Rams Comeback Attempt Turned Away Late, Fall to Packers at Home
Despite a valiant effort late, the Rams fall to 1-4 on the season thanks to a heart-wrenching loss concluding with a failed fourth-down attempt at the hands of the Green Bay Packers.
Austin Gage | Contributing Sports Writer
Despite a valiant effort late, the Rams fall to 1-4 on the season thanks to a heart-wrenching loss concluding with a failed fourth-down attempt at the hands of the Green Bay Packers.
In a season marred by injuries and misfortune, more of the same presented itself Sunday afternoon as the Rams dropped to 1-4 after a narrow loss to the Green Bay Packers, 23-19.
Facing a youthful Green Bay, the youngest in the entire NFL, the Rams simply beat themselves and could not overcome their own turnovers in a loss that had to sting.
Thanks to massive seas of dark green and yellow in the Sofi Stadium crowd, the Packers felt at home as they improved to 3-2 on the season. From their first defensive drive of the game, loud chants of “Go Pack Go” dominated the venue as the Rams yet again saw their “home” stadium turn into another road game indirectly.
After forcing a three-and-out thanks to defensive lineman Kobie Turner’s sack of Packer quarterback Jordan Love, the Rams seemed to set in motion a sense of momentum that was needed after a disappointing loss last week in Chicago to the Bears. However, the Rams’ offense matched with a three-and-out for themselves on their opening drive, so Green Bay received the ball very quickly.
Starting on their four-yard line, Green Bay and Love orchestrated a dominant scoring drive to put the first points of the game on the scoreboard. Paired with crucial runs by running back Josh Jacobs, who was prioritized by the Packers in free agency with a four-year, $48 million contract in the spring, the Packer offense carved through the vulnerable Ram defense. Capped off by a two-yard touchdown rush by Jacobs as he changed direction towards the right pylon, the scoring drive was highlighted by a deep bomb complete to wide receiver Jayden Reed for 55 yards as Love unloaded a play-action throw that sailed into the second-year wideout’s hands through a tight window of Ram defenders. Jacobs, who scored his first touchdown of the campaign in the game, finished with 19 carries for 73 yards and the touchdown on the ground to go with a single catch and 21 receiving yards.
However, Los Angeles would do anything but lie down, and they instantly responded with a drive that threatened all the way inside the Green Bay five-yard line. Wide receiver Tutu Atwell and running back Kyren Williams saw big gains on the drive that included a 24-yard catch and a 30-yard run respectively.
As smooth as the drive operated up to the goal-to-go situation, things stalled out for the Rams as they tried to match the Packer touchdown. After two straight Williams carries that didn’t produce much, quarterback Matthew Stafford fired a pass that was just too high for tight end Colby Parkinson. A decision loomed for Los Angeles and head coach Sean McVay whether to settle for three with a field goal attempt or to go for it on the Green Bay 4.
McVay decided to go for it, and the result was very similar to the third-down attempt. Stafford looked for Parkinson again but could not connect, leaving the Rams empty-handed and without any points as they turned the ball on downs.
Doing a solid job on the ensuing Packer offensive drive, the Rams forced another three-and-out to mitigate the consequences of their failed fourth-and-goal attempt. A drop by the usually sure-handed Reed made sure Green Bay would not extend their 7-0 lead.
Receiving possession once again, this time late in the first quarter, Los Angeles turned to the rushing attack to produce yardage and move the chains. Rookie running back Blake Corum, who was selected in the third round in the 2024 NFL Draft and had not received any real meaningful work in his first four games, started off the drive with a 12-yard rush to set the tone for the drive.
On a drive that would include three third-down conversions and a fourth-down conversion, the Rams totaled ten rushing attempts compared to just three attempts through the air. Capped by a Williams one-yard touchdown, a touchdown that saw his streak of games with a rushing touchdown elevate to eight, the Rams knotted the game up at 7. Williams once again put up a stellar statline as he ended his day with 22 carries for 102 yards to go along with the touchdown rush.
Two straight punts later, one by each team, set the Packers up for a drive in which they were once again backed up inside their own 10-yard line. Forcing a third-down attempt, the Rams’ defense held solid to force Green Bay’s offense into another obvious passing situation.
Rolling right outside the pocket almost immediately, Love looked for a receiver along the right sideline. Unbeknownst to him, Rams second-year outside linebacker Byron Young exploded off the edge of the defensive line unblocked on Love’s blindside and hit Love toward the back of the endzone. Falling off balance, but still in possession of the ball and trying to avoid stepping out with possession for a safety, Love threw the ball wildly in hopes of throwing it out of play. Unfortunately for him, the ball found the hands of Los Angeles safety Jaylen McCollough and the latter took it into the endzone for the miraculous score. As the Rams celebrated their wild fortune, Rams kicker Joshua Karty missed the extra point, leaving the Rams with a 13-7 lead after the crazy series of events.
