INGLEWOOD – The Rams defense spent most of the first half of Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders bailing out the offense’s mistakes. But breakdowns on back-to-back drives – one that allowed Terry McLaurin to score, another that he took to the Rams 1-yard line – it was up to the defense to clean up its own mistakes as the Rams clung to a 14-point lead with 4:47 to play.
What followed can only be described as the epitome of the football cliche: Bend but don’t break.
It took Washington nine plays – aided by a fourth-down pass interference on CB Derion Kendrick – to reach the end zone. By that time, there was only 1:50 left on the clock, and the Rams picked up the requisite first down to close out the game with a 28-20 win.
And it took several instances of cleaning up mistakes for the Rams (7-7) to beat the Commanders (4-10), but they led 20-0 early in the third quarter and 28-7 early in the fourth before Washington made it a contest.
When running back Kyren Williams – in the midst of his fourth 100-yard performance in five games – lost his first fumble of the season, the Rams defense forced a three-and-out, a pressure from Byron Young forcing Commanders QB Sam Howell into an off-balance screen pass that hit the turf.
Williams got some redemption by punching in a touchdown on the ensuing drive. But when he lost his second fumble of the game, the defense again responded with a three-and-out courtesy of a third-down sack by linebacker Ernest Jones. A groundball long snap on the punt, and the Rams took over at the Commanders 15.
But the Rams stalled, even after roughing the passer call on third down gave them another opportunity to reach the end zone. It was the second time the Rams reached an and-goal situation in the game and had to settle for a field goal.
The offense received the second-half kickoff, though, and responded with its second-longest touchdown play of the year.
Receiver Cooper Kupp went in motion, moving left…
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