RSS Rams Team Notes

[Los Angeles Rams]

Have Havenstein and Higbee played their final snaps for the Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams announced on Wednesday this week that they were placing right tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee on injured reserve. While the Rams could designate both to return and hope to get them back even for depth, they likely won’t return in a featured role. With both players going on injured reserve and as two of the longest-tenured Rams players, it feels like the end of an era.

It was always probable that this would be Higbee and Havenstein’s final year with the Rams. Both players were in the final year of their contracts and weren’t likely to be re-signed by the team. In Higbee’s case, the Rams have invested heavily in the tight end position, signing Colby Parkinson last offseason and drafting Terrance Ferguson in the second round. That doesn’t even mention that Davis Allen has improved in year three, especially as a blocker.

Unfortunately for Higbee, he simply hasn’t been the same since his devastating knee injury against the Detroit Lions in 2023. Despite the Rams using tight ends more, Higbee’s 1.17 yards per route is the lowest among the four tight ends. He has remained a threat in the red zone, but the Rams are getting much more production out of their other three tight ends.

In Havenstein’s case, an argument can be made that he shouldn’t have been reinserted into the lineup to begin with. The Rams could have had Havenstein as experienced depth, but now he’s on injured reserve and unavailable. When a team loses their starting right tackle, that can be a very big deal. For the Rams, they are losing some leadership, but Warren McClendon might be an upgrade at this point.

Havenstein has dealt with injuries this year, but it hasn’t looked good for him in a while. He allowed 16 pressures in the first four games of the season before his first injury. While he played fine against less than stellar pass rushes in the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, he was extremely rough around the edges against the Seattle Seahawks last week.

As mentioned, the Rams may get better at right tackle with McClendon. Following a rough first game, McClendon settled down and allowed just one pressure over his next two starts. He was the sixth-highest graded run blocking tackle from Weeks 5-7 and was overall fine in pass protection. While he ranked inside the bottom 15 in pass protection via PFF, he also didn’t allow a single sack and was penalized once. The Rams did give him chip help, but they’ve also had to do that with Havenstein and Alaric Jackson this season.

Like Higbee, the Rams could designate Havenstein to return right before the postseason. However, if McClendon plays well, it’s hard to justify making a change on the offensive line that late in the season if it’s not needed. This will be an opportunity for McClendon to prove himself as someone who should be given an opportunity as the future starting right tackle. At that point, it would make sense to have Havenstein as depth, but not re-inserted into the starting lineup.

While the Rams could designate both players to return, it’s fair to wonder if both have played their final snaps for the team. Higbee will almost undoubtedly go down as the greatest tight end in franchise history. Higbee has played 137 games for the Rams. Only one other Rams tight end has played more than 100. Higbee has the eighth-most receptions all-time for the Rams with 381. The only other Rams tight end with more than 200 is Lance Kendricks. Higbee has 3,858 receiving yards. No other Rams tight end has more than 2,200. Higbee has 26 career touchdowns and no other Rams tight end has more than 20. He’s the greatest tight end in franchise history and it isn’t relatively close.

For the past decade, no player has provided more stability on the right side than Havenstein. When things have been the most chaotic, the stable presence has been Havenstein. Since being drafted in 2015, he’s played over 10,000 snaps at right tackle. Unfortunately, the injuries have compounded and he has lost a step. This feels like a natural transition to McClendon, especially if he plays well. It’s very possible that Havenstein has taken his last snaps with the Rams.

Outside of the newly-signed Alex Ward who returned to the team, Havenstein is the last remaining St. Louis Rams player. Tyler Higbee was drafted in the fourth round of 2016 and has outperformed his draft status as a day three pick. Havenstein was taken in the second round in 2015 and may not have ever made a Pro Bowl, but has been everything the Rams have needed him to be.

With Higbee and Havenstein going on injured reserve, it truly feels like the end of an era and turning the page. However, the Rams may be better off for it if they expect to get where they want to go this season.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...-higbee-havenstein-injured-reserve-end-of-era

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams ink Nate Landman to three-year extension

The Los Angeles Rams have extended the contract of veteran linebacker Nate Landman. The new contract is three years and worth $22.5M with $15.6M guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:

The #Rams and LB Nate Landman agreed to terms on a 3 year, $22.5M deal with, $15.6M guaranteed, source said. He was playing under the veteran minimum deal of $1.1M this year.

A big day for Landman, who has 91 tackles and four forced fumbles. pic.twitter.com/PpqRiScFK4

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 22, 2025

Landman has brought stability to the linebacker position for the Rams. The team has strategically not invested in this area of their defense and instead prioritized pass rushing and coverage players. Landman has forced four fumbles already this season (career high & leads NFL) and is the defensive signal caller. He’s made 91 tackles through 10 games.

This deal seems like a relative bargain for LA. Landman originally signed with the team on a $1.1M veteran minimum deal after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

For comparison, Zack Baun signed a slightly more expensive deal with the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2024 season. This past offseason he re-signed with Philly with an extension worth $51M over the same length as Landman’s new deal (three years).

Landman is currently Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) eight graded off-ball linebacker with a defensive grade of 74.1. His 80.5 run grade is impressive and his presence is a key driver of the Rams’ defensive turnaround against opposing running backs.

While there remains a chance Landman is a potential one-year wonder, there is value is finding cultural and scheme fits through free agency. Should Landman continue to perform at this level, the Rams will be glad to have him around for the next three seasons.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-salary-cap/130457/rams-nate-landman-contract

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

4 Rams who must rise to the occasion vs Buccaneers

The Los Angeles Rams are on a five-game winning streak and have worked their way to the top of the NFC West division and NFC conference overall. They’ll face a formidable foe in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12.

While LA’s defense was stifling in their last game against the Seattle Seahawks, the offense sputtered—drawing a conclusion to the hot streak of play from this unit. The Rams also lost three key starters to injury for at least the next for weeks, so they’ll have to dig deeper into the roster in order to maintain their hold in the standings.

Who will rise to the occasion to get the offense back on the right track and fill in for the injured individuals?

1 – Davante Adams, WR​

Against the Seahawks Adams caught only one of eight targets for a single yard and a touchdown. It’s worth mentioning that he was questionable coming into the game with a back injury and missed practice time throughout the week.

Simply put, you cannot run your offense through a player who is this inefficient. Adams received high-volume targets last week—including on third down and in the red zone—and this was one of the main drivers why the offense seemed to sputter at times. Seattle’s defense deserves credit for bottling up Adams and Tariq Woolen seemed to draw the veteran receiver the most often.

The Rams offense almost seems to go as Adams goes. If they are going to get back on track, they need Adams to haul in the passes thrown his direction to keep the chains moving and come away with points in the red zone.

