News Rams Team Notes

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams vs. Panthers discussion: Will L.A. close out second half?

The Los Angeles Rams lead the Carolina Panthers by a score of 21-17 after the first half of play. It was expected that the Rams would tack on another win this week, and they might, but the Panthers have showed up to play, while the Rams started with some mistakes early to put the Panthers where they wanted to be.

Despite the errors, the Rams have kept themselves from bottoming out and so far, this has been a competitive game for both teams, but the Rams (believe it or not) have looked better overall despite the errors.

The Rams took a quick 7-0 lead after Matthew Stafford found Davantae Adams for a passing score, but the Panthers responded on their next drive with a throwing score by Bryce Young.

On L.A.’s next drive, the Rams were in the redzone quickly again, but this time the drive ended with Stafford’s first pick since Week 3, and the Panthers had the ball and momentum to build a lead.

The Rams defense was able to force a punt to put the ball back in the hands of Stafford as the Rams had a chance to retake the lead and put pressure on Carolina. Instead, Stafford threw his second interception of the day with a pick-six, and after the extra point, the Panthers (not the Rams) led 14-7.

The Rams were able to get back on track with another Stafford passing TD to Adams to know the game at 14-14.

The Panthers kept the heat on with a field goal, and the Rams answered with a touchdown to take a 21-7 lead with just under two minutes to go in the half.

The score would stay that way to go into the half, and though the Rams are leading, the Panthers have fought hard to be in this game.

There is an entire half of football to go, so you’re going to want to stay locked in to see how this Week 13 contest comes to an end!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...n/130855/rams-panthrs-second-half-game-thread

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

10 takeaways from Rams’ unacceptable loss to Panthers

Throughout an NFL season, every team must overcome some form of adversity. The Los Angeles Rams faced that adversity on Sunday, losing 31-28 to the Carolina Panthers. They got outplayed and out-coached by a team they had no business getting outplayed or out-coached by. It was another reminder that the Rams can’t just show up and expect to win games. They still have to be able to execute. Sunday’s loss was a frustrating one so let’s jump right into it.

1. Rams offense came out firing on all cylinders​

Despite somewhat of a shaky start on defense, the Rams offense was moving the ball well to begin this game. It helped that they started the opening drive at the Panthers’ 35-yard line, but they still scored a touchdown in six plays. While the next drive resulted in a red zone turnover followed by another interception later, the offense easily marched down the field and took a 21-17 lead into halftime. Their two drives in the second quarter resulted in touchdowns.

It may not have been a good day for the defense, but it felt like a game that the Rams may have been able to outscore the team on the other side. That’s what this team was built to do. Stafford may not have been sharp, but he was doing enough. The running game was moving well. Over the past two months, the Rams offense has started strong and that was the case in this one as well.

2. Davante Adams remains a beast in red zone​

At this point, defenses have to know what’s coming and they are still getting beat by Davante Adams in the red zone. The Rams had a RPO called on the opening drive and Stafford hit Adams on a slant. Later in the game, Stafford once again found Adams in the back of the end zone after extending the play.

Adams now has 14 touchdowns on the season which are the most he’s had since 2022. The Rams may need to find another red zone option eventually, but if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Stafford and Adams have it figured out in the red zone and until teams begin to stop it, there isn’t a need to change anything. Adams now has 28 career games with multiple touchdown catches which is tied with Don Hutson for the sixth-most all time. He also now has 117 career touchdown receptions which passed Antonio Gates for the seventh-most in NFL history.

3. Matthew Stafford is human after all​

For much of the season, Matthew Stafford has seemed invincible at times and it’s a reason why he’s led the MVP race. Following his first touchdown pass, he broke the record for most consecutive touchdown passes without an interception. When bad things happen, they happen in bunches and that was the case for Stafford. His first interception wasn’t necessarily his fault as it came off of a tipped ball at the line of scrimmage. However, the next drive, he was late and behind Puka Nacua which resulted in a touchdown the other way. On the final drive, he was sacked from behind and fumbled.

Two of those mistakes can’t happen and directly contributed to the Rams losing. However, it goes beyond the turnovers. Stafford didn’t connect with an open Terrance Ferguson multiple times. He came off Adams too early on one occasion and settled for a checkdown that fell incomplete. Rams skill players failed to get separation downfield and Stafford didn’t seem as confident as he usually is to let it rip into tight windows.

4. McVay abandoned run too often​

On a day in which Stafford was somewhat struggling, it would have made sense to lean on the run game more. When you consider that both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum averaged over five yards per carry, it’s especially curious why the Rams didn’t lean on it more. Corum and Williams combined for 15 carries for 153 yards. The issue there is that in a game that was within one score for the entire game, those two only had 15 carries.

On Stafford’s first red zone interception, the Rams threw the ball three straight times after Corum had carries of 14 and six yards. The interception came on 3rd-and-goal from the eight-yard line. The Rams went three-and-out in the third quarter after they passed on 2nd-and-5 and Stafford took a sack. This was a game to lean on the two-headed monster at running back with Stafford struggling and the conditions less than ideal to throw the ball.

5. One to forget for Emmanuel Forbes​

A lot has been said about the turnaround of Emmanuel Forbes. However, Sunday was a step back for the former first-round pick. Forbes tends to struggle against more physical wide receivers, but he never got outplayed physically in this game. It wasn’t as if he was getting posterized along the sideline like he did against Elic Ayomanor early in the year.

On both plays he let the wide receiver get behind him and wasn’t able to make a play on the ball. Both touchdowns also came in big moments on fourth down. It goes beyond what Forbes did in coverage. He had a bad missed tackle prior to giving up a touchdown as well. This is one to forget for Forbes. He’s been a big reason for the secondary turning a corner and they’ll need him to bounce back.

6. Another ‘WTF’ performance from defense​

While Forbes will get a brunt of blame on defense, he wasn’t the only issue. The Rams have done a great job stopping the run this season. With Poona Ford managing an injury, his absence was felt. They didn’t give up any big runs, but Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle combined for 141 rushing yards on 35 carries. It kept the Panthers out of the long down and distances that the Rams defense thrives on and made them less predictable.

Again, this is not conservative call. The calls/plays the beat Rams were not 'soft' or conservative, it was the kind of thing people often clamor for. Rams didn't execute. pic.twitter.com/2SzIFls1kD

— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) December 1, 2025

The Rams have had a few games this season in which they have played down to lesser teams on the defensive side of the ball. They are able to get up for the big games, but expect to coast through teams at times. It was very similar in Week 5. For the most part, things weren’t difficult for Bryce Young. While the pass rush got to him a few times, Young was able to stand in the pocket and find his wide recThroughout an NFL season, every team must overcome some form of adversity. The Los Angeles Rams faced that adversity on Sunday, losing 31-28 to the Carolina Panthers. They got outplayed and out-coached by a team they had no business getting outplayed or out-coached by. It was another reminder that the Rams can’t just show up and expect to win games. They still have to be able to execute. Sunday’s loss was a frustrating win so let’s jump right into it.

7. Rams must find ways to weather the storm​

In games like this, the Rams have to find ways to weather the storm. The Rams led going into halftime, but allowed a six-minute touchdown drive to start the third quarter. After a three-and-out, the Panthers held onto the ball for 8:30 minutes before punting. Over the course of a 60-minute game, there are going to be ebbs and flows. However, the Rams have to find a way to weather the storm better. They can’t go an entire quarter holding the ball for less than two minutes.

During the third quarter, the Panthers converted three times on third down and once on fourth down. This is similar to what happened against the Seahawks, but instead of touchdowns, the defense was giving up field goals. Even if the offense isn’t scoring, they have to find ways to sustain drives. The ‘death by 1,000 paper cuts’ defense can work, but at some point you have to get off the field. This game was lost in the third quarter.

8. The game was lost in the important moments​

It seemed as if in every big moment, the Rams came up on the wrong end. The Panthers were 7-for-15 on third down and 3-for-3 on fourth down. The Panthers were 0-for-1 in the red zone, but managed to score three offensive touchdowns. Every touchdown was an offensive explosive with one coming on a swing pass on 3rd-and-8 and the other two coming on fourth down.

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was 8-for-10 for 162 yards and three touchdowns on third and fourth down in this game. That’s simply not a recipe for success for the Rams defense. The pass rush didn’t get to Young consistently enough and it’s a reason for the struggles in the secondary. Offensively, the Rams were 2-for-5 on third down with two turnovers. In every big moment, the Panthers made the play they needed while the Rams did not.

