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The Los Angeles Rams were officially knocked out of the running for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed after Week 17’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams fell behind early against Atlanta but Jared Verse’s blocked field goal touchdown return gave the team life in the third quarter.
Verse broke through the Falcons’ offensive line and batted down Harrison Mevis’ field goal try. He then scooped up the ball and returned it 76 yards for the touchdown. The play resulted in a 10-point swing and cut Atlanta’s lead to 24-17, shifting momentum to the Rams. And Verse sent a message to the Falcons bench. He flashed a peace sign while chugging toward the end zone.
The gesture didn’t age well as Atlanta went on to win 27-24. And the league decided that the peace sign constituted unsportsmanlike conduct (taunting), according to Tom Pelissero. The NFL fined Verse $11,593 for throwing up deuces on Monday Night Football.
BLOCKED
Jared Verse returns it all the way for a touchdown
Rams were down 21-0, and it's a one-score game
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The Rams came out flat in Week 17. Atlanta built a commanding 21-0 first-half lead that left Sean McVay speechless. Los Angeles finally ended the shutout in the third quarter and Verse’s blocked FG/touchdown return suddenly made it a competitive game.
The Rams tied things up when Matthew Stafford found Puka Nacua for an 11-yard score late in the fourth quarter. But Atlanta answered with a clutch nine-play drive and Zane Gonzalez drilled a 51-yard field goal. Los Angeles got the ball back with 21 seconds remaining and Stafford came close to pulling off an improbable comeback. But ultimately, the Falcons held on for the 27-24 victory.
Stafford had an uncharacteristically poor performance on Monday night. The veteran passer entered the matchup as the MVP frontrunner. But he tossed three interceptions in the game after only giving up five over the previous 15 contests. Jesse Bates helped Stafford make NFL history when he returned a second-quarter interception for a touchdown. It was the 32nd pick-six of Stafford’s career, which tied Brett Favre for the all-time record.
Los Angeles has lost some momentum in the leadup to the playoffs. But despite dropping two straight games, the Rams still have a strong shot at a Super Bowl run. LA closes out the season at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
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