2 – Josh Wallace, NB​

You may be wondering why Josh Wallace is included in this list over the recently acquired Roger McCreary. Here’s what Sean McVay had to say about the team’s decision making process this week:

Wallace deserves a ton of credit for stepping up and doing an excellent job… He did a phenomenal job.

Josh is so smart. He can play “star”, he can play outside corner, he can play safety for us. Just a guy that’s so valuable and so versatile.

He’s got great instincts, great overall awareness and great physical and mental toughness… He came in and really didn’t miss a beat. His ability to communicate [and] understand big picture wise… is a tremendous credit.

Based on McVay’s comments—and we could look back and call this gamesmanship on the coach’s part—it seems Wallace will get the first nod in replacing Quentin Lake at slot corner.

3 – Warren McClendon, RT​

Rob Havenstein has struggled at right tackle for the majority of the time he’s been on the field this season. Warren McClendon filled in for a three-game stretch and performed admirably—arguably at a level better than we’ve seen from the veteran.

It’s telling that the team can lose its right tackle for the next four games and alarm bells not sound. It’s reasonably possible that McClendon is an upgrade over Havenstein for the remainder of the season.

The added bonus is that Havenstein is a free agent at season’s end, but McClendon is under contract through 2026. If the Rams can gain a comfort with McClendon’s long-term potential, they will head into the offseason without a dire need at one of the more important spots on the offensive line.

Warren McClendon, it’s your time to seize the moment and never look back.

4 – Terrance Ferguson, TE​

How will the Rams replace Tyler Higbee for the foreseeable future? They’ll tell you that it will take all three tight ends currently on the roster: Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen, and Colby Parkinson.

But one of these players is obviously different than the other. Ferguson brings a verticality to the position that we have not seen from a Rams TE in a very long time. He simply does not look like a rookie when the ball is thrown in his direction. He’s had success in contested catch opportunities and flashed strong, aggressive hands.

A lot of Higbee’s production comes off TE screens. You don’t want to give these looks to Allen and Parkinson. Ferguson is a much better fit in this regard.

In terms of snap counts, Higbee’s playing time will likely be split between the remaining three players on the roster. If we are looking at receiving production alone, the Rams have a chance to improve by throwing more balls in Ferguson’s direction—especially downfield as a vertical threat.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-schedule/130454/rams-buccaneers-snf-matchups

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Stafford looks to get back to .500 in Rams primetime

As good as Matthew Stafford has been for the L.A. Rams since they traded for him in 2021, the quarterback has a losing record with the team in primetime. The Rams are 8-9 in primetime in the regular season with Stafford under center, which ironically isn’t as good of a winning percentage as the quarterback L.A. faces tonight, Baker Mayfield, who went 1-1 in primetime in place of Stafford in 2022.

Stafford needs to help the Rams beat the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football to get back to .500 in primetime since 2021, which in the process will help L.A. maintain a one-game lead in the NFC West as the playoffs approach around the corner. For a player in the driver’s seat for MVP, a primetime win on Sunday would also erase the only other time we’ve seen the Rams in a night game this season, a 26-23 loss to the 49ers, as national voters continue to debate who deserves that honor.

Matthew Stafford in his last seven games:

22 TDs
0 INTs

He's led the @RamsNFL to five-straight wins pic.twitter.com/YBGer6io6d

— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2025

Stafford’s primetime record by season​

2021: 4-2​

Stafford won his first two primetime games, Week 1 SNF against the Bears and Week 5 TNF against the Seahawks. But then the Rams lost the next two times they were the late game (Week 9 vs Titans, Week 10 vs 49ers) prior to beating the Cardinals 30-23 on Monday Night Football in Week 14.

Stafford had two interceptions in both of L.A.’s primetime losses, compared to 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the Rams’ 4 primetime wins.

Technically, the Rams had one more late game that season and it was a strange one: The Rams were forced to play the Seahawks on a Tuesday evening (4 PM PT) due to Covid-19. They won that one too, 20-10.

The Rams also had a primetime playoff game, beating the Cardinals 34-11 in the wild card round.

2022: 0-2​

Just an all around disaster season for the Rams, Stafford’s team lost 31-10 to the Bills in Week 1’s Thursday Night game and then lost 24-9 to the 49ers in Week 4’s MNF.

Stafford had 3 interceptions in the loss to Buffalo and no touchdowns, one interception in the loss to San Francisco.

Stafford missed L.A.’s next two primetime games in 2022.

2023: 1-1​

The Rams were not a very popular draw for the NFL after the 2022 season so they only got two primetime games. The Rams lost to the Bengals 19-16 on MNF and beat the Saints late in the year on TNF, 30-22.

Stafford had 2 interceptions in the loss to the Saints but 2 touchdowns in the win over New Orleans.

The Rams played a primetime wild card game and lost to the Lions.

2024: 3-3​

A popular team again, the Rams had six more primetime games last year.

Wins:

• 30-20 over Vikings (4 TDs by Stafford)
• 12-6 over the 49ers (0 TD/0 INT)
• 13-9 over the Cardinals (0 TD/0 INT)

Losses:

• 26-20 OT to Lions (1 TD/1 INT)
• 23-15 to Dolphins (0 TD/1 INT)
• 37-20 to Eagles (2 TD/0 INT)

Aside from the loss to the Eagles, Stafford has thrown an interception in all of these primetime losses. He’ll need to avoid mistakes — as he’s been doing all year with a 27/2 ratio — against the Buccaneers on Sunday night.

Then in 2025, the Rams lost to the 49ers on TNF but Stafford had 3 TD/0 INT. He avoided turnovers but the Rams still didn’t do enough to beat Mac Jones and Stafford’s primetime record fell to 8-9 with the Rams.

One more primetime win this week and the Rams will continue to look ready for the bright lights headed into the home stretch.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...30482/rams-bucs-sunday-night-matthew-stafford

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Winners & Losers: Matthew Stafford’s MVP campaign picks up steam

Stakes were high for the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football. A win would give them first place in the NFC conference. They got off to a fast start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—leading early 21-0— and never looked back. The final score of 34-7 extends LA’s win streak to six games and moved them to 9-2 on the year.

This was a total team effort. It feels nitpicky to single out any negative performances from this game; however, through the frame that LA just lost three starters for at least four games, it’s worth zooming in and questioning whether the Rams will feel these losses moving forward.

Who helped lead the Rams to victory, and which players should we be concerned about moving forward?

Winners​

Matthew Stafford, QB​

NFL award races are won and lost in primetime games, and Matthew Stafford made the most of his opportunity in Week 12. He tossed two early touchdown passes to effectively finish the game in the first half. It was a masterclass, even though much wasn’t required from him over the final two quarters. In some ways it feels we were robbed of a classic game because the Buccaneers weren’t remotely competitive.

