ATLANTA — The Rams already knew they are going to be on the highway for the playoffs, a tough project for any staff.
It’s trending towards changing into one particularly robust for the Rams, who only some weeks in the past seemed to be the category of the NFC, if not the NFL.
Not anymore.
On Monday evening, the Rams for a lot of their recreation in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons, seemed like a staff on the highway to nowhere. Or yet another all for limping via the top of the common season earlier than turning it on for the playoffs.
They overcame a 21-point deficit to tie the rating, however Zane Gonzalez’s 51-yard subject aim with 21 seconds left despatched the Rams to a 27-24 defeat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It was the Rams’ second loss in a row, each approaching the highway.
It dropped their report to 11-5 going into Sunday’s common season finale in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
On Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers will play for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed within the NFC.
The Rams are seeded No. 6 within the NFC. If the Seahawks defeat the 49ers, and the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Rams may transfer as much as No. 5.
However it won’t matter if the Rams don’t begin taking part in higher on the highway.
4 of their 5 losses — to Philadelphia, Carolina, Seattle and Atlanta — got here on the highway.
Just a few weeks in the past, the Rams had been atop the NFC. They seemed like the very best staff within the NFL.
However that was earlier than they misplaced 38-37 in time beyond regulation in Seattle. The Rams have misplaced consecutive highway video games for the primary time because the begin of the 2024 season after they misplaced their opener in time beyond regulation at Detroit after which bought routed at Arizona.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tries to keep away from diving Atlanta Falcons linebacker Khalid Kareem throughout the second half of the Rams’ 27-24 loss Monday evening at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Brynn Anderson / Related Press)
Rams quarterback Stafford moved previous Ben Roethlisberger into sixth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yardage record, however there was not a lot to be completely happy about on an evening that had arrange a potential MVP-clinching stage.
Stafford accomplished 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns however had three passes intercepted, together with one which was returned for a landing.
The primary half was a nightmare for Stafford, who went into the sport with a league-leading 40 landing passes and solely 5 interceptions.
After the Falcons stuffed Kyren Williams on fourth and one on the Falcons’ 11-yard line within the first quarter, Jessie Bates III returned an interception for a landing within the second. Xavier Watts additionally picked off a move.
The Falcons sacked Stafford on the ultimate play of the primary half and the Rams went to the locker room down 21-0.
On the primary play of the second half, the Falcons sacked Stafford once more.
However Harrison Mevis kicked a subject aim early within the third quarter, and the Rams pulled to inside 14 factors on Stafford’s 27-yard landing move to rookie tight finish Terrance Ferguson with about 5 minutes left within the quarter.
Then, with lower than a minute left within the quarter, Jared Verse blocked a field-goal try and returned the ball 76 yards for a landing to chop the result in 24-17.
The Rams’ possibilities for a comeback appeared to finish when Watts intercepted one other move with simply greater than 9 minutes left.
However the Rams bought the ball again and Stafford related with Puka Nacua for an obvious 41-yard landing. However the play was nullified by a holding penalty.
Rams coach Sean McVay speaks with quarterback Matthew Stafford within the fourth quarter Monday in opposition to the Falcons.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Photographs)
Williams made a number of key performs to arrange Stafford’s 11-yard landing move to Nacua that tied the rating with 2:46 left.
Gonzalez’s subject aim put the Falcons forward by three.
Stafford bought the ball one final time, however he missed Xavier Smith on a route, and Tutu Atwell and Nacua couldn’t provide you with deep passes. With 5 seconds left, Stafford’s move to Nacua fell incomplete.
Bijan Robinson rushed for 195 yards and a landing in 22 carries and likewise caught a landing move for the Falcons (7-9).
