Matthew Stafford and Rams surge in the second half to defeat Titans

NASHVILLE — Sean McVay did not plan to wait long to begin dissecting the Rams next opponent: the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.

After his team stayed unbeaten on Sunday with a 33-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, McVay aimed to take in the Eagles’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs during the plane ride back to Los Angeles.

“It will be fun to watch it,” said McVay, whose team plays the Eagles next Sunday, “as long as the damn WiFi on the plane works.”

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Rams beat reporter Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 33-19 win over the Tennessee Titans as the team shifts its focus toward a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.

Technical difficulties or otherwise, McVay and the Rams are feeling pretty good about themselves.

And rightfully, but perhaps cautiously, so.

Victories over the Houston Texans and the Titans were nice tune-ups that showed the Rams can indeed be Super Bowl contenders.

Now the real season — and test — begins.

The Eagles are the real measuring stick for the Rams, who are seeking their third Super Bowl appearance in eight years.

Sunday’s performance against the Titans gave the Rams reason for optimism.

Receiver Puka Nacua scored on a long touchdown run, Matthew Stafford passed for two touchdowns — including his first to Davante Adams — and edge rusher Byron Young had two sacks and forced a fumble to lead the Rams.

So the Rams will confidently return to Lincoln Financial Field, where they lost to the Eagles in the NFC divisional round on a cold, snowy afternoon.

🏈 Rams 33, Titans 19 — FINAL

Behind an offensive surge spearheaded by Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams, the Rams defeated the Titans to improve to 2-0 on the season.

It was the Rams’ sixth consecutive regular-season road win.

Runs of 12 and and 15 yards by Kyren Williams on the Rams’ final possession sealed the win.

Stafford completed 23 of 33 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Adams made six catches for 106 yards. Williams rushed for 66 yards in 17 carries.

🏈 Rams 33, Titans 19 — 2:44 left in the fourth quarter

Joey Slye kicked a 35-yard field goal after the Rams’ defense managed to limit the damage on a speedy 13-play, 48-yard drive.

The Titans’ onside kick attempt failed, with Blake Corum recovering the kick for the Rams. The Titans still have two timeouts left.

🏈 Rams 33, Titans 16 — 6:45 left in the fourth quarter

Blake Corum scored on a one-yard run to give the Rams a commanding lead late in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee’s Arden Key blocked Joshua Karty’s extra-point attempt.

Corum had a 16-yard run during the seven-play, 65-yard drive that featured Matthew Stafford connecting with Jordan Whittington wide open for a 40-yard gain.

🏈 Rams 27, Titans 16 — 9:40 left in the fourth quarter

Matthew Stafford connected on an 16-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams to extend the Rams lead with under 10 minutes left in regulation.

The touchdown was set up four plays earlier when Byron Young strip sacked Cam Ward and Nate Landman picked up the fumble at the Tennessee 21-yard line.

It’s the second straight week Landman has been involved in a fourth-quarter fumble — he caused a fumble against the Houston Texans to seal the Rams’ win.

Stafford has completed 22 of 31 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Adams has six catches for 106 yards.

🏈 Rams 20, Titans 16 — 1:17 left in the third quarter

Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Davis Allen for an eight-yard touchdown to put the Rams back in the lead.

Allen also had a touchdown catch in the season-opening victory over the Houston Texans.

Stafford set up the touchdown on Sunday with completions of 24 and 22 yards to Puka Nacua. Blake Corum then rushed for 15 yards to give the Rams first and goal at the eight-yard line.

Allen’s catch was initially ruled short of the goal line, but coach Sean McVay challenged, and replay officials ruled the ball had crossed the goal line.

Stafford has completed 17 of 26 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.

🏈 Titans 16, Rams 13 — 3:32 left in the third quarter

Joey Slye kicked a 57-yard field goal to put the Titans ahead.

Slye also had kicked field goals of 55 and 37 yards.

Cam Ward has completed 12 of 19 passes for 134 yards.

🏈 Rams 13, Titans 13 — 9:33 left in the third quarter

The Rams came up short once again in the red zone and had to settle for a 21-yard field goal from Joshua Karty to tie the game.

The 12-play, 62-yard drive included a couple of spectacular catches by Davante Adams for 19 and 26 yards. However, Matthew Stafford couldn’t complete a pass to Adams for a potential touchdown on third and goal from the Tennessee three.

🏈 Titans 13, Rams 10 — HALFTIME

Joey Slye kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to put the Titans ahead.

The Titans had tied the score on Cam Ward’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor with 38 seconds left, and then Titans Cody Barton intercepted Matthew Stafford’s first-down pass.

Ward’s touchdown pass, the first of his career, ended the Rams defense’s streak of five quarters without a touchdown.

Puka Nacua scored on a 45-yard touchdown run and Joshua Karty kicked a field goal for the Rams.

