Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams had a tough task on their hands in Week 4.
The team had to go across the country to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams entered with a 1-2 record and desperately needed a win to avoid the dreaded 1-3 start.
It wasn’t the prettiest game for the Rams, especially in the first half, but they ultimately escaped Philadelphia with a 24-20 victory. This was with Stafford failing to throw for a touchdown and throwing two interceptions.
Now, let’s dive into our main takeaways from this victory.
Matthew Stafford Struggles, But Offense Does Just Enough
Matthew Stafford did not have a good first half. The quarterback threw an interception on the Rams’ first offensive possession of the game, and then threw another one in the second quarter. As a result, the Rams managed just 10 points in the first half, and found themselves in a 20-10 hole.
In the second half, Stafford still couldn’t find the end zone, but he avoided any big mistakes and made some timely throws to keep drives alive. Stafford ended up with 317 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. Definitely not what the Rams need going forward, but a win is a win.
Kyren Williams Is Very, Very Good
When you think of playmakers on the Rams, the first names that come to mind are probably Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Stafford. Well, at this point, Kyren Williams has to be placed into that conversation.
On Sunday, Williams WAS the Rams’ offense. The running back rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught 10 passes for 67 yards. Williams did it all and was a key safety valve for Stafford on Sunday. The Eagles don’t have the softest defense, either, but Williams still made them pay.
Offense Should Have Looked Better With Puka Nacua Back
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Rams got Puka Nacua back for this one, so there were some high expectations for how this offense would look. Davante Adams did a fine job holding the unit down in Nacua’s absence, so with both receivers playing, you’d think the offense would be unstoppable.
Instead, as mentioned above, Stafford was unable to throw a touchdown pass. Nacua played well, but it came at the expense of Adams, who finished with just 32 yards. The Rams have to find some balance going forward.
Defense Did Its Job
It’s obvious that the Rams don’t win this game if not for an elite defensive performance. Jalen Hurts was limited to just 93 passing yards on the day, and the Philadelphia receivers were not able to step up without DeVonta Smith.
The ground game was also mostly ineffective. Saquon Barkley left early, which didn’t help, but the team managed under four yards per attempt on the day.
The Rams also collected four sacks, four tackles for loss, and seven quarterback hits on the day, while holding the Eagles scoreless in the second half.
