Rams Rally Past Commanders, 20-13

Rams rally past Washington, 20-13

The Washington Commanders led 10-6 at halftime on Sunday and then scored three points the rest of the day, falling 20-13 to the Los Angeles Rams at Northwest Stadium. The loss drops Washington to 2-5-1, third in the NFC East behind Dallas (4-5) and the first-place New York Giants (5-2-1), who beat Philadelphia 19-11 on Sunday. The Rams improve to 5-4, their third straight win and the first time they have been above .500 this season.

How it went

Washington opened the scoring on Drew Stevens' 37-yard field goal, and the Rams answered with Brandon McManus from 33 yards. The Commanders' only touchdown came in the second quarter, when Rachaad White turned a short throw into 45 yards to set up Van Jefferson's score. It was 10-6 Washington at the half.

The Rams came out of halftime and marched 69 yards for a touchdown without facing a single third down, taking a 13-10 lead. Washington's defense answered with its second takeaway — Nick Cross intercepted Matthew Stafford on third-and-15 — but the offense went the whole third quarter without a first down, and even with the ball at the Rams' 27 all it managed was Stevens' 41-yard field goal to tie it 13-13.

The difference was Puka Nacua. Stafford found him for a 7-yard touchdown with 12:51 left in the fourth quarter, and Washington never answered.

The final drive

Washington got the ball twice in the final six minutes with a chance to tie, and the last one started at its own 9-yard line with 52 seconds left and no timeouts. Stefon Diggs' 42-yard catch on the first play got the Commanders into Rams territory, and they reached the Rams' 31 with three seconds left. Instead of a throw into the end zone, the final call went underneath to Chig Okonkwo, who reached the 11 before a lateral attempt came loose and the Rams recovered. Head coach Dan Quinn is taking heat for it — two plays from the 32, and neither throw went into the end zone.

The numbers

Jayden Daniels finished 24 of 35 for 264 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, plus 16 rushing yards. His first turnover of the season came on a fumble forced by Myles Garrett, who finished with three sacks — the worst of them beating rookie center Matt Gulbin to turn third-and-5 at the Rams' 38 into fourth-and-17 with Lucas Patrick out. Washington allowed four sacks in all.

Stafford went 26 of 43 for 228 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Nacua caught 14 of 19 targets for 150 yards and the go-ahead score — but he suffered a knee injury on the Rams' final offensive snap and will undergo an MRI on Monday.

The defense did its part. Cross had eight tackles, three pass breakups, and both of Washington's takeaways — he scooped Nacua's second-quarter fumble and returned it 15 yards to the Rams' 40, then made the third-quarter pick. Frankie Luvu had 15 tackles and a nine-yard sack, and Sonny Styles added 13 tackles.

Team totals: the Rams outgained Washington 352-324, including 124 rushing yards to Washington's 60. Both Washington takeaways gave the offense the ball in Rams territory; all the Commanders got out of them was one field goal.

What it means

The story of the game is the offense. Ten points on the first two drives, three the rest of the day, and a defense that gave them two short fields and two late chances to tie. With Terry McLaurin out, Van Jefferson stepped up with five catches for 58 yards and the touchdown, and White added 41 receiving yards — but the line could not hold up against Garrett, and the third quarter produced no first downs at all.

What's next

Short week. The Commanders visit the Giants on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium, 8:15 p.m. — the rematch, with the Giants now three games ahead of them in the division.

Sources: Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, USA Today Rams Wire, Legion Report, New York Post, Sportradar.

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