Stafford, the top pick in the 2009 NFL draft, has completed nine of 16 passes for 107 yards.

Davante Adams has two catches for 39 yards, tight end Tyler Higbee three catches for 37 yards and Nacua four catches for 31 yards.

Kyren Williams has rushed for 18 yards in seven carries.

Ward has completed 10 of 17 passes for 123 yards.

Byron Young and Kobie Turner have sacks for the Rams, who got a break when Chimere Dike’s apparent 57-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the second quarter was nullified by a penalty.

🏈 Rams 10, Titans 10 — 28 seconds left in the first half

Cam Ward made a sensational play to connect with Elic Ayomanor for a nine-yard touchdown with 38 seconds left in the first half.

Ward, the top pick in the draft, evaded pressure and rolled to his right then threw across his body to the left corner of the end zone and found Ayomanor, who also had a one-handed catch during the 10-play, 56-yard scoring drive.

It was Ward’s first career touchdown pass.

Ward has completed 10 of 17 passes for 123 yards.

🏈 Rams 10, Titans 3 — 7:25 left in the second quarter

The Rams drove to the Titans’ three-yard line but could not score a touchdown and were forced to settle for Joshua Karty’s 16-yard field goal.

Matthew Stafford completed passes of 33 yards to Davante Adams and 20 yards to tight end Tyler Higbee as the Rams moved down the field.

But on first down at the three, Stafford could not connect with Adams. On second down, Stafford fumbled the snap and then threw errantly toward Adams for an incomplete pass. Stafford also missed on a third-down pass to Adams in the back of the end zone.

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon sustained a shoulder injury on the previous defensive series and was ruled out for the remainder of the game by the Rams.

🏈 Rams 7, Titans 3 — 11:21 left in the second quarter

Joey Slye kicked a 55-yard field goal to cut the Rams’ lead.

Titans quarterback Cam Ward, the top pick in the 2025 NFL draft, directed an 11-play scoring drive.

Rams tackle Kobie Turner had a sack, giving the Rams two for the game. Edge rusher Byron Young sacked Ward in the first quarter.

🏈 Rams 7, Titans 0 — 8:39 left in the first quarter

Star receiver Puka Nacua scored his first touchdown of the season on a 45-yard run to give the Rams the lead.

On fourth and one, Nacua went in motion from left to right and took a handoff from quarterback Matthew Stafford. He turned the corner and broke through would-be tacklers and raced down the left sideline to the end zone.

Nacua, who caught 10 passes for 130 yards in last week’s season-opening victory over the Houston Texans, has one catch for eight yards.

The Rams win the coin toss and defer to receive in the second half.

And it didn’t take long for the Rams defense to introduce itself to Titans quarterback Cam Ward. Byron Young sacked Ward on the fourth play from scrimmage as Tennessee went three and out.

The back is back.

So is the arm. So are the eyes. So is the savvy.

So are the Rams.

After listening to worry warts spend all summer fretting about a lingering disc injury that sidelined him throughout training camp, quarterback Matthew Stafford took the field Sunday for the first time in a competitive game in seven months and offered a two-word response.

Back off.

He’s fine, he’s better than fine, he’s destined-for-the-Super-Bowl fine, it was predicted in this space last week, it’s even more evident now after a season-opening 14-9 victory against the Houston Texans amid a roaring SoFi Stadium filled with a misplaced cheer.

Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Rams and the Titans on Sunday:

Rams

QB Stetson Bennett

TE Colby Parkinson

OL Steve Avila

DE Desjuan Johnson

OL D.J. Humphries

Titans

CB Jalyn Armour-Davis

S Kevin Winston Jr.

RB Kalel Mullings

CB Samuel Womack III

OT JC Latham

G Jackson Slater

NT T’Vondre Sweat

As a warm June breeze blew in off the Pacific Ocean, Rams team president Kevin Demoff stepped up to a microphone at a posh oceanfront resort in Maui to address players, coaches and guests at a celebratory luau.

The Rams had traveled to Hawaii to end offseason workouts — and to kick off a drive they aim to end with another Super Bowl title.

“This is truly your time to come celebrate, enjoy, reflect and get ready for what’s going to be an amazing adventure,” Demoff told the crowd.

Puka Nacua stole the show. Davante Adams was a supporting player.

That was the story for the star receivers in the Rams’ season-opening victory over the Houston Texans.

No one was complaining.

Except, perhaps, fantasy football players who drafted Adams.

“That’s not in the forefront of my mind,” Adams, chuckling, said this week. “I know they think it is. I’m just out here trying to win games and contribute and make plays when I can.”

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, the linchpin to the Rams’ aspirations for another Super Bowl appearance, emerged largely unscathed from a season-opening victory over the Houston Texans, but another great challenge awaits the offensive line Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Left guard Steve Avila is doubtful because of an ankle injury and right guard Kevin Dotson will be playing through an ankle issue.