INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With a 13-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night time, the Los Angeles Rams introduced themselves to the cusp of clinching a playoff spot and successful the NFC West.
The Rams entered the day needing a victory in opposition to the Cardinals and three.5 or extra wins by any of the Vikings, Bills, 49ers, Bengals and Browns to clinch the energy of victory tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks. Los Angeles acquired assist earlier on Saturday, because the Bengals beat the Broncos for a kind of wins.
Los Angeles (10-6) hosts second-place Seattle in Week 18, in what might be a meaningless sport if the Rams clinch the tiebreaker by the tip of the weekend.
The Rams are presently the No. 3 seed within the NFC, 1.5 video games forward of the Atlanta Falcons getting into the Sunday slate.
Here are crucial issues to know from Saturday night time for each groups:
Describe the sport in two phrases: Scoring struggles. In the three video games since scoring a season-high 44 factors in opposition to the Bills in Week 14, the Rams have failed to interrupt the 20-point mark. But the Rams have gained all three of these video games, together with Saturday night time’s.
Prediction for subsequent week: If the Rams clinch a playoff berth this weekend, their key starters won’t play in Week 18, even when the No. 3 seed is in play. And there’s precedent. A 12 months in the past, the Rams began backup quarterback Carson Wentz in Week 18 with playoff seeding in play.
Troubling development: Slow begins proceed to be a problem for the Rams’ offense, which has now gone 13 video games with out scoring a landing within the first quarter this season. Los Angeles has additionally gone 11 video games with out scoring in any respect within the first quarter, which is the second-worst mark within the NFL, in accordance with ESPN Research.— Sarah Barshop
Next sport: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, Jan. 5)
The Cardinals could not play spoiler for the Rams however they did get Trey McBride his first receiving landing of the season.
That was the spotlight for a workforce already eradicated from playoff rivalry and that got here into the sport with two hopes: Make the Rams’ path to the playoffs more durable and attempt to discover one thing – or some issues – to construct on heading into 2025.
Losing operating again James Conner to a knee damage early within the second quarter did not assist both of Arizona’s causes. However, quarterback Kyler Murray did his half to maintain Arizona within the sport. He ran 4 occasions for 32 yards and threw 48 occasions for 321 yards, a landing and two interceptions, placing a workforce with little to play for on his shoulders so long as he might.
Despite not hitting double-digits in factors, Arizona’s passing sport flourished with Murray throwing for 300 yards for the second-time this season, McBride breaking 100 yards for the third time and Marvin Harrison Jr. ending with 96 yards.
QB breakdown: The rating might not mirror it, however Kyler Murray was on level Saturday night time. In the third quarter, he accomplished 13 passes. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford accomplished 11 passes within the first three quarters. Murray completed with 321 yards and one landing on 33 of 48 passing. It was his second 300-yard sport of the season.
Troubling development: The Rams have found out find out how to get to Murray all through his profession, and it continued Saturday night time. The Rams sacked Murray 4 occasions, which introduced their whole to twenty-eight sacks of Murray in 10 video games. The Rams’ common of two.8 sacks per sport in opposition to Murray is larger than Murray’s general profession common of two.2 sacks per sport. Only the Seahawks have sacked Murray extra (32 occasions).
Eye-popping stat: Tight finish Trey McBride lastly acquired ultimately zone on a receiving landing on his 98th catch of the 12 months however it wasn’t after setting an NFL file. His 97 catches earlier than his first landing catch of the season are actually essentially the most in NFL historical past for catches with out a receiving landing. The earlier excessive was 92, by Keyshawn Johnson in 2001.— Josh Weinfuss
Next sport: vs. 49ers (Sunday, Jan. 5)
