Rams Lose Third Consecutive Road Game

Road warriors no more. The Los Angeles Rams lost for the third time in four games to begin the 2024 season. Every single loss has been on the road. The latest, a game they gave away to the Bears, 24-18, at Soldier Field in Chicago, was primarily the result of not capitalizing in the Red Zone on their offensive drives in the first half.

The Rams started with a very robust 7-1 road record when Sean McVay took over as head coach of the Rams in 2017. They improved to 28-13 (.682) as the visiting team through the 2021 season, before bottoming out at 1-7 in 2022. The team rebounded to a 5-4 record last season but with three defeats this season they now are 34-27 (.557).

"When we were doing what we were supposed to do, we moved the ball really well. That's a really tough defense," said quarterback Matthew Stafford, which included a lost fumble that gave the Bears a 7-6 lead in the second quarter. The Rams (1-3) never recovered and are now tied for the worst record in the NFC. "... we've got to come away with more points. It's not to drive the ball all day and settle for threes."

McVay reiterated: "I thought the defense played excellent from the jump. But for us to only have six points after the way the guys were able to move the football, we have to do a better job once we get into striking distance of finishing drives with touchdowns."

Los Angeles can now focus their complete attention on hosting the Green Bay Packers, the third NFC North opponent they've faced this season, Sunday at SoFi Stadium, 1:25 p.m. PT. The Rams will get a much-needed break the following week, a very early-season bye in Week 6, to recover from multiple roster injuries and poor results through Week 4. Usually not the ideal time to have a bye week but very welcome given the circumstances.

"Hopefully we get a good taste in our mouth going into the bye week, and then we can reset and come back and play better football," said Rams safety Kamrn Curl, the 5-year pro in his first season with the Rams after playing the past four seasons with the Washington Commanders. "Basically, we beat ourselves in some aspects of the game... All of it's fixable and just make the plays that come to us."

The Packers (2-2) are coming off a tough 31-24 home loss to the rival Minnesota Vikings following two wins. The NFC North is currently the most competitive NFL Division with Vikings (4-0), Detroit Lions, whom the Rams lost the season opener to in overtime (3-1), and the Bears (2-2).

A needed win so early in the season is critical to both teams to stay within reach, with the Rams trailing the Seattle Seahawks (3-1), San Francisco 49ers (2-2), and tied with the Arizona Cardinals (1-3) who battered the Rams in Week 2. The Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love, who suffered an MCL sprain in Week 1, missed Weeks 2 and 3 but returned in the loss to the Vikings. Malik Willis stepped in and performed well in the team's two wins.

Love rallied the Pack from a 28-0 second quarter deficit only to fall short, 31-29, to Minnesota. He threw for 389 yards on 32 completions, four touchdowns, but three interceptions. He has completed only 55.7% of his passing attempts this season, the lowest of his 4-year career.

Love, who said he was able to play through his knee condition against the Vikings even though it was painful when hit: "It just came down to making plays in that second half... but just too little, too late. I didn't make enough early on and didn't take advantage early on."

Josh Jacobs leads Green Bay in rushing with 329 yards in 71 attempts, but no scores yet. Jayden Reed is their leading receiver with 19.8 yards per reception on 17 catches for 336 yards, and two touchdowns. Linebacker Quay Walker leads the team defense with 31 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt lead the team with three sacks and 10 total into his third pro season.

The Packers have won the last nine of ten matchups with the Rams, including the last four when the games were played in Lambeau Field. The Rams last win, 29-27, was on October 28, 2018 when they hosted Green Bay at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Sunday's game will be the 100th meeting between the two since the series started in 1937.

McVay has a lifetime 1-4 record versus the Packers, including an 0-4 record against head coach Matt LeFleur, who was the offensive coordinator for the Rams during McVay's first season with the Rams. LaFleur has a 58-29 regular season record in his sixth season with Green Bay, winning NFC North titles in the first three seasons.

The Rams moved the ball inside the Chicago 20-yard line three times in the first two quarters, yet came away with only two field goals and a 10-6 deficit at the half. McVay: "I like the way we battled. But in the first half offensively, we were able to really throughout the course of the game move the ball. Did a really poor job of finishing drives."

We didn't execute a protection that led to the sack that Sweat (edge rusher Montez) got. That should not occur on that protection. That's something that just can't happen. And it did. And it led to a turnover that ended up being a key factor in the difference of the outcome."

The offense visited the Red Zone just twice in the second half with kicker Josh Karty converting his third field goal of the game to open the third quarter. On their next drive Kyren Williams scored ran three yards for a touchdown entering the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game at 17-all fell incomplete.

Trailing 24-18, the Rams had excellent opportunities to take the lead in the fourth quarter but the last two drives ended in three-and-out and Stafford's only interception of the game with a minute remaining. "I think it's just execution. Field gets smaller. Windows get tighter. Blocking assignments. That kind of stuff. Just everything kind of condenses down," said Stafford.

"The start hasn't been what we wanted but nobody's panicking," said Curl. We know we got the guys we need. We just got to tighten things up and everybody be on the same page when it comes to communication, and where everybody has to be on every certain play."