Stafford completed 25 of 35 passes (71%) for 273 yards and three touchdowns. He never put the ball in harm’s way, though he did take a sack and drew an intentional grounding play on fourth down.

That Davante Adams release at the LOS is TIMELESS! pic.twitter.com/aUDTxPWiBD

— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) November 24, 2025

Cobie Durant & Emmanuel Forbes, CB​

The Rams have gone from having serious questions at outside corner to deploying a formidable, playmaking duo in Durant and Forbes. Durant got the defensive feast started by stealing the ball away from Cade Otton and returning 50 yards for a touchdown. Forbes also secured an interception on a hail mary attempt just before the half, though even more impressive was his four (!) pass breakups on the evening. Forbes has made the most of his long arms over the last few weeks and has a knack for fighting back into the play and forcing incompletions.

If Durant and Forbes can maintain this level of play, it’s a huge improvement from where the Rams started the year and makes the defense very difficult to face into the back stretch of the season.

COBIE DURANT STEALS THE BALL FOR THE RETURN TD.

TBvsLAR on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/SnMRjSTbWu

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2025

Warren McClendon, RT​

It’s not overly surprising, but Warren McClendon was stingy on the right side of the line in replacement of Rob Havenstein. McClendon has performed better than Havenstein when given the chance, and it’s possible that if/when Havenstein returns from injured reserve that this is McClendon’s job for the foreseeable future.

Do the Bucs have a daunting pass rush, especially in light of Haason Reddick missing this game? Not really. Still, McClendon is far from a weak link.

Kobie Turner, DT & Jared Verse, EDGE​

It felt like nearly everyone on defense made a big play at some point. Kobie Turner and Jared Verse—while they have not enjoyed high sack totals this year—lived in the Tampa Bay backfield and each recorded two sacks (each with one on fourth down).

Verse drew a tough matchup in Tristan Wirfs and still was consistently effective on Sunday night. There are few defenders who give Wirfs trouble, but he certainly had his hands full with Verse.

Tristan Wirfs has the highest pass-blocking grade in the NFL since the start of last season… and Jared Verse just completely manhandled him on this bull-rush.

Dude is an alien. pic.twitter.com/OoNMnLEDir

— Mike Kennedy (@MikeKennedyNFL) November 24, 2025

Harrison Mevis, K​

While this was Harrison Mevis’ third game with the Rams, it became the first time we’ve seen him attempt a field goal. The “thicker kicker” nailed all four of his extra point attempts and converted his first two field goals with a long from 52 yards out. All attempts went right down the middle of the uprights. The Rams should have confidence in Mevis moving forward.

Harrison Mevis drills his first career NFL FG
pic.twitter.com/92Ca6CHlVy

— Sidelines Mizzou (@SSN_Mizzou) November 24, 2025

Losers​

Josh Wallace, CB​

It’s clear and obvious that Quentin Lake was a key player for this defense, and his value was even more apparent in the team’s first game without him. Josh Wallace primarily filled in for the captain and there were some challenging moments.

While Wallace didn’t seem to have any significant lapses in coverages that the Buccaneers were able to capitalize on, he was flagged twice for penalties. One flag wiped out a sack by Byron Young.

This wasn’t an effort that would lose the game for the Rams; however, it does raise questions about how stark the dropoff is from Lake to Wallace.

Roger McCreary, CB​

By my count Roger McCreary played a single defensive snap before suffering a hip injury and not returning. The Rams acquired McCreary from the Tennessee Titans via trade, and he was a potential option in replacing Lake. Wallace was the preferred candidate to start the game. If the Rams need to see McCreary perform well in practice before he is more involved in the rotation, then this injury could cloud his status moving forward.

Terrance Ferguson, TE​

Terrance Ferguson was on the field often in replacement of Tyler Higbee, though he did not make much of an impact through the air. The rookie was targeted only a single time and dropped an incredibly well-threaded pass from Stafford.

The early indication in Higbee’s absence is that we will be seeing more of Davis Allen and Colby Parkinson.

Josh Karty, K​

The Rams refuse the cut Josh Karty because they believe he still has potential in the NFL. It’s a fair thought process because we often see kickers cut at their first sign of trouble in the league, and then they go on to find success elsewhere. Still, I have to wonder whether sunk cost fallacy plays a role in keeping Karty around. The team spent draft capital on a kicker that simply has not worked out, and now they have a real alternative in Mevis.

There is no good reason to keep Karty on the roster after watching Mevis nail six kicks in primetime.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-scores-results/130519/rams-buccaneers-winners-losers

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Matthew Stafford proving that age ain’t nothin’ but a league-leading stat

For the first time in his career, Matthew Stafford is set to lead the NFL in a major stat category, the type that typically gets a quarterback named MVP, if not several. Stafford is the leader in touchdowns (30) and passer rating (113.7) with six games to go and he Rams in first place in the NFC. At a time when so many fans around the league are clamoring for their teams to get a high draft pick so they can draft a quarterback — despite almost none of them being successful over the past 5 years and beyond — it’s the 37-year-old with a bad back lapping the field not in spite of his age but because of his experience.

In 2020, Aaron Rodgers threw 48 TD passes and just 5 INTs. I never thought we'd see a bigger gap in TDs to INTs in a single season.

Through 11 games, Matthew Stafford has thrown 30 TDs and just 2 INTs.

Simply remarkable run the last two months from Stafford. pic.twitter.com/wqN6XH2adt

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) November 24, 2025

30 touchdowns through 11 games​

Stafford’s 30 touchdown passes through 11 games is tied for the 11th-most in history with a list of Hall of Fame quarterbacks:

• Tom Brady, 2021
• Drew Brees, 2016
• Patrick Mahomes, 2020
• Dan Marino, 1984
• Aaron Rodgers, 2014

Of the 10 times a QB had more than 30 touchdowns through 11 games, Peyton Manning did it three times (including a record 41 in 2004), Rodgers did it twice, plus Brady, Mahomes, Andrew Luck, Brees, and Russell Wilson.

Of the 15 other seasons with at least 30 touchdowns through 11 games, Rodgers won MVP all three times, Manning won MVP twice, while Brady, Mahomes, and Marino all won MVP once. Brees was the 2016 Offensive Player of the Year.

If Stafford throws 12 touchdowns per game over the rest of the season, he will finish with a career-high 42. If he averages 3 touchdowns per game, he will finish with 45. That number has only been reached eight times and Brees is the only one of those to not win MVP. Brees lost that season to Rodgers, who had 45 touchdowns/6 interceptions.

