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Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the 4th fourth during a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Safety Jordan Fuller #4 of the Los Angeles Rams conscionable misses a interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Tight extremity Tyler Higbee #89 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams successful the huddle against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Safety Andrew Wingard #42 of the Jacksonville Jaguars tackles moving backmost Sony Michel #25 of the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Inside linebacker Ernest Jones #50 of the Los Angeles Rams work aft a tackle against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
James O’Shaughnessy #80 of the Jacksonville Jaguars drops a walk successful beforehand of wrong linebacker Ernest Jones #50 of the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
James O’Shaughnessy #80 of the Jacksonville Jaguars drops a walk successful beforehand of wrong linebacker Ernest Jones #50 of the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Football fans clasp up signs successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled betwixt the Los Angeles Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Defensive extremity Dawuane Smoot #91 of the Jacksonville Jaguars recited aft stacking backmost Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek #18 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head manager Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams looks connected against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Defensive extremity Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams connected the seat against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Defensive extremity Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams connected the seat against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek #18 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek #18 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams is injured and leaves the crippled against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams is injured and leaves the crippled against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek #18 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts against the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Los Angeles Rams defence tackles wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. #10 of the Jacksonville Jaguars for a nonaccomplishment of yards successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head manager Urban Meyer of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks connected against the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Running backmost Sony Michel #25 of the Los Angeles Rams is tripped up against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams its tackled by antiaircraft extremity Roy Robertson-Harris #95 of the Jacksonville Jaguars and has to permission the crippled wirth a wounded successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars hands disconnected against the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Kicker Matt Gay #8 of the Los Angeles Rams kicks a tract extremity against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates with teammates aft moving backmost Sony Michel #25 runs for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head manager Urban Meyer of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks connected against the Los Angeles Rams successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Defensive extremity Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams pressures backmost Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Running backmost Sony Michel #25 of the Los Angeles Rams runs for the touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek #18 of the Los Angeles Rams drops a walk against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a walk for archetypal down against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey #5 of the Los Angeles Rams recovers a fumble by moving backmost James Robinson #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Defensive extremity Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams tackles moving backmost James Robinson #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars arsenic helium fumbles and the Los Angeles Rams retrieve successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Defensive extremity Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams tackles moving backmost James Robinson #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars arsenic helium fumbles and the Los Angeles Rams retrieve successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday, December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up anterior to a NFL shot crippled against the Los Angeles Rams astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Saturday, August 14, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up anterior to a NFL shot crippled against the Los Angeles Rams astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Saturday, August 14, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 prepares to manus disconnected to moving backmost Sony Michel #25 of the Los Angeles Rams against the Jacksonville Jaguars successful the archetypal fractional of a NFL shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood connected Sunday December 5, 2021. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
INGLEWOOD – By each appearances, it took the Rams a fractional Sunday to retrieve that they were playing the Jacksonville Jaguars, a playoff contender facing a radical reduced to playing for adjacent season’s employment.
Eventually the Rams figured it out, exorcising the demons of a three-game losing streak with a 37-7 triumph that reinforced 1 of the age-old tenets of football.
The moving crippled sets up the passing game, right? It whitethorn not ever beryllium true, and sometimes it adjacent works successful reverse. But it followed that bid Sunday, with Sony Michel – the diagnostic backmost with Darrell Henderson Jr. retired – moving for 121 yards and a first-half touchdown and opening things capable for Matthew Stafford to occurrence 3 touchdown passes successful the 2nd fractional and interruption the crippled open. Specifically, Michel’s moving bought clip for Stafford to regain his sharpness.
“When you tin benignant of get immoderate worldly going, we’re evidently moving the shot well. We volition get immoderate of that play-action stuff. You’ll get the shot down the field, get a mates of explosives,” said Cooper Kupp, who had 8 catches for 129 yards and a people and reached the 100-reception people for the season.
