Rekubit Exchange:Despite deflating OT loss, Rams don't hear death knell for playoff hopes

BALTIMORE – The Rekubit ExchangeLos Angeles Rams took one gut punch and answered with an uppercut of their own, forcing overtime on the road against the Baltimore Ravens, who exited Sunday as the AFC’s No. 1 seed. 

In overtime, though, they would not have the chance to answer the second gut punch, Tylan Wallace’s walk-off 76-yard punt return that gave Baltimore a 37-31 victory and deprived Los Angeles of a signature victory in 2023. 

“That’s a tough way to go down after the way the game went, but it was two teams going back and forth, being able to go toe to toe in a championship-caliber game late in December,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. 

A win would have moved the Rams into the NFC playoff picture, pending the results of the Green Bay Packers' game against the New York Giants on Monday. Instead, they find themselves on the outside looking in and one game back in the standings.

“Man, we battled,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I thought all three phases had really positive things and stuff that we can get better at, as well. So, like any game – win, lose, draw – there's an opportunity for growth, and I know we will attack it that way, move on and really try to use this as fuel to finish this out for the rest of the year.”

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With no win to show for their effort, the Rams still hung with one of the league’s most complete teams without some of their key contributors, such as tight end Tyler Higbee. Right tackle Rob Havenstein exited early with a groin injury and did not return. 

The Rams can thank a pair of fifth-round rookies for stepping up. Tight end Davis Allen had four receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown in Higbee’s place. Receiver Puka Nacua continued to make clutch catches and went for 84 yards on five receptions.

Elsewhere, seventh-year player Akhello Witherspoon intercepted Lamar Jackson to keep momentum on the Rams’ side late in the second quarter. Kicker Lucas Havrisik, who had to face internal competition this week when the Rams signed Mason Crosby but ultimately chose not to activate the veteran, made all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 51-yarder. At times, running back Kyren Williams gashed the Ravens’ interior defense. He carried 25 times for 114 yards. 

Most importantly, the connection between Stafford and wideout Cooper Kupp was reminiscent of the 2021 Super Bowl season. Stafford stood tall in the face of a free blitzer and tossed an arching pass to the corner of the end zone, which Kupp ran under for the score, for the Rams’ first touchdown of the game. Three of Kupp’s eight catches (10 catches) went for more than 27 yards, and he finished with 115 total. Stafford completed 23 of 41 passes for 294 yards and had three touchdowns with no interceptions. 

After the game, McVay said persistent headset issues impeded Stafford’s receiving of his play calls. The Rams burned their final timeout of regulation with 16 seconds left because of that, but Stafford shouldered the blame, saying he needed to be better at hearing his coach. Instead of having more chances at a game-winning touchdown, they had to settle for a field goal to tie it. 

“It doesn’t matter to me how we lose it, it's just we lost the game,” Stafford said. “There are plays everybody wants back that could have probably changed the outcome. So, (the punt return was) just the last play of the game. There were a bunch in there that we can all clean up, myself included. So, just continue to work, continue to trust each other, use this thing as fuel and kickstart it again.”

There are no moral victories in the NFL, but the Rams’ loss showed they can hang with an elite team despite blowout losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Packers prior to the three-game win streak that was snapped Sunday. The schedule becomes lighter for them through the rest of December – they host the Washington Commanders (coming off a bye) next Sunday and the New Orleans Saints on a short week, followed by a road game against the New York Giants. They finish the regular season against the San Francisco 49ers, who could either be fighting for the NFC's top seed or have little to play for by Week 18. 

Somebody has to occupy the No. 6 or 7 seeds in the NFC. Why not the Rams?  

“Let’s see how we respond,” McVay said. “I think you’re going to be proud of the way that this group responds. This was a tough, hard-earned win for the Ravens today. We’re going to come back swinging.”