Darnell Sallins
November 18, 2024, 12:55PM
The Los Angeles Rams got a much-needed road win over the New England Patriots on Sunday. The Rams 5-5 on the season and are back in second place in the NFC West. Just one game behind the Arizona Cardinals (6-4), who were on their bye week. The Rams hold the tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks (5-5) and the San Francisco 49ers (5-5) by way of the Seahawks beating the 49ers in Santa Clara on Sunday.
After the Patriots took the early 7-0 lead in the first quarter, the Rams answered back with 14 unanswered in a two-minute span. Quarterback Matthew Stafford hit wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a five-yard touchdown pass and then Stafford hit wide receiver Puka Nacua on a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots would add a field goal, and Rams went into halftime leading 14-10.
Coming out of the half, the Rams would take control when Stafford and Kupp connected on a 69-yards catch and run touchdown pass, giving the Rams a 21-10 lead. After another Patriots field goal, Stafford would throw his fourth touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson as the Rams built a 15-point lead at 28-13.
The Patriots would mount a comeback on the Rams. Scoring nine unanswered points to cut the Rams' lead to 28-22 just under five minutes left to play. The Rams were forced to punt with 2:22 remaining, but special teams came through as punter Ethan Evans pinned the Patriots down in the ten-yard line, but an illegal formation penalty on the Patriots put them at the five-yard line.
Five plays later, Patriots QB Drake Maye picked off by Rams safety Kamren Kinchens, ceiling the 28-22 win for the Rams.
Matthew Stafford went 18 for 27 passing for 295 yards and four touchdowns. The wide receiver duo of Kupp and Nacua was on display. Kupp had six catches on ten targets for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Nacua seven catches on nine targets for 123 yards and a touchdown.
The red zone efficiency for the Rams was much better on Sunday. Three touchdowns on four red zone trips. The lone miss being a Joshua Karty missed 26-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter. The Rams had 402 total yards averaging 7.9 yards per play. The Rams defense added three sacks from this young defensive line, two from rookie Braden Fiske and another one from Byron Young. Kinchens' game-ceiling interception was his third interception of the season, the other two came against the Seahawks in Week 8.
The Rams are back under lights in primetime Sunday night when the 8-2 Philadelphia Eagles come to SoFi Stadium in Week 12.
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