ATLANTA — The Rams entered Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with nothing tangible left to play for. They were eliminated from NFC West contention a day earlier. A playoff bid was clinched weeks ago. Head coach Sean McVay hasn’t shown much preference for seeding the past two years, so that was not of concern either.
But there was something intangible at stake: Momentum, that indefinable quality that can define a playoff run. And after a deflating loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, the Rams needed a result on Monday that got them back moving in the right direction in their penultimate game of the regular season.
Instead, the Rams (11-5) took another step in the wrong direction with a 27-24 loss to the Falcons (7-9), losing consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 4 and 5 of the 2024 season.
“Here we are again in a disappointing situation,” McVay said. “This is a humbling league, and we got humbled tonight.”
The Rams had fought back from a three-touchdown deficit to tie the score with 2:52 to play. But a 51-yard Zane Gonzalez field goal put the Falcons back ahead with 21 seconds to play. Quarterback Matthew Stafford missed four deep shots, including a one-handed drop by Puka Nacua along the sidelines, and the comeback attempt fell short.
To open the game, the offense came out flat after 11 days in between games. The Rams failed to score on their first four drives for the first time this season, then failed to score in the first half for just the third time in the McVay era (nine seasons).
After talking all week about wanting to see his team respond to the Seahawks loss, McVay could not say why his team could not get into a rhythm in the first half Monday.
“I wish I had an answer,” McVay said. “I thought they had a good week of preparation. We just didn’t have that bounce in our step.”
Worse, Stafford – in need of a big night to elevate his NFL MVP campaign – put points on the board for the Falcons. He overthrew Konata Mumpfield on third down and Jessie Bates III intercepted it. Bates returned it 34 yards and crossed the goal line as he was hit by Rams guard Justin Dedich.
It was the 32nd pick-six of Stafford’s career, tying Brett Favre for the most in NFL history. Down two touchdowns, the Rams started to air the ball out. But Stafford overthrew Xavier Smith and was intercepted by Xavier Watts. One play later, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson broke free for a 93-yard touchdown run.
His second score of the game put the Rams down 21-0, their largest deficit of the season. And it marked the second week in a row that the Rams’ defense was scorched by explosive plays after allowing plays off 55 and 46 yards against the Seahawks.
“That was a big thing we talked about not doing,” McVay said. “We gotta be better.”
The three-touchdown lead allowed the Falcons to unleash their young pass rush as Stafford was dropped three times. Reserve tackle D.J. Humphries – starting in place of left tackle Alaric Jackson (ankle) – was beaten repeatedly in both the pass and run game.
Yet still, the Rams managed to crawl their way back into the game. Stafford found Terrance Ferguson for a 27-yard touchdown. Then with the Falcons lining up for a field goal to make it a three-possession game, outside linebacker Jared Verse blew through the Atlanta line and threw both arms up, blocking Gonzalez’s attempt.
Then he scooped it up and took off 76 yards, flashing a peace sign to the Atlanta sideline as he ran for a touchdown that brought the Rams back within seven.
A quick stop by the defense, and the Rams had a chance to tie the score. But once in Atlanta territory, Stafford was intercepted again – his first three-interception game since Week 1 of 2022 – with only a toe on the sidelines preventing another return for a touchdown.
“Sometimes you go out there and it doesn’t happen,” Stafford said. “If I can not hurt us like I did tonight, it’ll help our team out a lot.”
Prior to that third interception, Rams running back Kyren Williams had limped off the field and been examined by the training staff for a high-ankle sprain. But he came back in for the next drive, starting at the Rams’ 11-yard line. And he accounted for 57 yards on the possession, including a 22-yard gain to bring the Rams to the Falcons’ 11.
The next play, Stafford slung the ball out to Nacua, who scored on a screen pass to tie the game. But the Falcons were able to get enough yards to get in Gonzalez’s range.
The last two years, McVay has opted to rest starters in Week 18 to prepare for the playoffs. But with his team on its first losing streak of the season, he pledged that everyone would play next weekend against the Arizona Cardinals.
“We need to play. We need to play better football,” said McVay, whose team is expected to get a few key players back healthy between now and the postseason. “We gotta play better.”
Or else the Rams’ Super Bowl dream will be just that. And McVay told his team just that on Monday.
“If we play like we did in the first half, if we play the way that we did in totality, we’re going to be at home watching everything else go down in two weeks,” defensive tackle Kobie Turner said. “So we gotta get our stuff together. We’re gonna go back and watch the tape. I believe in these guys so much.”
NOTES
Stafford, who earned his third Pro Bowl honor this season, began the week leading the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards. He had thrown only five interceptions before his turnover-plagued effort against the Falcons. Stafford finished the night 22 of 38 for 269 yards with two touchdowns and the three interceptions. He has a career-best 42 touchdown passes this season. … Robinson rushed for 195 yards and set the Falcons’ franchise record for most scrimmage yards in a season. Robinson had five catches for 34 yards, including a 4-yard TD, to finish with 229 scrimmage yards in the game and increase his season total to 2,255. “He’s a special player,” Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “What he can do in both the run game and pass game is very unique.” … Falcons coach Raheem Morris credited cornerback A.J. Terrell and the defense for limiting Nacua to five catches for 47 yards. “I think the defensive staff did a great job again, limiting a great football player,” Morris said. … Rams running back Blake Corum limped off with a right ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return.