Rams come up empty on final possession, falling to 1-4 on the season
It’s going to be a long week for the Rams.
And the way things continue to play out, it could be a very long season.
The Rams’ 24-19 defeat by the Green Packers on Sunday before 72,842 at SoFi Stadium dropped their record to 1-4 heading into an open date.
Coach Sean McVay and the injury-depleted Rams welcome the bye.
But it will be goodbye to already dim playoff hopes if they don’t pull it together during the next two weeks before they play the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 20.
On Sunday, the Rams could not overcome inexcusable penalties, a lost fumble and an interception to lose their second game in a row.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love capitalized on all of the mistakes, turning them into a field goal and two touchdown passes to tight end Tucker Kraft as his team improved to 3-2.
Rams run out of time and chances in loss to Packers
🏈 Packers 24, Rams 19 — FINAL
Matthew Stafford failed to connect on a pass to tight end Colby Parkinson on fourth down with just over a minute left to doom the Rams to their fourth loss of the season.
After Stafford was sacked by Preston Smith and Karl Brooks on second down to force the Rams to use their final timeout, Stafford completed a seven-yard pass to Parkinson to force fourth down and five. But Stafford couldn’t connect with Parkinson on a throw across the middle.
After catching a five-yard pass on the final drive, Jordan Whittington left for the locker room after sustaining an apparent injury.
Rams cut into Packers lead with quick TD late in fourth quarter
🏈 Packers 24, Rams 19 — 3:30 left in the fourth quarter
Matthew Stafford executed a nearly perfect hurry-up offense that culminated in a one-yard touchdown reception by Demarcus Robinson. The Rams, however, failed to convert on the two-point conversion attempt, with Tutu Atwell falling short of the end zone.
Jordan Whittington caught back-to-back 17-yard passes to launch the Rams’ speedy, 11-play, 91-yard drive. A pass interference penalty on Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine led to the touchdown.
The Rams couldn’t afford to waste time after Green Bay burned 8:13 off the clock on a 14-play possession that fizzled at midfield before the Rams’ scoring drive.
Packers capitalize after Matthew Stafford commits interception
🏈 Packers 24, Rams 13 — 3:55 left in the third quarter
Jordan Love and tight end Tucker Kraft connected for a seven-yard touchdown to extend the Packers’ lead.
The Packers capitalized — for the second time in as many possessions — after a Rams turnover.
Xavier McKinney returned an interception 28 yards to set up the seven-play, 54-yard scoring drive.
Love has completed 12 of 18 passes for 213 yards, including touchdown pass plays of 66 and seven yards to Kraft.
Kraft has three catches for 78 yards.
Packers retake lead on 66-yard touchdown catch by Tucker Kraft
🏈 Packers 17, Rams 13 — 11:15 left in the third quarter
Packers tight end Tucker Kraft caught a mid-range pass from Jordan Love and then shook off tackles by Rams cornerback Darious Williams and safety Quentin Lake en route to a 66-yard touchdown.
The Packers had taken possession after Rams running back Kyren Williams fumbled on the fifth play of the first possession of the second half.
Love has completed 10 of 16 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.
Rams cling to a 13-10 lead at halftime
🏈 Rams 13, Packers 10 — HALFTIME
Brayden Narveson kicked a 46-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter to trim the Rams’ lead.
The Packers got the opportunity to move into field-goal range when the Rams were penalized for having 12 men on the field on the third play of what turned out to be a nine-play scoring drive.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.
Kyren Williams has rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown in 13 carries.
Kobie Turner has two sacks, and Byron Young had a quarterback hit that led to Jaylen McCollough’s interception and return for a touchdown.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love has completed nine of 15 passes for 119 yards, with an interception.
Josh Jacobs has rushed for 32 yards in nine carries.
Rams grab lead on Jaylen McCollough’s spectacular pick-six
🏈 Rams 13, Packers 7 — 2:02 left in the second quarter
The Rams finally intercepted a pass — and they capitalized.
Safety Jaylen McCollough picked off a desperate pass by Jordan Love just before the Packers quarterback fell out of the back of the end zone and returned it four yards for a touchdown. Joshua Karty missed the conversion kick.
