Matthew Stafford gets 50k yards, tosses an INT. Rams still struggling

LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford entered Week 15 knowing that when he throws an interception early in the game, the LA Rams lose. That’s been the case in each of the team’s four losses this year, and there is no reason to believe that it would go any differently in this game.  So the goal was to avoid making mistakes.

But as the second quarter opened, that is exactly what the LA Rams did. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp got their signals crossed, and Seattle Seahawks Quandre Diggs recorded an interception.

In a game that the LA Rams need to win, the offense is not getting it done. The Rams have rushed 13 times for only 35 yards, clearly not averaging at the same productivity as the team had in the past two wins. As a result, the Rams are passing under pressure, and the Seahawks are pinning their ears back and feasting on Stafford behind the makeshift offensive line.

Without Shelton blocking in the middle, the Rams are not getting rushing lanes between the tackles in this one.  The Rams are going with heavy passing, and while the team has converted five of eight third downs, but missed a critical fourth down deep in the Seahawks territory.

That gave the Seahawks the ball only down by three points and with just under two minutes. Russell Wilson drove the ball right down the field and stalled. But it was close enough to kick a game-tying field goal.

The LA Rams should be up 9-0. But miscues and bad calls have kept the game within reach of the Seahawks. The Rams clearly are not confident in running the ball in short-yardage downs right now. The offensive game plan seems to be to hike the ball to Stafford and throw to the open receiver.  If you need the update, that’s not working.

The Rams have fallen into bad habits. As a result, the game is really at risk of going either way.

At the Half