The Rams came into Sunday night’s game against the Lions at less than full strength and they emerged from the 26-20 overtime loss with a number of new injury concerns.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua was at the top of the list. Nacua suffered a knee injury in the first half and was eventually ruled out of the game after being carted to the locker room.
Head coach Sean McVay did not have an update about Nacua’s condition after the game and also did not say whether the injury was related to the one that cost Nacua time this summer.
The Rams also saw left tackle Joe Noteboom and left guard Steve Avila leave with injuries and Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times reports right guard Kevin Dotson was in a walking boot after the game. The Rams were already without tackles Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein, so they had to shuffle players around and center Beaux Limmer and tackle AJ Arcuri were pressed into service.
“Tough environment to play in,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “A bunch of linemen going down, starting receiver going down, and our guys never blinked.”
The Rams battled, but the result was a loss and the chances of avoiding further defeat will look a lot better if they can get some good news about injured players in the coming days.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford took several big hits on Sunday night against the Lions, and he was playing behind a banged-up offensive line. But he kept coming, leading the Rams back from 14 points down to take a fourth-quarter lead before the Lions eventually won in overtime.
To Lions coach Dan Campbell, that was the ultimate sign of just what a dangerous opponent Stafford is.
“Stafford, man, it’s almost like you don’t want to hit him because when you hit him he plays better. He just continued to make plays,” Campbell said.
Stafford did get better as the game went on, and his late-game heroics were particularly impressive considering he was doing it behind a patchwork offensive line and without wide receiver Puka Nacua. The Rams lost in overtime when their defense gave up a touchdown on the offensive drive, and Stafford never touched the ball. But the Rams’ loss doesn’t negate the way Stafford stepped up.
The Rams and Lions played another close game at Ford Field and while it took overtime in this instance, Detroit once again came out on top.
In the extra period, running back David Montgomery powered the Lions’ offense to a game-winning touchdown drive — giving the club a 26-20 victory without Los Angeles ever touching the ball.
That score came after the Lions had given up a 17-3 lead to trail 20-17. Jameson Williams’ 52-yard touchdown reception early in the third quarter put Detroit up by 14. And at that point, it looked like Detroit would be able to pull away, as Los Angeles had several injury issues.
Receiver Puka Nacua went down with a knee issue late in the first half and did not return in the second. Already without both starting tackles, the Rams’ backup left tackle and starting left guard went down and didn’t return.
But that was no matter, as Los Angeles was able to rattle off 17 straight points to gain a three-point advantage. Kyren Williams muscled in a 2-yard touchdown run after a defensive pass interference penalty put the offense in the shadow of the goal line. It looked like the Rams had tied the game on their next drive with a jet sweep, but third-string left tackle AJ Arcuri was flagged for a hold on Aiden Hutchinson, negating the play.
Los Angeles settled for a 26-yard field goal to make the score 17-13.
It was Cooper Kupp — who tied a career-high with 14 receptions and set a new career-high with 21 targets — who caught the go-ahead, 9-yard touchdown with 4:30 left in regulation from Matthew Stafford.
While the Rams had a chance to close it out on offense with a four-minute drive after forcing a three-and-out on Detroit’s ensuing possession, they couldn’t get it done. A false start on backup right tackle Warren McClendon put L.A. behind the chains, and Stafford’s pass to Kupp on third-and-10 fell incomplete.
Detroit had an opportunity to win it in regulation after advancing deep into Rams territory. But on fourth-and-5, the club had to settle for Jake Bates’ 32-yard field goal with 17 seconds to go to tie it up.
After winning the overtime coin toss, the Lions simply bullied the Rams down the field on the way to victory. Kalif Raymond started the possession with a 12-yard end around. Then Montgomery rolled down the field with 21- and 9-yard carries.
Once Montgomery took conductive runs for 6 and 8 yards to move down to the L.A. 1, head coach Sean McVay took a timeout just to give his defense a blow. But it was over on the next play — Montgomery powered his way through the line for a 1-yard score to end it.
The Rams had opened the game’s scoring with rookie kicker Joshua Karty’s 41-yard field goal in the first quarter. Bates equalized with a 25-yard field goal in the second before Jahmyr Gibbs twisted his way into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:57 left in the first half.
