2018 Los Angeles Rams season
2018 Los Angeles Rams season | |
---|---|
Owner | Stan Kroenke |
General manager | Les Snead |
Head coach | Sean McVay |
Offensive coordinator | Sean McVay (de facto) |
Defensive coordinator | Wade Phillips |
Home field | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 13–3 |
Division place | 1st NFC West |
Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Cowboys) 30–22 Won NFC Championship (at Saints) 26–23 (OT) Lost Super Bowl LIII (vs. Patriots) 3–13 |
Pro Bowlers | 4
|
AP All-Pros | 4
|
Uniform | |
The
The Rams were the NFC Champions, finishing with a record of 13–3, improving on their 11–5 record from the
The Rams started their playoff run by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 30–22 in the divisional round to advance to the NFC Championship Game. This would be their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 2001 as the St. Louis Rams, and their first as the Los Angeles Rams since 1989. The Rams then defeated the number 1 seed New Orleans Saints in the controversial NFC Championship Game 26–23 in overtime. By defeating the Saints, the Rams advanced to Super Bowl LIII, where they faced the New England Patriots. The two teams previously met in Super Bowl XXXVI, in which the Patriots defeated the then-St. Louis Rams 20–17, winning their first Super Bowl title and kicking off their dynasty. This was the Rams' first Super Bowl appearance since that game and first as the Los Angeles Rams since Super Bowl XIV in 1979. In a defensive battle, the Rams lost again to the Patriots 13–3. However, they would return to the Super Bowl three years later and win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Offseason
Coaching changes
- The Oakland Raiders hired Rams quarterbacks coach Greg Olson as their new offensive coordinator on January 9, 2018.
- Offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur left the Rams to take the same position with the Tennessee Titans on January 30, 2018.
Uniform changes
The Rams announced during training camp that they would wear their all-white uniforms for the preseason and through the Rams' first two home games of the regular season. Beginning with a Thursday Night game against Minnesota on September 27, the Rams would wear their classic blue-and-yellow throwback uniforms as their primary home uniforms for the remainder of the season and throughout the playoffs (including Super Bowl LIII). Additionally, the team would wear their all-yellow color rush uniforms for scheduled prime time games against San Francisco and Kansas City later in the season.[1]
Roster changes
Free agents
Unrestricted
Position | Player | Tag | 2018 Team | Date signed |
---|---|---|---|---|
CB | Trumaine Johnson | UFA | New York Jets | March 16, 2018 |
WR | Sammy Watkins |
UFA | Kansas City Chiefs | March 15, 2018 |
RB | Lance Dunbar | UFA | TBA | |
TE | Derek Carrier | UFA | Oakland Raiders | March 15, 2018 |
CB | Nickell Robey-Coleman | UFA | Los Angeles Rams | March 13, 2018 |
DE | Dominique Easley | UFA | Los Angeles Rams | March 19, 2018 |
OLB | Connor Barwin | UFA | New York Giants | |
NT |
Tyrunn Walker | UFA | New Orleans Saints | |
C |
John Sullivan | UFA | Los Angeles Rams | March 16, 2018 |
FS | Lamarcus Joyner | UFA | Los Angeles Rams | March 6, 2018 |
FS | Cody Davis | UFA | Jacksonville Jaguars | March 15, 2018 |
Player re-signed by the Rams |
Free agent signings
Position | Player | Tag | 2017 team | Date signed |
---|---|---|---|---|
CB | Sam Shields | UFA | Free Agent |
March 8, 2018 |
ILB |
Ramik Wilson | UFA | Kansas City Chiefs | March 22, 2018 |
DT | Ndamukong Suh | UFA | Miami Dolphins | March 26, 2018 |
Trades
Acquired