Lapping the field​

Stafford’s 30 touchdowns is seven more touchdowns than second place, a tie between Dak Prescott and Jared Goff. That gives Stafford a TD% “adjusted mark” of 140, which basically means he has 140% more touchdown passes than the average QB. Or something, you get it. The average is 100 and Stafford has 140 on a TD%.

Way, way above average.

-When Manning set the record with 55 touchdown passes in 2013, his TD% adjusted mark was 145. Not that much higher than Stafford’s now. (Manning’s career-best was an insane 168 in 2004.)

-When Marino threw 48 touchdowns in 1984, his TD% adjusted mark was 148.

-Even Brady only had one season over 135 in his career, which was the 2007 season (153).

In other words, it’s not only impressive that Stafford has 30 touchdowns. It’s impressive at a time when his competition isn’t doing nearly as good as he is doing.

TD/INT ratio​

Although we’ve now seen that a handful of QBs have had 30 touchdowns through 11 games, not many of them had 2 interceptions at the time.

These are the quarterbacks with the most TDs through 11 games with 5 or fewer INTs:

Stafford’s 30/2 TD to INT ratio is not the wildest in history (you can decide for yourself if context makes it wilder but I’m just comparing the raw data) but it’s hard to beat it outright.

Mahomes had the same ratio in 2020, a season when he actually didn’t win MVP…because it went to Aaron Rodgers, who you can see had a 33:4 TD:INT ratio through 11 games. Mahomes did go to the Super Bowl but lost to Brady.

Mahomes needed more attempts to get to 30 touchdowns, but that also means he had more attempts without an interception. Both seasons are impressive!

There is nobody like Rodgers competing with Stafford for touchdowns this season, however. His odds of winning MVP are very good.

A chance to make history​

Stafford has an opportunity to join a super exclusive group of quarterbacks to have thrown at least 40 touchdowns but 5 or fewer interceptions:

• Aaron Rodgers, 2020 (48 TD, 5 INT)
• Lamar Jackson, 2024 (41 TD, 4 INT)

Remarkably, Jackson did not win MVP because voters had Lamar MVP fatigue. Nobody will, umm, have that with Matthew Stafford.

When you drop the number down to 35 touchdowns, you get two more seasons by Rodgers (2014, 2021 both MVP campaigns) and Brady’s 2010 season (MVP).

If Stafford averages just 1 TD and 0.5 interceptions over the last six games, he will finish with 36 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Mahomes has never done that. Manning has never done that. Brees never did that, although he came very close with 32 TD/5 INT in 2018 and he still didn’t win MVP on a 13-2 team because that was Mahomes’ breakout 50-TD season. Maybe it should have gone to Brees though.

Age (experience) helps​

It’s remarkable how many of the seasons above were also by quarterbacks over 35:

• Rodgers won MVP at age 37, 38 when he threw a combined 85 TD/9 INT over the 2020-2021 seasons
• Brady won MVP at age 40 when he had 32 TD/8 INT and led the league in passing yards
• Brees was 39 when he lost MVP to Mahomes
• Manning was 37 when he set the record of 55 touchdown passes and won MVP

You’ll have to excuse NFL history for not being of much help here because quarterbacks aging gracefully is still a new phenomenon. You have to remember that the league worked very hard to protect quarterbacks with obscene offensive-friendly rules and to make the passing game easier on their most valuable players.

Let’s ask Steve Young if he would have liked to play in the modern era. Or Joe Montana. Roman Gabriel?

At the same time, the quarterbacks entering the league seem to be getting worse. Whether that’s due to the changing landscape of college football, including the transfer portal and NIL, or just a worse coaching product in the NCAA, it’s become difficult to find quarterbacks in the first round of the draft who teams can build their franchise around.

2019: Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones, Dwayne Haskins

2020: Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love

2021: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Mac Jones

2022: Kenny Pickett

2023: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson

2024: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix

2025: Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart

Even if we argue that there have been a few good recent picks like Maye, he’s the only one in competition for MVP. There’s no Mahomes.

The QBs who would typically be in competition for such awards are guys like Murray, who by all accounts is about to be released in 2026, or Burrow, who has once again missed too many games with an injury. The entire 2021 class looks awful and the best quarterback in 2022 was literally the last pick, Brock Purdy. He’s OK.

We’ve seen extraordinary inconsistency from Stroud and Bryce Young is holding on by a thread. The Penix-McCarthy-Nix trio that most people agreed was drafted way too high could all be facing replacement in 2026. Even if the Broncos win the Super Bowl, they can’t give much credit to Nix for that.

If the next-best quarterback in this group this season is Herbert, well he’s also just OK. Still looking for his first career playoff win, Herbert has been neutered by Jim Harbaugh, if anything. Whatever was exciting about Herbert in 2021 when he threw 38 touchdowns is gone, replaced by a quarterback who has 19 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 11 games.

What we are left with is a top-10 of passing touchdowns this season that includes 6 quarterbacks who are 30 and only 2 quarterbacks under 27: Maye and Nix.

Josh Allen is 29, Sam Darnold is 28, and Justin Herbert is 27.

The NFL’s average passer rating is 92.3 this season. Of the 15 qualified QBs under that mark, 10 are under 27 years old. Tua Tagovailoa (27) and Murray (28) are barely older than that. Carson Wentz, Geno Smith, and Joe Flacco are the other three.

In the coming years, expect some teams to covet experience over youth, unsure if the next incoming crop of quarterbacks is destined for greatness or already too content with life because they made $8 million in college. Waiting for that next Matthew Stafford, when money has lost all meaning compared to finally winning the Super Bowl. Stafford did it immediately after getting to Los Angeles.

The only thing left was MVP and Super Bowl MVP. A quarterback never ages out of wanting to win the Super Bowl.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a.../matthew-stafford-rams-history-mvp-super-bowl

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Random Ramsdom: Do you know who has the longest reception this year?

Did you know that Tutu Atwell of the Los Angeles Rams has the longest completion this year with an 88-yard touchdown from Matthew Stafford? That play took place against the Indianapolis Colts earlier this season, and by the time you are reading this, the Monday night game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers may change what the longest reception of the year is and who owns that current status.

Whether Atwell still has the longest catch and run of the season or not going into Week 13, there is an expectation that he will be back for the Rams.

Will he slide back in? What will his role look like?

One figures that Atwell getting back should be good for the Rams, but it will be something to watch because the Rams have been on a roll, and observers all around will want to see if L.A. can keep it up, and they’ll keep their eyes open for any change that leads to the Rams losing their grip on the top spot in the NFC.

Please comment on whatever you want, thank you for checking out Turf Show Times and enjoy this Tuesday before Thanksgiving!