9. This team is too good for these losses​

Simply put, this loss was unacceptable. This felt like the loss to the 49ers back in Week 5 as the Rams beat themselves in that game. At least with the 49ers, that’s a division game and that team knows how to play against you. This was against a Carolina Panthers team that lost on Monday Night Football after forcing three turnovers and had beaten one team with more than three wins this season. Much like the 49ers game, the Rams seemed to believe they could simply show up and they would win.

It goes beyond the players. The Rams had to use a timeout early in the second half on defense. McVay tends to use timeouts like he has 10 of them and didn’t use one on the final drive which led to a delay of game penalty. One coaching staff committed to running the ball while the other did not.

Over the past two years, the excuse of inexperience could be used. This team should no longer have these types of losses with mental lapses. This was as if the Rams had been reading the headlines that they were the best team in the NFL and their ego got the best of them. The Rams have two losses this season as 10-point or more favorites. Hopefully this is a wake-up call, but this is a team that shouldn’t need a wake-up call.

10. The road to No. 1 seed just got tougher​

Following the loss, the Rams are no longer the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the road to that just got tougher. The Rams could have lost to the Seattle Seahawks in three weeks and still taken the NFC’s top seed by winning the rest of their games. They are now tied with the Seahawks and need to sweep the season series to likely win the NFC West. While they are still ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams now trail the Chicago Bears at the top of the NFC.

Having home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a bye week is something that should be important for this team. However, the road to doing so just got significantly more difficult and it is no longer in their hands. This was a loss that they could not afford to have. They eivers. The players didn’t execute in the important moments. Young was a very efficient 15-for-20 with three touchdowns. The lack of execution allowed the Panthers to control the clock and live within a comfortable game plan.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...s/130953/rams-panthers-week-13-loss-breakdown

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Matthew Stafford 2nd among QBs in Pro Bowl votes

For a long time, the story around Matthew Stafford’s Pro Bowl history has been that there isn’t one. A quarterback who some are saying belongs in the Hall of Fame, Stafford has only been named to the Pro Bowl twice in the first 16 seasons of his career. Agree with that or not, think the Pro Bowl is “dumb” or not, you can’t deny that it’s an incredible stat: 2 career Pro Bowls for a quarterback who many believe belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Stafford is guaranteed to get his third career Pro Bowl nod in 2025 though and he’s second among all QBs in Pro Bowl votes, behind only overall leader Drake Maye.

Patriots QB Drake Maye is the early leader in 2026 Pro Bowl Games votes on https://t.co/uI2glnoSyq and team websites.

For more information on the 2026 Pro Bowl Games Vote, visit https://t.co/LBWodfhtC5. Fan voting began on Thursday, Nov. 27 and continues until Monday, Dec. 15. pic.twitter.com/zEx33bctPV

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 1, 2025

Stafford is 7th overall in Pro Bowl votes, but does this indicate that writers will see Maye as the 2025 NFL MVP?

Stafford is also behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Micah Parsons, Jonathan Taylor, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Christian McCaffrey.

Other Rams in the top-10 of Pro Bowl voting for their position:​

Puka Nacua is third among all wide receivers, but Davante Adams didn’t crack the top-10 despite leading the league in touchdowns. Remarkably, you do see names like Wan’Dale Robinson and Rome Odunze in the top-10.

Kam Curl leads all strong safeties in Pro Bowl votes, potentially leading to his first career nod, but Kam Kinchens didn’t make the top-10 at free safety. Cobie Durant is 5th and Emmanuel Forbes is 6th among cornerbacks, an indication that votes were counted before Sunday’s loss to the Panthers. Quentin Lake is nowhere to be found.

Nate Landman is third among linebackers.

Ethan Evans is ninth among punters.

Shaun Dolac is ninth among special teamers.

Byron Young is third and Jared Verse is fifth among all outside linebackers.

Here’s the top 10 vote-getters by position as of 11 a.m. ET today. pic.twitter.com/hJ2lXyntbE

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 1, 2025

Kyren Williams did not rank among the top-10 running backs. No offensive linemen on the Rams were in their top-10 votes.

And despite high expectations for the interior of the defensive line, Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, and Poona Ford haven’t made enough of a mark with fans to be ranked in the top-10 at defensive tackle.

Who is the biggest snub? Who ranked higher than you expected? The Rams will be represented at the Pro Bowl (or on Pro Bowl lists at least, even if they make the Super Bowl) and Stafford surely will be one of those players. Something that is a lot more rare than you would think.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/131020/pro-bowl-votes-rams-matthew-stafford-2026

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

L.A. Rams News: Team is still in a fine spot

The Los Angeles Rams are still in a fine spot despite losing to the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday. L.A. still has nine wins with the remainder of the season ahead of them, and the chance to win the NFC West if not more.

Matthew Stafford had three turnovers his past game, but he’s been playing great most of the year, so if he cuts down on the turnovers going forward (as he has for most of the season), then the team’s best days should still be ahead of them. Does that expectation seem unfair?

Losing is unfortunate, but it happens and it’s better to happen now while the Rams can still bounce back from it.

Of course, if the Rams lose again on Sunday the situation could look very different, but for right now, the Rams have a chance to maintain what’s been a strong season.

We’ll see what happens. No easy wins the NFL, and this past Sunday was another reminder of that.

The Rams were considered by most the top team in the NFC and NFL, and now that may not be the case. How will they respond?

Thank you for checking out Turf Show Times and have a great day!

Matthew Stafford admits his mistakes, but Rams aren’t panicking after loss to Panthers (latimes.com)​

“Humility, as Sean McVay likes to say, is only a day away. And the Rams lived it Sunday.

McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams defense all were humbled in a 31-28 defeat by the Carolina Panthers before 71,292 at Bank of America Stadium.“

Byron Young calls Panthers loss a ‘wake-up call’ (theramswire)​

“The offense scored 28 points, but the defense couldn’t stop the Panthers’ offense and quarterback Matthew Stafford had an uncharacteristically poor game with three turnovers. Additionally, the loss dropped the Rams out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and their 9-3 record is tied with the Seattle Seahawks for the top of the NFC West.

Despite the loss, Rams edge rusher Byron Young thinks the team should take some positives from the shocking upset. He called the game a “wake-up call” and said he was “glad that it happened” so the team can learn from their mistakes.“

Carolina Panthers top Los Angeles Rams, roll into bye at 7-6 (espn.com)​

“Players recognized they made a huge statement for a young team trying to end seven straight years of losing.

“That we can play with the best of them,” running back Rico Dowdle said of what the win over the now 9-3 Rams meant. “We came in facing what they say is the top NFC team. When we went into Green Bay [and won 16-13], it was the same thing.

“We’ve got everything we need in this locker room to do what we need to do and make that push coming up in these next couple of weeks.”

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/131027/la-rams-news-nfc-week-14

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Is Matthew Stafford still MVP favorite?

For the first time in his career, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is a front-runner for the NFL’s MVP award. Throughout his career, Stafford has just one top-10 vote for MVP, and that came in 2023. Stafford has been unbelievable for most of this season. He has 32 touchdowns to four interceptions and has led the Rams to a 9-3 record. The Rams quarterback just broke the record for most touchdown passes between interceptions at 28.

However, Stafford has played two of his worst games of the season over the last three weeks. He threw for just 130 yards and completed 53.6 percent of his passes against the Seattle Seahawks. Against the Panthers, he was credited for two interceptions and a fumble. Stafford’s pick-six gave the Panthers early hope while his fumble late in the game ended a potential fourth-quarter comeback.

The MVP race is one that tends to get analyzed over one-game, weekly samples by the national media. Following a game in which he turned the ball over three times, the narrative around Stafford has shifted slightly. That doesn’t mention that New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns in a win on primetime.

Top 3 MVP

1) Drake Maye
2) Matthew Stafford
3) Dak Prescott

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 2, 2025

Technically, Stafford is no longer the MVP favorite. However, it is very close. According to the sportsbooks, Stafford is +125 to win MVP while Maye is -135. The primary issue here is how the media analyzes the MVP race in one-game, weekly samples throughout the season. The MVP race is discussed like power rankings. It’s a reflection of the current reactionary sports media in combination with the short attention span of consumers of the product. Just because something was the last thing we saw does not make it the overall reality. Maye also got the primetime boost as the Patriots beat the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.

