Rams move into an NFC playoff spot after victory over Commanders
The Rams are going to the playoffs — at least for the moment.
They still have three games to play, but a postseason berth that was a longshot at the start of the season is now incomparably within their grasp.
A 28-20 victory Sunday over the Washington Commanders at SoFi Stadium, coupled with the Green Bay Packers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, put the Rams in the No. 7 spot for the NFC playoffs.
Can they hold it? Can a team preseason oddsmakers tabbed as a 6½ -win outfit get back to the postseason after last season’s stupefying Super Bowl hangover?
Rams hold on to beat Commanders and stay in NFC playoff hunt
🏈 Rams 28, Commanders 20 — FINAL
The Rams managed to hold off a Jacoby Brissett-led fourth-quarter surge by the Commanders to pick up their seventh win of the season and move back to .500. With the win, the Rams currently hold the final NFC wild-card spot with three games left in the regular season.
Washington was forced to burn its timeouts and let any chance of a comeback slip away when Kyren Williams picked up a first down on a six-yard run on the Rams’ final possession. Williams played a leading role in the win, rushing for 152 yards and a touchdown in 27 carries but lost the ball twice on fumbles.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 25 of 33 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper Kupp had 111 yards and a touchdown on eight catches and Puka Nacua made five catches for 50 yards.
Brissett replaced Washington starting quarterback Sam Howell in the fourth quarter and completed eight of 10 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Howell struggled, completing 11 of 26 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.
Terry McLaurin led Washington receivers with 141 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.
The Rams won’t have much time to enjoy their latest win — they play host to the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. They then play road games against the New York Giants (Dec. 31) and San Francisco 49ers (Jan. 7) to close out the regular season.
Commanders score late touchdown after stalling at goal line
🏈 Rams 28, Commanders 20 — 1:46 left in the fourth quarter
Commanders quarterback Jacoby Brissett connected on a three-yard pass to receiver Curtis Samuel, but Cobie Durant blocked the extra-point attempt to make it an eight-point game late in the fourth quarter.
The touchdown came after the Rams managed to stall the Commanders at the goal line following a 49-yard reception from Terry McLaurin set up first and goal from the Rams’ one-yard line. It took the Commanders 10 plays and more than three minutes to score.
Jacoby Brissett connects with Terry McLaurin for TD
🏈 Rams 28, Commanders 14 — 7:17 left in the fourth quarter
The Commanders are refusing to go away.
Washington backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett connected on a 29-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin to make it a two-score game. McLaurin managed to make the catch despite tight coverage from Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick.
Brissett orchestrated the five-play, 67-yard drive after replacing starting quarterback Sam Howell, who has struggled against the Rams’ defense.
Before the Washington scoring drive, Lucas Havrisik missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt as the Rams came up empty after John Johnson III’s interception gave them excellent field position.
Havrisik’s kick was wide right and nowhere close to splitting the uprights.
John Johnson III intercepts tipped pass for Rams
🏈 Rams 28, Commanders 7 — 12:30 left in the fourth quarter
Sam Howell’s nightmare of a game continues.
Rams cornerback John Johnson III intercepted a tipped pass from the Washington quarterback on the first play from scrimmage after a Rams touchdown to keep the Rams in complete control.
The Rams took over at the Washington 38-yard line with a prime opportunity to pad their lead.
Rams extend their lead on Demarcus Robinson TD catch
🏈 Rams 28, Commanders 7 — 13:36 left in the fourth quarter
Matthew Stafford found Demarcus Robinson on a 23-yard touchdown pass and Kyren Williams scored on a two-point conversion to give the Rams a commanding lead.
The touchdown pass — Stafford’s second today — ended a five-play, 51-yard drive that included an 18-yard pass to receiver Puka Nacua.
Stafford has completed 24 of 31 passes for 254 yards and Williams has 107 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries.
Commanders confuse Rams’ secondary and get on scoreboard
🏈 Rams 20, Commanders 7 — 6:25 left in the third quarter
Washington quarterback Sam Howell found receiver Curtis Samuel in the back of the end zone on a 19-yard touchdown pass to cut into the Rams’ lead.
The touchdown came on a cross that confused the Rams’ secondary, leaving Samuel wide open. It capped a seven-play, 48-yard drive that included Howell completing a drive-extending pass to receiver Terry McLaurin on fourth down.
Entering the drive, Washington had just four first downs and 114 total yards on its first six possessions.
Rams extend lead on Cooper Kupp’s 62-yard touchdown catch
🏈 Rams 20, Commanders 0 — 14:07 left in the second quarter
Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp capitalized on blown coverage by the Commanders’ secondary, connecting on a 62-yard touchdown pass on the opening possession of the second half.
Kupp was wide open on the play, just managing to stretch out and make the catch before trotting into the end zone.
Kupp has six catches for 100 yards so far. Stafford has completed 17 of 21 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. His scoring pass to Kupp came on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter.
Rams tack on another field goal just before halftime
🏈 Rams 13, Commanders 0 — HALFTIME
Lucas Havrisik kicked a 27-yard field goal with three seconds left in the first half to extend the lead.
It was a terrific first half by the Rams defense and special teams, but one of missed opportunities by the offense.
