Rams’ loss to Falcons puts their Super Bowl hopes in peril
ATLANTA — The Rams already knew they would be on the road to the playoffs, a difficult mission for any team.
This tends to get especially tough for the Rams, who just a few weeks ago seemed like the class of the NFC, if not the NFL.
No more.
On Monday night, the Rams, for much of their game against the Atlanta Falcons, looked like a team headed to nowhere. Or another interested in limping through the end of the regular season before heading into the playoffs.
They overcame a 21-point deficit to tie the score, but Zane Gonzalez’s 51-yard field goal with 21 seconds left sent the Rams to a 27-24 loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It was the Rams’ second straight loss, both on the road.
He dropped his record to 11-5 heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
On Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will play for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Rams are the No. 6 seed in the NFC. If the Seahawks beat the 49ers and the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Rams could move up to No. 5.
But that might not matter if the Rams don’t start playing better on the road.
Four of their five losses – against Philadelphia, Carolina, Seattle and Atlanta – came on the road.
Just a few weeks ago, the Rams were atop the NFC. They looked like the best team in the NFL.
But that was before they lost 38-37 in overtime in Seattle. The Rams lost consecutive road games for the first time since the start of the 2024 season when they lost their opener in overtime at Detroit and then were routed at Arizona.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford attempts to avoid diving Atlanta Falcons linebacker Khalid Kareem during the second half of the Rams’ 27-24 loss Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Brynn Anderson/Associated Press)
Rams quarterback Stafford passed Ben Roethlisberger for sixth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yardage list, but there was little to celebrate on a night that set up a possible milestone for the MVP award.
Stafford completed 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but intercepted three passes, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
The first half was a nightmare for Stafford, who entered the game with a league-leading 40 touchdown passes and just five interceptions.
After the Falcons put Kyren Williams on fourth-and-1 at the Falcons 11-yard line in the first quarter, Jessie Bates III returned an interception for a touchdown in the second. Xavier Watts also picked off a pass.
The Falcons sacked Stafford on the final play of the first half and the Rams went into the locker room down 21-0.
On the first play of the second half, the Falcons sacked Stafford again.
But Harrison Mevis kicked a field goal early in the third quarter, and the Rams pulled within 14 points on Stafford’s 27-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson with about five minutes left in the quarter.
Then, with less than a minute left in the quarter, Jared Verse blocked a field goal attempt and returned the ball 76 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 24-17.
The Rams’ comeback chances appeared to end when Watts intercepted another pass with just over nine minutes remaining.
But the Rams got the ball back and Stafford connected with Puka Nacua for an apparent 41-yard touchdown. But the play was nullified by a holding penalty.
Rams coach Sean McVay talks with quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter Monday against the Falcons.
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Williams made several key plays to set up Stafford’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Nacua that tied the score with 2:46 remaining.
Gonzalez’s basket gave the Falcons a three-point lead.
Stafford got the ball one last time, but he missed Xavier Smith on a route, and Tutu Atwell and Nacua couldn’t complete deep passes. With five seconds remaining, Stafford’s pass to Nacua fell incomplete.
Bijan Robinson had 195 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries and also caught a touchdown pass for the Falcons (7-9).