What Maye is doing is certainly commendable. At the same time, the Patriots have played only one team with more than three wins since mid-October. Despite the uncharacteristic performance from Stafford, he is still at or near the top in several major quarterback categories.

Matthew Stafford	Drake Maye
EPA/DB	0.15 (4th)	0.22 (1st)
Passer Rating	111.7 (2nd)	111.9 (1st)
Passing Success %	54.1% (1st)	52.5% (3rd)
QBR	67 (5th)	72.8 (4th)
DVOA	34.5% (1st)	18.7% (9th)
DYAR	1235 (1st)	766 (6th)
PFF Grade	92.4 (1st)	87.1 (4th)
CPOE	2.4 (10th)	8.2 (1st)
YPA	7.7 (8th)	8.8 (1st)
ANY/A	8.18 (1st)	8.04 (3rd)
Big Time Throw %	6.1 (2nd)	5.4 (5th)
Avg. Ranking	3.27	3.45

Over 11 advanced quarterback stats, an average ranking of 0.09 separates them. It is very close. Next week, the Rams play the Arizona Cardinals while Maye and the Patriots have a bye. That could put Stafford in the lead again.

Additionally, the Rams play the Detroit Lions in what should be the NFL’s nationally televised Sunday afternoon game and the Game of the Week. Following that game, the Rams play the Seahawks in primetime on Thursday Night Football before playing the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football the following week.

Much like Maye this past week, Stafford will have an opportunity over the next month to make his MVP case with many eyes watching him. If the Rams win those three games, that could also see them back atop the NFC at the No. 1 one seed.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that the NFL season isn’t just one week old. We’ve played 12 games and Stafford has played at an MVP level in a majority of those. With five games to go, it’s going to be a race to the finish.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-analysis/131059/rams-qb-matthew-stafford-mvp-race

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams Reacts Survey Week 14

All season long, we’ve been tracking fan confidence in the L.A. Rams during a year in which the team has plenty to be proud about. The Rams lost to the Carolina Panthers this week, but continue to hold the lead in the NFC West and they might be right back in place for the 1-seed by the end of the weekend.

Has this loss to the Panthers tarnished your belief in the L.A. Rams? Just a week ago, fan confidence was at a season-best 99% after winning six in a row. Now the Rams have lost for just the third time all season. Will confidence drop below 90%?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rams fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/131080/rams-reacts-survey-week-14

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Sean McVay is once again proving his worth for Rams

Sean McVay is giving the Los Angeles Rams the best performance of his career in 2025. It’s an effort worth consideration for the NFL’s coach of the year award, though this is usually a sign of doom for winners.

The Rams added new(ish) wrinkles with a frequent deployment of 13 and heavier personnel, a hybrid run game that utilizes both gap and zone concepts, sending pass catchers through the line to spring them open down the field, and fixing the team’s red zone woes by relying heavily on a match made in heaven between Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams.

McVay’s offensive game plans are works of art. He knows who will likely be fooled by the team’s use of heavier personnel and respond by putting linebackers on the field. It’s a changeup that worked to perfection against the San Francisco 49ers where TE’s combined for 114 yards and two touchdowns. McVay was wise enough to know that the Seattle Seahawks deploy a similar strategy and would not fall for the same trick defensively. In Week 11, the Rams used multiple tight-ends on only 20 plays.

Rams’ play action is working better than ever​

Of all quarterbacks with at least 258 drop backs, Matthew Stafford has posted the following measures with play action (according to Pro Football Focus):

• The most attempts with 151 passes (leads NFL at 37.5% play action rate)
• The most completions with 101 (69.5%)
• Ranks first in PFF passing grade at 92.4
• Is second behind Sam Darnold in big-time throw rate at 7.6% (Darnold at 12.6%)
• Is second behind Mac Jones in turnover-worthy play rate at 0.6% (Jones at 0.0%)
• Ranks 11th in adjusted completion rate at 79.4%

Passes without play action are generally considered a more stable metric of quarterback performance. Play action is an offensive easy button that offensive play callers can use to the point where it becomes a crutch and/or covers up deficiency at the signal caller position. In McVay’s case, he’s making the most of his team’s talent and capitalizing on Stafford’s hot streak.

When you take play action away, Stafford still ranks towards the top of the NFL in most metrics but does suffer a bit of a regression. If the veteran continues to play more like he did last week against the Carolina Panthers than how he started the year, it could be because McVay is unable to scheme up the same advantages. It happens every year to some offenses as the calendar flips to December.

• Stafford is 17th in passes without play action and 16th in completions
• His 64.4% completion rate ranks 17th
• All four of Stafford’s interceptions have come on passes without play action
• Stafford ranks second in PFF passing grade at 87.8 behind Jordan Love (88.3)
• He’s tied with Sam Darnold in fifth place in terms of big-time throw rate at 5.2% (14)
• Is 13th in turnover-worthy play rate at 3.2% (9)
• Stafford is 23rd in adjusted completion rate at 72.6%

This is not an indictment of Stafford, though it will likely be taken that way. McVay’s quarterback simply is better in almost every metric when play action is involved, and it’s a fine job of the head coach to lean into what his signal caller does well. Not all quarterbacks get the benefit of working with a play caller that maximize their strengths.

But in December and January football, defenses have ample film on opposing offenses and misdirection often becomes less effective deep into the season. Teams must win on the edges with traditional drop back passing game and by relying on their star playmakers.

If Stafford is going to bounce back from his performance against the Panthers, he needs to fare better without the crutch of play action.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/131138/rams-sean-mcvay-coach-of-year

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

McVay not worried about Rams injury list

The Los Angeles Rams won’t have three key players at practice on Wednesday, including Davante Adams, but Sean McVay expects all of them to be good to go by Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Adams, Poona Ford, and Darious Williams missed practice on Wednesday with various injuries listed on the report, while Kyren Williams, Kam Kinchens, and Omar Speights were limited.

McVay expects all 6 to play this week, per Stu Jackson.

Although Kyren Williams, Kam Kinchens and Omar Speights will be limited in practice today, and Davante Adams (hamstring), Darious Williams (tibia) and Poona Ford (calf) won't practice, Sean McVay said he expects all six to play Sunday vs. Cardinals

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 3, 2025

Adams is dealing with a hamstring issue. Those can tend to linger for weeks, if not months, but if McVay says that Adams won’t miss any time because of it then it sounds like he won’t miss any time.

Ford has a calf injury and Williams has a tibia injury. Neither is expected to miss Week 14’s game.

Williams has not missed any games due to injury since 2023. It does not look like he will miss this week’s game either, but Blake Corum is ready for a bigger role, if necessary.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...ms-injury-report-davante-adams-kyren-williams

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Week 14 NFL Picks: Afternoon games carry significant NFC playoff weight

‘Tis the season for matchups with playoff implications. Week 14 of the NFL season (I can’t believe we have already finished 3 months) features at least six games where both teams are fighting for a playoff berth or jockeying for the division lead. The afternoon slate in particular will be one to watch in the NFC as the current #1 seed Chicago Bears travel to the Green Bay Packers. The winner will have sole possession of the NFC North. Meanwhile, with a Chicago loss, the Rams could easily reassert themselves as the NFC’s best. Here’s my prediction for how this week plays out…

Week 13 picks: 10-6, Cumulative picks: 122-70-1 (.634)

Week 14 Matchups & Predictions

(Thursday Night Football) Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions, 8:15 PM EST

A great matchup to kick off Week 14. In my opinion, the winner of this game will make the playoffs. The loser is all but sure to miss out. The Cowboys have been the hotter hand; defeating the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in the last two weeks. The offense is led by Dak Prescott, who is a top-5 quarterback in the NFL right now. The defense is playing better. The key is that they will have to stop Jahmyr Gibbs to come out with a road win. But don’t think that Dallas doesn’t remember Detroit running the score up on them last year…

This game between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions tomorrow night is MASSIVE #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/tdgxyWHxgk

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 3, 2025

Pick: Cowboys win 30-27

Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM EST

Even though the Falcons are going nowhere in 2025, Raheem Morris’s quarters defense will likely prevent the Seahawks from using their downfield passing attack. However, Seattle is going to be able to run the ball to manufacture 3rd & short situations to keep the chains moving. Atlanta allows the 25th most rushing yards per game (131.2 yards/game).