Sean McVay expects Tutu Atwell to be ready to play Sunday vs. Panthers (nbcsports)​

“Atwell has only caught four passes this season, but he has big play ability: His 88-yard touchdown in Week Four against the Colts was the longest passing play in the NFL this season, and two of his other three catches went for more than 30 yards. The Rams are adding another playmaker when Atwell comes back.”

Stephen A. Smith says he’d vote for Matthew Stafford to win NFL MVP (theramswire)​

“ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith touted Stafford on a Monday episode of “First Take” and even admitted that he’d vote for Stafford to win NFL MVP if he had a vote based on what he’s seen through 12 weeks of the NFL season.

“Matthew Stafford is simply elite. He’s spectacular,” Smith said. “If I had to give a vote for MVP right now, it would go to him. He’s been that fantastic.”

"If I had to give a vote for MVP right now, it would go to [Matthew Stafford]." @stephenasmith on Matthew Stafford and the Rams after their 9-2 start pic.twitter.com/qS7Jww9v9c

— First Take (@FirstTake) November 24, 2025

Matthew Stafford passes Marc Bulger for third-most passing touchdowns in Rams franchise history (therams.com)​

“With his 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter of Sunday night’s game against the Bucs, Stafford (123) passed Marc Bulger (122) for third in franchise history in passing touchdowns.

Stafford need one passing touchdown to achieve the feat entering Week 12. He finished 25 of 35 overall for 273 yards and three touchdowns overall – giving him 125 for his career – in the Rams’ 34-7 Sunday Night Football win over the Bucs.“

Random Ramdom Fandom:​

“The Rams are playing incredible football. We have an Offense that is starting to look like it is unstoppable, and a Defense that can’t be moved. Don’t take it for granted. Enjoy the rest of this regular season. This is a special team.“ -OB-1

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...-know-who-has-the-longest-reception-this-year

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

The Panthers aren’t even a ‘good’ .500 team

At first glance you see the Carolina Panthers’ 6-6 record and think “they must be a young and improving team on an ascend”.

A deeper dive reveals they are mostly a product of a weaker schedule and in part a beneficiary of the hapless NFC South:

Week 1 at Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-26 (0-1)​

Week 2 at Arizona Cardinals: 22-27 (0-2)​

Week 3 vs Atlanta Falcons: 30-0 (1-2)​

Week 4 at New England Patriots: 13-42 (1-3)​

Week 5 vs Miami Dolphins: 27-24 (2-3)​

Week 6 vs Dallas Cowboys: 30-27 (3-3)​

Week 7 at New York Jets: 13-6 (4-3)​

Week 8 vs Buffalo Bills: 9-40 (4-4)​

Week 9 at Green Bay Packers: 16-13 (5-4)​

Week 10 vs New Orleans Saints: 7-17 (5-5)​

Week 11 at Atlanta Falcons: 30-27 (6-5)​

Week 12 at San Francisco 49ers: 9-20 (6-6)​

Carolina’s wins:​

The Panthers beat the Falcons twice, which Rams fans will know as one of the worst teams in the NFL as they are closely following Atlanta’s first round pick because it is held by LA. Carolina also defeated the down-trodden Dolphins and Jets.

Their two most impressive wins came against the Packers and Cowboys.

The Cowboys game came well before the NFL’s trade deadline and prior to Dallas reinforcing their defense through trades. Rico Dowdle rushed for 183 yards and Bryce Young tossed three touchdowns despite only having 199 yards through the air.

Dowdle also had 130 yards and two scores in Week 9 against the Packers, though Young took a backseat with only 102 yards and an interception. It’s not every day that you see a running back eclipse their quarterback in yardage output, and it’s not a strong recipe for success.

Carolina’s losses:​

It’s an indictment on the Panthers that they’ve lost to two mostly noncompetitive teams in the Cardinals and New Orleans Saints. Carolina didn’t stand a chance against either of the AFC contending Patriots or Bills, as they lost by a combined 60 points in these two contests alone.

While record may not reflect as much, the Jaguars and 49ers are closer to the middle of the pack than having the facilities to make a playoff run.

Simply put, if you can’t even play a close game against the Jaguars or 49ers, how can you even expect to keep pace with the NFL front-runner Los Angeles Rams this weekend?

Zooming out:​

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF) overall team grades, the Panthers rank 23rd out of 32 NFL teams with a score of 71.0. While their record is encouraging on the surface, they are overachieving because of a weak schedule and playing in a soft division. They haven’t faced the NFC South leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (overall grade of 73.9 (18th) to date and have two games remaining, of which they can use to either prove me wrong or correct.

Meanwhile the Rams have a decisive lead in PFF’s overall metric at 94.8. LA is currently ranked number one on each side of the ball.

The Panthers don’t stand a chance in Week 12​

Assuming they miss the playoffs, the Panthers will play five more games before they have to decide whether to pick up Bryce Young's fifth-year option

It should be a straightforward decision but I've never seen a first overall pick given this much grace before so we'll see pic.twitter.com/UOLVKPWNg8

— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) November 25, 2025

If Bryce Young can only manage 169 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions (he had three turnover-worthy plays which suggests it could have been even worse) against an injury-riddled San Francisco defense, how bad will he look against the number one unit in the league?

We can expect the Rams to bottle up Carolina’s run game, which is an area this defense has taken a massive step forward in from last year; however, this is the Panthers’ only lifeline to keep this game competitive. Los Angeles must maintain their positive performance in the trenches and on the ground in order to stifle an upset from the Panthers.

It’s probably easier done than said.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-schedule/130684/rams-panthers-week-13

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Week 13 Poll: Are the Rams trending up this week?

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.

Heading into Week 13, we want to know how you’re feeling after watching the team so far this year. Every week of the season we will ask fans if they are confident the team is headed in the right direction and more of the most pressing questions facing the coming game. Let us know what you think!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/general/130657/rams-survey-week-13-reacts

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Random Ramsdom: Did you see who Seattle added?

Quandre Diggs was recently added by the Seattle Seahawks, and that may not seem like a big deal, but he’s a former teammate of Matthew Stafford, and he also has picked off Stafford at least twice (based on my research with Google and Seahawks.com).

Could Diggs be the player who disrupts Stafford’s no interception streak when the Rams play Seattle again later this year? Food for thought, and maybe Stafford’s streak will be broken before then.

Maybe the streak will continue longer than any of us can imagine. Did anyone think Stafford would go as long as he has without throwing a pick? Not I, and I have been very impressed with Stafford.

Heck, I’ve been blown away by how the team has been playing. I don’t think they were this dominant when they won their Super Bowl a few years ago.

Though, I do think the Rams were similarly dominate when they went on to lose to the New England Patriots before Sean McVay’s eventual Super Bowl win.

Please comment on whatever you want, and be safe on this Wednesday before Thanksgiving!

As always, thank YOU (yes, YOU!) for checking Turf Show Times.

