RUNNING ON EMPTY
Home-field advantage in sight after win over Lions secures NFC West title
Chris Ivory and the Bills couldn’t escape with a win in Miami despite an enormous edge in yardage, Rams doing it all, Packers fire McCarthy.
DETROIT— The Los Angeles Rams returned to their lockers in the Motor City, where NFC West championship shirts and hats were waiting to be worn.
The victors, though, refuse to be spoiled by this accomplishment.
Todd Gurley ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns to help the Rams overcome a sputtering start to beat the Detroit Lions 30-16 Sunday and clinch the division title for a second straight season.
“We’re not satisfied yet,” said defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who had two sacks and forced a fumble. “But we’re headed in the right direction.”
The Rams (11-1) moved a step closer to earning home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs, taking a one-game lead over New Orleans after it lost to Dallas on Thursday night. It is a cushion Los Angeles needs because its only loss was against the Saints last month.
“We’re in a position right now that we feel good about,” coach Sean McVay said. “If we take care of our business, all the rest of that stuff takes care of itself.”
The Lions (4-8) have lost five of six since a surge of success gave them a winning record in late October.
“I’m extremely tired of losing,” centre Graham Glasgow said.
Detroit’s defence held Los Angeles’ high-powered offence in check for three quarters, giving the slumping team a shot to potentially pull off a stunning upset.
The Lions, though, failed to make the most of the opportunity because their offence struggled to move the ball and score.
Donald helped seal the win by forcing Matthew Stafford to fumble midway through the fourth quarter.
The star defensive tackle had two strip-sacks in his last game on Nov.19, a 54-51win over Kansas City.
“He held the ball and was loose with it,” Donald said. “I just took advantage.”
Donald has an NFL-high 161⁄ sacks this season, and the Rams say he should be considered as an MVP candidate.
“He’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” quarterback Jared Goff said of the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year. Linebacker Samson Ebukam recovered Stafford’s fumble at the Detroit 24 and Gurley scored on a 13-yard run three snaps later, giving the Rams a 23-13 lead.
Goff, perhaps rusty coming off a bye week, was off the mark on many passes and lost a fumble to help keep the game close.
His lacklustre performance led to Los Angeles settling for Greg Zuerlein kicking three field goals. Goff was 17 of 33 for 207 yards with a tiebreaking, 8-yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods late in the second quarter.
Goff also threw an interception on an overthrown pass in the second quarter and lost a fumble in the third quarter.
The Rams were able to lean on Gurley, who has a single-season franchise record with 15 rushing touchdowns. The star running back also caught three passes for 33 yards.
Stafford was 20 of 33 yards for 245 yards with an11-yard touchdown pass to tackle Taylor Decker, who faked the Rams out by blocking for a moment before releasing into the flat where he was left wide open. Decker’s touchdown pulled Detroit within three points late in the third quarter.
The Lions had a chance to cut its deficit to three again late in the game, but Kenny Golladay couldn’t get both feet in the end zone on a pass from Stafford and they had settle for Matt Prater’s third field goal.
Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh played against Detroit for the first time and made six tackles.
“I got a warm welcome back,” he said.