Rams are the best in NFC West

The Los Angeles Rams went on a run about this time last season. Similar to how the 2024 season has played out for them, the Rams started slow but finished fast. The result was an NFL Wild Card playoff matchup against the Detroit Lions.

After winning five straight games, the Rams have punched their ticket to the postseason dance after winning the NFC West Division. This means the Rams toppled the division in which the San Francisco 49ers, last season’s NFC champion, the Seattle Seahawks and the feisty Arizona Cardinals. 

Obviously, after last season’s dash to the playoffs and the way the Rams finished strong the year they won the Super Bowl (2021), comparisons are going to be inevitable. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford won’t be the one making those comparisons. 

Quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) has the Los Angeles Rams to the 2024 NFC West Division title. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline

 After the Rams defeated the Cardinals 13-9 win at SoFi Stadium, Stafford said the Rams are playing complimentary football at this point in the season. 

“I think we’re doing a nice job as a team playing together,” Stafford said. “Certain games look one way or the other, but we’re finding ways to win football games. I still think, especially on our side of the ball, there’s more out there for us. You ask all the guys in there on our side and I’m sure they would say the same thing that there are plays to be made.”

The Rams are in this position today because their defense has played almost lights out for most of their winning streak. Outside of the Buffalo Bills game (a 44-42 win), the Rams have put their defensive stamp on the 49ers (12-6), New York Jets (19-9), and Cardinals (13-9). 

That same unit redeemed themselves from an earlier defeat against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals in recording their 10th win of the season. In Week 2, which sounds almost light years ago, Murray and the Cardinals danced and pranced their way to a lopsided 41-10 win. 

With two huge interceptions (Kamren Kinchens, Ahkello Witherspoon) coming in the final period of their victory against the Cardinals at home, the Rams were not about to let Murray have his way again. He came close, but the defense of the Rams gave Murray and Arizona a rebuttal letter. 

What a great job by our defense,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “We really talk about making them snap it one more time and I thought that was on display tonight. We got some key and critical stops.”

Arizona still almost put up 400 yards of offense. Murray had 321 passing yards, but when it came to making plays count like Witherspoon’s game-clinching interception, this time around LA’s defense stepped up in a big way. 

Scoring only nine points was not something Murray could imagine with the way Arizona’s offense was still able to move the ball. 

Wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) caught 10 passes for 129 yards in a 13-9 win by the Los Angeles Rams against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Dec. 28, 2024. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline

“I’m not really looking at it as a negative as far as…Obviously, the 9 points, yes, we want to put the ball in the end zone and we didn’t do that. But I thought offensively, we played well, we just didn’t get it done,” Murray said. 

One critical aspect that has allowed the Rams to play well defensively in recent weeks has been getting stoppage on third and fourth downs against their opponents. The Rams allowed the 49ers to convert 3 of 12 attempts on third down in their 12-6 win.   

The Rams were more stellar in that category against the Jets, limiting New York and Aaron Rodgers to 5 of 13 on third-down conversions.  While Murray and the Cardinals fared a tad bit better their conversion rate ( 6 of 13) was less than 50 percent. 

Leading up to the Rams playing Arizona, McVay talked about how important it is to get those third-down stops. 

“I think it’s always critical,” McVay said during a Zoom press conference call the day after the Rams had defeated the Jets. “Yesterday I thought it was a great example of being able to just make them snap it one more play. It’s a very unique game when the opponent doesn’t necessarily punt, but you still hold them under 10 [points].” 

“I think that was because of our ability to make them snap it one more time and get some fourth down stops. It was just so big some of the stops that our defense made. I think they’ve been really good,” McVay added. 


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