Here is why LA Rams Jalen Ramsey rapped Taylor Rapp in Week 17 win

Rock ’em Sock ’em DB robots?

Of course, a physical altercation between teammates in a defensive huddle to start any NFL game was certainly going to be called out by the media following the game, right? Well, we didn’t have to wait long

The event was addressed by the media in the post-game press conference to head coach Sean McVay, who no doubt had a while to ponder how to describe the moment. The question was raised at the 13:40 mark of the embedded video below.  This is a great video, and we will be using it in several of our post-game wrap-up articles.

Of course, McVay would frame it in a positive light and he did a rather professional job of describing the emotions that fueled the disagreement. He termed it in the context of having close relationships between two brothers.

"““It’s two great competitors. They both want to do right,” he said. “There was a little bit of a mixup right there. It’s just like anything else. You got any brothers, Gary (Klein, reporter for the LA Times)? You ever get into a fight with your brother? Yeah you did. And so they moved on and they kept it going. I don’t think it affected our ability to move forward. These are two guys that love football. They love one another. There was a little bit of a mixup and any time you care about each other like that, then you keep it moving and I thought that’s what we did.” – HC Sean McVay responding to altercation between Jalen Ramsey and Taylor Rapp early in game against the Ravens"

Right or wrong, the event certainly had some effect. Even as the LA Rams offense allowed a pick-six touchdown, the defense never allowed the Ravens to cross the goal line.

LA Rams defense was incredible on the day, due to Ramsey’s wake-up call?

In the end, the Rams defense was on the hook for 12 points. Even further, the Ravens scored two field goals and one touchdown off turnovers. Was that strike from Ramsey to Rapp a contributing factor?  From where I sat, it certainly seemed like it had a huge impact.

To that moment in time, the Rams defense seemed to be snap to attention over the game. Before that event, the Ravens are moving the ball and the Rams are on their heels. After that event, the Rams held a pass play to five yards, made a tackle for a loss on the next rushing play for a three-yard loss.  It forced the Ravens to punt on a fourth down and six yards to go from the LA Rams 40-yard line.

Keep in mind that the Ravens opted to punt from the 40 yards line, a distance that is arguably within the range of Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. Tucker was a perfect four-for-four at kicking field goals for the day.

The final score was LA Rams 20 Baltimore Ravens 19. Without that fracas, the Ravens may have scored a field goal that may have won the game.  The big reveal? A veteran defensive back reminded a younger teammate to get his head in the game. The result? The LA Rams win a one-point game.