ATLANTA — The Rams entered Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with nothing tangible left to play for. They were eliminated from NFC West contention a day earlier. A playoff bid was clinched weeks ago. Head coach Sean McVay hasn’t shown much preference for seeding the past two years, so that was not of concern either.
But there was something intangible at stake: Momentum, that indefinable quality that can define a playoff run. And after a deflating loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, the Rams needed a result on Monday that got them back moving in the right direction in their penultimate game of the regular season.
Instead, the Rams (11-5) took another step in the wrong direction with a 27-24 loss to the Falcons (7-9), losing consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 4 and 5 of the 2024 season.
The Rams had fought back from a three-touchdown deficit to tie the score with 2:52 to play. But a 51-yard Zane Gonzalez field goal put the Falcons back ahead with 21 seconds to play.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford missed Xavier Smith on a deep shot to open the ensuing drive, and Tutu Atwell got tied up with a defensive back on another deep play. Puka Nacua lost control of a one-handed attempt on the sideline. Stafford’s last attempt was broken up, and the comeback attempt fell short.
To open the game, the offense came out flat after 11 days in between games. The Rams failed to score on their first four drives for the first time this season, then failed to score in the first half for the third time in the McVay era.
Worse, Stafford – in need of a big night to elevate his MVP campaign – put points on the board for the Falcons. He overthrew Konata Mumpfield on third down and Jessie Bates III intercepted it. Bates returned it 34 yards and crossed the goal line as he was hit by Rams guard Justin Dedich.
It was the 32nd pick-six of Stafford’s career, tying Brett Favre for the most in NFL history. Down two touchdowns, the Rams started to air the ball out. But Stafford overthrew Xavier Smith and was intercepted by Xavier Watts. One play later, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson broke free for a 93-yard touchdown run.
His second score of the game put the Rams down 21-0, their largest deficit of the season. And it marked the second week in a row that the Rams’ defense was scorched by explosive plays after allowing plays off 55 and 46 yards against the Seahawks.
The three-touchdown lead allowed the Falcons to unleash their young pass rush as Stafford was dropped three times. Reserve tackle D.J. Humphries – starting in place of left tackle Alaric Jackson (ankle) – was beaten repeatedly in both the pass and run game.
Yet still, the Rams managed to crawl their way back into the game. Stafford found Terrance Ferguson for a 27-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 14. The rookie signaled to his teammates there would be no celebration as he ran to the sidelines, work still to do.
Then with the Falcons lining up for a field goal to make it a three-possession game, Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse blew through the Atlanta line and threw both arms up, blocking Gonzalez’s attempt. Then he scooped it up and took off 76 yards, flashing a peace sign to the Atlanta sideline as he ran for a touchdown that suddenly brought the Rams back within seven.
A quick stop by the defense, and the Rams had a chance to tie the score. But once in Atlanta territory, Stafford was intercepted again – his first three-interception game since Week 1 of 2022 – with only a toe on the sidelines preventing another return for a touchdown.
But the defense had enough left in the tank for another stop, with the Falcons opting to punt on fourth-and-1.
Prior to that third interception, Rams running back Kyren Williams had limped off the field and been examined by the training staff. But he came back in for the next drive, starting at the Rams’ 11-yard line. And he accounted for 57 yards on the possession, including a 22-yard gain to bring the Rams to the Falcons’ 11.
The next play, Stafford slung the ball out to Nacua, who scored on a screen pass to tie the game. But the Falcons were able to get enough yards to get in Gonzalez’s range.
More to come on this story.
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