Rams give their fans some Christmas joy in 51-14 win over Broncos
🏈 Rams 51, Broncos 14 — FINAL
Rams running back Cam Akers rushed for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield played efficiently and with occasional flash. Veteran tight end Tyler Higbee stepped up, and the defense forced multiple turnovers that made it easy on the offense.
Nothing, of course, has been easy for the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams during their lost season.
But for one game anyway, they executed and played the long-sought-after-but-almost-never-achieved complementary football that coach Sean McVay has hopelessly pined for.
The Rams’ 51-14 victory on Sunday over the hapless Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium was a welcome respite for McVay and the Rams organization.
It was the most points scored by the Rams since a 54-51 win to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018.
From start to finish Sunday, the Rams (5-10) had reason to feel good about themselves en route to amassing a season high in points. Sunday’s effort eclipsed a 31-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the second game of the season.
The Rams scored on all eight of their possessions.
Akers rushed for 118 yards in 23 carries and scored on runs of two, two and four yards in the best game of the season for the third-year pro who had been exiled from the team for more than two weeks earlier this season.
It was the first time Akers rushed for more than 100 yards since he gained 131 yards against the Seahawks in a 2020 season wild-card playoff victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
In his second start, Mayfield completed 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns.
Higbee caught nine passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Rookie cornerback Cobie Durant intercepted two passes, one he returned 85 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that provided the exclamation point to the victory. Linebacker Bobby Wagner and cornerback Jalen Ramsey also intercepted passes.
The Rams were coming off a 24-12 defeat to the Green Bay Packers, a loss that eliminated the them from playoff contention.
All the Rams had left to play for against the Broncos, Chargers and Seahawks — other than the development of young players — was pride.
Akers continued his late-season reemergence by amassing 147 total yards.
Mayfield, though, has an opportunity to show other teams that he remains capable of starting in the NFL.
He looked the part in a Dec. 8 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, but not in the defeat to the Packers. On Sunday, with the defense supplying excellent field position, he played with confidence.
Meantime, Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson continued to struggle in his first season in Denver.
Wilson, 34, returned to the lineup after being held out of last Sunday’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals while recovering from a concussion.
He completed 15 of 27 passes for 214 yards and touchdown, with three interceptions.
Durant intercepted a pass on the first possession to set up Higbee’s first touchdown, and former Seahawks teammate Wagner intercepted a pass on the second series to set up Akers’ first touchdown.
It was Wagner’s second interception of the season, the 13th of his career.
With just over four minutes left, Durant picked off a pass by Broncos backup Brent Rypien and raced up the sideline for a touchdown.
Cobie Durant scores on 85-yard pick-six as Rams cross 50-point mark
🏈 Rams 51, Broncos 14 — 4:08 left in the fourth quarter
Cobie Durant scored on an 85-yard interception return off an errant pass by Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien to put an exclamation point on what has been an impressive Rams effort.
It was Durant’s second interception. In the first quarter, his interception led to the Rams’ first touchdown.
Matt Gay kicks his third field goal of the game to extend Rams’ lead
🏈 Rams 44, Broncos 14 — 6:16 left in the fourth quarter
Matt Gay kicked a 53-yard field goal — his third field goal of the game — to extend the Rams’ lead heading into the final minutes of the contest.
The field goal came after the Rams recovered an onside kick following a Denver touchdown.
Russell Wilson and the Broncos find the end zone
🏈 Rams 41, Broncos 14 — 8:30 left in the fourth quarter
Russell Wilson connected with tight end Greg Dulcich for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
Latavius Murray rushed for a two-point conversion.
Wilson has completed 15 of 27 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions.
Cam Akers picks up his third TD of the day vs. Broncos
🏈 Rams 41, Broncos 6 — 12:31 left in the fourth quarter
Cam Akers scored his third touchdown on a four-yard run to continue the rout.
Akers has rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns in 23 carries. It is Akers’ most rushing yards in a game since he gained 131 yards against the Seattle Seahawks in a 2020 season wild-card playoff victory.
Baker Mayfield has completed 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns.
Rams continue to pile on against the Broncos
🏈 Rams 34, Broncos 6 — 3:49 left in the third quarter
Matt Gay kicked a 30-yard field goal, giving the Rams a season-high for points.
The Rams eclipsed the 31 points they scored in a victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the second game of the season.
Jalen Ramsey’s interception of a Russell Wilson’s long pass into the end zone set up the Rams’ 15-play drive that consumed more than nine minutes.
Baker Mayfield has completed 22 of 25 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns.
Cam Akers has rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns in 20 carries.
Tight end Tyler Higbee has nine catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Cam Akers touchdown gives Rams commanding halftime lead
🏈 Rams 31, Broncos 6 — HALFTIME
Running back Cam Akers rushed for his second touchdown as the Rams scored for the fifth time in five possessions.
Baker Mayfield directed a 12-play, 90-yard drive that featured a 16-yard completion to tight end Bryce Hopkins and 21- and 13-yard completions to tight end Tyler Higbee.
Brandon McManus kicked a 49-yard field goal as the first half expired, cutting the Rams’ lead to 25 points. Russell Wilson’s 15-yard scramble and 22-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy set up the field goal.
Wilson has completed six of 13 passes for 90 yards, with two interceptions.
Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner, Wilson former Seattle Seahawks teammate, intercepted a pass to set up a touchdown. Wagner also has a sack.
Higbee has eight receptions for 84 yards.
Akers has rushed for 61 yards and two touchdowns in 13 carries.