Pick: Seahawks 27-16

Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills, 1:00 PM EST

“He’s back!” Joe Burrow has returned and yes the Bengals have a shot at not only making the playoffs but winning the AFC North. And guess what, I think they will. I know Cincy’s defense is bad. But one way to make the defense better is to have an offense that can manufacture drives and allow the defense to play just “good” enough. I think we get a shootout between Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. Make no mistake, the Bengals need this game!

The December / January comparisons of Josh Allen & Joe Burrow. pic.twitter.com/SsiLVTRDlj

— Wincy (@WincinnatiPod) December 3, 2025

Pick: Bengals win 41-36

Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland Browns, 1:00 PM EST

Will anyone watch this game? Myles Garrett will likely break the NFL sack record because it’s the Titans. But, how anticlimactic since he plays for the Cleveland Browns…

Pick: Browns win 23-15

Washington Commanders @ Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 PM EST

Remember when some writer on ESPN suggested that all four teams could make the playoffs. Clickbait. Vikings are clearly not making it (and Detroit is currently set to miss).

if the season ended today, this is what the 2026 NFL Draft order would look like

via @tankathon

Falcons are failing the “don’t embarrass our fans by giving away a Top 10 pick” challenge pic.twitter.com/pO2xHfKktp

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) December 1, 2025

* Rams fans: this game is actually an important one. If the Commanders win and the Falcons lose, that will help the Rams 2026 first round pick they received from ATL

Pick: Commanders win 27-13

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets, 1:00 PM EST

The Dolphins have won 3 games in a row?!? I’m not sure how Miami will play in the colder temperatures at MetLife Stadium. But hey, why not save Mike McDaniel’s job!

Pick: Dolphins win 20-17

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 PM EST

The Bucs likely feel the pressure that the Panthers are putting on them so they will need to keep up their pace in the NFC South. A favorable matchup with the Saints gives them a little cushion.

Pick: Buccaneers win 23-17

Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 PM EST

The sky could be falling in Indianapolis. Daniel Jones has a fracture in his fibula that will limit his ability down the stretch. Sauce Gardner suffered a calf injury this past week. He will need to be careful not to further jeopardize the calf or even his achilles. The Texans are catching up and now the Jaguars have won three straight. This will be a fun game with Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher facing off against Jacksonville, the NFL’s #1 rush defense.

"It got loud in there on Sunday and the loudest was after a couple of those calls..

If Jonathan Taylor isn't running the ball well the Colts are gonna have trouble winning..

It's gonna be tough for them dealing with that Daniel Jones injury" ~ @JJWatt #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/GoBGKOPUv0

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 3, 2025

Pick: Jaguars win 23-20 (OT)

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM EST

After winning 5 straight, the Ravens were whacked by Joe Burrow and the Bengals. I think this game carries more weight for Baltimore because of their impending schedule.

Pick: Ravens win 26-23

Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 PM EST

The Broncos seem to play down to their competition. And they won’t be able to win every close game at this rate.

But man their defense gets after the quarterback and the Raiders don’t have a way to stop that.

Pick: Broncos win 30-14

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers, 4:25 PM EST

Another juicy game with huge implications and definitely bad blood. It’s no secret that these teams hate each other. But Ben Johnson’s comments about Matt LaFleur will give Green Bay and the fans some extra fuel. Green Bay will look to slow down Chicago’s run-heavy attack. Because even with the 2nd best run game, Caleb Williams is pedestrian at quarterback.

New #Bears HC Ben Johnson: “To be quite frank with you, I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.” pic.twitter.com/qfny13ZCWT

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 22, 2025

Pick: Packers win 27-23

Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 PM EST

The Rams fell from the #1 seed in the NFC to #2 after their disappointing loss to Carolina in Week 13. On tap this week is a trip to Arizona. While this game could get overlooked because of both teams’ records, it’s actually very important to Los Angeles because they need to have a strong division record for potential tiebreakers at the end of the season.

Upcoming Schedules #49ers (9-4)
Bye
Titans
@ Colts
Bears
@ Seahawks#Rams (9-3)
@ Cardinals
Lions
@ Seahawks
@ Falcons
Cardinals#Seahawks (9-3)
@ Falcons
Colts
Rams
Panthers
49ers

Who WINS the NFC West? Tap In pic.twitter.com/DVk70LXyA1

— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) December 1, 2025

Pick: Rams win 30-20

(Sunday Night Football) Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 PM EST

Another game where a winner probably makes the playoffs and the loser is out. At this point, I’m not sure Kansas City can hold off the Houston pass rush.

Pick: Texans win 21-17

(Monday Night Football) Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Chargers, 8:15 PM EST

The storyline here is Justin Herbert’s health. Will he play? If he doesn’t, PHI wins for sure.

The Chargers defense is stout while the Eagles are inefficient on offense. I’m curious to see how Philadelphia tries to move the ball because Los Angeles can stop the run and pass.

Really, it’s a coin flip. But I see shades of 2023 for Philadelphia…

Pick: Chargers win 20-17

Teams on Bye: New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers

Are the Rams being too “easy” on themselves for their loss at Carolina? Will they respond and dominate the inferior Cardinals? Who are your picks for Week 14? Comment below.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...125/week-14-nfl-picks-rams-cardinals-nfc-west

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

What was the Rams’ plan with Tutu Atwell?

Following a hamstring injury back in Week 7, the Los Angeles Rams placed wide receiver Tutu Atwell on injured reserve. However, Atwell was not placed on IR right away and the team waited until prior to Week 9 to actually do so. The injury was something that Atwell re-aggravated and it caused him to miss the next four games.

Atwell was slated to make his return in Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers via the team website and team reporter Stu Jackson. Despite being eligible to return and being activated into the 21-day practice window, Atwell was not brought up to the active roster from injured reserve. According to Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News, there is a possibility that Atwell isn’t activated off of IR at the end of his 21-day practice window. Said McVay,

“We haven’t gone down that road yet but there are a number of things, like what we’ve talked about. I have a lot of love for him and what he’s done and how he’s handled it. It’s been a unique set of circumstances relative to the timing and figuring out how you get 48 guys up and being able to balance that out relative to how many on offense, how many on defense and your three specialists. That’s not something that we’ve explored or really thought is a possibility, but you never know.”

Asked Sean McVay if there's a possibility Rams WR Tutu Atwell isn't activated off IR at the end of his 21-day window: "We haven't gone down that road yet. But there are some number things like we've talked about. It's just been a unique set of circumstances"

— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) December 3, 2025

The circumstances around Atwell is certainly odd to say the least. NFL teams can designate up to eight players to return for the regular season and if that team makes the playoffs, they get two more. The Rams have currently used just one of those spots on Ahkello Witherspoon. They will also likely at least use two more on Tyler Higbee and Quentin Lake when they get healthy. Even if the Rams were to activate Rob Havenstein, they would still have 4-6 more IR activations available.

It’s not as if the Rams are scrambling when it comes to IR activations. While the offense has managed without Atwell, he’s still one of the more dynamic playmakers in the offense. Even with the Rams running more 12 and 13 personnel, Atwell still brings a unique deep threat ability and is better in that role than Xavier Smith.

This all goes back to the question of why the Rams brought Tutu Atwell back in the offseason. It’s not as if Atwell was being used when he was healthy. The Rams wide receiver has four receptions on nine targets. Even when he was healthy, he was fourth in the pecking order behind Jordan Whittington. Whittington was out-snapping Atwell on passing snaps 123 to 116.

During the offseason, the Rams signed Atwell to a one-year, $10 million deal that was fully guaranteed. While Atwell was signed before Davante Adams, McVay admitted in April that he hadn’t done a good enough job utilizing him and said that he would be on the field more. However, the exact opposite has happened.

As I noted back in Week 2, nobody would have faulted the Rams had they decided to move on from Atwell and gone their separate ways. However, they did bring him back and nothing has changed. It’s not Atwell’s fault that the Rams overpaid to bring him back. Atwell is also not at fault for his lack of usage. When he was targeted this season, he made the game-winning play against the Indianapolis Colts and put the Rams offense in position to beat the San Francisco 49ers. When he’s been targeted more than once in a game, he has a combined three receptions for 160 yards.