Position | Player | 2017 Team | Date obtained | Traded in exchange |
---|---|---|---|---|
WR | Brandin Cooks | New England Patriots | April 3 | 2018 1st round pick (Isaiah Wynn) |
CB | Marcus Peters | Kansas City Chiefs | February 22 (became official on March 14) | 2018 4th round pick (Armani Watts) 2019 2nd round pick (Juan Thornhill) |
Traded away
Position | Player | 2018 Team | Date traded | Obtained in exchange |
---|---|---|---|---|
LB | Alec Ogletree | New York Giants | March 14 (agreement reached on March 7) | 2018 4th round pick (John Franklin-Myers) 2018 6th round pick (John Kelly) |
WR | Tavon Austin | Dallas Cowboys | April 28 | 2018 6th round pick (Jamil Demby) |
Releases
Position | Player | 2018 Team | Date released |
---|---|---|---|
CB | Kayvon Webster | Houston Texans | April 6, 2018 |
Draft
2018 Los Angeles Rams draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 89 | Joseph Noteboom
|
OT
|
TCU | Pick from OAK |
4 | 111 | Brian Allen | C | Michigan St | Pick from MIA |
4 | 135 | John Franklin-Myers | DE | Stephen F. Austin | Pick from NYG |
5 | 147 | Micah Kiser | LB | Virginia
|
Pick from CAR |
5 | 160 | Ogbonnia Okoronkwo | LB | Oklahoma | Pick from DEN |
6 | 176 | John Kelly | RB | Tennessee
|
Pick from NYG |
6 | 192 | Jamil Demby | OT | Maine | Pick from DAL |
6 | 195 | Sebastian Joseph-Day
|
DT | Rutgers
|
Pick from BUF |
6 | 205 | Trevon Young | DE | Louisville | Pick from WSH |
7 | 231 | Travin Howard | LB | TCU | Pick from WSH |
7 | 244 | Justin Lawler | LB | SMU | Pick from ATL |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Draft trades
- The Rams traded their first round selection (No. 23) and sixth round selection (No. 198) to the New England Patriots in exchange for WR Brandin Cooks and the Patriots' fourth round selection (No. 136)
- The Rams traded their second-round selection (56th overall) and cornerback Sammy Watkins.
- The Rams traded their third-round selection (87th overall) to Oakland in exchange for Oakland's third- and seventh-round selections (89th and 217th overall).
- The Rams traded their fourth-round selection (124th overall) and second-round selection in 2019 to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City's sixth-round selection (209th overall) and cornerback Marcus Peters.[2]
- The Rams traded their seventh-round selection in 2019 and linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Giants in exchange for the Giants' fourth- and sixth-round selections (135th and 176th overall).
- The Rams traded their fourth round selection acquired from New England (136th overall) to the Carolina Panthers for the Panthers' fifth- and sixth-round selections (147th and 197th).
- The Rams traded their fifth-round selection (160th overall) to Denver in exchange for cornerback Aqib Talib.
- The Rams traded defensive end Robert Quinn and sixth-round selection (209th overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' fourth- and sixth-round selections (111th and 183rd overall).[2]
- The Rams traded their two sixth-round selections (183rd and 217th overall) to Denver in exchange for Denver's fifth-round selection (160th overall).
- The Rams traded their sixth-round selection (194th overall) to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's two seventh-round selections (244th and 256th overall).
- The Rams traded Tavon Austin to the Dallas Cowboys for their sixth-round selection (192nd overall).[3]
- The Rams traded offensive tackle Greg Robinson to Detroit in exchange for Detroit's sixth-round selection (194th overall).
- The Rams traded their seventh-round selection (241st overall) to Washington in exchange for tight end Derek Carrier.
Staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Final roster
Preseason
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 9 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 7–33 | 0–1 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
2 | August 18 | Oakland Raiders | W 19–15 | 1–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
3 | August 25 | Houston Texans | W 21–20 | 2–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
4 | August 30 | at New Orleans Saints | L 0–28 | 2–2 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome
|
Recap |
Head coach Sean McVay drew considerable attention when he opted to keep his entire starting offense and most of his starting defense off the field for the entire preseason. Other than a few defensive series against Houston, no starters saw any action during the exhibition schedule.[4]
Regular season
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 10 | at Oakland Raiders | W 33–13 | 1–0 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
Recap |
2 | September 16 | Arizona Cardinals | W 34–0 | 2–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
3 | September 23 | Los Angeles Chargers | W 35–23 | 3–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
4 | September 27 | Minnesota Vikings | W 38–31 | 4–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
5 | October 7 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 33–31 | 5–0 | CenturyLink Field
|
Recap |
6 | October 14 | at Denver Broncos | W 23–20 | 6–0 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High
|
Recap |
7 | October 21 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 39–10 | 7–0 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
8 | October 28 | Green Bay Packers | W 29–27 | 8–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
9 | November 4 | at New Orleans Saints | L 35–45 | 8–1 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome
|
Recap |
10 | November 11 | Seattle Seahawks | W 36–31 | 9–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
11 | November 19 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 54–51 | 10–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
12 | Bye | |||||
13 | December 2 | at Detroit Lions | W 30–16 | 11–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
14 | December 9 | at Chicago Bears | L 6–15 | 11–2 | Soldier Field | Recap |
15 | December 16 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 23–30 | 11–3 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
16 | December 23 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 31–9 | 12–3 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
17 | December 30 | San Francisco 49ers | W 48–32 | 13–3 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
Notes:
- Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
- The Week 11 game against the Kansas City Chiefs was originally scheduled to be played in Mexico City in Estadio Azteca as a part of the league's International Series, but was moved to Los Angeles due to concerns over the playing surface.[5]
Game summaries
Week 1: at Oakland Raiders
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 33 |
Raiders | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
at
- Date: September 10
- Game time: 7:20 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C), Clear
- Game attendance: 53,857
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (ESPN/KABC): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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The final game of Week 1 featured a highly anticipated showdown between head coaches
Week 2: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rams | 0 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 34 |
at
- Date: September 16
- Game time: 1:05 pm. PDT
- Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 66,515
- Referee:
Game information | ||
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Opening a three-game home stand at the
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 6 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
Rams | 14 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: September 23
- Game time: 1:05 pm. PDT
- Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 68,947
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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|
Hosting the Chargers in Los Angeles for the first time since 1991 (not counting preseason), the Rams would never trail as Todd Gurley rushed for 105 yards and scored the game's first touchdown. Jared Goff and Robert Woods connected for a touchdown at the end of the first quarter. Cory Littleton blocked a punt which was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown by Blake Countess in the second quarter as the Rams led 21-13. Countess was later named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. During the third quarter, Goff (354 passing yards) threw two more touchdowns, one to Cooper Kupp and a second one to Woods, who finished with 10 receptions for 104 yards. The Rams offense was efficient, totaling 33 first downs to just 16 for the Chargers. Ndamukong Suh had a sack and a fumble recovery, while Littleton led the Rams with 10 tackles.
Week 4: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 7 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 31 |
Rams | 7 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 38 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: September 27
- Game time: 5:20 pm. PDT
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C), clear, sunny
- Game attendance: 72,027
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (Fox/NFLN): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink and Mike Pereira; (Amazon Prime): Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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Jared Goff was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after passing for a career-high 465 yards (the third-highest single-game total in team history) and five touchdowns to four different receivers. Todd Gurley (21 touches, 156 total offensive yards) caught the first TD pass in the first quarter, while Cooper Kupp scored twice and Brandin Cooks scored once in the second quarter on the way to a 28-20 Rams lead. Sam Ficken kicked a 34-yard field goal and Robert Woods caught the Rams' final score on a 31-yard pass late in the third period. Woods (five receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD), Cooks (seven receptions, 116 yards, 1 TD), and Kupp (nine receptions, 162 yards, 2 TDs) were the first wide receiver trio in team history to each go over 100 yards and score a touchdown in the same game. Defensively, Aaron Donald recorded his first two sacks of the season, and John Johnson had a team-high 11 tackles. This game also made history as the first-ever NFL broadcast to use an all-female announcing team, with Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer providing play-by-play and commentary respectively via Amazon Prime streaming service.