It was the Rams’ first interception since John Johnson III picked off a pass by Jared Goff in the season opener at Detroit.
Love took the snap and rolled to his right. He was under pressure and looked as if he would go down for a safety before he tossed the ball toward the sideline.
McCollough, an undrafted free agent, grabbed the ball for his first interception and touchdown.
Kyren Williams touchdown ties game in the second quarter
🏈 Packers 7, Rams 7 — 9:47 left in the second quarter
Running back Kyren Williams ran for a one-yard touchdown to cap a 13-play, 55-yard drive that consumed more than seven minutes.
Williams had a key fourth-down run during the drive.
Williams has rushed for 56 yards in nine carries.
Rookie running back Blake Corum has rushed for 20 yards in four carries.
Matthew Stafford has completed five of nine passes for 50 yards.
Jordan Love’s incredible pass sets up Packers touchdown
🏈 Packers 7, Rams 0 — 6:45 left in the first quarter
Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and safety Quentin Lake were all right there.
But none could stop Packers receiver Jayden Reed from hauling in a 52-yard pass from quarterback Jordan Love to set up Josh Jacobs’ two-yard touchdown run.
The Packers drove 96 yards in nine plays for the touchdown.
Jacobs has rushed for 27 yards in five carries.
Love has completed three of five passes for 64 yards.
Matthew Stafford continues to chase records
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford continues to chase NFL career records.
During last last week’s 24-18 defeat by the Chicago Bears, Stafford moved past Eli Manning into 10th place in career passing yardage.
Stafford, with 57,025 yards passing, probably won’t be able to reach ninth place this season: New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has passed for 59,904 yards and counting.
Stafford, however, could displace Manning again for career touchdown passes. Manning passed for 366 touchdowns, which ranks 10th. Stafford has passed for 359.
Stafford is 10th in completions with 4,923. Hall of Famer Dan Marino is ninth with 4,967.
Will Mike LaFleur help Rams prevail over his older brother and the Packers?
In what is becoming an almost annual event, Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur on Sunday will be scheming to help defeat his brother, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur.
Matt LaFleur, 44, was the Rams’ offensive coordinator under coach Sean McVay in 2017. Mike LaFleur, 37, is in his second season with the Rams.
“It’s kind of getting old hat now,” Mike LaFleur, who was previously on coaching staffs with the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, said of the matchup against his brother. “It seems like we play every year right now…. The only thing I look forward to, outside of the challenge that we have on Sunday, is getting to see my nephew that gets to come into town.”
In 2023, the Packers defeated the Rams at Lambeau Field.
Mike LaFleur said he spoke with his brother early in the week but refrained from discussing schematics. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula probably was thinking more about Matt, Mike said.
“I’m thinking more about having to go against that [defensive] personnel that they got that’s really talented, athletic and the scheme that they’re doing,” Mike said.
But what about extended family members?
“I don’t think my mom likes it,” Mike said, “but again, I said that last year too and I probably said that the year before that.
“We’re playing all the time. I think everyone’s just getting used to it. I don’t think anyone really enjoys it that much. We got a job to do, and we know what we want as a result.”
So if Matthew Stafford throws a long touchdown pass to Tutu Atwell on Sunday, how will Lafleur’s mother react?
“My mom likes me more,” Mike joked, “so she’s cheering for me.”
Tre’Davious White among the inactives for Rams against Packers
Rams cornerback Tre’Davious White, who started the first four games, is inactive for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. A team official said it was not injury related.
The Rams signed White, who played seven seasons for the Buffalo Bills and was coming off Achilles tendon surgery, with the hope that he could start opposite Darious Williams.
But Williams suffered a hamstring injury on the second day of training camp. He was placed on injured reserve and is set to make his season debut against the Packers.
Here are the players who will not be playing for the Rams and Packers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium:
Rams: WR Cooper Kupp, QB Stetson Bennett, CB Tre’Davious White, RB Cody Schrader, OL Geron Christian Sr., DL Desjuan Johnson
Packers: WR Christian Watson, CB Jaire Alexander, DL Brenton Cox Jr., OT Jordan Morgan, OT Travis Glover, DL Devonte Wyatt
Darious Williams set to make his long-anticipated return to Rams
The Rams are finally getting a key player back from injury.