The Rams still have time to activate Atwell from the 21-day practice window, but it doesn’t seem as if they are in a rush to do so. If they don’t bring him back by next week, Atwell will be done for the season and it will be the most questionable move for a team that had a good free agency period otherwise.

Throughout most of the season, there have been questions when it comes to how the Rams planned to use Atwell more. Those plans simply haven’t come to fruition and if Atwell isn’t activated within the 21-day practice window, more questions deserve to be asked.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-injuries/131191/rams-tutu-atwell-ir-return-decision

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

5 keys to victory: Can Cardinals be Rams’ ‘get right’ game?

Whenever the Los Angeles Rams have needed to get back on track, the Arizona Cardinals are always lingering on the schedule. After losing to the Carolina Panthers and needing to get back on track, a game against the Cardinals couldn’t come at a better time. Finding form against the Cardinals will be big for upcoming matchups against the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. Here are five keys to victory against the Cardinals.

1. Be ready for a close game​

The Rams are 3-3 in one-score games this season. That’s not a bad thing, but the Rams have been accustomed to winning big and when games get close, they become 50-50. While the Cardinals are just 3-9, they have played nine one-score games, they are 2-7 in those games. They have lost five games in which they held a lead at some point in the fourth quarter and are 24th in fourth quarter scoring.

When the Rams have needed a get-right game in the past, the Cardinals have been able to play that role. It was a win in December in 2021 that sparked the Super Bowl run. It was also a win against the Cardinals that sparked the run at the end of 2023. The Cardinals’ season may be over, but they still compete every week. The Rams have to be ready for a close battle.

2. Get Pressure on Jacoby Brissett​

A key aspect for the Rams defense is their ability to generate pressure. However, over the past month, they’ve been inconsistent and that was emphasized in last week’s loss to the Carolina Panthers. Brissett has played well since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. However, he’s also been one of the more pressured quarterbacks. Since Week 6, Brissett has been the third most-pressured quarterback in the NFL. When under pressure, he averaged -0.52 EPA per pass with a passer rating of 68.2. Without pressure, he has 12 touchdowns to three interceptions with an EPA per pass of 0.37.

At the end of the day, the Rams have to find a way to pressure Brissett and make him uncomfortable. Brissett is more than comfortable with taking the easy throws and distributing the ball underneath. His average depth of target when kept clean is 6.8 yards — the ninth-lowest in the NFL — and very similar to Bryce Young’s. The Rams have to be able to disrupt that timing and get more immediate pressure. This season, the Cardinals have allowed the fourth-most pressure and the third-highest sack rate against the blitz.

3. Protect the football​

Last week, the Rams lost the turnover battle 3-0 and it ended up playing a big role in the loss to the Panthers. The Rams can’t afford to lose the turnover battle once again and the Cardinals have an opportunistic defense. This season, the Cardinals have forced 17 turnovers which is the eighth-most in the NFL. They only have a +2 turnover differential, but the defense creates opportunities. They had a +4 turnover differential last week and still lost.

Under Jonathan Gannon, this is a Cardinals defense that plays opportunistic. They may force the fewest punts per drive, but they force the eighth most turnovers per drive as well. The Cardinals also have the fifth-best touchdown to field goal ratio on defense. In order to avoid key point number one, the Rams must accomplish key point number three.

4. Help Emmanuel Forbes on the boundary​

Emmanuel Forbes has been good this season, but he struggles against a certain type of wide receiver. Against more physical wide receivers like Jalen Coker, Tetairoa McMillan, and AJ Brown, Forbes can struggle due to his small frame. The Cardinals won’t have Marvin Harrison Jr. against the Rams, but Michael Wilson provides his own challenges. Wilson is 6’2, 213-pounds and has a more physical play style. He has 47 targets over the last four weeks and has caught 12-of-15 contested catch opportunities. Nobody in the NFL has more during that time span.

The Rams can’t put Forbes on Wilson and expect him to consistently win that matchup on the outside. Whether it’s helping Forbes with a safety or putting Ahkello Witherspoon on Wilson, the Rams have to try something different with that matchup. Forbes may not be a shutdown cornerback and he shouldn’t be expected to be that. With that said, he needs to be put in positions to succeed.

5. Find an answer in the slot​

Only five tight ends have lined up more in the slot this season than Trey McBride. McBride has the fifth-most yards per route run since Brissett took over and has been the primary threat in the passing game. The Rams will need to find an answer here, especially with Quentin Lake on injured reserve. Last week, the Panthers were able to take advantage of some of the uncertainty in the slot against Cobie Durant and Josh Wallace.

Having Durant on McBride isn’t a matchup that the Rams should want. Durant’s skillset is much better on the perimeter and he competes well there. At his size, he’s not physical enough to play in the slot. Josh Wallace has some experience, but clearly isn’t a long-term answer. The Rams have to find a solution in order to slow down McBride and get some consistency over the final stretch.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...131215/rams-cardinals-week-14-keys-to-victory

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams-Cardinals: How will defense slow down Trey McBride?

The Los Angeles Rams (9-3) will travel to Glendale in Week 14 to face the Arizona Cardinals (3-9) in an NFC West tilt. The Rams are coming off a Week 13 loss to the Carolina Panthers while the Cardinals lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to extend their losing streak to four games. It’s clear that both franchises are headed in opposite directions as Arizona has been unable to build anything during the Jonathan Gannon tenure. But, every NFC West matchup is physical and the Rams were exposed last week. Will they bounce back? Here is a breakdown of each team’s roster headed into Sunday…

QBs: Matthew Stafford is human after all. Stafford threw 2 interceptions (one pick six) and lost a fumble on a strip sack. Even despite the three turnovers, the Rams only lost by 3. It was Stafford’s worst game of the year by far. Yet, he still ranks as PFF’s #1 quarterback entering Week 14. Don’t forget, Stafford as a Ram in December, January, and February is 18-4.

Jacoby Brissett might be the best backup quarterback in the NFL. He sports a 72.8 PFF grade and his TD/INT ratio is 66 TDs to 28 INTs. For backup QBs, he’s pretty reliable.

#AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray is not expected to play again this season, as he’s not progressing as hoped, per coach Jonathan Gannon. pic.twitter.com/YTrPzhJLDs

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 5, 2025

RBs: Blake Corum is making a strong case that he needs to see at least 50% of the carries. Williams and Corum are both averaging 4.7 rushing yards/attempt. McVay should lean into the running game more because not many teams have shown that they can stop it.

Rams Team Offensive Grades through Week 13, according to @PFF:
– 1st in Offensive Grade (92.1)
– 1st in Passing Grade (89.3)
– 2nd in Receiving Grade (87.6)
– 1st in Run Blocking Grade (89.1)
– T-11th in Rushing Grade (79.4) pic.twitter.com/CcnBK482b8

— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) December 2, 2025

The Cardinals don’t have much at the running back position since James Connor is on injured reserve. Bam Knight has been starting games and has only averaged 25.5 yards/game.

WRs: Davante Adams continues to dominate in the red zone. Although, I would like to see the Rams become less dependent on him; using the run game and also Puka Nacua if teams begin to gravitate doubling Adams. Puka Nacua continues to be superman; making highlight reel grabs a normal part of his game these days. Keep an eye on the Rams transactions as they have yet to bring Tutu Atwell back from IR; making it seem like Xavier Smith has leapfrogged him on the depth chart.

UPDATE: The Cardinals will be without Marvin Harrison and Greg Dortch on Sunday. That leaves Michael Wilson, Andre Baccellia, and Xavier Weaver as the primary pass catchers. My initial rating has Arizona at a 3 out of 5. But with the losses of Harrison and Dortch, this easily drops them to 0.5 out of 5.

Out for Cardinals against the Rams on Sunday:
– WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel)
– CB Max Melton (heel)
– WR Greg Dortch (chest)
– Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle)
– DL Walter Nolen III (knee)

— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) December 5, 2025

TEs: The Rams tight ends haven’t been as great as they were during the middle of the season. Higbee’s absence has impacted that. Terrance Ferguson needs to get more involved and that falls on Sean McVay. He is only seeing 1-2 targets game.

Trey McBride has been the lone bright spot for Arizona. The fourth year tight end has accumulated 118 targets (88 receptions), 879 yards, 8 touchdowns. When Arizona needs to move the chains, it is often working through McBride as he has 47 first downs from his 88 receptions. With the Rams missing Quentin Lake, they will need to be creative in how they defend McBride. The primary option could be Jaylen McCollough as he provides the most size in the secondary.

