In playoff position after 4 wins in 5, the Rams credit their stretch surge to a good bye
LOS ANGELES ( AP) — The Los Angeles Rams began the year in a self-described franchise remodel.
With three games left in the regular season, it’s clear this particular construction project is ahead of schedule.
It might even be ready for a grand unveiling in the playoffs next month.
With four wins in five games since their bye week, the Rams (7-7) have surged into NFC playoff position heading into a short week of preparation for a high- stakes game against New Orleans (7-7) on Thursday night.
The Rams were considered maybe a borderline postseason contender by most prognosticators four months ago after they parted ways with a major amount of talent in their bid to alleviate their salary cap crunch. They were a disappointing 3-6 when they hit their bye week in mid-November, but they’ve earned a clear opportunity to get a wild-card spot with impressive play ever since.
“I think we’ve put together a pretty good five weeks,” coach Sean McVay said Monday. “It’s always about how you continue to move forward, and we get a chance to do that in a short week. And so we’re looking forward to swinging, man.”
The decisive factors in the Rams’ 28-20 win over Washington on Sunday were the same things that have gone well for them throughout this stretch: a balanced offense led by a sharp Matthew Stafford; a defense that continues to overachieve with a relatively modest level of talent; and impressive coaching decisions on both sides of the ball — aside from a few play-calls in the red zone here and there, McVay acknowledges.
“It’s a lot more fun when you’re getting the results that you want,” McVay said. “But I really appreciate a lot of the things that we learned in spite of coming up short, especially early on in the season, and what I’m so proud of is the way that these guys have responded and really reset after the bye.”
Left tackle Alaric Jackson also tied the Rams’ stretch success to the bye, which came after blowout losses in Dallas and in rainy Green Bay, where they played without Stafford after he hurt his thumb near halftime against the Cowboys
The week off healed Stafford’s thumb and arrested Los Angeles’ negative momentum, and a one-point comeback victory over Seattle right after the bye catalyzed the Rams’ current roll.
Jackson said the secret to the Rams’ improvement is “probably the bye week, honestly. Going back home for a little bit, getting fresh, taking time off. Come back here and hitting our stride in the run game, pass game. Everybody is playing well, confidently.”
WHAT’S WORKING
Kyren Williams’ 152yard, one-TD rushing performance lifted the Rams all the way up to 11th in the league in rushing offense. They were down in 20th just four weeks ago when Williams returned from his ankle injury. Williams has five 100-yard outings in his past seven games, topping 88 yards in six of those. Williams’ athleticism and the offensive line’s blocking have transformed Los Angeles’ ground game, which was 28th in the NFL last season.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Lucas Havrisik’s fourth missed field-goal attempt in six games was from just 43 yards, and it’s clear Los Angeles can’t be particularly confident in its kicker with a game on the line. The Rams stuck with Havrisik last week instead of going to veteran Mason Crosby, and McVay preached patience Monday: “I think you want to be careful (not) to overreact to one kick. But it was a big kick.”
STOCK UP
Safety John Johnson made his second interception in three games, and he would have had another if teammate Ahkello Witherspoon hadn’t tried to make a play on it. With his heady ball smarts, hard hits and veteran leadership, Johnson has boosted nearly everything about the Rams’ defense since being given regular playing time after the bye.
STOCK DOWN
Cornerback Derion Kendrick had another rough day, starting with an early 24-yard completion he allowed on fourth down. After Terry McLaurin beat him for two long catches in the fourth quarter, Kendrick committed pass interference on fourth down at the Los Angeles 1, eventually leading to Washington’s final touchdown. The Rams don’t have an obvious alternative to Kendrick at this point, but his mistakes have been glaring.
INJURIES
Witherspoon should play Thursday after leaving Sunday’s game late with a groin injury, McVay said. ... RT Rob Havenstein and WR Tutu Atwell are also expected to return after missing Sunday’s game, and the Rams picked up no major new injuries against Washington.
KEY NUMBER
3 — Consecutive games with a touchdown catch for receiver Demarcus Robinson, who has seized the No. 3 wideout job after getting little playing time early with his new team. Robinson has never missed the playoffs in his eight-year NFL career.
NEXT STEPS
While neither team can clinch a playoff spot or be eliminated from serious contention Thursday, the Rams or the Saints will dramatically boost their postseason chances with a victory. The game is Los Angeles’ biggest since Super Bowl 56.