Green Bay was able to partially right the ship just before halftime after the catastrophe and settled for a 46-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter, making sure Los Angeles would enter halftime with a 13-10 lead.
Looking to capitalize on some of the momentum gained from the circus pick-six late in the second quarter, the Rams drove down the field on their first drive of the third quarter. With a big connection to wide-open rookie wide Jordan Whittington from Stafford for 31 yards, the Rams raced inside the Packer 30-yard line. For his effort, Whittington ended the game as Los Angeles’ leading receiver, totaling seven catches for 89 yards.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the drive was erased as Williams fumbled a carry on second down. Newly signed safety Xavier McKinney, who has played extremely well for Green Bay, pounced on the loose football and shifted momentum back in the direction of the Packers.
“For me, it’s an attention-to-detail type of thing. For me, I got to be better. When I know I’m in traffic, I know I’m getting wrapped up and I’m still trying to get more yards, wrap the ball up. That’s the most important thing and I didn’t do that,” said Williams on the costly fumble.
As if things could not go worse in the moment for the Rams, the Packers wasted no time in taking advantage of their gifted possession.
Using play-action, Love fired a pass to tight end Tucker Kraft, who was wide open without a Rams defender in sight. After the catch around the midfield mark, the latter rumbled down the left sideline with a stiff arm of cornerback Darious Williams and found himself in the endzone. The quick two-play drive, marked by the huge catch-and-run, ensured a 17-13 lead for the Packers.
And when it rained, it poured for the Rams in the third quarter. Attempting to respond to the massive play by the Green Bay offense, Los Angeles used a modest drive to set up shop around midfield, slightly in Green Bay territory around the latter’s 48-yard line. On third and 10, Stafford forced a ball down the field into double coverage targeting Atwell. The ball found the hands once again of the emerging star safety McKinney, ensuring that Green Bay would have possession and capturing his fifth interception in five straight games. The interception saw McKinney become the first player in the Super Bowl era to record a pick in each of the first five games with a new team.
“Before you can start winning games, you have to start learning how to not beat yourself,” McVay said after the game.
Riding the wave of momentum in their favor, Green Bay staged another scoring drive. Mixing in the ground game with rushing attempts by Jacobs, Reed and others, the Packers set up a goal-to-go situation. Calling a tight end screen to the earlier touchdown scorer Kraft, Green Bay punched it in thanks to the aforementioned tight end’s effort on a play that was eventually reversed and confirmed for the score. The Packers took a 24-13 lead thanks to Kraft’s second touchdown reception of the day.
After a punt by both teams, the Rams received the ball still down 11 with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Without a score on the drive, at the very least a field goal to make it a one-possession game, any hope of a Los Angeles victory would be spoiled.
Due to a Packers defense that was set on keeping everything in front of them, the Rams marched down the field behind Stafford’s arm and produced big gains through the air. Capped off with a lofting one-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, Stafford and the Rams cut the Green Bay lead to 24-19. A two-point conversion to come within three was unsuccessful by Atwell on a designed jet sweep that was cut off by the Packer defense at the left pylon.
With just over three minutes in the game, the Los Angeles defense came up big when it mattered. Forcing two incompletions and a rush by Jacobs for no gain after the latter’s 13-yard rush to begin the drive, the Rams would see the ball back in their hands for a potential game-winning drive after forcing a punt.
However, staring at a fourth and 5 at the Green Bay 38-yard line with just over a minute left, the Rams needed something magical once again to go their way. After a Parkinson catch on third and long to set up the manageable fourth down, Stafford targeted the tight end again on the necessary fourth down try. Against the Rams’ wishes, the ball fell incomplete and Green Bay was able to kneel the ball to victory and held on to a close 24-19 victory over Los Angeles.
“I do like the fight in this group. This doesn’t feel good right now being in this situation, but what our guys will do [is] we’ll come in, we’ll look at the film [and] they’ll get a couple days off. We’ll look at this as coaches and figure out, alright, how do we reset ourselves,” said McVay.
Looking into the future for Los Angeles, they will hold a Week 6 bye and return in Week 7 to face the Las Vegas Raiders at Sofi on October 20th. For the Rams and Stafford, the bye week will be crucial in setting the foundation for a strong rest of season. The veteran quarterback stressed the importance of that after the game.
“Get away for a little bit and just come back, recharge, figure out ways I can be better to help lead our team to win football games.”