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Seahawks Hold Off Rams for Super Win

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold threw for a season-high 346 yards and three touchdowns as top-seeded Seattle defeated the visiting Los Angeles Rams 31-27 Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.

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Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba made 10 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown and Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III became Kenneth Walker LX by rushed for 62 yards and a score for the Seahawks, who will meet the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.

Darnold, on his fifth team in eight NFL seasons, finished 25-of-36 passing to reach his first Super Bowl.

The Rams got the ball on their own 8-yard line with no timeouts and 25 seconds remaining but time expired as they reached midfield.

Matthew Stafford was 22 of 35 for 374 yards and three TDs for the fifth-seeded Rams. Puka Nacua made nine catches for 165 yards and a score. Davante Adams added 89 yards and a TD on four receptions.

Trailing by four points, the Rams had a fourth-and-4 from Seattle’s 6-yard with 4:54 remaining. Stafford’s pass intended for Terrance Ferguson in the back of the end zone was knocked down by Devon Witherspoon.

The Seahawks were held on the first possession of the second half, but Rams punt returner Xavier Smith tripped and fell backward as the ball approached. Smith tried to catch the ball just before he landed on his back but muffed the punt and Seattle’s Dareke Young recovered at Los Angeles’ 17-yard line.

On the next play, Darnold hit Jake Bobo in the back of the end zone for a 24-13 lead. It was just the fourth reception of the season for Bobo.

The Rams responded with a four-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Stafford’s 2-yard TD pass to Adams to pull within four points.

Seattle moved right back down the field, restoring their double-digit lead on a 13-yard touchdown reception by former Ram WR Cooper Kupp.

It appeared the Rams would have to punt from Seattle’s 49-yard line when Riq Woolen knocked down a pass to Nacua to force the Rams into fourth-and-12. But Woolen was called for taunting after the play, giving Los Angeles the ball at the 34. Stafford threw a strike to Nacua, beating Woolen at the front left pylon, to pull the Rams within 31-27 with 2:06 left in the third.

The Seahawks took a 17-13 lead at intermission as Darnold hit a wide-open Smith-Njigba with a 14-yard scoring strike with 20 seconds left. The six-play, 74-yard drive took just 34 seconds after the Rams were held to a three-and-out when they had a chance to run out the clock with the lead.

The Seahawks’ defense also forced a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession. Seattle took advantage with a seven-play, 81-yard touchdown drive, capped by Walker’s 2-yard run around the right end and dive for the pylon.

The teams then traded field goals on the next three possessions, with the Rams’ Harrison Mevis connecting from 44 and 50 yards and Seattle’s Jason Myers from 27.

The Rams took a 13-10 lead on a 9-yard screen pass from Stafford to Kyren Williams with 1:55 left in the half.

–Field Level Media

NFC Championship Game Preview

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Los Angeles Rams (14-5) at Seattle Seahawks (15-3)
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET
Seattle, Lumen Field

NFC Championship Game appearances: Seahawks 4 (3-0), Rams 12 (5-6)

Series History: The Rams are 2-0 against the Seahawks in playoff games. They won in Seattle, 27-20, in the wild-card round in the 2004 season and again during the 2020 wild-card round (30-20).

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – LA Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates his 40th birthday Saturday before leading the Rams into Seattle in search of his 11th playoff victory, which would be one more than Don Shula, currently the youngest to win 10 games in league history.

The Rams are the No. 5 seed in the NFC largely because of their No. 1-ranked scoring offense. They didn’t always look the part last week at frigid Chicago, but they averaged an NFL-leading 30.5 points per game in 2025.

Seattle, which split two regular-season games with the Rams by three total points, led the NFL in scoring defense and allowed just over 17 points per game.

In the Seahawks’ 38-37 overtime win over the Rams earlier this season, they fell behind by 16 points before Sam Darnold caught fire and led a comeback. Darnold is expected to play through an oblique strain, but this isn’t likely the defense he would choose to face with a Super Bowl trip on the line.

In a playoff game last year with Minnesota, Darnold was sacked nine times and committed a pair of turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a 27-9 defeat in Inglewood, Calif.

In Week 11 this season, Darnold threw four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the host Rams, though he nearly rallied Seattle to a victory before Jason Myers’ 61-yard field-goal attempt as time expired faded wide right.

