The Los Angeles Rams retained their grip on the NFC’s top seed following a 41-34 shootout win over the Detroit Lions. L.A. is set up nicely ahead of a HUGE road matchup against the Seahawks on a short
week.
Without further ado, let’s get into the good, the bad and the ugly from Week 15.
The Good
Coming out with a win despite a slow start
Let’s face it, the first half against the Lions was the worst Los Angeles has played in weeks. However, like any championship-caliber team, the Rams found a way to pull off the win regardless.
L.A. went down 10 just before the half, until Harrison Mevis got his team back within a score at the break. During the third quarter, everything changed for the Rams, as they went on a 17-0 run to essentially put the game away.
Matthew Stafford put his team on top for good with a pretty 26-yard touchdown to Colby Parkinson, the tight end’s fifth touchdown in the last six games.
Later in the quarter, Blake Coum scored his fourth rushing touchdown in the last three games, putting L.A. up by 10, 34-24.
The Rams scored 20 unanswered points until Detroit broke the streak with a 48-yard field goal halfway through the fourth quarter.
It wasn’t always pretty and the defense didn’t play all that great, yet Los Angeles persevered anyway. Against a Lions team whose playoff hopes were already on life support, the Rams managed to secure a win over a desperate opponent who tried their best, but came up just a little short in the end.
Sums up the Lions’ existence, huh?
Offense worked overtime to get the dub
On a day when the defense barely showed up, the offense did its job in pulling off the win.
The Rams outscored the Lions 24-10 in the second half, as the offense went for 519 yards. Stafford bounced back from a bad early interception to throw for 368 yards and two touchdowns, both to Colby Parkinson. If that performance doesn’t give Stafford points when it comes time for MVP voting, I don’t know what to say.
It wasn’t anywhere close to being his best game of the season, but he still did enough to win the game and spread the ball around nicely to his playmakers.
The running game was again solid, as Kyren Williams and Blake Corum went for 70+ rushing yards for the third straight week. L.A.’s dynamic duo has done it again.
The Rams were 4-of-6 in the red zone, and part of that was due to Sean McVay being aggressive and going for it on three occasions. Best of all, his team converted each of those three opportunities. Way to flash that aggressiveness in front of Dan Campbell, Sean! He would be so proud, or pissed … one of the two.
Los Angeles has the most dangerous offense out of any team in the NFC bracket. They can score on anyone and beat you in so many ways. Sunday showed the conference exactly why everyone should be nervous if the Rams secure the top seed. Once their offense is on, no one’s beating ‘em.
NFC playoff seeding
The results of this weekend’s games mostly cleared up a muddled mess in the conference standings.
L.A. was the first NFC team to clinch a playoff spot, and joined the Broncos as the lone teams to punch their ticket to the big dance. More will be on the way shortly, but you’d have to think that the seven playoff teams are mostly set, with only the seeding needing to be sorted.
Chicago and Seattle are nipping at the Rams’ heels following wins on Sunday. Da Bears moved to the second seed after the Packers fell in Denver. Green Bay is in serious trouble if Micah Parsons and Christian Watson are both out long-term.
The Lions are the lone fringe team that has a chance at sneaking in, but their margin of error is extremely low. Detroit was swept by the Packers and lost the tiebreaker to the Eagles. L.A.’s win over them was likely the nail in the coffin.
Either way, the Rams are set up nicely and shouldn’t have to worry too much about anything else the rest of the way besides clinching the division. Their margin for error is also low, but not as much compared to their conference companions.
The Bad
Defense took the bait against a desperate opponent
This game was largely expected to be a shootout. Most analysts had predicted it going into the week. Detroit has one of the best offenses in the league, so the defense should’ve been better prepared for such a desperate opponent.
Wishful thinking, I know.
The Rams are lucky their poor defensive play in the first half didn’t cost them the game. It was eerily reminiscent of the Panthers game when they allowed Carolina to stick around. Of course, Stafford’s pick-six in the first quarter of that one didn’t help matters, but I digress.
Detroit scored three of its four touchdowns in the first half. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams had their way with the secondary all day, combining for 20 receptions for 298 and 3 touchdowns. That yardage accounted for the vast majority of Jared Goff’s 338 passing yards.
At least they deserve credit for holding Sonic and Knuckles in check to the tune of 70 yards on 20 carries. However, the tackling was so poor throughout the game, it’s like they need lessons on how to tackle ahead of Thursday Night Football. Might not be a bad idea, actually.
Look, I know the defense is hurting with some key injuries, but it’s on Chris Shula to get creative in plugging the gaps. Luckily, there is no other offense anywhere close to the Lions’ caliber in the NFC playoffs, excluding the Rams. Meaning, the defense shouldn’t have their hands as full as they did in this one.
Still, fans should have pause before thinking of this unit as championship caliber.
The Ugly
Injuries suck
This was a brutal week for injuries. Patrick Mahomes is lost for the year with a torn ACL. Micah Parsons is also believed to have suffered the same fate. Unfortunate injuries to teams with high expectations to begin the season.
Not even the Rams were spared by the injury bug.
NFL receiving touchdowns leader Davante Adams left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter due to a hamstring injury. Second-year defensive lineman Braden Fiske was spotted hobbling around after the game with a wrap around his left ankle. No word on the severity of either injury, or the availability of both players heading into Week 16.
We’re in the homestretch now, and injuries are beginning to pile up for several playoff hopefuls. Every team in contention is in survival mode until the postseason starts.
All the Rams really need to do is hope they can end the regular season relatively unscathed compared to their competition.