OL: Ryan Wendell continues to do a phenomenal job with the offensive line. Entering Week 14, the starting line is graded as follows:

Alaric Jackson – 80.8 (9th / 81)

Steve Avila – 82.8 (5th / 79)

Coleman Shelton – 78.0 (5th / 37)

Kevin Dotson – 83.1 (4th / 79)

Warren McClendon – 78.4 (15th / 81)

All trench measures from PFF and ESPN

The turnaround of the Rams' offensive line has been pretty wild pic.twitter.com/KZsgWKmIkX

— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) December 2, 2025

What’s impressive is McClendon’s play considering he is the backup behind Rob Havenstein. But McClendon has proven to be consistent and excelling in this offense. When Havenstein is healthy, a strong argument exists that McClendon deserves to keep the job.

Arizona’s offensive line is largely supported by Parris Johnson Jr. Aside from him though, the Cardinals are weak at the guard position and at right tackle. This has been a yearly issue for Arizona as they have neglected to address the offensive line with high draft picks aside from Parris Johnson.

DL: Keep an eye on Poona Ford’s availability (calf injury) in this game. He only played a handful of snaps in the loss to Carolina (big reason why the Panthers ran the ball so much). I would not be surprised in Ford misses this game in order to be healthy for Week 15 against Detroit (run heavy team).

Sacks are a good thing, but the Rams DL is still one of the best at creating pressure.

They have three guys inside the top-15 in pressure quality ratio. Verse is much better than some in the Rams fanbase give him credit for b/c of a 'lack of sacks.' pic.twitter.com/nS32X0WpVF

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) December 5, 2025

The Cardinals defensive line is headlined by Calais Campbell, the 39 year old journeyman. Age is only a number as Campbell as continued to be a menace in the middle with his towering size and ability to collapse the interior. Campbell has 5.5 sacks in his 18th NFL season.

EDGE: Byron Young (10 sacks) and Jared Verse (6 sacks) have not accumulated as many sacks in the 2nd half of the season, in large part because teams have made a concerted effort to get the ball out quickly. Regardless, these two still provide a ton of pressure without the sack numbers. The negative from Week 13 was Jared Verse did not have as great of a performance in run defense.

Josh Sweat is the Cardinals only real threat off the edge. Sweat reunited with Jonathan Gannon (former Eagles DC) when Sweat hit free agency this past summer. The reunion may be short lived because Gannon will likely be fired after this season. At least the investment in Sweat has been worth so far with the former 4th rounder accumulating 11 sacks this year.

LBs: While Stafford took a lot of blame for his performance in Week 13, Nate Landman and Omar Speights were actually big culprits for the poor defensive performance. Both received pedestrian grades for their run defense. Speights was caught vacating the middle of the field at the end of the game that allowed CAR to seal the win with a completion to Jalen Coker.

Baron Browning will man the middle for Gannon’s defense. He has underwhelmed with a 52.1 PFF grade in 10 games played this year.

DBs: Aubrey Pleasant’s secondary took a step back after I praised them last week. Emmanuel Forbes was the guilty party of allowing two touchdowns. Quentin Lake and Roger McCreary are currently sidelined with injuries. Darious Williams (tibia) has mentioned on this week’s injury report. LA could be operating with a thin group at the position over the next few weeks until they get reinforcements back.

According to @PFF, Kam Curl ranks:

– 1st in Run Defense Grade (88.8) among Safeties (3rd among secondary defenders and 7th among all defenders)
– 4th in Tackling Grade (88.3) among Safeties (5th among all secondary defenders and 7th among all defenders)

(*min 50% snaps played) pic.twitter.com/dOBpnjU9zg

— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) December 5, 2025

Will Johnson was a great Day 2 draft pick and has been playing as a top 25 corner in the league. However, Max Melton will be out (hip). Look for the LA to capitalize with either Puka or Davante depending on who Will Johnson is matched up on.

ST: After elevating Harrison Mevis from the practice squad multiple times, LA has decided to sign Mevis to the active roster. In correspondence, Joshua Karty was waived from the team.

Chad Ryland will do the place kicking for ARI. He has one of the weaker/inaccurate legs in the NFL so I don’t expect him to be used often from 50+.

Coaching: In their 4 meetings against each other, McVay is 3-1 against Gannon. The lone loss was in Week 2 of 2024 when Arizona blew out Los Angeles 41-10. The Rams offense has been sluggish against Gannon as of late, only scoring a combined 23 points in the two regular season meetings last year. If only Los Angeles can grab a lead early, they should have no problem putting away Arizona.

Shula’s defense is looking to rebound as they surrendered the most points (31) since Week 3 at Philadelphia (27 points on defense).

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-roster/131172/rams-cardinals-week-14-roster-breakdown

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Cardinals will be very short-handed vs Rams

The Arizona Cardinals already seem outmatched against the Los Angeles Rams. Arizona is 3-9 and set to face the Rams who is striving for first place in the NFC conference.

The uphill battle grew even more steep ahead of the contest, as the Cardinals ruled out at least nine players:

• QB Kyler Murray’s foot is not progressing and he’s unlikely to return this season
• Marvin Harrison, Jr., WR (heel)
• Max Melton, CB (heel)
• Emari Demercado, RB (ankle)
• Trey Benson, RB (knee)
• Greg Dortch, WR (chest)
• Walter Nolen III, DT (knee)
• Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, DB (ankle)

Two more are questionable in right tackle Kelvin Beachum and receiver Xavier Weaver. Arizona’s receiving depth will be thin already, and will be even more so if Weaver cannot play. Michael Wilson has received a high volume of targets in recent weeks. He’ll likely be busy again on Sunday against the Rams. Andre Baccellia is the only remaining receiver currently on the roster, though Jalen Brooks, Tejhaun Palmer, Trent Sherfield, or Bryson Green could be elevated from the practice squad.

With both Demercado and Benson out at running back, Bam Knight and Michael Carter are likely to receive the bulk of the backfield work.

The Rams come into the matchup relatively healthy. Corner Darious Williams is doubtful, though he’s been relegated to a mostly depth role in recent weeks after the recent of Ahkello Witherspoon. Run-stopping defensive tackle Poona Ford is questionable.

Nolen is a big absence for Cardinals​

Arizona selected Nolen with the 16th overall pick in this past spring’s NFL Draft. He carried with him injury concerns out of Ole Miss.

He simply has not been available much as a rookie. Nolen did not make his debut until Week 9 and then only played 101 snaps over four games before missing Weeks 13 and 14.

But when Nolen has been on the field, he’s been excellent for the Cardinals.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Nolen is the seventh-best interior defensive lineman just two spots behind the Rams’ Poona Ford. Nolen has graded well as both a run defender and a pass rusher. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a plus player for the Cardinals moving forward.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-injuries/131262/rams-cardinals-injury-report

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

How early games impact Rams’ playoffs

The Los Angeles Rams are looking around the NFC standings on Sunday to see which games will impact their road to winning the NFC West and holding the number one seed in the conference. Here are the early games in Week that impact L.A.’s road-to-1, talk about the games as they’re happening in the comments section below.

Seahawks at Falcons​

The Rams are going to be rooting for the Falcons to win this game so that it knocks Seattle down a peg in the NFC West. Seattle and L.A. have identical 9-3 records with the rematch scheduled for TNF in 2 weeks.

However, if the Seahawks do win this game then it will improve the position of the first round pick that the Rams receive from Atlanta in 2026.

Saints at Buccaneers​

This is the only other early game that could directly impact L.A.’s playoff seed, but not by much. The Bucs lead the NFC South at 7-5, just a half-game over the Panthers team that beat the Rams in Week 13. Another Tampa win and a Rams loss would bring the Bucs within a game of the Rams record but L.A. still holds a head-to-head tiebreaker advantage.

Other early games:

• Bengals at Bills
• Titans at Browns
• Colts at Jaguars
• Commanders at Vikings
• Dolphins at Jets
• Steelers at Ravens

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/131269/how-early-games-impact-rams-playoffs

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams-Lions openings odds Week 15

According to FanDuel, the Los Angeles Rams are 4.5 points favorites over the Detroit Lions in Week 15. The Rams are the home team, but if the game was played in Detroit would the Lions be the favorite? It’s an interesting question because both these teams have looked strong this season, and there is a world they face off in the postseason, but one thing at a time and for now the focus is Week 15.