On Dec. 18 in Seattle, Darnold was sacked four times and threw a pair of picks before the epic rally and victory.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford already has a Super Bowl ring. He led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes this season, and he didn’t have Davante Adams in L.A.’s last meeting with Seattle. Adams led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions. Puka Nacua led the NFL with a career-high 129 receptions and ranked second with 1,715 receiving yards in 2025.

Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player with the Rams, is only the third player in the past 16 years to win the award and face his former team. Santonio Holmes (2010 with the New York Jets against Pittsburgh) and Von Miller (2024 with Buffalo against Denver) were the previous two.

NOTEWORTHY

This season’s dramatic trilogy between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks will come to an end when the NFC West rivals battle in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, with the winner claiming a spot in Super Bowl LX.

Ironically, the Super Bowl will be held at the home of another bitter rival, the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks (15-3) dispatched the 49ers for the second time in three weeks during the divisional playoffs, with the Rams earning a return ticket to Seattle with an overtime victory at Chicago.

The Rams (14-5) held a 16-point fourth quarter lead in Seattle in Week 16, only to watch the Seahawks mount a furious rally and win with a two-point conversion in overtime. That ultimately led to Los Angeles needing to win three playoff road games to reach the Super Bowl.

They have completed the first two legs of the journey, but will enter the third as a slight underdog.

ODDS AND TRENDS
The Seahawks are a consensus 2.5-point favorite, with the margin chalked up to their significant home-field advantage at raucous Lumen Field. The line has held steady throughout the week at BetMGM, where Seattle has been backed by 72% of the total spread-line bets while Los Angeles has drawn slightly more money at 51%.

The moneyline has also seen split action. The Rams (+120) have been backed by 56% of the total bets, with the Seahawks (-145) supported by 62% of the money.

The total points line opened at 47.5 but has shifted slightly to 46.5 with the Under backed by 85% of the money.

PROP PICKS
–Rams WR Puka Nacua 100+ Receiving Yards (+114 at DraftKings): Los Angeles was without Davante Adams and Seattle still had no answer in Week 16 for Nakua, who torched the Seahawks for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 12 receptions. Nakua was targeted 16 times — twice as many as any other Rams pass catcher. He had eight catches for 75 yards in the first meeting.

–Seahawks WR Rashid Shaheed Over 1.5 Rushing Yards (-145 at BetMGM): This somewhat offbeat prop pick has been the most popular at the book. The special teams standout has struggled to get heavily involved in the passing game since being acquired from New Orleans in November. However, he was used twice on end-arounds last weekend, ripping off 30 yards on one carry and losing six on the other. With backup running back Zach Charbonnet out, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak could get more creative with Shaheed.

KEY STAT
Six of Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s 14 interceptions during the regular season came against the Rams.

INSIDE EDGE
The Seahawks don’t blitz often, but they regularly brought extra pass rushers at 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy last week while racking up a pair of sacks, five quarterback hits and seven passes defensed. Opponents regularly try to bring the heat against Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who lacks mobility at 37 years old. But he also led the NFL with 18 touchdown passes against the blitz this season, according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable engine.

RAM TOUGH
The Rams have had Darnold’s number. In a playoff game last year while with Minnesota, Darnold was sacked nine times and committed a pair of turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a 27-9 defeat during a game that was moved to Glendale, Ariz., because of last year’s wildfires in Los Angeles.

In Week 11 this season, Darnold threw four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the host Rams, though he nearly rallied Seattle to a victory before Jason Myers’ 61-yard field-goal attempt as time expired faded wide right.

On Dec. 18 in Seattle, Darnold was sacked four times and threw a pair of picks as the Seahawks fell behind by 16 points in the fourth quarter. He then led a miraculous comeback and found backup tight end Eric Saubert for a two-point conversion in overtime of a 38-37 victory.

Darnold credited the Rams’ defense for having a “really good scheme” that disguises their coverages. He said a key will be “staying on schedule … staying positive on first and second down.”

“It’s win or go home at this point,” Darnold said. “But we look at it as another game. We trust our process throughout the week.”