Cornerback Darious Williams, a projected starter who was on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury, was a full participant in practice on Friday and is expected to play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, coach Sean McVay said.
“He’s feeling good, he’s locked into the preparation,” McVay said, “so we’re excited to have him back.”
Williams, 31, played for Rams from 2018 to 2021 before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams re-signed him last spring, aiming to start him opposite Tre’Davious White.
But Williams suffered the injury on the second day of training camp practice.
So he is excited about returning to the field.
“Oh my gosh, it’s great,” he said. “Obviously, it’s been a journey but nothing better than being out with the guys.”
Before the season opener against the Detroit Lions, Williams had appeared to be on the verge of returning. But he suffered a setback and was placed on injured reserve.
Williams said he missed competing and building chemistry with teammates on the field, but he remained sharp by watching film and taking mental reps during practices.
“Everything plays out for a reason,” he said.
Jared Verse looking to achieve more despite impressive start to rookie season
Rams edge rusher Jared Verse was named the NFL defensive rookie of the month for September.
Just about everyone with the Rams was impressed — except Verse.
“It’s like more inspiring than anything, because I did not have a good month,” said Verse, who had four hits on quarterbacks and five tackles for losses, including a sack. “I missed a lot of plays. I missed a lot of tackles. I missed a lot of sacks.
“I missed a lot of opportunities to make our team better, to improve us as a whole…. Once all those plays start getting made and everything like that, OK, there’s going to be a lot more than that.”
Verse, the No. 19 pick in the NFL draft, is making the transition from playing defensive end at Florida State to outside linebacker for the Rams.
In college, Verse encountered “clean edges” that required him to beat only a tackle, defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. In the NFL, playcallers such as Rams coach Sean McVay have “a lot of different ways” to make it tough on pass rushers, Shula said.
“A lot of that is to slow these guys down, these elite players because they’re so good and they’re so talented that if you just give them a clean edge, it’s going to be tough,” Shula said.
Verse said he worked with outside linebackers coach Joe Coniglio this week to correct mistakes and refine new techniques such as rushing from a stand-up position and dropping into coverage.
“All I want to do is just get better, and be a better version of myself than I was yesterday,” Verse said.
Verse knows he must remain patient.
“I think it should be an immediate thing but I also understand it’s not, that some things are just going to take a little bit of time to get built,” he said.
Vulnerable Rams’ defense needs complete turnover to compete with Packers
The Rams are searching for answers. With an injury-depleted lineup, they must reverse their 1-3 start and avoid falling out of the playoff race before it truly begins.
The Green Bay Packers and quarterback Jordan Love are coming to SoFi Stadium on Sunday, and they will face a Rams defense statistically ranked at or near the bottom of the NFL.
The Rams are second to last in total defense, giving up 385.3 yards per game. They are last in rushing defense (165.5 ypg), 20th in pass defense (219.8 ypg) and second to last in scoring defense (28.8 points per game).
Field goals aplenty, but Rams need red-zone offense to kick in: ‘It’s cost us so far’
Despite an offense missing star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and several starting linemen, the Rams have enjoyed opportunities aplenty to finish drives with touchdowns.
The problem for the 1-3 Rams: Instead of reaching the end zone from inside the 20-yard line, they are kicking field goals.
The Rams have scored only seven touchdowns in 17 opportunities from inside the 20. That places them at No. 28 in the NFL for red-zone touchdown percentage, 41.2%, according to teamrankings.com.
So, while rookie kicker Joshua Karty is tied for sixth in the NFL with nine field goals, coach Sean McVay, his staff and players are, well, kicking themselves.
Rams vs. Green Bay Packers: How to watch, prediction and betting odds
After losing to the Chicago Bears last Sunday, the Rams are in danger of falling to 1-4 heading into their off week.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has played well in an offense still missing star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and several starting linemen. The Rams, however, need to score touchdowns, not field goals, when they are inside the 20-yard line.
Cornerback Darious Williams, who has been sidelined because of a hamstring injury, might be available to play for the first time this season. Regardless, the Rams need more than Williams to neutralize Packers quarterback Jordan Love.