Each team will be coming off a nice win with the Lions having beaten the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, and the Rams blowing out the Arizona Cardinals in AZ.

Though the Rams are favored, Jahmyr Gibbs could win this game for the Lions as he been on an absolute tear, and has been the best player on the field in any of the most recent Lions games. Be sure to check any prop bets for Gibbs, and ask yourself, what can’t he do?

Maybe L.A.’s run defense can put up a fight, but right now the over/under is 52.5, and it looks like FanDuel expects there to be plenty of points and opportunities for the stars to score.

Matthew Stafford is still making his MVP case.

If you are interested in wagering on this game, then check out your options as FanDuel always offers a plethora of ways to wager, and ways to play with parlays, prop bets and whatever else you can think of.

PSA: Always bet responsibly, and try to have fun with it!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-odds/131324/rams-lions-openings-odds-fanduel-nfl

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Blake Corum gives Rams another weapon on offense

A criticism that Rams general manager Les Snead has rarely managed to evade is how he’s used draft picks to acquire more running backs for L.A.‘s roster. Whether it was using a top-10 pick on Todd Gurley or year over year day 2 picks on Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers, Snead has refused to stray from his belief that running backs matter. But other than a couple of phenomenal seasons by Gurley — minus the bad contract extension decision — Snead hasn’t hit on those picks. Until now.

With 249 yards rushing against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, the Rams are moving on the ground like they haven’t matriculated in years. In fact, it’s only the second time that L.A. has rushed for 200 yards in a game since 2019 and it’s the most rushing yards that the Rams have had in a single game since they had 269 (against the Cardinals) in Week 16 of the 2018 season.

But deeper than the numbers, it wasn’t just how many rushing yards L.A. had — it was how they got there. With 2 of the league’s best running backs going into the home stretch of the season and specifically Blake Corum, one of those “questionable picks” who has now rushed for over 10 yards per carry in each of the last two games.

Blake Corum among RBs last 2 weeks (min. 10 attempts):

209 rushing yards (5th)
11.0 YPC (1st)
3 rushing TDs (t-1st) pic.twitter.com/h4OkdBAeeP

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) December 8, 2025

As if the Rams needed another weapon on offense, they got one without having to make a midseason move. As JB Scott pointed out on Monday morning, Corum had 45 yards after contact and four runs over 10 yards, finishing with a career-best 128 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win.

Home run hitter @blake_corum #ProBlue | NFL+ https://t.co/8YFKbq32K6 pic.twitter.com/qZwM02hKB8

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 7, 2025

This did nothing to take away from Kyren Williams, Snead’s other running back steal in the draft recently, who had 84 yards, a touchdown, and 6.5 yards per carry. Over his last six games, Williams is averaging 5.4 yards per carry, 80 yards per game, 1 touchdown per game, and most importantly he hasn’t fumbled since Week 5.

If you paced Williams’ last six games over 17 games, he’d have 1,360 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns and that’s even with Corum’s addition to the backfield by Sean McVay in the last month.

Corum played in just 22% of the snaps in the first six games and never went over 30%.

But in the last seven games, Corum is averaging 32.8% of the snaps and he’s been over 30% in all but one of those. The only time he had less, the Rams blew out the Saints 34-10 and he had 27.5%.

Corum is averaging 5.5 yards per carry in that time frame.​

Rams RB Blake Corum had 99 yards after contact and 4 explosive runs of 10+ yards.

He's put in back-to-back career games. Last two weeks he's combined for 19 carries for 209 yards and 3 TDs. pic.twitter.com/U0y95J8HK2

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) December 8, 2025

As the Rams enter the home stretch of the season as arguably the best team in the NFL, they can’t let up or give anything on their margin for error because it just so happens that the Seattle Seahawks are right there with them neck-and-neck in every respect (L.A. and Seattle are 1-2 in point differential and 1-2 in points allowed in the last eight games) and have the same 10-3 record with a huge Thursday Night game next week.

So to add Corum to an already-loaded depth chart on offense makes the Rams look even more dangerous headed into the battle for the NFC’s number one seed:

• Matthew Stafford has NFL-best 35 TD and only 4 INT (113.1 rating)
• Puka Nacua has NFL-best 93 catches with 1,186 yards and 6 TD
• Davante Adams has NFL-best 14 TD catches with 718 yards
• Kyren Williams has 952 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns
• Corum is now up to 550 rushing yards and 4 TD
• Colby Parkinson has scored 4 touchdowns in the last 5 games

How remarkable is it that a couple of months ago we were arguing about the importance of Tutu Atwell? Now falling behind Xavier Smith and Konata Mumpfield, Atwell isn’t even one of Stafford’s top-10 options.

Corum’s additional snaps was relatively quiet at first, but now it’s too loud to ignore. The Rams had a Pro Bowl running back already, now they could have two.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...ke-corum-depth-chart-kyren-williams-cardinals

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

NFC playoff picture: Los Angeles Rams back into first with win

The Los Angeles Rams lost the top spot in the NFC last week, but they regained it in Week 14 with the Chicago Bears losing. The Rams are once again the top team in the NFC thanks to their tiebreaker win over the Seattle Seahawks.

The Green Bay Packers are the new second-place team after beating the Bears and taking over the NFC North.

The Philadelphia Eagles play on Monday night, and they stick in third despite their loss.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also stuck in fourth despite their loss as they still lead the NFC South.

The Seattle Seahawks are tied with the Rams overall, but they are the top wild card team for now. The idle San Francisco 49ers are a game back in sixth. The Chicago Bears move from first all the way down to seventh.

On the outside looking in, the Detroit Lions still won to keep th pressure on the conference. The Carolina Panthers are at 7-6 and lurking.

NFC standings after Week 14​

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-3, win over SEA)
2. Green Bay Packers (9-3-1)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
5. Seattle Seahawks (10-3, loss to LAR)
6. San Francisco 49ers (9-4, 8-2 NFC)
7. Chicago Bears (9-4, 6-3 NFC)
8. Detroit Lions (8-5)
9. Carolina Panthers (7-6)
10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
11. Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
12. Atlanta Falcons (4-9)
13. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
14. New Orleans Saints (3-10)
15. Washington Commanders (3-10)
16. e-New York Giants (2-11)

The New York Giants were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 12.

NFC West standings after Week 14​

The Rams remain in the top spot thanks to their win over the Seahawks, but they play again on December 18th in a huge game. Seattle is second for now. The San Fransisco 49ers were on the bye trying to get healthier. The Arizona Cardinals had a valiant effort but lost to the Rams.

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-3, win over SEA)
2. Seattle Seahawks (10-3, loss to LAR)
3. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
4. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...ure-los-angeles-rams-back-into-first-with-win

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Eagles are finding out what Rams deal with every year

It’s no secret what the Los Angeles Rams have to deal with at the end of every season when it comes to their coaching staff. Since Sean McVay took over as the head coach of the Rams, this past season was the first time that he’s had the same offensive and defensive coordinator in back-to-back seasons.

Since 2017, it would be hard to find another coaching staff that has been poached from as much as McVay’s. It’s typically not a matter of if the Rams will need to make changes to their staff, but when. While the Rams didn’t lose coordinators last year, Nick Caley joined the Houston Texans and John Streicher joined the New England Patriots.

Heading into 2025, the Rams had five former coordinators or position coaches serving as head coaches around the league. McVay being able to consistently replace his staff while maintaining success is one of his more impressive qualities. It’s also something that the Philadelphia Eagles and Nick Sirianni have learned over the past three years.

After the Eagles made the Super Bowl in 2022, Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon were both hired as head coaches. Sirianni replaced them with Brian Johnson and Sean Desai. Johnson was fired at the end of the season while Desai was demoted midseason.

The Eagles replaced Johnson and Desai with two top-tier coordinators in Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio. When the Eagles won the Super Bowl last year, Moore was hired as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Moore was replaced with Kevin Patullo.

Similar to 2023 when the Eagles had to replace their coordinators, they are once again managing a late-season collapse. The Eagles started 10-1 in 2023 before losing six of their last seven games, including a playoff loss in the Wild Card round. After starting 8-2 this season, the Eagles have since lost three straight games to fall to 8-5.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t looked good and Saquon Barkley isn’t as effective as last season running the ball. All season there has been drama at the wide receiver position with A.J. Brown. Offensively, the Eagles are one of the most talented groups in the NFL and rank 16th in EPA per play on the season. Since Week 10, they rank 26th.