ROAD WARRIORS OR ROAD WEARY?
The Los Angeles offense, which led the league in yards (394.6 per game) and scoring (30.5) during the regular season, struggled with a cold and hostile environment in Chicago last Sunday.

It will be even louder Sunday, but not colder, in Seattle.

“When you go into the environment that we’re going into here on Sunday in Seattle, everybody’s gotta be on the same page and communicate,” Stafford said. “That’s what offense is all about. You gotta have 11 people working as one.”

Adams, who led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns in the regular season, missed the last game against Seattle with an injury.

“This is the biggest game,” Adams told reporters this week. “Whatever game you’re currently in is the biggest game of the year. But this is, obviously, the biggest game right here. They took care of business against us last time. It’s tough being on the sideline … even though we did take care of business on offense and had a good day. But it’s time to finish it off this time.”

INJURY REPORT
Darnold was a limited participant in practice all week but wasn’t given an official game injury designation on Friday.

“Just attacking rehab these last couple days,” he said. “Obviously, will be throughout the week; just got to continue to prepare and get my body right for Sunday.”

Darnold tweaked his oblique in practice last week, but wasn’t called on to do much in the rout of the 49ers. Darnold was 12-of-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and was turnover-free.

“Feel like the process is going right along where it should be,” Darnold said on Friday. “Feeling really good for Sunday.”

Backup running back Zach Charbonnet, who led the Seahawks in the regular season with 12 rushing touchdowns, suffered a torn ACL in his knee against the 49ers and is out for the rest of the season. Starter Kenneth Walker III carried a heavier load against San Francisco, rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns.

The Seahawks also have an injury concern at left tackle, with the top three candidates ailing. Starter Charles Cross left in the third quarter last week with a foot injury and didn’t return. His backup, Josh Jones, wasn’t active against the 49ers with knee and ankle issues and third-stringer Amari Kight, a rookie, played the final 17 snaps but missed practice time this week with a knee issue.

Cross resumed full practice activity on Friday and should be set for the NFC title game. Jones is listed as questionable, and Kight is considered doubtful.

Seattle ruled out linebacker Chazz Surratt (ankle) while listing fullback Robbie Ouzts (neck) as questionable.

The Rams are relatively healthy, with only linebacker Byron Young (knee) considered questionable among active players. Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein, on injured reserve but designated to return, will remain sidelined because of an ankle injury.

PREDICTION
The Seahawks earned a bye with the No. 1 seed, but they enter Sunday with far bigger injury concerns with Charbonnet out and Darnold and Cross playing through ailments. The Rams held double-digit leads in both regular-season meetings, with Seattle constantly playing from behind. The loss of Charbonnet is significant, especially in the red zone, and Darnold has yet to prove he can beat an elite, healthy opponent in the postseason. –Rams 27, Seahawks 24

–Field Level Media

NFL MNF Preview: Rams at Falcons

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ATLANTA – (Wire Service Preview) – With slim NFC West hopes still alive, the visiting Los Angeles Rams return to action after an extended break when they face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

In order to clinch its second straight division title, Los Angeles (11-4) needs to beat Atlanta and the Arizona Cardinals, while the Seattle Seahawks (12-3) and San Francisco 49ers (11-4) must lose at least once each across the final two weeks.

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The Rams’ odds of earning the NFC’s lone postseason bye took a hit last time out, as they squandered a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 38-37 overtime loss to Seattle on Dec. 18.

With everything to play for still in front of the team, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay is eager to remove the bad taste the Week 16 loss left.

“We did get a chance to get caught up on rest, but at the same time, as a competitor, you’re ready to get back at it,” McVay said. “I couldn’t have been more excited to get back in the building and get around our players and start our preparation.”

The Rams lead the NFL with 30.5 points and rank second at 396.7 yards per game, paced by the favorite to win league MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford. The 37-year-old leads all players with 4,179 passing yards and 40 touchdowns.

The Rams have allowed 36 points per game across the last two outings, leaving McVay’s defense with a challenge on Monday night — mainly that of stopping dynamic Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.

“Oh, he’s unbelievable,” McVay said of Robinson. “It’s a tremendous impact and you have to be aware of him, but they’ve got great skill everywhere. (Quarterback) Kirk (Cousins) does a great job running the show. They can beat you in a variety of ways. Every time they touch the ball, they’re a threat to score.”

