The LA Rams scored 44 points in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills, and the calls for the end to the team’s offensive woes that has plagued the team all season long appear to be far too premature. In the second time in three games, the Rams offense was completely ineffective in the first half. And as prime-time as QB Matthew Stafford appeared in Week 14, he appeared to be frail, fragile, and completely befuddled in Week 15.

At the 2:00 minute mark in the first half, Matthew Stafford had completed just two of ten passes for 11 yards. But the bigger story is that of the eight incompletions, four or more could easily have resulted in interceptions.

Thankfully, the Rams were able to move the ball on the ground, putting rookie K Joshua Karty in place to kick a 48-yard field goal to tie the score.

While the Rams offense was not exactly putting up the points, the defense was clearly showing up in a big way. Perhaps aided by a driving rain in the first half, both defenses appeared to be NFL Playoff-ready by holding the opposing offenses to just three points respectively. There are many players who deserve to be named for their efforts, but in the first half alone, Rams NT Kobie Turner generated five tackles, including two quarterback sacks.

The Rams pass rush stalled in Wek 14, recording no sacks against Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen. But the Rams pass rush is not going to be silenced for long. The team has five pass rushers who all have relatively equal skills: OLBs Byron Young, Jared Verse, and Michael Hoecht, and DTs Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. But of the group, who will lead them.

Of the group, NT Kobie Turner clearly stepped up.

5 total tackles (2 for loss) in addition to those 2 sacks so far for Turner https://t.co/bSsl0Sxebd

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 13, 2024

The defense needed a pace car in this one. The Rams defense was riddled in Week 14, and needed someone to step up and draw a line in the sand. DT Kobie Turner is that guy.

The fans were far too quick to turn on rookie kicker Joshua Karty. But even as they have grown louder and more emboldened to demand Karty’s release. Thankfully, Rams head coach Sean McVay does not solicit input from angry fans, or the Rams would have been in a huge disadvantage in Week 15.

McVay reassured his faith in Karty, sharing that he thinks Karty is: “Gonna be a good player for us for a long time. Karty responded with a perfect four-for-four performance in sloppy rainy conditions at Levi’s Stadium. While you may not think much of that performance, those twelve points were the only points scored by the offense in the game by the Rams.

No Karty, no wins over the San Francisco 49ers.

Have I gotten it all wrong over RB Kyren Williams? If I did, I apologize to both Kyren Williams and to the LA Rams football team. He had only suited up for 10 games in his rookie season, and only 12 games in his second season with the Rams. So the trend was an easy conclusion, Williams needed someone to share the load with to keep him healthy. And that was further confirmed when the Rams used a Day 2 pick to select rookie RB Blake Corum.

In his last three games, Williams has rushed:

This is money time. The Rams have won the past three games, and Kyren Williams is a huge part of the Rams success.

As the rest of the Rams receivers seemed to struggle, young wide receiver Puka Nacua was money. Nacua is amazing in all aspects of what the Rams asked of him. In a game when the Rams entire offense hauled in 16 of 26 passes for 160 yards. It’s pretty stunning to put up Puka Nacua’s numbers from this game. He hauled in seven of eight passes for 97 yards.

The rest of the receivers where only 9 of 18 for 63 yards.

This game truly felt like the baton has been passed from Cooper Kupp to Puka Nacua. And in the nine games Nacua has played, the Rams are 6-3, including a three-game winning streak.

The Rams offense did not score a single touchdown. But the Rams did score four field goals to hold onto the win. And the Rams defense, a squad that allowed 42 points in Week 14, only allowed a pretty potent 49ers offense to score six points.

I suppose it’s time to share the final score, right. Forget what you expected. The Rams defense showed up in a big way. We have lots to talk about from this game.

Los Angeles Rams 12
San Francisco 49ers 6

As always, thanks for reading.