Seahawks bring back Quandre Diggs (nbcsports)​

“Veteran safety Quandre Diggs is heading back to Seattle.

Diggs confirmed on social media that he will sign with the Seahawks. He will initially join the practice squad, according to ESPN.

The Seahawks currently have two injured safeties in Julian Love (hamstring) and Ty Okada (oblique), so it won’t be surprising if Diggs is quickly elevated to the active roster.

Diggs was released by the Titans this month after playing nine games for them this season.“

Rams Offensive Grades through Week 12, according to @PFF:
– 1st in Offensive Grade (91.7)
– 1st in Passing Grade (93.1)
– 1st in Run Blocking Grade (88.3)
– 2nd in Receiving Grade (86.6) pic.twitter.com/1YWF7ABCTp

— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) November 25, 2025

Rams Power Rankings: Week 13 (therams.com)​

“Each week, TheRams.com will be taking an aggregate look at where the team ranks across different outlets in the sports media landscape. Here are the power rankings for the Rams (9-2) heading into Week 13:”

NFL Playoff Picture: Rams Rolling, Ravens Enter the Chat, Colts Tough Road, More (bleachernation)​

“The Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Jets on Sunday, marking their fifth consecutive victory. After a 1-5 start, Baltimore is now 6-5 and atop the AFC North thanks to some help from the Bears, who beat the Steelers this week. The Ravens’ rocky start, mainly due to injuries, was always viewed as a bit of a fluke. Now they’re firmly in the AFC playoff picture with a home matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on deck on Thanksgiving, and then a date with the Steelers that could decide the division.“

Random Ramsdom Fandom:​

“I imagine free agents are calling McSnead now. This from Landman at his extension signing:

“I think it really started with OTAs, that’s when I first noted the biggest difference of just, my happiness, my wife’s happiness,” Landman said Monday. “Getting around the guys, creating relationships with the linebacker room, the rest of the defense, some of the offensive guys, and then just, as time goes on, shared experience, working out, those relationships start to grow and blossom, and then you see the work being put on the field and our potential and everything that’s going down, the pieces that have been added to this team, it started really quick. And like I said, that’s just the established culture that’s been here. It’s conducive for success and for people to come in and be their best selves.” -GolfinCanuck

Will be at game. Go Rams! Any planned meetings of Rams fans Pregame? -Pirate

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/130672/la-rams-news-quandre-diggs-seahawks

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

LA Rams News: We won’t watch Matthew Stafford ‘probably lose’ today

Say what you want about Joe Burrow, but he’s entertaining and he recently recounted growing up and watching Thanksgiving football and of course watching the Detroit Lions and their once upon a time quarterback, Matthew Stafford.

Burrow made the funny recollection that he would basically eat food on Thanksgiving, and watch Stafford ball out, but he also quipped that Stafford and the Lions would usually “probably lose”, but it was still fun to watch Stafford and football in general.

I think it’s funny, I think it’s all in good fun, but some may see it as bit of a jab at Stafford. You can watch the clip below and decide for yourself. This is a free country after all.

Look, Stafford has beaten Burrow in a Super Bowl, Burrow knows that. So, I don’t really see this as much of a jab as just a funny comment, but to each their own.

Either way, I am thanking for this Rams’ season (so far). It’s been terrific. They’ve responded from tough losses, and they’ve actually been fun (and stressful at times) to watch, so on this great holiday of ours, I really am thankful for the Rams’ season (again, so far).

I am also thankful to our readers, viewers, commenters and lurkers and all of you! Can’t be here without you.

Have a great holiday, a happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the football today!

Forever and always, thanks for checking out Turf Show Times!

Joe Burrow gives Matthew Stafford a backhanded compliment over Thanksgiving memories (ramswire)​

“I think just like a lot of kids, you grow up going through Thanksgiving, you have your meals with your family and then you go and sit on the couch,” he said. “Typically, there’s not a lot on except football. Back in the day, it was Lions and somebody. Go watch Matthew Stafford throw for 300, 400-something yards with Calvin Johnson and probably lose the game. But it was fun to watch.”

Rams vs. Panthers Point Spread: NFL Week 13 Odds, Prediction (sportsinteraction.com)​

“The NFC’s hottest team heads to Charlotte as the Los Angeles Rams face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 1:00 pm ET. With a dominant 34-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles has now won six straight and moved into the NFC’s No. 1 seed. During this dominant six-week run, the Rams (+425) have emerged as Super Bowl LX favourites, and quarterback Matthew Stafford is now the favourite to win the league’s MVP award at -235.”

Rams catch a massive break ahead of their Week 13 showdown with Panthers (ramblinfan)​

“Not that the Los Angeles Rams, the NFC’s No. 1 seed and winners of six straight games, may not have asked for any help, but they certainly got it. Their upcoming matchup with the Carolina Panthers just got softer, and it has nothing to do with them.

The NFL has suspended Panthers standout safety Tre’Von Moehrig without pay for one game “for an act of unsportsmanlike conduct,” per an official league announcement. For those who didn’t see, he appeared to deliver a low blow to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings in Carolina’s Week 12 loss.“

Random Ramsdom Fandom:​

“Landman and Forbes: A marginal player and a reclamation project currently playing at Pro Bowl/All Pro level.

It’s three things, imho: An eye for talent, an ability to find where that talent is best utilized, and a culture that truly values the development of the individual player.

Before the McVay era (Snead and Kreonke as well) the Rams were maybe the very worst in the league at all three. Now they’re the best. Complete and total change from the era of Jeff Fisher, his predecessors, and the ownership of Georgia Frontiere.“ -doublerdadmc

“Stafford’s first season in LA. Van Jefferson running across the back of the end zone , Diggs in coverage. Stafford lets go a no looker but Jefferson doesn’t know what that is and stops running. Diggs, on the other hand, knows exactly what it is after years of practice in Detroit. Keeps going and makes the easy pick. Peeps on this site were losing their minds over the ‘terrible throw’.

They know better now. LOL” -GolfinCanuck

“Stafford’s current no-interception streak is really amazing. Even with perfect quarterback play, interceptions still happen. Receivers will let the ball bounce right off their hands and into the hands of the defender through no fault of the QB.” -Ghost_80

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/130697/la-rams-news-thanksgiving-stafford-burrow

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Thanksgiving games arguments among Rams fans

Happy Thanksgiving to you if you are a Rams fan. What are you making and/or eating today?

While you’re at it, what do you think about the three games today? I see some former Rams there in Detroit with the Lions playing the Packers in the morning. Will Jared Goff help keep the Lions in the playoff races?

There are two more games on Thanksgiving, including the Chiefs vs. the Cowboys and the Bengals taking on the Ravens. Who will you be rooting against and why?