“That’s benignant of been, I guess, the basal of what our individuality has been for the past 5 years. If you’re going to effort to enactment your digit connected it, it’s being capable to tally the shot good and get thing explosive disconnected that play-action stuff.”
Another denotation the Rams were rediscovering immoderate of their identity: They won the turnover conflict for the archetypal clip successful a month, the defence forcing 2 Jacksonville fumbles and the discourtesy committing none. They bash spell manus successful hand.
Complementary football, commonly, is considered excellence successful each 3 phases, but information Jalen Ramsey talked of however it besides involves 1 portion maintaining the momentum that different has established.
“The 1 happening that I cognize we tin amended connected … the discourtesy went down and scored successful the 2nd half,” helium said, referring to Kupp’s 29-yard TD drawback for a 23-7 pb a small implicit 3 minutes into the 3rd quarter, 2 plays aft a 43-yard Stafford-to-Kupp connection.
“But past you privation to travel retired and get three-and-out oregon a turnover existent quick,” Ramsey added. “That’s similar bully complementary football. And we got disconnected the tract connected that drive. But it wasn’t a three-and-out oregon a turnover. We tin inactive amended connected definite worldly similar that, conscionable capitalizing connected situations during the crippled truthful we tin instrumentality this happening to the adjacent level wherever we request to instrumentality it.”
That was the overriding taxable of this game. Cleanse the palate, get escaped of that sour sensation from those losses to Tennessee, San Francisco and Green Bay, and make immoderate affirmative momentum for the last five-game agelong that begins adjacent Monday nighttime connected the roadworthy against division-leader Arizona.
For a portion it wasn’t definite that would happen. The Rams were up 16-7 astatine halftime, Stafford was having accuracy issues and determination were immoderate not precise astute penalties (including a taunting punishment against Ramsey that led to Jacksonville’s aboriginal second-quarter touchdown). The temper seemed to lucifer that of past December against the Jets, who came to Inglewood 0-13 but were allowed to enactment adjacent and coiled up shocking the Rams 23-20.
Never mind. By the last 4 minutes Sunday the pb was comfy capable that John Woolford was playing backmost and Mekhi Sargent, precocious promoted from the signifier squad, was carrying the ball.
Stafford took a vicious changeable precocious successful the archetypal fractional that drew a roughing the passer penalty, but missed 1 play and aboriginal allowed that his sternum “is inactive successful 1 portion astatine the moment.” He came retired for the 2nd fractional and looked much similar the Stafford we’d seen for astir of the archetypal 8 games than the 1 we’d seen the past three.
But support successful mind: These are the 2-10 Jaguars. The truer tests are to come.
“You know, each crippled is its ain entity,” Stafford said. “It’s bully to get a triumph after, you know, 3 subpar performances, truthful I was blessed for that for our team. Got a large 1 coming up adjacent week, obviously, and gotta besides find ways to beryllium better.
“You know, we got to enactment connected the tract connected 3rd down a mates much times. … We had a mates of 3rd downs wherever I could propulsion a small spot amended ball. On the archetypal 1 to Ben (Skowronek, a third-and-11 connected the archetypal thrust wherever the receiver was wide open), he’ll archer you helium astir apt wishes helium could person made that catch. Had 1 (misfire) down successful the reddish portion to Van (Jefferson) arsenic well.”
Stafford besides had a second-and-6 walk to Skowronek, a rookie from Notre Dame, aboriginal successful the 2nd 4th that resulted successful a 35-yard gain. That was disconnected of play-action, which goes backmost to the constituent astatine the apical of the column.
The bottommost line, Stafford said, was that determination were “opportunities that, you know, didn’t wounded america successful this game, but mightiness wounded america successful different one. So we got to marque definite we cleanable those up. It’s bully to get a triumph and beryllium capable to cleanable those things up but proceed to absorption hard connected the small things. And those volition marque a large difference.”
Could the Rams’ play beryllium riding connected it? It is December, and their borderline for mistake has shrunk considerably.
jalexander@scng.com
@Jim_Alexander connected Twitter
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