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The Los Angeles Rams continue to hold their grip on first place in the NFC West, thanks to their 19-9 victory over the New York Jets in Week 16. This win pushes L.A. to 9-6 on the season and keeps the rest of the division at arm's length as it gears up for the final two games of the regular season.
It wasn't easy for Sean McVay's team, however, as the Rams needed a 13-0 run in the second half to push them over the edge. Los Angeles was again plagued by a slow start to this game, which saw the Jets jump out to a 9-6 lead at halftime. However, New York's aggressiveness on fourth down and an ill-timed turnover ultimately proved to be its demise.
The Jets turned the ball over on downs three times on the afternoon, and each was met with points being scored by the Rams on their ensuing possession. The key swing, however, came after Aaron Rodgers fumbled in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter after getting hit by Rams defensive back Kam Curl. Rookie rusher Jared Verse scooped up the loose ball, and it took the Rams offense just three plays to reach the end zone to give them their first lead of the day.
Matthew Stafford completed 14 of his 19 pass attempts on the day for 110 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Kyren Williams logged 122 yards rushing and a touchdown on 23 carries in the win. Meanwhile, Rodgers finished his day 28 of 42 through the air for 256 yards passing and a touchdown.
For more on how this game unfolded, check out our takeaways below.
Why the Rams won
As has been the case throughout the season, the Rams were able to claw themselves back into the game and win after a subdued first quarter. L.A. found itself trailing at halftime, but put together a 13-point fourth quarter that proved to be the springboard to victory. As the Jets elected to be aggressive on fourth down (five total attempts), the Rams defense largely answered the bell, turning the ball over on downs three times. Then, the offense carried the baton and scored each time they got the ball back. While it wasn't a prolific day for Matthew Stafford, the offense largely ran through Kyren Williams, who piled up 122 yards and a touchdown on the ground on a 5.3 yards-per-carry clip.
Why the Jets lost
Given that the Jets came into this game at 4-10 on the season and already eliminated from playoff contention, it was somewhat understandable to see them be hyper aggressive on offense. After all, what do they have to lose? In all, the Jets went for it on fourth down five times on the afternoon, but converted just twice. To make matters worse, the three failed conversions were immediately met with points scored by the Rams. In all, L.A. posted 12 total points after those failed conversions by New York in what proved to be just a 10-point margin.
On top of the inability to convert on fourth down, the Jets also turned the ball over at the worst possible time, with Rodgers fumbling at the start of the fourth quarter and allowing the Rams to then take the lead (more on that below).
Turning point
The major swing in this game came after Rodgers fumbled the ball on a third-and-7 play from the Jets 31-yard line. Kam Curl applied immediate pressure onto Rodgers and was able to punch the ball free. That's when rookie pass rusher Jared Verse swooped in to recover the loose ball and turn the ball over.
At the time, the game was tied at 9-9, so Los Angeles gained possession already in Jets territory as a critical juncture in the game. It only took them three plays and roughly 90 seconds of game action to find the end zone and take the lead, which they'd hold for the rest of the afternoon.
Play of the game
Not only was the Rams' go-ahead touchdown able to propel them to the win, it also was one of the more inspiring moments of the day. That's because it was Rams tight end Tyler Higbee, who was on the receiving end of that scoring play from Matthew Stafford. Higbee was making his 2024 debut in this game after suffering a torn ACL and MCL last postseason.
What's next
From here, the Rams will head back to SoFi Stadium for back-to-back home games against NFC West opponents (Cardinals in Week 17 and Seahawks in Week 18). As for the Jets, they'll head to Buffalo to face the Bills in Week 17.