The Rams do not play until the usual day of Sunday, taking on the Carolina Panthers, so they’re probably also somewhere with family — or most likely teammates — having a Friendsgiving and watching the games as well. Which teams should the Rams be rooting against? Packers or Lions? Chiefs or Cowboys? Ravens or Bengals?

Share your thoughts on the games — and the food — in the comments below.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/general/130745/thanksgiving-nfl-games-discussion-thread

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams add Derion Kendrick and activate Ahkello Witherspoon

The Los Angeles Rams have the number one scoring defense in the NFL and now they’re getting even closer to full strength with cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon expected to return to the field in Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers. Activating Witherspoon was part of a series of moves for the Rams on Wednesday, which also included activating Tutu Atwell, who is also expected to play against the Panthers, and claiming cornerback Derion Kendrick off of waivers after he was let go by the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday.

That’s not all, as the Rams also signed tight end Nick Vannett to the 53-man roster and placed cornerback Roger McCreary on injured reserve.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick, whom Seattle released this week, was claimed today by his former LA Rams team, per his agents Zac Hiller and Matt Leist.

Kendrick’s was with the Rams, then the Seahawks and now returns to the Rams. pic.twitter.com/CgNsjwMmWG

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 26, 2025

Witherspoon returns to the Rams for the first time since Week 2. Considered to be L.A.’s best cornerback going into the season, the loss of Witherspoon that early seemed like it could be devastating for the secondary but now Emmanuel Forbes has stepped up as one of the top all-around corners in the league this season. Now the Rams will have a more complete secondary with Witherspoon joining Forbes, Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Kamren Kinchens, and Kam Curl.

The trade for McCreary was thought to be a temporary solution for the depleted room, but he only ended up playing one snap on defense. That’s 120 fewer snaps than Josh Wallace. Now when will the team get back Quentin Lake?

Tight end is another interesting situation as the Rams once again turned a corner with Tyler Higbee going on IR. The 13 personnel formation was all but erased in Week 12’s win over the Bucs but now the team adds the veteran Vannett to the roster. Vannett was drafted by the Seahawks in 2016 and has since been all over the league, including the Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, Chargers, Titans, and Vikings.

Vannett had 0 catches in four games with Minnesota earlier this season.

As for Tutu Atwell, it’s anyone’s guess if McVay will actually use him this time. The Rams are on a roll offensively — Matthew Stafford seems infallible since Atwell went on IR — and he had just four catches in six games. That’s as many as Konata Mumpfield has, but in any case Atwell will be available against the Panthers.

Finally, Kendrick is back. The 2022 sixth round pick was waived by the Rams, picked up the by the Seahawks, played 10 games in Seattle, and was waived again and signed by the Rams again. Kendrick had two picks with the Seahawks but couldn’t establish himself as a reliable player in the secondary. Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said that the team wanted to get Kendrick on the practice squad but now he’s heading back to L.A. instead.

To recap:

Kendrick, Witherspoon, Tutu, and Vannett are in. McCreary is on IR.

LA Rams Roster Moves:
• Signed to Active Roster TE Nick Vannett
• Claimed Off Waivers CB Derion Kendrick
• Designated for Return WR Tutu Atwell, CB Ahkello Witherspoon
• Reserve/Injured CB Roger McCreary pic.twitter.com/TKWVCyMDF3

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 26, 2025

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...nsactions-derion-kendrick-ahkello-witherspoon

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Where does Ahkello Witherspoon fit back in Rams secondary?

The Los Angeles Rams could get a boost to their secondary on Sunday when cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon makes his long-awaited return from injury. While the Rams initially struggled to replace Witherspoon, they have since found their groove. It’s expected for Witherspoon to be slotted back in to the defense, but where he fits in the rotation is still a question.

As Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News wrote,

“The wrinkle is that the Rams’ cornerback room is in much better shape than it was before Witherspoon’s Week 2 injury. Emmanuel Forbes has 11 passes defended in the last four weeks as well as three interceptions, while Cobie Durant has five pass breakups and two interceptions in the last three games. So the Rams will need to develop a plan for how to utilize all three cornerbacks…Durant has played inside in his career, but like Forbes he has been thriving on the outside since the Rams’ Week 8 bye.”

When Witherspoon initially got injured in Week 2, the Rams pass defense was a problem over the next three weeks. The Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers all had success throwing the ball against the Rams following the Witherspoon injury.

From Weeks 3-5, the Rams allowed a 49.6 percent success rate through the air which ranked 19th while their dropback EPA per play was 12th. Mac Jones had one of the best games of his career and Jalen Hurts had three touchdown passes.

Following those three games, many thought that the Rams needed to trade for an outside cornerback. Instead, the team stood pat and trusted their personnel. Since then, the Rams rank first in dropback EPA per play and 11th in dropback success rate.

With Emmanuel Forbes and Cobie Durant leading the way, the Rams’ secondary has truly turned a corner. Forbes has been PFF’s top-rated cornerback in coverage while Durant has been 15th. Both Forbes and Durant are two of eight cornerbacks with multiple interceptions since Week 6. They’ve also both allowed under a 56 percent completion percentage in that time frame.

It will be interesting now to see where Witherspoon slots back in. During the first two games, Witherspoon played a majority of the snaps on the perimeter along with Forbes. Against the Texans, Witherspoon played 43 snaps on the outside along with Forbes’ 50. Durant played just 24.

However, with how well Forbes and Durant are playing, it’s hard to justify taking snaps away from either of them. While the Rams have had the best pass defense in the NFL, Forbes has played 276 snaps on the outside with Durant’s 279.

With that said, the Rams do a pretty good job rotating their cornerbacks depending on the situation. Behind Durant and Forbes has been Darious Williams. Williams hasn’t been bad by any means, but he is the only Rams cornerback to allow multiple touchdown passes since Week 6. Still, he has also allowed just 52.4 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed and has four pass breakups.

Given how much size and length Witherspoon brings to the secondary, he’s certainly going to have a role in the defense. However, it wouldn’t seem fair to take away snaps from Durant and Forbes. That means the odd man out is probably Williams, with Forbes taking a majority of those snaps. The Rams could also move Durant to the slot where he has experience, but he’s excelled on the outside.

At the end of the day, it’s a good problem to have. The Rams have four cornerbacks that they can rely on if needed. Witherspoon is too good to be kept on the sideline, but it will be up to Chris Shula on how he’s utilized in his return. Coming into the season, the secondary was considered a weakness of the Rams defense. Now, heading into the final weeks of the season, it might be a strength.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...ahkello-witherspoon-return-secondary-rotation

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams vs Panthers: How to watch on TV, stream or listen on radio

How do you accessorize for Rams games? (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Boasting a one-game lead in the NFC West and also currently holding the #1 playoff seed, the Los Angeles Rams travel to Charlotte, North Carolina for a Sunday November 30 date with the Carolina Panthers. Kickoff from Bank of America Stadium is set for 10 a.m. PST.