Running back Kyren Williams lost two fumbles, including one late in the second quarter after catching a pass. Fortunately for the Rams, the defense forced the Commanders to go three and out, and then recovered a botched snap on a punt to set up Havrisik’s second field goal.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed 16 of 20 passes for 125 yards.
Williams has rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries.
Cooper Kupp has five catches for 38 yards and tight end Tyler Higbee four catches for 36 yards.
Linebacker Ernest Jones has a sack, and safety Quentin Lake and outside linebacker Nick Hampton made key plays to break up passes.
Rams extend their lead on Kyren Williams touchdown
🏈 Rams 10, Commanders 0 — 2:19 left in the second quarter
Kyren Williams scored on a two-yard run as the Rams finally cashed in completely on a red-zone opportunity.
The Rams had twice driven inside the 10-yard line, only to settle for a field goal and then lose the ball on a Williams fumble.
But this time, Williams used a second effort to cross the goal line and finish a 10-play, 53-yard drive.
Receiver Demarcus Robinson had the big play of the drive when he took a handoff on an end-around play and rushed for 23 yards.
Cooper Kupp’s nine–yard reception on a third-and-four play at the 12-yard line helped set up Williams’ touchdown run.
Matthew Stafford has completed 12 of 13 passes for 110 yards.
Rams defense comes up big on Commanders gamble
🏈 Rams 3, Commanders 0 — 36 seconds left in first quarter
The Commanders gambled, going for it on fourth and one from the 12-yard line, but Rams rookie outside linebacker Nick Hampton batted away Sam Howell’s pass attempt to preserve the lead.
The Commanders had already converted a fourth-down situation when Howell completed a 24-yard pass to receiver Terry McLaurin.
Howell has completed five of 10 passes for 46 yards and rushed for 19 yards.
Rams jump out to early lead with Lucas Havrisik field goal
🏈 Rams 3, Commanders 0 — 7:39 left in the first quarter
For the second week in a row, the Rams drove nearly the entire length of the field on their first possession — only to settle for a Lucas Havrisik field goal.
Matthew Stafford completed five of five passes for 41 yards and Kyren Williams rushed for 42 yards in four carries during the 11-play drive.
Puka Nacua has a 23-yard reception and Demarcus Robinson had a 21-yard catch.
Rams receive what they need for playoff push: a healthy Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp liked what he saw.
And for the Rams’ star receiver, that qualified as a rarity this season.
Kupp caught eight passes and scored a touchdown in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday. More importantly to Kupp, as he reviewed video of his performance, he noticed movement and execution closer to his standard.
“Encouraged about that,” Kupp said Thursday.
So are the Rams (6-7), who are in the midst of a playoff push that continues Sunday against the Washington Commanders (4-9) at SoFi Stadium.
Aaron Donald officially active; Tutu Atwell will not play
As expected, Aaron Donald will play for the Rams against Washington Commanders after being added to the injury report Saturday because of groin tightness.
Wide receiver Tutu Atwell (concussion) and offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (groin) will not play. Here’s a list of the Rams and Commanders players who will not be in uniform:
RAMS
WR Tutu Atwell
OL Rob Havenstein
OLB Ochaun Mathis
DB Shaun Jolly
DE Desjaun Johnson
COMMANDERS
RB Brian Robinson Jr.
CB Kyu Blu Kelly
G Julian Good-Jones
TE Cole Turner
WR Mitchell Tinsley
DE James Smith-Williams
Would the Chargers dare raid the Rams’ coaching staff again?
Before he became the coach of the Chargers, Brandon Staley served as the Rams defensive coordinator in 2020.
Staley was fired on Friday, less than 24 hours after the Las Vegas Raiders routed the Chargers 63-21, dropping the Chargers’ record to 5-9.
During a news conference before practice, Rams coach Sean McVay was asked for his reaction to Staley’s firing.
“You want to be there for your friend,” McVay said. “And I also know what a great coach he is and what he’s meant to me, what I’ve learned from him. These are things that are really challenging, and I’ve grown up in the business and there’s a lot of tough things.
“But I know what a great coach he is. I know what I’ve seen from my own eyes and I know that he’s going to respond and he’s got a really bright future.”
Rams’ confidence keeps improving along with Matthew Stafford’s health
Two years ago, Matthew Stafford led the Rams to victory in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced that Super Bowl LXI, which will cap the 2026-27 season, was awarded to the Rams’ home .
Does Stafford, 36, anticipate still playing for the Rams?
“I have no idea,” he said, chuckling. “That’s a long way away.”
But Stafford would welcome the opportunity to play another Super Bowl in his home stadium.
“Absolutely,” he said, adding, “It was cool. ... It’s a unique experience, getting able to do that at home. Don’t know what it would be like anywhere else, but it sure was fun getting it done at our place.”
Rams-Commanders matchups: How to watch, start time and prediction
Breaking down how the Rams (6-7) and Washington Commanders (4-9) match up heading into their game Sunday at 1:05 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS and Paramount+:
When Rams have the ball
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing at an elite level. In the last three games, Stafford has passed for 10 touchdowns, with one interception. Stafford passed for three touchdowns last Sunday in a 37-31 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Running back Kyren Williams leads the rushing attack.