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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matthew Stafford was practically flawless in his first profession playoff victory. Odell Beckham Jr. made large performs as a receiver and as a passer in his personal first postseason win.
But the Los Angeles Rams (13-5) are headed to Tampa Bay on Sunday to play for a spot within the NFC championship sport as a result of their protection got here up with a playoff efficiency that means this up-and-down group can hold with anyone.
Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and their defensive teammates held Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to 183 whole yards and did not permit them to transform a 3rd down within the Rams’ 34-11 victory over Arizona within the wild-card spherical.
Sean McVay mentioned it was his protection’s greatest efficiency of the season — and he is aware of the Rams may want one thing comparable to hold in in opposition to the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Buccaneers.
“With the ability to maintain a very explosive offense like that, to have the ability to get a defensive landing and a few turnovers, simply so happy with these guys,” McVay mentioned. “We have got a fantastic problem going in opposition to Tom Brady subsequent week.”
After an inconsistent begin to the season that was all however inevitable, given the roster upheaval round All-Professionals Donald and Ramsey, the Rams’ progress on protection has been regular down the stretch — other than their newest team-wide embarrassing efficiency in opposition to the 49ers within the regular-season finale, that’s.
After dropping 4 starters from the league’s No. 1-ranked protection within the offseason and attempting to exchange them completely from inside, Los Angeles has regularly discovered methods to be efficient in new coordinator Raheem Morris’ variations of Brandon Staley’s general scheme.
The Rams additionally acquired reinforcements with midseason acquisition Von Miller, who appears more and more harmful with every week in his new protection, and even security Eric Weddle, who ended his two-year retirement and performed 19 snaps in opposition to Arizona.
“I believe we’re simply jelling on the proper time,” mentioned Miller, who had six tackles and a key sack within the former Broncos star’s first playoff look in six years. “We have been doing the identical factor since I acquired right here, and it simply feels prefer it’s working.”
WHAT’S WORKING
With Cam Akers and Sony Michel each wholesome, the Rams ran the ball 38 occasions for 140 yards. These aren’t eye-popping numbers, however they’re excellent for a group that appears significantly better on offense with a gradual floor sport. With two backs offering change-of-pace runs, these Rams evoked recollections of the 2018-19 Tremendous Bowl group that had an analogous strategy with Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson. Akers’ near-miraculous return from a torn Achilles tendon 5 months in the past was punctuated by this efficiency with 95 all-purpose yards and loads of punishing runs.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
If the Rams hadn’t dropped three of his passes, Stafford would have gone 16 of 17 in opposition to the Cardinals. Akers, Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee all made errors that prevented a modest statistical night time from being a lot greater. So did three Rams holding penalties that worn out 55 mixed yards of offense.
STOCK UP
At some point after the Rams’ shutdown defensive efficiency, Morris reportedly was requested to interview for the Minnesota Vikings’ head teaching job. Morris is a two-time NFL head coach who has made probably the most of a probably powerful state of affairs created by the entrance workplace’s monetary incapacity to instantly add veteran expertise to a depleted protection. Whereas the protection’s general numbers are down, Morris’ resourcefulness and management encourage rave opinions from his gamers and fellow coaches.
STOCK DOWN
Nicely, no one is definitely down on Kupp after he matched his season low with 5 catches in opposition to Arizona. His 61 yards receiving had been his fewest previously 20 video games, and he didn’t high 90 yards for less than the second time this season — however that is partly as a result of the Rams largely used their unanimous All-Professional receiver as a decoy within the first half. Kupp will proceed to be the Rams’ most necessary playmaker.
INJURED
The Rams supplied no fast replace on left deal with Andrew Whitworth, who injured his ankle, or cornerback David Lengthy, who injured his knee after his interception return TD.
KEY NUMBER
four — McVay’s whole playoff victories with the Rams, already tying John Robinson for probably the most on this 86-year-old franchise’s historical past. Robinson ran the Rams for 9 seasons, and McVay is ending up solely his fifth season in cost. He turns 36 on Monday.
NEXT STEPS
Beating the Buccaneers would require one other standout defensive sport. McVay hopes beginning security Taylor Rapp shall be out of the concussion protocol, however strain shall be very important to slowing Brady — and that is precisely why the Rams added Miller to an already strong move rush led by Donald and Leonard Floyd.
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Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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