Whew.
The perfect almost went bust.
The heavy favorites almost collapsed beneath their very own weight.
The Rams have been almost toppled by the runts, barely surviving what ought to have been a blowout, profusely sweating by a wild-card playoff recreation that ought to have been a breeze, and now you marvel.
If their first step towards the Tremendous Bowl goes to be this ungainly, how for much longer can they keep upright?
At first sight, the ultimate rating is all that mattered, this 34-31 wild-card playoff victory over the Carolina Panthers at Charlotte’s Financial institution of America Stadium on Saturday proving to be a soul-testing triumph that can present highly effective preparation for the challenges forward.
Upon additional inspection, it was only a freaking mess.
The Rams skipped throughout the nation as a historic 10½-point favourite — greatest postseason unfold in trendy historical past — but trudged house requiring a last-second landing move from the unsinkable Matthew Stafford to a leaping Colby Parkinson.
It was all so dramatic. It was all so pointless.
Ultimately, Rams coach Sean McVay screamed and pumped his fists whereas begging the query, was it rejoicing or was it aid? Laborious to inform, however right here’s guessing it was each.
”We’re going to want to have the ability to play higher if we count on to have the ability advance previous this primary spherical,” McVay acknowledged afterward. “However by no means take it as a right … grateful to have one other week with this workforce that I like.”
It’s a workforce that seemingly everyone loves, or, a minimum of, beloved.
The Rams had scored the sport’s first two touchdowns and have been apparently headed for the anticipated rout when the 12-win powerhouse favored on this house to win the Tremendous Bowl out of the blue seemed like that unsure bunch that had misplaced two of its final three.
The least penalized workforce within the final 5 years dedicated 83 yards value of penalties. The sure-handed Puka Nacua dropped a positive landing move. The beyond-accurate Stafford banged his hand on a helmet and missed on seven straight move makes an attempt at one level, his longest stoop as a Ram.
Oh, yeah, and the workforce that fired its particular groups coordinator at midseason blew it once more on particular groups, a late punt being blocked and resulting in the Panthers scoring a go-ahead landing with 2:39 remaining.
“There have been a lot of cases the place we have now to be extra poised, and that’s a mirrored image on me,” mentioned McVay. “Regardless of all that, we discovered a solution to give our greatest in crucial moments.”
The final of these moments was once more owned by Stafford, who went six of seven for 71 yards on the ultimate two-minute drive that featured catches by 4 totally different receivers together with little-used Konata Mumpfield. Yeah, Konata Mumpfield, and don’t you dare say Stafford shouldn’t win his first MVP award.
Drake Maye? Are you kidding me? Even East Coast bias can’t taint the greatness of the Rams’ quarterback, whose no-look dazzling was on full show late within the recreation though, within the fourth quarter, he wanted Nacua to knock the ball out of Nick Scott’s arms to forestall his second interception and maybe save the sport.
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Gary Klein breaks down what went proper for the Rams of their 34-31 wild-card playoff victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Think about that. Throughout a recreation during which he caught 10 passes for 111 yards and scored two touchdowns, Nacua’s most vital play was an incompletion.
“That move breakup was unbelievable,” mentioned McVay. “That’s what nice gamers do.”
The best Saturday was as soon as once more Stafford, who threw for 304 yards with three touchdowns and one interception whereas as soon as once more proving the much-ignored actuality that he’s crucial athlete on the Los Angeles sports activities panorama. May the Dodgers win with out Shohei Ohtani? Perhaps. May the Rams win with out Stafford? Not an opportunity.
“He was simply in complete command, complete management,” mentioned McVay. “It was MVP form of stuff that he did.”
The Panthers had one final likelihood, however the maligned Rams protection held them with out a single yard on 4 ultimate performs, ending hopes of what would have been one of many greatest upsets in NFL postseason historical past.
“Happy with the way in which we completed, excited to have the ability to clear up quite a lot of issues,” mentioned McVay.
The very first thing that should be cleaned up is Stafford’s proper hand, as he acknowledged a finger was painfully bent backward throughout a backfield collision with D.J. Wonnum.
“It wasn’t nice, it wasn’t nice, we’ll see what it’s,” mentioned Stafford. “I used to be clearly in a position to end the sport and throw it respectable.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford walks off the sector after a 34-31 playoff win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Occasions)
Earlier than the finger damage, Stafford was 10 of 15. After the damage, he was 14 of 27. You do the mathematics.
Stafford is likely one of the hardest quarterbacks ever — one can watch previous Detroit Lions movies as proof — and right here’s guessing he gained’t even point out the hand this week. However he was shaking the hand through the recreation, so you recognize it’s an element.
“He obtained it banged up, you possibly can see him shaking, however he delivered a fairly rattling good throw on the following play,” mentioned McVay, later including, “We had quite a lot of moments the place we speak about our scars being our energy.”
Our scars are our energy. McVay says that so much, which is an efficient factor, as a result of the Rams may go away this weekend as probably the most scarred workforce nonetheless within the playoffs.
Will that make them the strongest?
Can’t wait. Can’t watch.
