Associated Press
The first half of the game was a true nightmare for the Los Angeles Rams, filled with penalties, missed kicks, a costly turnover, and even a concerning injury to their standout receiver, Puka Nacua. Despite all that chaos, the Baltimore Ravens failed to make the Rams truly sweat. In the end, the Rams proved their resilience, finishing the first half with a key goal-line stand and coming out strong as Matthew Stafford orchestrated a pair of touchdowns to kick off the third quarter, leading to a 17-3 victory over the Ravens on Sunday.
Coming off a tough overtime loss against San Francisco and a previous setback due to a blocked field goal against Philadelphia, the Rams were just happy to walk away with an "ugly" win this time. Stafford reflected on their previous game, saying, “I feel like we moved the ball up and down the field last week and had 400-something yards of offense and lost the game and felt pretty (bad) about it. It felt good about this one. Nice job getting a win.”
Despite not hitting their highest form, the Rams (now 4-2) didn't need to bring their A-game against a struggling Baltimore team that was once again without their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson. The Ravens (1-5) started strong with a field goal on their opening drive, but could do very little after that. With the score tied at 3 late in the first half, they found themselves in a promising position with first-and-goal at the 4-yard line. After Derrick Henry pushed the ball down to the 1-yard line, Baltimore attempted a couple of "tush push" plays, featuring tight end Mark Andrews sneaking in as quarterback, but both attempts failed. In a dramatic turn, Henry was thwarted on fourth down, keeping the game in balance.
In the third quarter, Kyren Williams broke the deadlock with a 3-yard touchdown run, putting the Rams ahead. Following a pivotal fumble by Baltimore’s Zay Flowers, Stafford quickly connected with Tyler Higbee for an 8-yard touchdown pass, padding the Rams' lead to 17-3. Concern over Puka Nacua lingered, as he exited the game in the second quarter with a foot injury but made a brief comeback in the third. However, he wasn't able to catch any passes post-injury. Coach Sean McVay was playful yet evasive when questioned about Nacua's availability for next weekend. “You think I know all that stuff right now?” he replied, adding a light-hearted “Come on, you’re better than that.” Although he later apologized for his flippant tone, it was clear that the victory had buoyed his spirits.
The road has been much tougher for Baltimore's John Harbaugh, whose team returned some key defensive players but is still wrestling with the loss of its star quarterback. In two games without Jackson, the Ravens have managed only 13 points. Historically, it’s tough for teams to climb back after starting the season 1-5, as only four teams have made the playoffs under such circumstances, although the current regular season has expanded since then.
With Jackson sidelined by a hamstring issue, Cooper Rush struggled, going 11 for 19 for 72 yards, including an interception and a fumble, before being replaced by Tyler Huntley in the fourth quarter. Huntley managed to drive the Ravens deep into Rams territory, reaching the red zone before the Ravens turned the ball over on downs with just under four minutes left in the game. Although the Rams had their share of blunders, including a fumbled ball that was given back to the Ravens and a missed short field goal, Baltimore's offense couldn't capitalize on these opportunities. The game may have had its ugly moments, but for the Rams, it represented a much-needed victory and a step toward regaining their momentum.
With Jackson sidelined by a hamstring issue, Cooper Rush struggled, going 11 for 19 for 72 yards, including an interception and a fumble, before being replaced by Tyler Huntley in the fourth quarter. Huntley managed to drive the Ravens deep into Rams territory, reaching the red zone before the Ravens turned the ball over on downs with just under four minutes left in the game. Although the Rams had their share of blunders, including a fumbled ball that was given back to the Ravens and a missed short field goal, Baltimore's offense couldn't capitalize on these opportunities. The game may have had its ugly moments, but for the Rams, it represented a much-needed victory and a step toward regaining their momentum.
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