Matthew Stafford and Rams rally to defeat Detroit Lions and clinch playoff berth

It was a busy Sunday, even for can’t-sit-still Sean McVay.

In the afternoon, he coached the Rams into the playoffs with a 41-34 victory over the Detroit Lions. McVay then immediately left SoFi Stadium for the impending arrival of his and his wife’s second child. And he no doubt began game-planning on some level for a Thursday night showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.

“It’s good stress,” McVay quipped before departing the stadium.

Apparently, McVay was attempting to demonstrate to his players a spin on the mantra he has repeated to them since training camp.

Rams 41, Lions 34 — FINAL

Matthew Stafford passed for 368 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to win a critical NFC showdown against the Detroit Lions.

Puka Nacua caught nine passes for 181 yards and Kyren Williams rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns in 15 carries.

🏈 Rams 41, Lions 34 — 2:42 left in the fourth quarter

David Montgomery scored on a one-yard run to cap a 12-play, 65-yard drive and make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter.

Wide receiver Puka Nacua returned to the field for the Rams on the ensuing possession.

🏈 Rams 41, Lions 27 — 4:49 left in the fourth quarter

Matthew Stafford connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson to extend the Rams’ lead late in the fourth quarter.

The touchdown came one play after Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua walked off the field after a 12-yard catch and headed straight to the locker room because of cramps. He later returned to the game.

🏈 Rams 34, Lions 27 — 7:54 left in the fourth

Jake Bates kicked a 48-yard field goal as the Lions cut into the Rams’ lead after a nine-play, 36-yard drive.

After three consecutive three and outs, the Lions found some success on offense, with a 20-yard reception by Kalif Raymond and an 11-yard catch by Amon-Ra St. Brown to help the Lions move into field-goal range.

🏈 Rams 34, Lions 24 — 12:26 left in the fourth quarter

Rams wide receiver Davante Adams walked to the locker room after sustaining a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.

He is listed as questionable to return.

Adams has been dealing with hamstring injuries this season, including one that had him listed as questionable heading into Sunday’s game.

Adams was being targeted on a deep throw from Matthew Stafford when he pulled up and went down on the field. After getting up, he made his way to the sideline with a slight limp before walking under his own power to the locker room.

The incomplete pass on third down resulted in the Rams’ first three and out of the second half.

🏈 Rams 34, Lions 24 — End of the third quarter

Blake Corum rushed for an 11-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left in the third quarter as the Rams began to take control.

The Rams defense forced the Lions to go three and out, and it took Matthew Stafford only 52 seconds to engineer a touchdown.

Stafford’s 39-yard pass to Puka Nacua set up Corum’s scoring run.

Stafford has completed 21 of 34 passes for 336 yards. Puka Nacua has eight catches for 169 yards.

🏈 Rams 27, Lions 24 — 2:26 left in the third quarter

Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Colby Parkinson for a 26-yard touchdown pass play, putting the Rams in the lead.

Stafford completed passes of 15 and 21 yards to Davante Adams during the nine-play, 88-yard drive.

Stafford has completed 20 of 33 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.

Adams has four catches for 71 yards, Puka Nacua seven for 130.

🏈 Lions 24, Rams 20 — 9:07 left in the third quarter

Harrison Mevis kicked a 44-yard field goal to pull the Rams to within four points.

The Rams drove 41 yards in 11 plays, but saw their chance for a touchdown vanish when the Lions sacked Matthew Stafford and, on the ensuing play, the snap went through Stafford’s hands in the shotgun formation, leading to an incomplete pass.

Stafford has completed 15 of 26 passes for 222 yards, with an interception.

Puka Nacua has six catches for 121 yards.

🏈 Lions 24, Rams 17 — HALFTIME

Harrison Mevis kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to cut the Lions’ lead to seven points.

Matthew Stafford completed a 37-yard pass to Puka Nacua to set up the field goal.

Stafford has completed 12 of 23 passes for 193 yards, with an interception.