Week 5: at Seattle Seahawks
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 33 |
Seahawks | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
at
- Date: October 7
- Game time: 1:25 pm. PDT
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), rain
- Game attendance: 68,893
- Referee: Clete Blakeman
- TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber and Joy Taylor
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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|
It was a tight battle throughout at
Week 6: at Denver Broncos
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 6 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
Broncos | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
at
- Date: October 14
- Game time: 1:05 pm. PDT/2:05 p.m. MDT
- Game weather: 25 °F (−4 °C), mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 76,109
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth and Jennifer Hale
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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|
Running back Todd Gurley turned in a career-best performance, rushing for 208 yards on 28 carries and scoring two touchdowns as the Rams built a 20-3 lead and then held on against the host Broncos. For his effort, Gurley was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Robert Woods caught 10 passes for 109 yards and Jared Goff passed for 201 yards but was held without a touchdown for the first time during the season. Cairo Santos kicked three field goals for the Rams, and free safety Lamarcus Joyner led the Rams on defense with seven tackles. With the win, the Rams improved to 6-0 (matching their best start since 2001) and, following the Chiefs' loss to the Patriots later that evening, ended the day as the NFL's lone remaining unbeaten team. Despite the win, the Rams had by far their lowest score to this point, only putting up 23 points while the lowest they had scored before was 33. Also, this game was played on Jared Goff's 24th birthday.
Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 39 |
49ers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Date: October 21
- Game time: 1:25 pm. PDT
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 66,597
- Referee: Walt Anderson
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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The Rams improved to 7-0, the best start since 1985, in scoring their largest margin of victory at San Francisco in 60 years (a 33-3 Rams victory at Kezar Stadium in 1958). Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had the finest day of his professional career with nine tackles (eight solo), six tackles for loss (including four sacks), plus a forced fumble and fumble recovery and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Linebacker Cory Littleton added two sacks to go with his team-leading 10 total tackles, while John Johnson and Troy Hill both came up with interceptions. Rams quarterback Jared Goff had an efficient day, completing 18 of 24 passes for 202 yards with touchdown passes to Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley, who also added two rushing touchdowns to add to his league-leading 14 total touchdowns on the season.
Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Packers | 7 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
Rams | 0 | 8 | 15 | 6 | 29 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: October 28
- Game time: 1:25 pm. PDT
- Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 75,822
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Mike Pereira
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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The Rams fell behind early, but battled back from a 10-0 deficit to defeat the visiting Packers. Late in the second quarter, a 52-yard punt by
Week 9: at New Orleans Saints
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 35 |
Saints | 14 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 45 |
at
- Date: November 4
- Game time: 1:25 pm. PST/3:25 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 73,086
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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The Rams fell behind 35-14 late in the second quarter, but rallied to tie the game behind the passing of
After losing this game, they met again in the NFC Championship, beating the Saints.
Week 10: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | 14 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
Rams | 7 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 36 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: November 11
- Game time: 1:25 pm. PST
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 72,755
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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The Rams clinched back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2001 with a comeback victory over the Seahawks just four days after a shooting in Thousand Oaks near their training facility. Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 318 yards and touchdown passes to tight ends Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee, with the second score putting the Rams ahead for good early in the fourth quarter. Todd Gurley had 16 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown to extend his team-record touchdown scoring streak to 13 straight games. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald earned 2.5 sacks, and newly-acquired linebacker Dante Fowler recorded a sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery on the same play midway through the fourth quarter. One play later, wide receiver Brandin Cooks scored from nine yards out on a jet sweep for the Rams' final touchdown. Russell Wilson had three touchdown passes for the Seahawks, but threw four straight incompletions in the final minute as Los Angeles earned a season sweep of its NFC West rival and improved its record to 9-1. The victory was marred by the loss of Cooper Kupp, who suffered a torn ACL in the fourth quarter that would end his season.
