The Rams were eager to reach the playoffs at all costs.
Objective achieved. They are now heading to the playoffs in the most unfortunate manner possible.
The 27-24 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday evening was a disaster — the atmosphere in the postgame locker room was palpable — yet the Rams must analyze it, even if that means using devices to keep their eyes open.
“I believe if we perform like we did in the first half… we’ll be sitting at home watching others play in two weeks,” defensive tackle Kobie Turner remarked. “We need to get things in order.”
This marked just the third instance in Sean McVay’s nine-year coaching tenure where his squad failed to score in the first half, which is already troubling. However, it’s outrageous that the struggling Falcons managed to gain a three-touchdown lead by halftime. Not long ago, Atlanta had lost seven out of eight matches.
The Rams appeared vastly different from the team that nearly everyone rated at the top of their rankings during much of the season. Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions. Replacement left tackle D.J. Humphries committed two penalties that negated two significant receptions. And Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson could still be running now but chose to halt once he reached the end zone (following a 93-yard touchdown, of course).
Those Rams who began with a 9-2 record (and should have secured victories against Philadelphia and San Francisco) are just a distant recollection. Since then, they have dropped three out of five contests.
Meanwhile, all other contenders in the NFC are gaining momentum — Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago — while the Rams are feeling frozen in a troubling emotional state.
Suddenly, their previously unimportant game against Arizona on Sunday has become crucial. They must regain their rhythm rather than relying on doing so in the opening round of the playoffs. They cannot adjust their play mid-tournament. They must resolve their issues during practice.
The return of receiver Davante Adams is vital; he appeared strong in warmups, moving as if his hamstring troubles are behind him. His presence is crucial in the red zone and would alleviate some pressure on Puka Nacua.
Equally important is the need for left tackle Alaric Jackson and right guard Kevin Dotson to come back from their injuries. The Rams are experiencing the challenges that the Chargers have faced all year, with their offensive line undergoing constant changes weekly.
Additionally, the defense will significantly benefit from Quentin Lake’s return, who plays as a quarterback on that side of the field.
Regardless, successful teams adapt to losing key players and discover ways to prevail with backups. Every team would prefer to be at full capacity.
Furthermore, the Rams should not have been in that situation in the first place, even though they should have been in a position to kick the game-winning field goal in the closing seconds due to an unreported pass interference against Tutu Atwell, who made a good attempt to catch a deep ball with his hand that was not being grabbed.
The Falcons must have been experiencing memories to their disastrous 25-point Super Bowl loss to New England as they saw their lead disappear. After all, they were outscored 24-6 by the Rams in the second half.
However, the visitors were unable to complete the deal, so all of it was cold comfort.
After blowing a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter in Seattle, the Rams were seeking a boost after losing back-to-back games. They received a slap in the face instead.
It is quite uncommon for a team to have a poor start to the playoffs and still make it to the top. The last team to accomplish so was Baltimore in 2012. Despite missing a number of injured players, the team lost four of its previous five games before defeating teams led by Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and an elite Colin Kaepernick.
Thus, it is possible. A team that makes mistakes can nevertheless succeed. For a little while on Monday night, it appeared as though the Rams had made progress.
A Falcons field goal attempt was blocked by Jared Verse, who then recovered the bouncing ball and returned it for a 76-yard score. He looked over and made a fun G-rated motion with his hand as he tore past the Atlanta sideline.
It is a message that the other playoff teams might be sending to the Rams, unless there is going to be a significant shift.
Rest in peace.
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