Nacua has five catches for 99 yards.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff is 14 of 20 for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

Amon-Ra St. Brown has nine catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

🏈 Lions 24, Rams 14 — 30 seconds left in the second quarter

Jared Goff connected with receiver Jameson Williams for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 30 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Lions a 10-point lead.

Goff drove the Lions 80 yards in nine plays for the touchdown, completing a fourth-down pass and several others to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Goff has completed 14 of 20 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

St. Brown has nine catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

🏈 Lions 17, Rams 14 — 6:12 left in the second quarter

Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a pass from Jared Goff and spinned his way into the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown.

St. Brown’s 52-yard gain after catching a mid-range pass keyed the four-play, 65-yard drive.

St. Brown has six catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

Goff has completed eight of 12 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns.

🏈 Rams 14, Lions 10 — 8:31 left in the second quarter

Kyren Williams ran for a one-yard touchdown as the Rams moved back into the lead.

Matthew Stafford’s 26-yard pass to Puka Nacua was the key play in the six-play, 69-yard drive.

Stafford has completed nine of 16 passes for 137 yards.

Nacua has four catches for 62 yards. Williams has rushed for 36 yards and two touchdowns in six carries.

🏈 Lions 10, Rams 7 — 12:04 left in the second quarter

Jake Bates kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Lions back in the lead.

The Lions drove 59 yards in 12 plays for the field goal.

Jared Goff completed a 25-yard pass to Jameson Williams and David Montgomery carried the ball six times for 31 yards during the march.

Goff has completed six of 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.

🏈 Lions 7, Rams 7 — 2:44 left in first quarter

Kyren Williams rushed for a four-yard touchdown to tie the score.

Matthew Stafford completed two fourth-down passes to Puka Nacua during the 13-play, 72-yard drive.

Stafford has completed seven of 13 passes for 90 yards.

Nacua has three catches for 26 yards.

🏈 Rams 7, Lions 0 — 8:07 left in the first quarter

Jared Goff fired a 17-yard touchdown pass to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to give the Lions the lead.

The Lions capitalized immediately after Aidan Hutchinson returned a Matthew Stafford interception 58 yards to the Rams’ 17.

The Rams appeared to have received a break when Lions kicker Jake Bates missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt to end the game’s first possession.

Stafford completed passes of 17 and 18 yards to Davante Adams as the Rams drove the Lions’ 20-yard line. But that’s where Hutchinson, a star edge rusher, reached up and picked off the pass that set up the touchdown.

Blake Corum had just completed the first 100-yard rushing performance of his NFL career, and Rams coach Sean McVay awarded him a game ball after Sunday’s rout of the Arizona Cardinals.

Corum, a second-year pro, was obviously elated.

But he did not spend much time reveling in the achievement.

“It’s on to the next,” he said, an attitude he maintained as he filtered through congratulatory messages from family and friends.

“I expect to have those types of games,” Corum said Wednesday, “so when they do happen, all right, this is great. ... But it’s on to the next.”

Before last week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, Rams receiver Puka Nacua watched highlights of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ run to the 2016 NBA title, which featured LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

Nacua then went out and caught seven passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns, earning recognition as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Nacua said after watching James score 42 points and Irving make several outstanding plays, “I’m like, ‘Oh, if I could do that, that would be a great Sunday.’”

Nacua said he shared the player of the week honor with teammates, especially quarterback Matthew Stafford.

“To be on the same page, it’s hard to do,” Nacua said, “I enjoy those moments and I feel like it’s an award for both of us.”

Jared Goff doesn’t think about it much anymore.

“It feels like a long time ago,” he told Detroit reporters this week.

Matthew Stafford hinted at the same during his weekly availability with Los Angeles reporters.

It’s been nearly five years since the Rams sent Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round pick to the Detroit Lions in a blockbuster trade for Stafford. But as much as the two star quarterbacks — and former No. 1 picks in the draft — would like to politely leave it be, they forever will be linked in the greater football consciousness.

Here are the players that will not be suiting up for Sunday’s game between the Rams and Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium:

The Rams offense is generating highlight-reel plays. The defense has been stout.

