7 takeaways from Rams' irritating loss to Falcons

[ad_1] The Los Angeles Rams bounced again from their earlier three losses by profitable their subsequent sport. They failed to do this on Monday evening, dropping in pretty embarrassing trend to the Atlanta Falcons, 27-24.

They allowed their loss to the Seattle Seahawks to snowball right into a dropping skid, having now dropped two in a row. Sean McVay is annoyed, Matthew Stafford had considered one of his worst video games of the season and the protection simply gave up 195 yards speeding to Bijan Robinson.

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There aren't many positives to remove from this sport and although the sky is not falling, the Rams have a lot to right earlier than the playoffs start.

Rams badly want Alaric Jackson wholesome D.J. Humphries was a legal responsibility at left deal with all evening lengthy. He whiffed on a block on the Rams’ failed fourth-down run early within the sport, obtained referred to as for an unlawful formation on Puka Nacua’s 36-yard catch, allowed a sack within the third quarter and was getting beat all through the sport.

His costliest play would possibly’ve been within the fourth quarter when his holding penalty negated a game-tying 41-yard landing catch by Puka Nacua, although Nacua did get into the tip zone just a few performs later.

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Jackson was questionable and Sean McVay thought he would possibly be capable to play so it doesn’t look like a long-term harm, however the Rams want him wholesome within the worst method. They can not go into the playoffs with Humphries at left deal with.

Quentin Lake continues to be missed His protection abilities are clearly nice, however Lake is particularly missed as a run defender. He’s disciplined and takes good angles to ball carriers, which helps forestall huge performs when operating backs to get to the second and third stage of the protection.

Bijan Robinson gashed the Rams for 195 yards on the bottom Monday evening and that’s to not say Lake would’ve utterly modified the end result, however his presence because the slot defender certainly would’ve helped restrict a few of Robinson’s larger runs.

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Shaky secondary may very well be Rams’ downfall It’s not that the secondary gave up large performs to Kirk Cousins and the Falcons’ passing assault. The Rams solely allowed 126 yards passing, 34 of which have been with Robinson on the receiving finish.

It’s that the protection was by no means all that tight and the secondary couldn’t cowl when the protection wanted to get off the sphere. They didn’t pressure many troublesome throws for Cousins, other than the one move Emmanuel Forbes Jr. broke up on the opening drive.

That was the Rams’ solely move defensed in your entire sport.

It’s not a great signal that they hold rotating cornerbacks with out discovering their greatest trio, making Ahkello Witherspoon inactive the final two weeks and Darious Williams on Monday evening. Come playoff time, the Rams want their corners to play higher.

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Rams are stumbling into the playoffs There’s an enormous distinction between the Rams’ final two losses. Towards the Seahawks, they merely melted down and collapsed within the fourth quarter. Towards the Falcons, they merely didn't play nicely. They mustered simply 363 whole yards on offense, went 5-for-13 on third down and turned it over thrice.

There was so much to love within the loss to Seattle, but it surely’s arduous to seek out many positives from this sport. As McVay stated afterwards, the Rams “must play higher.” And that’s precisely why he plans to play his starters within the finale towards the Cardinals.

If the Rams don’t clear issues up on either side of the ball, they’re not going very far within the playoffs. Getting Davante Adams, Kevin Dotson, Quentin Lake and Alaric Jackson again sooner or later will assist however this isn’t how L.A. wished to complete off what had been a terrific 12 months up till the final two weeks.

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Matthew Stafford gave away the MVP Stafford’s disastrous first half set issues in movement for Drake Maye to take over because the MVP frontrunner. Then Stafford threw one other interception within the fourth quarter when the Rams have been making an attempt to tie the sport.

MVP is partly a workforce award so while you lose as a quarterback, it hurts your probabilities of profitable votes. And never solely did the Rams lose, however Stafford performed terribly. It was arguably his worst sport of the 12 months, throwing three interceptions and lacking just a few open throws – together with one that will’ve gotten the Rams in area aim vary within the last seconds or probably gone for a landing.

Maye is now -550 to win NFL MVP because the heavy favourite and is unlikely to provide it up within the last week towards the Dolphins.

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Terrance Ferguson retains delivering with huge performs Ferguson solely had two catches however each of them have been huge performs. His first was a 27-yard reception on a stutter-and-go down the left facet, choosing up chunks of yards when the Rams badly wanted them. He then scored a 27-yard landing within the third quarter to make it 24-10, drawing the Rams a bit nearer.

He solely noticed 4 targets on the evening however his two receptions have been each huge performs within the sport to maintain the momentum going. He’s going to be a particular participant for the Rams in 2026 after a full offseason of labor, however his influence is already being felt as one of many workforce’s major tight ends this 12 months.

Particular groups improved already underneath Ben Kotwica It solely took one sport for the Rams’ particular groups unit to make a game-changing play after the firing of Chase Blackburn. For a unit that’s been a thorn within the Rams’ facet all 12 months, the particular groups is definitely what helped hold them in that sport.

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Jared Verse’s blocked area aim and return for a landing flipped the script, taking it from a doable 17-point sport to solely a seven-point deficit for the Rams. Ethan Evans hit an ideal punt that was downed on the 2 and Jordan Whittington had a pleasant 38-yard kickoff return.

Roger McCreary did get referred to as for a penalty on the Rams’ first punt return however for probably the most half, the particular groups improved already.