Montgomery finished the contest with 91 yards on 17 carries with a TD. Williams had five catches for 121 yards with a touchdown, plus a 13-yard carry.
Quarterback Jared Goff was efficient, finishing 18-of-28 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Much like the matchup in the wild card round back in January, the Rams had issues scoring in the red zone, finishing 2-of-5 — 2-of-4 in goal-to-go situations. Stafford ended the game 34-of-49 for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Williams averaged just 2.8 yards per carry, finishing with 50 yards on 18 attempts. Kupp had 110 yards.
At 1-0, the Lions will continue their tour of teams they beat in last year’s postseason with the Buccaneers coming to town in Week 2.
The Rams will be on the road again next Sunday to face the Cardinals in Arizona.
The first Sunday Night Football matchup of the 2024 season will have a little extra time.
The Rams and Lions are headed to overtime after Jake Bates hit a 32-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Detroit’s Jared Goff had an opportunity with 24 seconds left on third-and-5 from the Los Angeles 14, but he threw incomplete to running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Los Angeles was down 17-3 in the third quarter but scored 17 consecutive points to go up 20-17 with Cooper Kupp’s 9-yard touchdown reception with 4:30 left in regulation.
The game will end in a tie if there’s no winner after the 10-minute overtime period.
Dak Prescott finally got his contract, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal with $231 million guaranteed, only hours before the season opener. He will make more than $400 million in his career by the time the deal ends in 2028.
The question is whether he will have at least one Super Bowl title in that time.
For as much success as he has had in his Cowboys’ career, Prescott is only 2-5 in the postseason and has never gotten the Cowboys beyond the divisional round.
“It’s my only motivation,” Prescott said of the Super Bowl, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “Hold up my part of this deal. Just deliver that. That’s my motivation. Right now, it’s about celebrating this win tonight. Hell of a win with these guys, excited for this plane ride back with them, but then turning the page tomorrow, getting on to the Saints and taking it one game at a time. That is what is at the forefront of my mind. Not the money. It’s about holding up my end of the deal. And I want to do it here.”
Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys and Texas Stadium for $140 million in 1989. His team won three championships in his first seven seasons as owner but haven’t been back even to the NFC Championship Game since.
Now that he’s the highest-paid player in NFL history, with a $60 million a year average, Prescott seemingly faces even more pressure.
“I put the most pressure on myself,” Prescott said. “Simple as that. I’m not happy with my . . . performance today, and that’s what motivates me. That’s what pushes me. You try to be -- and I say try -- you try to be bummed about it in the locker room, but you know it’s a win on the road, which is good for the team and then you got teammates telling you it was a hell of a day for you.
“I put the most pressure on myself. Nobody’s a bigger critic than I am personally, and I expect greatness out of myself with my standards, my expectations and the same for this team. So there’s no added pressure.”
Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is going to undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his left knee injury, but X-rays were negative.
Todd Archer of ESPN reports Ferguson’s ACL is intact.
“I think we dodged a big one,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “Talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence that he’ll be OK.”
Ferguson caught three passes for 15 yards in Sunday’s win over the Browns.
His absence, however long, would give 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker a bigger role. Brevyn Spann-Ford and John Stephens are the other tight ends on the active roster.
The Lions are starting to blow it open against the Rams.
Jameson Williams caught a 52-yard touchdown pass to give Detroit a 17-3 lead with 10:29 left in the third quarter.
The Lions had third-and-3 and elected to take a shot on the outside. Williams beat cornerback Tre’Davious White with a double move — despite White being flagged for illegal contact — and was wide open down the left sideline as quarterback Jared Goff hit him for the score.
Williams now has three receptions for 89 yards and a 13-yard run.
Goff is 9-of-13 passing for 129 yards with a touchdown.
With several injuries along their offensive line along with receiver Puka Nacua, the Rams may have a tough time getting things going on offense through the rest of the game.
Puka Nacua will not return on Sunday.
The Rams announced that Nacua has been downgraded to out a knee injury.