Mayfield has completed 18 of 20 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
Baker Mayfield and Tyler Higbee connect for another touchdown
🏈 Rams 24, Broncos 3 — 9:42 left in the second quarter
Baker Mayfield connected with tight end Tyler Higbee for a seven-yard touchdown pass, the fourth time in four possessions that the Rams scored.
It was Higbee’s second touchdown of the game, his third in the last two games.
Running back Cam Akers had receptions of 18 and 12 yards during the 11-play, 75-yard drive.
Mayfield had completed all 11 of his passes until an attempt on second and goal from the seven sailed high and hit the goal post crossbar.
On the next play, he found Higbee for the touchdown.
Mayfield has completed 12 of 13 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Higbee has six receptions for 51 yards and two touchdowns.
Broncos cut into the Rams’ lead with field goal
🏈 Rams 17, Broncos 3 — 39 seconds left in the first quarter
The Broncos cut the lead to 14 points with a 54-yard field goal by Brandon McManus.
Russell Wilson completed passes of 20 and 12 yards to Courtland Sutton and 23 yards to Jerry Jeudy during a drive that stalled at the Rams’ 36-yard line.
Wilson has completed four of seven passes for 57 yards, with two interceptions.
Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield is six of six for 59 yards.
Bobby Wagner picks off Russell Wilson and Rams score quick TD
Rams 17, Broncos 0 — 4:45 left in the first quarter
Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner played 10 seasons with Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson when both were members of the Seattle Seahawks.
So Wagner knows Wilson’s tendencies better than perhaps anyone.
Wagner intercepted a pass and returned it 13 yards to the Broncos’ 11-yard line to set up the Rams’ second consecutive touchdown after a turnover.
Baker Mayfield completed an eight-yard pass to tight end Tyler Higbee before running back Cam Akers scored on a three-yard run.
Mayfield has completed six of six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Akers has rushed for 43 yards in seven carries.
Rams capitalize on Cobie Durant interception to extend lead
🏈 Rams 10, Broncos 0 — 6:19 left in the first quarter
Rookie cornerback Cobie Durant intercepted a pass by Russell Wilson, setting up the Rams for a nine-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield.
Durant intercepted the pass on the Broncos’ third play, and returned it 15 yards to the Broncos’ 34-yard line.
After a short run by Cam Akers, Mayfield connected with tight end Brycen Hopkins for a 22-yard gain.
On the next play, Higbee caught a pass on the right side and dove across the goal line.
Mayfield has completed five of five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Akers has rushed for 40 yards in six carries.
Matt Gay kicks 55-yard field goal to give Rams early lead
🏈 Rams 3, Broncos 0 — 8:26 left in the first quarter
Matt Gay kicked a 55-yard field goal to give the Rams the early lead.
Running back Cam Akers had the Rams on the move, carrying the ball five times for 37 yards as the Rams drove to the Broncos’ 27-yard line.
But lineman Oday Aboushi drew a false-start penalty and, after receiver Brandon Powell was stopped for no gain on a run, quarterback Baker Mayfield fumbled a snap in the shotgun formation for a 13-yard loss.
Tight end Tyler Higbee caught a short pass to set up the field goal.
Out-of-contention Rams will focus on younger players’ development
Rookie safety Quentin Lake showed Rams coaches his potential on special teams.
Yet something other than performance and athletic ability earned the former UCLA standout an opportunity on defense.
During last Monday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, with safety Taylor Rapp out for a few plays, the Rams needed an extra defensive back for a specific package.
Lake had never played the position. He’d never practiced it.
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris called on Lake anyway, citing his study habits.
“‘Have you seen his notebook?’” Morris said he told defensive backs coach Chris Shula, “‘Put him in.’”
Amid Rams’ cursed season, Sean McVay is happy for Jared Goff and Kevin O’Connell
As the Rams’ lost season took yet another downward turn Tuesday — center Brian Allen and receiver Ben Skowronek will not play in the final three games because of calf injuries — coach Sean McVay looked around the NFL to see former Rams coaches and players flourishing.
Kevin O’Connell, the Rams’ offensive coordinator the previous two seasons, is enjoying success as coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and quarterback Jared Goff is playing well in his second season with the Detroit Lions.
Under O’Connell, who took former Rams assistant Wes Phillips with him to Minnesota as offensive coordinator, the Vikings are 11-3 and have clinched a playoff spot.
McVay, whose team dropped to 4-10 with a 24-12 defeat by the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, said he spoke with O’Connell and Phillips after the Vikings’ dramatic comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Saturday.
Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson set for first ‘chess match’ as opponents
They spent 10 years on the same team, reading each other from across the line of scrimmage during hundreds of practices.
Six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner and nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl and four NFC West titles.
But on the same day last March, Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos and Wagner was released, eventually signing with the Rams.
On Sunday at SoFi Stadium, they will face each other in a game for the first time.
Wagner said this week that the matchup would be “an upgraded version” of a noncontact workout in Seattle, in which the pace was full speed but the hitting was not.
Rams vs. Denver Broncos matchups, how to watch and prediction
Breaking down how the Rams (4-10) and the Denver Broncos (4-10) match up heading into their game at 1:30 p.m. PST at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. The game will be shown on CBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount+ and NFL+.
When Rams have the ball
Quarterback Baker Mayfield returns to SoFi Stadium, where in his Dec. 8 Rams debut he came off the bench and engineered a last-minute victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
On Monday night, Mayfield completed 12 of 21 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, with an interception, in a 24-12 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Wide receiver Ben Skowronek suffered a season-ending calf injury, so he joins star Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson among those who will not play again until next season. Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell and Brandon Powell will start for a receiving unit that also features tight end Tyler Higbee, who caught his first touchdown pass of the season against the Packers.