Rams rally in second half behind Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams to beat Saints

Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times on Dec 1, 2024

Published in Football

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NEW ORLEANS — They ran three plays in the first quarter.

They were shut out in the first half.

It was anything but easy for the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the Big Easy.

Still, Matthew Stafford passed for two second-half touchdowns and Kyren Williams ran for another as the Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints, 21-14, at the Caesars Superdome.

Receivers Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua caught touchdown passes as the Rams bounced back from an embarrassing defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles to improve their record to 6-6 and keep alive their playoff hopes.

The Rams have five games left, including a game next Sunday against the Buffalo Bills and an NFC West matchup against the San Francisco 49ers four days later. They finish with a road game against the New York Jets and home games against the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, who are currently atop the division at 7-5.

Stafford completed 14 of 24 passes for 183 yards. Williams rushed for 104 yards in 15 carries. Nacua caught five passes for 56 yards.

Derek Carr passed for a touchdown and Alvin Kamara rushed for 112 yards for the Saints (4-8).

The Saints led, 6-0, at halftime on two 54-yard field goals by Blake Grupe but the Rams got it together in the second half.

On the first possession of the third quarter, Williams carried the ball six times and also caught a pass during an 11-play drive that he capped with a four-yard touchdown run for a 7-6 lead.

With just more than two minutes left in the third quarter, Stafford found Robinson wide open along the left sideline for a 46-yard gain. On the next play, Stafford tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Robinson for a 14-6 lead.

The Saints came right back, Derek Carr passing to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 28-yard touchdown. Carr’s two-point conversion pass to Dante Pettis tied the score, 14-14.

Rookie Jordan Whittington returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to set up a drive that ended with Stafford’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Nacua.

The Saints threatened late in the game when they drove to the nine-yard line. But on fourth down, Rams rookie edge rusher Jared Verse rushed Carr and broke up a pass.

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