After tough loss, Rams look ahead to Seahawks

Dec 12, 2017 - 1:10 AM THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams were kicking themselves after essentially giving a game they had control over to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, denying themselves a chance to open a two-game lead over the Seahawks and move into a tie for the top seed in the NFC playoff.

The fact it was a series of self-inflicted wounds that led to the Rams coughing up a second-half lead was painfully frustrating, but they have no time to dwell on it as the Seahawks loom ahead and a chance to take firm control of the division race.

"It's your divisional opponent, so it's going to be a lot of fun heading up to their place," wide receiver Cooper Kupp said. "You have a lot of respect for them and the way they play the game. We're excited about that. We're excited to go prepare this week. Seven days from now we've got to be ready to go again."

The Rams will be shorthanded as starting cornerback Kayvon Webster went down for the season with an Achilles tendon injury. And, the status of fellow starting cornerback Trumaine Johnson is not yet known because he is in concussion protocol.

The Rams hope to get starting wide receiver Robert Woods and outside linebacker Connor Barwin back after both missed the last three and two games, respectively. But their availability won't be decided until later this week.

Between injury and rebounding emotionally, the Rams need to put behind them the ramifications of Sunday's loss and get focused on the Seahawks in a hurry.

"This game's over with. Yeah, we lost, but it is what it is, they played better than us and they were able to get the win," said linebacker Alec Ogletree. "Like I said, a division game next week in Seattle, that game is always tough. Like I said, we just got to get ready for that one now."

--Starting cornerback Kayvon Webster was lost for the season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury Sunday, a huge blow for a team that might not have fellow starting cornerback Trumaine Johnson next week due to a concussion.

Said Rams head coach Sean McVay: "Guys will need to step up. We've got some depth at the corner spot - you look at Troy Hill and Kevin Peterson had to step in. Blake Countess can do a little bit of both, but those are things that after we kind of have some finality in terms of what we're going to do we'll get a chance to gather ourselves as a staff tomorrow and have a little bit better direction moving forward."

Among his possible replacements is Nickell Robey-Coleman, the Rams slot cornerback.

"Kayvon is my guy. Kayvon and I go all the way back to high school," Robey-Coleman said. "It means a lot to me that he's hurt right now. I pray (for) nothing but the best for him, his recovery and his family."

--Quarterback Jared Goff committed a critical error in the fourth quarter when, with the Rams up by one on first down from their own 35, he was strip-sacked and fumbled the ball to the Eagles, who eventually cashed in with a field goal to take the lead.

Goff held onto the ball a bit too long, especially with a backup at right tackle coming into the game just two plays before, and needs to be a little more aware of getting the ball off quicker.

"I probably just held onto it a little bit too long," he said. "Stepped in the pocket there and Chris Long came around and made a great play. Probably get rid of it a little earlier there and one thing that you can learn from for sure."

His head coach, Sean McVay, blamed himself for not recognizing the situation better and perhaps running the ball.

"I think when you look at that play right there, it was a great rush by Chris Long - certainly not a great play selection by me," he said. "I've got to do a better job of putting our offense in better situations, be smart, have a little bit of situational awareness there and that was a mistake on my part."

Goff, though, was not having any of that.

"He told me the same thing," Goff said. "He shouldn't do that. He's been doing a great job all year calling plays. Once the play comes in, it's my job to execute it and unfortunately we didn't."

NOTES: RB Todd Gurley rushed 13 times for a team-leading 96 yards and caught three passes for 39 yards. Gurley totaled 16 touches for 135 yards from scrimmage. Gurley had two rushing touchdowns. He has 10 rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns for a total of 13 touchdowns this season. With his performance, Gurley eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark. He has 236 rushes for 1,035 rushing yards this season. ... WR Cooper Kupp had a 64-yard reception, his longest of the season and the second-longest reception for the Rams of the season. Kupp finished that same drive with a 6-yard touchdown. Kupp now has four touchdowns. Kupp has 10 20-plus-yard receptions this season and has set a new Rams record for most receptions by a rookie in a season with 56. ... CB Kayvon Webster intercepted Eagles QB Carson Wentz on their opening drive. But he was lost for the season later in the game with an Achilles tendon injury. ... OLB Robert Quinn sacked Carson Wentz to move to 6.5 sacks this season. It takes him to 60.5 sacks for his career. ... P Johnny Hekker punted five times for 282 yards on Sunday. He placed three punts inside the 20-yard line and had a long of 64 yards.



STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

REPORT CARD VS. EAGLES

--PASSING OFFENSE: C-plus - Jared Goff passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-26 passing, but it just felt like it should have been so much more. And, Goff fumbled at a critical time in the fourth quarter with the Rams up by one to hand the ball off to the Eagles in field-goal position to take a lead they'd never relinquish.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: B-minus - This should be an A based on the 7.4 yards-per-carry of Todd Gurley, good for 96 yards on 13 attempts, but it isn't because the Rams got too far away from the run game too often. Gurley was rolling, and in a game where the Rams defense was having a difficult time getting the Eagles off the field, a better commitment to the run would have benefited the Rams.

--PASS DEFENSE: C - The Rams gave up 316 yards and four touchdowns to the Eagles -- primarily Carson Wentz -- and that is simply not good enough in a game in which the margin for error was nil. The Rams did a poor job getting the Eagles off the field in critical moments - mostly through the air - and it ended up leading to their demise.

--RUSH DEFENSE: C - The Eagles powerful run game amassed 139 yards on 32 carries for a 4.3 yards-per-carry average. Ideally, you want that number below four yards per carry in order to better guard against manageable third-down distances. The Rams did not do that often enough on Sunday and it cost them.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: A - The Rams, as usual, were dynamite on special teams and that includes a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown to put the Rams ahead of the Eagles in the third quarter.

--COACHING: C - Sean McVay had his team in position to win, but his lack of commitment to the run game reared its ugly head at times and it may have cost the Rams a fumble -- and the lead -- in the fourth quarter. The Eagles put a ton of pressure on opponents, and it's easy to fall victim to that by thinking bigger than you normally would and abandoning the run as a result. That's on McVay.