The Rams would have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
Week 11: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 16 | 7 | 21 | 51 |
Rams | 13 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 54 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: November 19
- Game time: 5:15 pm. PST
- Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 77,002
- Referee: Clete Blakeman
- TV announcers (ESPN/KABC): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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|
Originally scheduled to be played in
The matchup lived up to its billing, as the Rams and Chiefs combined for 105 points and 1,001 yards in total offense. Rams quarterback
Week 13: at Detroit Lions
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 30 |
Lions | 0 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 |
at
- Date: December 2
- Game time: 10:00 am. PST/1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 60,974
- Referee: John Parry
- TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman, and Shannon Spake
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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Week 14: at Chicago Bears
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Bears | 3 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 15 |
at
- Date: December 9
- Game time: 7:20 pm. CST/5:20 pm. PST
- Game weather: 29 °F (−2 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 61,695
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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Week 15: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 3 | 10 | 17 | 0 | 30 |
Rams | 7 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
Game information | ||
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Despite being 13.5-point favorites entering this game,
Week 16: at Arizona Cardinals
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
Cardinals | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- Date: December 23
- Game time: 1:05 pm. PST/2:05 pm. MST
- Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), sunny – retractable roof open
- Game attendance: 61,759
- Referee: Walt Coleman
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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Signed to the Rams roster just five days earlier, running back C. J. Anderson was inserted into the starting lineup after Todd Gurley was declared inactive 90 minutes before gametime due to knee inflammation. The former Pro Bowler with the Denver Broncos proceeded to run 20 times for 167 yards to lead Los Angeles to a convincing fourth straight win over the host Cardinals. Anderson also scored on a 4-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter as the Rams built a 21-9 halftime lead. Jared Goff passed for 216 yards, including a 39-yard scoring pass to Robert Woods in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Goff also scored on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter. Woods caught a team-high six passes for 89 yards, while also scoring the first rushing touchdown of his career on a 4-yard sweep in the first period. On defense, Aaron Donald had three sacks of Arizona quarterback Josh Rosen to increase his league-leading sack total to 19.5, and he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in the season and the fifth time in his career. Donald also set a new modern standard for defensive tackles, breaking the previous mark of 18.0 set in 1989 by Keith Millard of the Minnesota Vikings, while also surpassing former teammate Robert Quinn's modern-era club mark of 19.0 established during the 2013 St. Louis Rams season.
Week 17: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
49ers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 32 |
Rams | 14 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 48 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: December 30
- Game time: 1:25 pm. PST
- Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 72,161
- Referee: Jerome Boger
- TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman and Shannon Spake
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
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The Rams defense recorded four turnovers (including two interceptions by linebacker
Standings
Division
NFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(2) Los Angeles Rams | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 6–0 | 9–3 | 527 | 384 | W2 |
(5) Seattle Seahawks | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 428 | 347 | W2 |
San Francisco 49ers | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 2–10 | 342 | 435 | L2 |
Arizona Cardinals | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 2–4 | 3–9 | 225 | 425 | L4 |
Conference
# | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division leaders | |||||||||||
1[a] | New Orleans Saints | South | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .482 | .488 | L1 |
2[a] | Los Angeles Rams | West | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 6–0 | 9–3 | .480 | .428 | W2 |
3 | Chicago Bears | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .430 | .419 | W4 |
4 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .488 | .444 | W2 |
Wild Cards | |||||||||||