Nacua suffered the injury in the second quarter while making a catch in Detroit territory. He was examined in the medical tent and briefly attempted to play on the Rams’ last drive of the first half. But he then went back to the sideline before being carted to the locker room at halftime.
The Rams’ offensive line has gotten even more banged up. Left tackle Joe Noteboom — who was playing for the suspended Alaric Jackson — is dealing with an ankle injury, but did not start the second half.
Guard Steve Avila has been ruled out with a knee injury. Jonah Jackson, who started the game at center, has moved over to left guard while rookie Beaux Limmer has entered to play center. AJ Arcuri has come in to play left tackle.
With right tackle Rob Havenstein inactive due to an ankle injury, Warren McClendon is in at right tackle.
The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million, delivering an expectation that the team instantly would be better on offense. On Sunday, they weren’t.
The Falcons led 10-9 at halftime. They lost 18-10, with three first downs and 51 total yards in the second half.
It was not what Cousins, the Falcons or Falcons fans had in mind.
“I was disappointed,” Cousins said, via team transcript. “Certainly disappointed. You always go out there with an expectation that you’re going to play at a high level, and we didn’t play up to our standards today.”
Cousins threw two interceptions, and he and center Drew Dalman botched a snap that hit the legs of Ross Dwelley, who was in motion.
“The timing was off,” Cousins said. “It’s my fault, sending the motion and asking for the ball, and the timing was off. So, it’s something that you have to bat a thousand, and you can’t have a mistake, and we paid for it today.”
Playing his first game since tearing his Achilles while with the Vikings last season, Cousins finished his day 16-of-26 for 155 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
“We have to avoid critical errors,” Cousins said. “We always say that, but we have to do it. I think if we do that and keep ourselves in manageable down in distances, I think today showed it, you know, we can be a productive offense. But when we hurt ourselves, it’s tough to overcome.”
Cousins, 36, did not play in the preseason. He was asked if the offense might have played better Sunday if they had.
“It’s hard to say,” Cousins said. “I think the key is that we’re healthy for Week 1, and that was really the focus. There’s never excuses. You have to be ready to go when your number is called regardless. That was certainly no different today.”
The Lions and Rams have gone back and forth on offense, but a Detroit touchdown late in the second quarter has the home team ahead 10-3 at halftime on Sunday Night Football.
After Los Angeles did not convert on fourth-and-4 from the Lions’ 23, the Lions got their first touchdown drive started with the speedy Jameson Williams, as he caught a 37-yard pass over the middle to put the Lions in Rams territory. While quarterback Jared Goff missed Williams deep down the middle of the field on the next play, running back Jahmyr Gibbs caught a screen pass for a 14-yard gain to the L.A. 27.
Williams briefly left the contest after going down at the end of a 13-yard end around, but was back in the game a couple of plays later. And Gibbs scored the game’s first touchdown with a 1-yard run, twisting himself over the goal line for the score with 1:57 left in the second quarter.
The Rams had a chance to get points on a two-minute drive, but quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a poor interception to safety Kerby Joseph over the middle of the field on second-and-goal from the 8-yard line.
It was the second time the Rams advanced deep into Detroit territory without getting points in the first half.
Los Angeles has multiple injury concerns on offense, headlined by Puka Nacua. The second-year wideout went down with a knee injury in the second quarter, tried to come back and play, but was on the sideline as the Rams finished their two-minute drive.
Left tackle Joe Noteboom — who is playing for the suspended Alaric Jackson — also is questionable to return with an ankle injury.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff is 7-of-10 passing for 75 yards. Williams has two catches for 37 yards to lead the team. David Montgomery has nine carries for 35 yards — including a 3-yard run on fourth-and-2 — and Gibbs has five carries for 18 yards.
Stafford is 16-of-26 for 119 yards with an interception. Kyren Williams has five carries for 23 yards. Nacua has four catches for 35 yards, Cooper Kupp has six receptions for 30 yards, and newcomer Colby Parkinson has three receptions for 45 yards.
Rookie kicker Joshua Karty got the Rams on the board with a 41-yard field goal while Detroit’s Jake Bates equalized with a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
The Rams are 1-of-4 on third down while the Lions are 2-of-5.
Detroit will receive the second-half kickoff.