Turf Show Times
The Los Angeles Rams freaking blew it on Thursday night, losing the game of the year in a 38-37 heartbreaker to the Seattle Seahawks. L.A. managed to not only choke away a 16-point fourth quarter lead, but has now lost its grip on the NFC West and conference lead. Talk about a case of the Thursdays.
Los Angeles has everything to play for in these final two weeks. Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from the devastating loss to Seattle.
Matthew Stafford lost his first game to the Seahawks in a Rams uniform, only it wasn’t his fault. He and Puka Nacua did more than enough to win the game on their own.
Stafford reached the 40-touchdown plateau for the third time in his career, including his second time as a Ram, and threw for 457 yards and 3 touchdowns. That yardage was the third most of his career, and 225 of it went to Nacua.
The pair routinely linked up for several big plays throughout the game.
Nacua has an astonishing 573 yards in the last three games. It cannot be said enough just how unmatched the chemistry is between the two. They had what should’ve been the game-clinching dagger on a 41-yard touchdown in overtime.
Call it the Adin Ross curse if you will.
Keep in mind that Stafford had his big day without Davante Adams in the lineup. But oh wait, I thought the Rams’ weapons were going to prevent him from winning MVP. What an idiotic argument.
Hopefully, this loss won’t keep him from winning the award. Again, it wasn’t his or Nacua’s fault that L.A.‘s defense couldn’t stop jack crap in the final frame. Stafford has far and away been the best quarterback in the NFL this season and should be rewarded, regardless of whether his Rams clinch the top seed or not.
Regardless of what happens in the final two weeks, the Rams are still one of the most dangerous teams in the NFC playoff bracket — assuming they can actually close out a game. The problem is, they’re relying on other NFC teams to stumble down the stretch for them to shoot back up the standings.
Seattle clinched a playoff spot following the win, and has the Panthers and 49ers to close out the year. If the Seahawks win both, they’ll have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Chicago, the Rams’ other main competition ahead of them in the conference standings, have the Packers on Saturday, then the 49ers and Lions to close out the year.
Even if the Bears do lose one or all three, it won’t matter if the Seahawks keep winning. Both Seattle and Los Angeles can finish with the same reason, yet the tiebreaker will go to the Hawks because of the Rams’ choke job.
As good as L.A.’s roster could be at full power, they don’t...