The (9-2) Rams come into the game riding a seven-game win streak punctuated by this past Sunday’s 34-7 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Panthers are a 50/50 proposition in their last six including a 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers last week.

L.A. has been busy during Thanksgiving week, starting early with a flurry of roster moves and then releasing kicker Josh Karty on Friday. The Rams welcomed wide receiver Tutu Atwell (hamstring) and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (clavicle) back to practice from the Injured Reserve List and opened the window for their return to the active roster.

Rams quarterback (QB) Matthew Stafford is on a track to have the best numbers of his 17-year career, completing 66% of his passes and throwing touchdowns to interceptions at a rate of 30 to 2. Under his direction, the offense is scoring 28 points per game and in the red zone, scoring touchdowns at a 66% clip.

For Carolina’s offense, the jury is still out on QB Bryce Young, the #1 overall draft pick in 2023, but he’s more settled than his first two years and has two good, young wide receivers to grow with in Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Leggette. L.A fans should easily recognize the Panthers defense, amongst their leading tacklers are linebacker Christian Rozeboom, safety Nick Scott, and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson (DT) are all ex-Rams. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was with the Rams from 2017-2021.

Here’s how to follow the game!

WATCH ON TV LIVE​

TV Coverage: Regionally on FOX

Play-By-Play: Adam Amin

Color Analyst: Drew Brees

Sideline Reporters: Kristina Pink

STREAMING​

A live stream will be available on the following platforms if the game is available on TV in the local market:

• Rams official mobile app
• therams.com

Also, but not limited to: NFL+, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube, Peacock, Paramount+, and many others.

LISTEN ON RADIO​

Local Radio coverage: ESPN LA 710 AM

• Play-by-Play: JB Long
• Color Analyst: Maurice Jones-Drew
• Sideline reporter: D’Marco Farr

ESPNLA’s affiliate radio stations

Domestic Markets:

• KMET/1490 AM & 98.1 FM – Banning, CA
• KFIG/790 AM – Fresno, CA
• KAVL/610 AM & 106.7 FM – Lancaster, CA
• KRHQ/102.3 FM – Palm Springs, CA
• KTIE/590 AM – Riverside, CA
• KGB/760 AM – San Diego, CA
• KXTK/1280 AM & 101.7 FM – San Luis Obispo, CA
• KSMA/1240 AM & 99.5 FM – Santa Maria, CA
• KSHP/1400 AM & 107.1 – Las Vegas, NV
• KVLI/1140 AM & 103.7 FM – Bakersfield,
• CAKVTA/1590 AM – Oxnard/Ventura,
• CAKTMS/990 AM – Santa Barbara, CA
• KIXW/960 AM – Victorville
• CAKXO/107.5 FM – El Centro, CA
• KOVO/960 AM – Provo, UT
• KIKI/990 AM – Honolulu, Hi

International Markets:

• LiSTNR App – Australia
• W Radio – Mexico

Spanish Radio coverage: Tu Liga Radio 1330 AM

• Play-by-Play: Troy Santiago
• Color Analyst: Ricardo Lopez

Tu Liga Radio’s affiliate radio stations:

• KTMZ/1220 AM – Pomona, CA
• KCAL/1410 AM – San Bernardino and Riverside, CA
• KOXR 910 AM – Oxnard and Ventura, CA

SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE​

Instagram: @rams

Facebook: /rams

X (formerly known as Twitter): @RamsNFL

TikTok: @rams

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...-how-to-watch-on-tv-stream-or-listen-on-radio

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Remember that awful Rams-Panthers trade idea?

The only reason that the Rams have Jared Verse is that the Carolina Panthers didn’t want them to have Brian Burns. Not even for the two first round picks that L.A. offered, according to SI’s Albert Breer way back in 2022, which included the 2024 pick that the Rams used to select Verse. The other pick would have been the one that the Rams used to trade the Falcons for their second round pick this year and first round pick next year.

Thanks, Panthers!

The Rams offered two first-round picks for Brian Burns, per @AlbertBreer

The Panthers turned it down pic.twitter.com/KAed0KQsB3

— PFF (@PFF) November 1, 2022

The Panthers would later fire Scott Fitterer, the general manager who turned down L.A.’s offer and then later traded up for Bryce Young at the top of the 2023 draft. After rejecting trades for Burns for multiple years, Fitterer was fired two months prior to Carolina sending him to the New York Giants for merely a second round pick and a fifth round pick.

Ironically, the Panthers traded that pick to the Rams when they wanted to move up for Braden Fiske in the second round last year. Carolina was able to flip that second rounder into an additional second round pick in 2025, which they used to trade up for edge rusher Nic Scourton in 2025.

So in a way, the Panthers ended up trading Burns for running back Jonathon Brooks (their eventual second round pick in 2024) and Scourton.

Scourton has 3 sacks in 12 games this season. Brooks has appeared in 3 career games and is recovering from a torn ACL.

Had the Rams successfully traded two first rounders for Burns, they might have Burns (they would have had to paid him a lucrative extension) but they wouldn’t have Verse or Terrance Ferguson or Atlanta’s first round pick in 2026. Instead they have those players, that pick, and a lot of cap space.

Not to mention a really good chance of beating the Panthers on Sunday.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...s-panthers-brian-burns-trade-rumors-revisited

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

How is your fantasy team doing?

The Los Angeles Rams have just six games left in the regular season ahead of their Week 13 matchup with the Panthers. With that in mind, many fantasy football leagues are about to wrap up their regular seasons even sooner. Leagues usually have a 13 to 14-week regular season; it’s time for a check-in.

Fantasy football playoffs are likely set to begin within the next week or two, so Turf Show Ramily, how is your fantasy team doing?

What is your record heading into these final few weeks of the season, and is your team on track to make the playoffs? If not, then what else must happen for you to sneak in? Who are some of your top playmakers or busts who have either won or lost you games this season? Also, how has your first-round pick fared?

As for my fantasy team, my Washington Redskins — named after redskin potatoes — are 4-8, soon to be 4-9 with how things are looking. No playoffs for me in my first season back after “unretiring” from fantasy, but I’ve accepted my fate.

What I cannot accept is the fact that I dropped Matthew Stafford for whatever reason earlier in the season. I guess it’s no wonder my team sucks, then.

Hopefully, everyone is enjoying better luck in their fantasy endeavors. Let us know what’s going on with your team in the comments, and happy Saturday!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...825/rams-reverse-qa-fantasy-football-playoffs

 

[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