle of the NFL in terms of yards allowed and points allowed, so they are by no means dominant. For the Rams to be a Super Bowl contender once more, they still need to add a lot of defensive talent in the offseason.
However, only two opponents this season have scored more than 24 points against the Rams: offensive heavyweights Dallas and San Francisco.
“We’re getting better every week we play together, and you can see it,” said cornerback Derion Kendrick, who made his first career interception in the fourth quarter. “We’re just doing our jobs and playing for each other, and this is what happens.”
WHAT IS EFFECTIVE?
Although Seattle only managed 68 yards of rushing in the second half, the Rams haven’t been particularly strong against the run this season statistically. A strong defensive line with Donald, Turner, and Bobby Brown is assembled, and Jones has assumed Wagner’s 2022 role as the all-around top tackler.
WHY HELP IS NEEDED
In their last four games combined, the Rams have only managed to score 57 points. After a botched fourth-down pass from the Seattle 2 in the first half, McVay declined a gimme field goal. Los Angeles needs to start running the ball more efficiently because the passing game is inconsistent behind an inconsistent offensive line. Kyren Williams’ probable return from injured reserve this week should help.
STOCK UP
Despite having yet another crazy day, Kendrick completed the task at hand. The cornerback, who gave up just three short completions and made the pick that ultimately led to the Rams’ comeback, was the target of repeated Seahawks pressure. In addition, Kendrick was called for two 15-yard penalties; the second was for celebrating an interception.
STOCK DOWN
Before hurting his right ankle, Cooper Kupp had only one reception for 11 yards, and McVay was unsure if it was another serious injury. When Kupp was unable to haul in a long, underthrown pass from Stafford for a certain touchdown in the first quarter, it was a huge opportunity lost. After a fantastic two-game start to the season, the Super Bowl MVP has not had a 50-yard receiving game in his last four appearances.
INJURIES
The Super Bowl MVP may suffer yet another setback as a result of Kupp’s injury, but the Rams’ passing attack did better without him against Seattle as McVay was forced to find other ways to get the ball without Stafford’s top target.
PRIZE NUMBER
Lucas Havrisik believed he had scored one point on the Rams’ game-winning field goal with 1:31 remaining. When Havrisik went out to kick his game-winning 22-yard field goal, he claimed to have believed the Rams had just scored a touchdown.
NEXT ACTIONS
A trip to the NFL’s second-worst team, the Arizona Cardinals. This presents an opportunity to extend one’s playoff streak by one week while mourning what could have been had the Rams not blown their lead against Pittsburgh in the previous month.