And special teams quietly have become a nonissue.

That could change, of course. “Humility is only a day away,” as coach Sean McVay likes to say.

But since he replaced Joshua Karty, kicker Harrison Mevis has made every kick, including three field goals and 23 extra points.

“Just trying to keep everything the same, and not make too much of the moment,” Mevis said. “I’ve been in many big moments — and every kick’s the same.

“We’re trying to keep on a roll.”

In addition to Mevis, veteran snapper Jake McQuaide, who joined the team the same week as Mevis, has worked well with holder Ethan Evans.

“I can’t say enough about how pleased I’ve been with the operation,” McVay said. “It couldn’t be any better and that’s the truth.”

Receiver Tutu Atwell, who has been on injured reserve since late October, will be active for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium, coach Sean McVay said.

“I’ll be ready when my number is called,” Atwell said this week.

The Rams opened the 21-day window for Atwell to return to the roster a few weeks ago. But coach Sean McVay has said that adjusting the 48-man game day roster factored into the decision not to activate Atwell for the last two games.

The Rams this week waived outside linebacker Nick Hampton to open a roster spot for Atwell, and then signed Hampton the practice squad.

Atwell, a 2021 second-round draft pick, received a one-year, $10-million contract before this season. He has four catches, including one for a winning, 88-yard touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts.

He returns to an offense that includes star receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and a scheme that had tilted heavily to using as many as three tight ends at a time.

“It’s obviously a good problem for us to figure out how to utilize his skillset because there’s been an emergence of a lot of guys, not exclusive to just receivers, since he’s gone out,” McVay said. “He’s a guy that can influence and affect the game in a positive way. It’ll be good to get him back out there.”

The big NFL news this week concerned the return of quarterback Philip Rivers to play for the Indianapolis Colts.

Rams coach Sean McVay is a Rivers fan, and not only of the 44-year-old’s on-field command and passing ability.

“He’s like the only guy that can talk so much good smack without cussing that I’ve ever seen in my life, it’s amazing,” McVay quipped.

Rivers reportedly will start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.

The Rams (10-3) and Seahawks (10-3) are battling to win the NFC West, with the Rams currently holding the tiebreaker because of their November victory over the Seahawks. The Rams play the Seahawks on Thursday night in Seattle.

So McVay is happy to see Rivers back in the fold.

“As a fan of this game, I think it’s great,” McVay said. “And shoot, I hope he does a hell of a job this weekend.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — There was no time for players and fans to send Rams coach Sean McVay get-well-soon cards.

A day after deciding not to travel with the team for fear of spreading stomach-flu symptoms, McVay arrived Sunday morning.

McVay fist-bumped players during warmups at State Farm Stadium, his trademark gelled hair spikes in full effect. And he looked none the worse for the wear while roaming the sideline sockless and calling plays against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Rams are regarded as a Super Bowl contender — but first they have to make the playoffs.

Coach Sean McVay’s team can clinch a playoff spot if they defeat the Detroit Lions on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

The Rams are 10-3, lead the NFC West and hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A win over the Lions would guarantee a playoff spot for the seventh time in McVay’s nine seasons.

VIDEO | 02:07

Rams look to clinch playoff berth with win over Lions

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Gary Klein breaks down what to watch for when the Rams take on the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions (8-5) are fighting for a playoff spot out of the NFC North. The Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) are the No. 2 seed and the Chicago Bears (9-4) are No. 7.

The Rams are coming off a 45-17 rout of the Arizona Cardinals, a game in which they rolled up 530 yards. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has passed for a league-best 35 touchdowns, bounced back from a three-turnover performance in a loss against the Carolina Panthers and returned to the form that has made him one of the front-runners for the NFL most valuable player award.

Byron Young has 11 sacks for a defense that is giving up 17.5 points per game, third fewest in the NFL.

The Rams will attempt to neutralize a Lions’ offense that averages a league-best 30.3 points per game. Quarterback Jared Goff leads a unit that features running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.