Special teams shine but Rams dull and sloppy as team falls to Falcons

The 11-5 LA Rams are falling fast. Just two weeks prior, the team led the NFC West Division and was the odds-on favorite to end 2025 as the top-seeded team in the NFC. But in the past two games, LA has chalked up two losses. And in the past five games, four have been on the road, and three of those road games ended up in the loss column.

But this is not the time for anguish, despair, or frustration. After all, there are multiple positives to take away from Week 17. One such positive is how dramatically the special teams garrison managed to show up on Monday Night Football with a positive impact.

And you can thank outside linebacker Jared Verse for a play that turned the game completely around.

Verse is not someone NFL fans think of when it comes to elite special teams play. But he's been awfully effective. He scored a touchdown in Week 17. But he also scored a touchdown in 2024 on a fumble recovery. Two touchdowns in two NFL seasons is rather impressive for a pass rusher.

Jared Verse needs to ramp up his game for the playoffs

While Verse had golden luster on special teams, he seems to be among a handful of defenders who are content to let someone else make the highlight reel. Let's be clear. He is an outstanding NFL player as he demonstrates in this critical play.

But he and his teammates disappeared after the offense tied the score. All the team needed was a stop and to get the ball back on offense. That didn't happen. Instead, the Falcons offense drove the ball 32 yards and kicked the go-ahead field goal. The defense didn't shut the door. And that field goal was a game-winner.

Unfortunately, the offense was equally culpable. Not only did the offense fail to score a single point in the first half, but Matthew Stafford threw a pick-six. The second interception hard-halted an offensive drive. And Falcons running back Bijon Robinson rumble 93 yards for a touchdown.

The Falcons had plenty of assists from the NFL officiating crew. But this was a game that didn't need to be decided by the zebras.

The offense was a no-show in the first half of Week 17. The run defense was missing in action for the entire game. Only the special teams unit showed up and played up to the standard of a playoff team on Monday Night Football. With one game remaining, Los Angeles has a lot to fix to be playoff-ready. Unfortunately, this team has only one more game to do so.

As always, thanks for reading.