Los Angeles Rams take on the Patriots Sunday

Three steps forward, one Prime Time slip backward. A very disappointing 23-15 loss to the visiting Miami Dolphins last Monday on Monday Night Football placed the Los Angeles Rams behind the eight ball for the second time this season. With four wins and five losses midway through the regular season the Rams likely need to win six of their last eight games to have a realistic chance to make the playoffs.

For the eighth time during head coach Sean McVay's reign the Rams failed to score a touchdown. The only points scored in eleven total offensive drives were the result of rookie kicker Joshua Karty's five field goals. The Dolphins scored the first ten points of the game, and the Rams never really came close to recovering. Bottom line is the team was outcoached and outplayed by a team which had lost six of its previous seven games.

"There were too many things that it just seemed like we were off and never gave ourselves a chance," said McVay. "Ultimately, we weren't able to capitalize. There wasn't any sort of semblance of complimentary football. And that's where we have to be able to improve. And fortunately, it is a short week."

The short week concludes with the Rams travelling to face the New England Patriots this Sunday, Nov. 17. 10:00 a.m. PT at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots have won two of their last three games including a convincing 16-3 win at the Chicago Bears this past Sunday. Despite having a 3-7 record through week 10 the Patriots have become a very competitive team with rookie quarterback Drake Maye leading the way. He was the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

First-year Patriot head coach Jarod Mayo during this Wednesday morning's press conference said, "We haven't had a back-to-back win this year... now we have to figure out how to turn the page then and get a victory." Mayo mentioned that the Rams young defensive front line is one of the best ones they've seen all year and an opportunity for the Patriots front line to establish the line of scrimmage.

With Maye at quarterback the Patriots were only able to score one touchdown in five times inside the red zone against the Bears. But in the previous nine times inside the red zone, they scored eight touchdowns and one field goal. "It starts with cleaning up from the game Sunday," said Mayo. "We got another chance here at home and L.A.'s coming off a short week. They're good up front on defense so I'm preparing for them."

The Rams have a lifetime 6-9 record against the Patriots including two playoff games. They beat the Patriots 24-3 the last time they met in 2020 following seven straight losses including a 13-3 defeat in Super Bowl LVI. The Rams rank 20th in points per game this season compared to 31st for the Patriots. The Patriots also rank last in total offense (271.1 ypg) versus the 17th ranked Rams at 328.7 yards per game. Defensively, the Rams (347.1 ypg) and Patriots (339.5 ypg) rank 22nd and 19th respectively.

The Rams loss to the Dolphins coincided with the passing of former Rams head coach John Robinson who passed away on Monday at the age of 89. McVay's began the post-game press conference. "First of all, thoughts and prayers are with the Robinson family, with Coach Robinson passing before the game. Legend, amazing man, amazing leader and really just thinking about their family."

It was just two weeks ago that McVay passed Robinson for most wins by a Rams head coach. The team's top five all-time winning head coaches reads like a Who's Who list including two NFL Hall of Famers: McVay – 81 wins (.600 winning percentage); Robinson – 79 (.516); Chuck Knox (HOF) – 72 (.575); Mike Martz – 56 (.609); and George Allen (HOF) – 49 (.708).

Quarterback Matthew Stafford spelled out the offense's woes against Miami on Monday Night Football. "It was just negative plays at the wrong times. Whether it's a turnover, a sack, an inefficient play on first down or whatever it was. We shot ourselves in the foot a little bit in that kind of strike zone area, 30-yard line area. That was probably the difference in the game and not coming up with touchdowns."

Once again it was the Rams defense (along with Karty's field goals) that kept them in the game. After giving up a five-play 70-yard opening game drive touchdown to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the defense only allowed 168 total yards the rest of the game to the Miami offense. Unfortunately for the Rams, the Dolphins managed one touchdown and two field goals in their last three possessions of the game.

The turning point of the game occurred at the opening drive of the second half when the Rams moved the ball to the Dolphin 28-yard line in six plays. Three plays later a false start penalty negated a successful 52-yard field goal by Karty which would have cut the lead to one point. The subsequent 57-yard attempt fell short and with it the momentum as Tagovailoa guided the Dolphins to a touchdown in six plays and a 17-6 lead that proved insurmountable as the game wore on.

Currently the Rams are tied for last in the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks, both with a 4-5 record. The Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray surprisingly lead the Division at 6-4 followed by the ever-present San Francisco 49ers (5-4) who are starting to get their injured players back into action, including running back Christian McCaffrey. The Rams are now in the NFC's 11th position for a playoff berth, with an 11% chance of making the post season.

"We've got to be able to look at it and we've got to consistently figure out what's the best way to put our guys in the right kinds of spots and trying to be able to figure out some sort of semblance of an identity," said McVay.

McVay said this about about how he felt during the loss. "Whatever I say is going to be an excuse. Frustration is the answer to your original question, and we have to be better."