Rams Overcome Slow Start to Triumph in Tennessee

The Los Angeles Rams took a trip out to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans. On the day Sean McVay rolled up to the stadium looking dapper, his team sought their first 2-0 start since their Super Bowl-winning season of 2021. A victory would send a clear message to the NFL. We are a top dog, we're crushing lesser opposition, and we're coming to your house.

First Quarter

The Titans offense took to the field first and it was evident early that the loss of right tackle JC Latham would be to massive as Byron Young quickly picked up his second sack of the season.

After forcing a three-and-out, the Rams would begin their drive, and once again, the run game would be pedestrian, despite the advantage on the line of scrimmage since Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat would miss the contest.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) hands off to running back Kyren Williams (23) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At this point, it's appropriate to ask if the Rams' insistence on using the run game to mirror their passing offense has crossed the point of becoming ineffective. The lack of penetration on third and two was bad enough, but on fourth and one, McVay called a Puka Nacua jet sweep with the Titans corralling him.

The good news is that the Titans are terrible at containment and Nacua blew through their barricade to take it to the house for a 45-yard score.

Both teams would exchange punts to end the quarter.

Second Quarter

The Titans would start the quarter with the ball and would start to open up their offense. On this drive, Cam Ward started to use his legs and this is where he would start his connection with Elic Ayomanor.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass to wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) for a first down against the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Rams would also encounter a new problem. Ahkello Witherspoon was declared out and Darious Williams was forcibly benched last week. Joey Slye would hit a 55-yard field goal to cut into the lead.

On the Rams' next drive, they would march all the way to the Tennessee' three yard line. That's where the Rams would proceed to lose the half. Sean McVay, despite being three yards away from the end zone with first and goal, made an inexplicable decision to throw the football three times with all three passes going to Davante Adams, all three going incomplete, and then this was the result in those three sequences.

Stafford throws incompletion, Stafford and Coleman Shelton mess up the exchange leading to a late throw on a fade that went through Adams' hands, a forced throw to Adams that was nearly intercepted. Rams settled for three.

With Witherspoon out of the game, the Rams struggled to handle Ayomanor, with them only using Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes as the outside corners.

Nearing a minute left in the half, Ward placed a perfect pass to Ayomanor's outside hand with Ayomanor hauling in the one-handed grab, despite blanked coverage by Emmanuel Forbes. While the Rams held their ground, Ward decided to throw the wildest pass of this NFL season.

Ward scrambled backwards and then towards his right, giving up double-digit yards to then flip his hips and fire the football all the way to the left, hitting Ayomanor since the Rams' secondary lost him in the scramble.

To make matters worse, Stafford would throw a terrible interception trying to hit Tutu Atwell with under a minute remaining, leading to the Titans taking a 13-10 lead into halftime.

Third Quarter

The Rams came out in a hurry to begin the second half. Racing down the field on offense, the Rams would again enter the red zone. With first and ten at the Titans' nine, McVay would once again call three straight passing plays and would settle for a field goal.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Titans would take control of the game, gashing the Rams defense on the ground and the air to a point we haven't seen since the Miami Dolphins game last season. However, when the Titans were in position to make a game-shifting play, Josaiah Stewart saved the moment with the first sack of his career. Tennessee would take the lead by adding three.

The Rams, who were playing his awful brand of small ball, decided enough was enough, putting the ball in Stafford's hands. The Rams began to scheme up various level concepts that paralized the Titans' linebackers, allowing Puka Nacua to beat them up field.

Sep 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) scores a touchdown Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Eventually, after a Davis Allen diving extension and a Sean McVay challenge, the Rams for the first time in the game, entered the red zone and walked away with a touchdown.

For everyone's tally. Eight plays inside Tennessee's ten yard line. Seven passes.

That score would set up the moment that is about to become the biggest story-line of the season.

On third and five, Cam Ward targeted Ayomanor, who was one on one. It was Darious Williams who secured his first pass break-up of the game. Williams' surprise breakup shifted momentum that the Titans never got back.

Fourth Quarter

Despite a Rams punt to open up the quarter, the Rams defense was feeling like their usual lethal self. Byron Young would force a Cam Ward fumble and just like that, the Titans' magic was gone. Nate Landman, the week one hero would dive on the ball and take it to the goal line but a review would state Landman was down by contact.

Sep 7, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Nate Landman (53) celebrates after forcing a fumble during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It didn't matter because three plays later, Stafford hit Davante Adams for Adams' first touchdown as a member of the Rams.

The defense would then force another punt before Stafford hit Jordan Whittington for a massive gain, flipping the field. The Rams would then, for the first time in his young career, turn to Blake Corum to put the game away.

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) lands in the end zone during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The man from Michigan did just that, running for the game-clinching touchdown. From Williams' pass breakup to Corum's score, the Rams scored 13 unanswered points.

The Titans would score a field goal and attempt an onside kick but the Rams would recover and run out the clock for the win.

Rams advance to 2-0 for the first time since the 2021 Super Bowl winning season with a 33-19 triumph in Nashville. They'll take the Philadelphia Eagles on the road next week.

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