LA Rams halftime: Goff nearly perfect, special teams really ugly

LA Rams halftime update: Goff nearly perfect, special teams nearly worst.

The LA Rams jumped out to a 7-0 lead, then a 14-3 lead, then to a 21-3 lead. But by halftime, the Eagles had closed to within just 5 points with a late two-touchdown surge. Now, this wasn’t all on the Rams defense. After holding the Eagles within the closing two minutes to force a punt, punt returner Cooper Kupp fumbled the ball at the 11-yard line.

To open this one, the LA Rams offense was flawless. Goff threw for a perfect 13 of 13, the most pass completions in 2020 by any NFL quarterback without an incompletion. At the time, the Rams were ahead 21-9 and were driving with the ball at the Philadelphia Eagles 30-yard line on second down.  But as soon as he set the record, he threw for an incompletion, and then took a sack for a loss by nine yards.

The Rams offense must keep up the pace

The Rams scored three times, two were touchdown passes by Goff to tight end Tyler Higbee. The other touchdown was a rushing touchdown by WR Robert Woods. The Rams continue to run well this week, with just 16 rushes for 79 yards and a touchdown.  That is why the last set of downs for the Rams was so confusing. When the Rams got to the Eagles 30 with time running out, they threw three straight times.

The Rams chose to punt from the 39-yard line, which resulted in a touchback and merely netted the team 14 yards for their effort. When the Eagles took over at the 25, they moved the chains but were finally forced to punt near midfield.  That led to the deep punt and the fumble near the Rams endzone.

The Rams were able to adapt to what the Cowboys were able to do in the first half to shut down their offense in the second half.  The Rams will need to repeat that same Herculean second-half effort to save the victory in this one.