Rams Suddenly Reeling After Wasting Another Opportunity to Improve Playoff Path

Los Angeles has rapidly tumbled from the NFC’s top seed over the last two weeks—and Matthew Stafford may have coughed up the MVP trophy Monday night in Atlanta.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford entered Monday night with five interceptions on the season, but threw three against the Falcons. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Eleven days ago, the Rams were on the opposite side of the country. They were leading the Seahawks 30–14 with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation. 

Then they fell apart like paper in the rain. And on Monday night, after that crushing loss to Seattle, a late rally in Atlanta fell short. A Falcons team that has no business beating a Super Bowl contender at this stage of the season did exactly that, buoyed by a trio of Matthew Stafford interceptions and 229 total yards from Bijan Robinson. 

Amid Atlanta’s 27–24 win, a few realities are setting in for a team that entered the weekend as Super Bowl favorites in almost every sportsbook. 

For starters, the Rams need to spend the next two weeks emotionally regrouping. Los Angeles is likely going to be the sixth seed after finishing third in the NFC West. The only way to avoid that fate is by beating the lousy Cardinals in Week 18 and getting a San Francisco loss at home to Seattle. It’s certainly possible, but now the fifth seed is no longer in the Rams’ control. 

If the Rams are the sixth seed, that means a path which probably begins against the Eagles in Philadelphia. Los Angeles has played Philly three times over the past 12 months. It has lost each time, including twice at Lincoln Financial Field, including in last season’s divisional round.

If the Rams can survive the Eagles, they have a high likelihood of going to the NFC’s top seed, whether that be San Francisco or Seattle. The good news? They’ve beaten both teams this year. The bad news? Either team will be at home coming off a bye week. 

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Secondarily, Matthew Stafford’s MVP chances took a massive hit. In a game the whole nation could see, Stafford tossed the aforementioned three interceptions in a bad loss. While his overall numbers of 4,448 passing yards with 42 touchdowns and eight picks clearly represent the best stat line of anybody in football, he and his team have also gone cold at the wrong time. 

Though Stafford threw for 457 yards last Thursday night in Seattle, he also helmed an offense that went scoreless on its final five fourth-quarter possessions including a trio of consecutive three-and-outs. The result certainly wasn’t because of Stafford, but a better performance when it mattered most not only would have cinched away the individual hardware, but most importantly all but guaranteed a top seed for the Rams. 

Since the NFL MVP became an award handed out by the Associated Press in 1957, only one time has a player won the award despite his team losing the last three games of the season. Ironically, it happened for a Rams quarterback, Roman Gabriel, in ’69.

Currently, Drake Maye is the betting favorite after leading the Patriots to a 42–10 win over the Jets to run New England’s record to 13–3 while clinching the AFC East title. Maye’s numbers aren’t Stafford’s (4,203 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions) but he’s playing better in the late stages, and his team has enjoyed more success. 

Of course, the more pressing issue is how Los Angeles responds as a team to adversity. Earlier in the season, the Rams lost in Weeks 3 and 5 to the Eagles and 49ers, respectively, despite outplaying both for large chunks due to a pair of blocked field goals in Philadelphia, and two missed kicks at home against San Francisco. 

To the credit of Sean McVay and his players, Los Angeles showed fortitude by ripping off six consecutive wins and eight victories in nine games. 

The Rams must now produce the same mettle when the games matter most. In the Stafford-McVay era, beginning in 2021, Los Angeles is 3–1 at home in the postseason, including Super Bowl LVI, and 1–2 on the road. With the stark possibility of three consecutive away games looming, Los Angeles has to dig deeper than it ever has with this group come January.  

Eleven days ago, it appeared the Rams were on their way to Easy Street including a week off and home sweet home in the playoffs. They took a few wrong turns and now have to find their way. 

Things changed fast for the Rams. They must put themselves together again … and quickly.

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