Now with Patullo on the hot seat, Eagles fans are expressing how frustrating it is that they’ve had to replace coordinators in two of the last three years. However, it’s something that the Rams have had to do nearly every single year under McVay. Instead of voicing frustrations about it, McVay has talked about the natural growth and career development for those that do leave.

Only person I’m axing is KP, but I’m not allowing Nick to pick another OC. https://t.co/jtQdEvCkGn

— Kei (@RealMamaEagle) December 9, 2025

With the Eagles once again struggling and experiencing difficulties replacing coordinators, it’s even more clear that what McVay does is a special quality. It’s also worth questioning Sirianni and what his role is as the head coach. The narrative that he is just a ‘rah rah’ head coach is only emphasized. With McVay, he at least has a system that he can fall back on if things go sideways.

As Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation wrote:

“Since Sirianni arrived in 2021, the Eagles’ offense has always been at its worst when he’s been more involved. He gave up play-calling in 2021 and things got better. He meddled with Brian Johnson in 2023 and he was forced to hire Kellen Moore for 2024. Now his right-hand man is the offensive coordinator and it’s been the worst offense of the Sirianni era. I’m skeptical that him stepping in more is going to fix everything.”

Meanwhile, Sirianni seems to only be as good as his coordinators. The Eagles defense remains an excellent unit under Fangio. However, despite Sirianni being a former offensive coordinator, in the two seasons his offense has been good, the coordinator has been hired as a head coach. The next season, the Eagles offense struggled. Steichen and Moore were both picked by Howie Roseman. Johnson and Patullo were Sirianni guys.

Simply put, McVay doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to hire a coaching staff. Since 2017, only one McVay coordinator has left and taken a lesser position. That coordinator was Coen, who left to be the offensive coordinator at Kentucky. It also only happened after a disastrous 2022 season and McVay wanting to shift offensive philosophies in the run game.

With success comes teams around the league wanting to replicate that success. That’s something that the Eagles are learning to deal with and something that McVay has always done a great job managing.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...1/mcvay-vs-sirianni-coaching-staff-comparison

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Terrance Ferguson’s hidden value

Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson still isn’t in the top-30 for receiving yards by a rookie this season, but L.A.‘s third option at the position is making a difference while he isn’t making any catches. In this film breakdown of Ferguson’s run blocking against the Cardinals in Week 14, the YouTube channel Saturday Morning Inspection highlights why L.A.‘s top pick is valuable already before he becomes a weapon in Sean McVay’s offense.

After watching this video, do you think more highly of Ferguson’s contributions to the Rams as a rookie than you did before you got here?

Was that blocking good enough to rate Ferguson as a “good rookie” already?

Not a receiving tight end yet​

It’s hard not to notice that rookies Harold Fannin and Oronde Gadsen are already major weapons for their teams and they were picked after Ferguson.

Fannin had 114 yards in Cleveland’s loss to the Titans in Week 14, catching a touchdown that nearly tied the game if the Browns didn’t fart the 2-point conversion attempt. The third round pick out of Bowling Green has 619 yards despite playing for the Browns.

Gadsen was a fifth round pick and he has 541 yards for the Miami Dolphins.

It’s fine to believe that Ferguson still has the better upside and brighter future. We just don’t know yet. But as rookies there’s no denying that Cleveland and Miami have exploited the receiving talents of their rookie tight ends far more than McVay has attempted to do with Ferguson.

Other rookie tight ends over 200 yards this season include Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, Mason Taylor, and Gunnar Helm.

Over the last four games, Ferguson has caught 0 passes on 4 targets. Even though Tyler Higbee is back on the shelf, McVay has not let that absence force him into a decision on giving Ferguson more opportunities. Clearly the Rams still don’t think he’s ready for targets even though he just had a career-high 45 snaps against Arizona.

Blocking — which you’ll also see on display in this film breakdown from The OL Committee — is the reason that Ferguson is on the field.

Should Ferguson be targeted more in the final month of the season? It probably won’t happen.

With Puka Nacua and Davante Adams demanding the vast majority of Matthew Stafford’s attention (over 100 targets each while no other Rams player is over 35 targets), the Rams are happy with the passing offense.

By next year, fans will only be happy if Ferguson is a part of it too.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...errance-ferguson-rams-film-study-hidden-value

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

‘Mike LaFleur’s game’ was 4th-best by any offense in 2025

The Los Angeles Rams averaged +0.40 expected points added per play, the fourth-best performance by any offense in any game in 2025. It was the Rams best offensive performance in 2025. It was the 13th-best rushing performance by any team in 2025. It was only the seventh time all season that an offense scored at least six touchdowns in a game.

And the plays were called by Mike LaFleur, not Sean McVay.

As pointed out by JB Scott on Wednesday morning, McVay made it clear to JB Long this week that he handed play calling duties over to his offensive coordinator because of an illness. McVay hinted that LaFleur could call plays in the future and that he’s ready to be a head coach/play caller in the NFL.

Not lost on me we discussed this very thing the Fri before AZ game re LaFleur:

Q: is OC LaFleur ready to be a play caller or head coach somewhere else?

McVay: oh, heck yeah. Mike could call plays here + maybe he will. Does a great job. Cant say enough abt Mike + our off staff https://t.co/iyJsYFaw7w

— Erin Coscarelli (@erincoscarelli) December 9, 2025

Per Next Gen Stats, here’s just how good the Rams were in LaFleur’s game:

• 530 total yards is the most by the Rams in 2025
• 7.9 yards per play is the most by the Rams in 2025
• +0.40 EPA per play is the highest, just a week after they were at +0.6 vs the Panthers
• +0.43 EPA per pass is the 2nd-highest behind the 49ers game a month ago
• +0.36 EPA per run is the 2nd-highest behind the Panthers game in Week 13
• Matthew Stafford was only pressured 5 times on 31 dropbacks
• 36 runs called are the 2nd-most behind 43 runs against the Saints
• 53.6% of the plays called were runs, 2nd-most behind the Saints game
• 5.4 yards after contact per rushing attempt is the 2nd-highest behind the Titans game
• 66.7% success rate on runs is the highest of the season
• 6 runs of 10+ yards ties Eagles game as most in a Rams game this season

As you can see, the Rams were as successful as they were balanced.

The Rams against Arizona:

-70% success rate (before garbage time)
-First time w/ 3 passing TDs and 3 rushing TDs since December of 2001
-Puka's first multi-TD game

Did it with no Saturday meetings and had Mike LaFleur calling plays and gameplanning instead of McVay

— AJ Schulte (@AJSchulteFB) December 9, 2025

The Rams also had a season-high rate of 64% 13 personnel and a career-best game from backup running back Blake Corum. There was also a career-high number of snaps for Terrance Ferguson.

Things were a little different on Sunday. Although we can’t say with any certainty that they weren’t bound to be different whether McVay or LaFleur were calling plays. We can only say what really happened and McVay insists that LaFleur took over the reins while McVay was under the weather.

There are three players in the NFL that have rushed for at least 70 yards and 1 TD in each of the last two games. @Kyrenwilliams23 and @blake_corum are two of them. pic.twitter.com/ynOCmarYey

— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) December 10, 2025

Would the Rams be an even better team if McVay took on a more general overseer role and let LaFleur call plays?

It does seem like that at least the Rams have proven that it could happen and that they wouldn’t fall apart if it did. Now, the Arizona Cardinals also stink. They’re bad. Let’s not get it twisted: The Cardinals are bad.

The Rams have upcoming games against the Lions and Seahawks. They’re not bad. McVay could feel that it’s extra personal when the Rams face the Lions and Seahawks and balk at any notion of giving up play calling duties in those games. Especially against Seattle where he has a “defensive coordinator” to slay again in Mike Macdonald. And then he’s got his old buddy Raheem Morris in Week 17.

Coincidentally enough, we could next see LaFleur calling plays in Week 18 — against the Cardinals — if the Rams have already clinched their seed in the playoffs by then. And then McVay would take them over again in the playoffs.

But if LaFleur doesn’t get a head coaching opportunity in 2026, he might get one as a play caller for McVay.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...ike-lafleur-play-calling-sean-mcvay-analytics