5 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .484 | .400 | W2 |
6 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .518 | .486 | W3 |
Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
7 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 3–2–1 | 6–5–1 | .504 | .355 | L1 |
8[b] | Atlanta Falcons | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .482 | .348 | W3 |
9[b] | Washington Redskins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .486 | .371 | L2 |
10[b] | Carolina Panthers | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .508 | .518 | W1 |
11 | Green Bay Packers | North | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 | 1–4–1 | 3–8–1 | .488 | .417 | L1 |
12 | Detroit Lions | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .504 | .427 | W1 |
13[c] | New York Giants | East | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .527 | .487 | L3 |
14[c] | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .506 | L4 |
15 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 2–10 | .504 | .406 | L2 |
16 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .527 | .302 | L4 |
Tiebreakers[d]
| |||||||||||
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Postseason
Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wild Card | First-round bye | |||||
Divisional | January 12, 2019 | Dallas Cowboys (4) | W 30–22 | 1–0 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
NFC Championship | January 20, 2019 | at New Orleans Saints (1) | W 26–23 (OT) | 2–0 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome
|
Recap |
Super Bowl LIII | February 3, 2019 | vs. New England Patriots (A2) | L 3–13 | 2–1 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Recap |
NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (4) Dallas Cowboys
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 22 |
Rams | 3 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 30 |
at
- Date: January 12, 2019
- Game time: 5:15 p.m.
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
On the second anniversary of his hiring as Los Angeles Rams head coach,
NFC Championship: at (1) New Orleans Saints
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 26 |
Saints | 13 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
at
Game information | ||
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|
Kicker
Super Bowl LIII: vs. (A2) New England Patriots
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
Rams | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
- Date: February 3, 2019
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 pm. PST
- Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 70,081
- Referee: John Parry
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Evan Washburn and Jay Feely
- Recap, Gamebook
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Playing in a hard-fought defensive struggle that resulted in the lowest-scoring
Awards and honors
Recipient | Award(s) |
---|---|
Greg Zuerlein |
Week 1: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week |
Blake Countess | Week 3: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week |
Jared Goff | Week 4: NFC Offensive Player of the Week September: NFC Offensive Player of the Month |
Todd Gurley | Week 6: NFC Offensive Player of the Week Week 6: FedEx Ground Player of the Week October: NFC Offensive Player of the Month Week 13: NFC Offensive Player of the Week |
Aaron Donald | Week 7: NFC Defensive Player of the Week October: NFC Defensive Player of the Month Week 16: NFC Defensive Player of the Week December: NFC Defensive Player of the Month AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year |
Samson Ebukam | Week 11: NFC Defensive Player of the Week |
C. J. Anderson | Week 16: NFC Offensive Player of the Week |
References
- ^ Simmons, Myles (July 27, 2018). "Rams Excited for Changes to Uniforms". TheRams.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "2018 NFL Draft Trade Tracker: Cowboys trade Ryan Switzer after dealing for Tavon Austin". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "Rams trade Tavon Austin to Cowboys for sixth-rounder". NFL.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "LA Rams HC Sean McVay's decision to sit his starting O is a radical one". TurfShowTimes.com. August 27, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "Monday night's Chiefs-Rams game now is being moved from Mexico City to Los Angeles due to poor field conditions in Estadio Azteca, per sources. Back to LA for the Rams, who have been training for altitude in Colorado Springs". Twitter.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ Epstein, Jori (November 4, 2018). "Michael Thomas replicates ex-Saints WR Joe Horn's famous cellphone celebration vs. Rams". USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ "Marcus Peters and Sean Payton's 'Gumbo Beef' Explained".
- ^ "Saints vs. Rams was a gumbo grudge match for Marcus Peters and Sean Payton".
- ^ "Marcus Peters: Tell Sean Payton to Keep Talking Shit After Rams' Loss to Saints".
- ^ Curtis, Charles (November 5, 2018). "Joe Horn on Michael Thomas doing his cellphone celebration: 'I teared up'". USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ "NFL moves Chiefs-Rams from Mexico City to L.A." ESPN.com. Retrieved November 13, 2018.