Stafford, Rams surge into playoff contention
Matthew Stafford passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Puka Nacua had nine catches for a career-high 164 yards and a score, and the Rams surged forward in the NFC playoff race with a 30-22 victory over the Saints at Inglewood, Calif., on Thursday night.
Kyren Williams rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown, and Demarcus Robinson added 82 yards receiving and another score in the fifth victory in six games for the Rams (8-7), who are above .500 for the first time since Week 1.
With its second win in five days during a self-described remodeling season, Los Angeles also jumped past Minnesota (7-7) and moved to sixth in the NFC standings in its bid to secure a wild-card playoff spot — and an increasingly possible opening-round showdown with the Lions, Stafford's team for 12 seasons.
Los Angeles led, 30-7, with 12:44 left in the fourth quarter after scoring on six of its first eight possessions, but allowed its opponent to make it interesting for the second straight week.
Derek Carr threw TD passes to Juwan Johnson and A.T. Perry on the Saints’ next two drives, with a 2-point conversion trimming the Rams’ lead to 8 points with 3:53 to play.
But Nacua recovered an onside kick and then got a key first down, and the Rams ran out the clock on their fourth straight home win.
Carr passed for 319 yards and hit Rashid Shaheed for a 45-yard TD for the Saints (7-8).
Wilson in protocol
Jets quarterback Zach Wilson remained in the concussion protocol Thursday and hasn't participated in practice this week, making it more likely Trevor Siemian will start Sunday against the Commanders. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett certainly sounded as though he was preparing to have Siemian under center.
“We have to look at all the different things Trevor’s comfortable with that we can get going this week,” Hackett said.
Wilson was injured in the first half of the Jets' 30-0 loss at Miami last Sunday before Siemian replaced him. Wilson, who was sacked four times, was briefly checked in the medical tent early in the game and continued to play until leaving before halftime.
The third-year quarterback’s head appeared to hit the ground on one sack.
Chargers’ Allen out
NFL receptions leader Keenan Allen will miss his second straight game because of a heel injury.
The Chargers declared Allen out Thursday for their Saturday night home game against the Bills. Allen leads the league with 108 catches, a Chargers season record, and is fourth in yardage (1,243). Easton Stick will be making his second NFL start after Justin Herbert had season-ending surgery on Dec. 12 to repair the broken index finger on his right hand. It will be Los Angeles’s first game under interim coach Giff Smith. Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired last Friday, a day after a 63-21 loss at Las Vegas.