Atlanta (6-9) was eliminated from postseason contention for the eighth straight year on Dec. 7, but have won consecutive games for just the second time this season. The Falcons host Los Angeles for the first time in six years and head coach Raheem Morris knows they have their hands full with the Rams’ high-octane offense.

“These guys are a problem. We know these guys,” Morris said. “Start with ‘Weapon X’ (Stafford). The quarterback, he’s a problem. Obviously, Sean McVay calling it for those guys. And then, you know, Puka’s (Nacua) a dog in every right. Leads the league — I don’t know what he leads the league in. Probably everything. … You’re talking about one of the best teams, if not the best team in the National Football League.”

Nacua’s 1,592 receiving yards rank second in the NFL, while teammate Davante Adams’ 14 receiving touchdowns lead the league.

In another disappointing campaign, the Falcons can hang their hat on playing well in the national spotlight. Atlanta is playing its fifth prime-time game, winning three of its first four ahead of the final regular-season edition of “Monday Night Football.”

“In prime time, we’ve gone out and found different ways of winning, whether it was Buffalo, whether it was Minnesota, whether it was Thursday night versus Tampa,” Morris said. “Those are the type of games you want to be able to put together week in and week out. If we can find ways to be consistent in doing those things, I think that will really help us.”

Robinson leads the NFL with 2,026 all-purpose yards while being named to his second straight Pro Bowl. Cousins has thrown for five touchdowns across the Falcons’ rare winning streak against the Buccaneers and the Cardinals.

Atlanta cornerback Mike Hughes (ankle) was a DNP on Thursday’s estimated practice report. Wide receiver Drake London (knee), tight end Teagan Quitoriano (hamstring), edge rusher James Pearce Jr. (neck) and corner Clark Phillips III (triceps, illness) were limited.

The Rams’ estimated report listed Adams (hamstring) as a non-participant along with offensive linemen Alaric Jackson (knee) and Kevin Dotson (ankle), defensive end Braden Fiske (ankle) and cornerback Josh Wallace (ankle).

–Field Level Media

NFL: Thursday Night Football Preview

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – The NFL’s week 16 kicks-off with one of the biggest games of the 2025 regular season, and one chock full of playoff ramifications when the Los Angeles Rams visit the Seahawks in the Emerald City on Thursday night. The NFC West rivals enter with identical 11-3 records atop the conference. The Seahawks have won four consecutive games since a Week 11 loss at the Rams. That victory has Los Angeles atop the NFC standings, with Seattle currently in the top wild-card spot.

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A win on Thursday night very well could propel the Rams to the division title and home-field advantage in the NFC. A loss, and Los Angeles risks going on the road throughout its playoff run. And whichever team loses risks falling into a tie with 10-4 San Francisco, which plays at Indianapolis on Monday night.

ODDS AND TRENDS
The Seahawks are a consensus 1.5-point favorite at home. The line has held steady this week at BetMGM, where the Rams have been backed by 64% of the total spread-line bets and 59% of the money.

Los Angeles’ moneyline has also been popular, drawing 67% and 57% of the action, respectively, while shifting from -115 to +105.

The total points line of 42 is down significantly from opening at 45.5, due in large part to the unknown status of Rams wide receiver Davante Adams. The Over has been backed by 61% of the money.

PLAYER PROPS
–Rams TE Terrance Ferguson Over 19.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at BetMGM): Ferguson figures to be one of the beneficiaries of Adams being doubtful to play due to a hamstring injury. This has been the most popular Rams-based player prop at the book, even though the rookie has only one catch for 6 yards over his past five games. Ferguson has six catches for 144 yards and one touchdown on the season.

–Seahawks QB Sam Darnold 200+ Passing Yards (-223 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book with Darnold topping 200 passing yards in 11 of his past 13 games. He threw for 279 in the first matchup, but also was picked off four times. Seattle’s offense failed to score a touchdown last week and has struggled in the first half much of the season. If you’re looking for a bigger potential pay out, Darnold is -125 to throw for 220+ and +133 to throw for 240+ yards.

INSIDE EDGE
Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is known for his play-action passing game. However, Seattle ranks third-worst in the NFL with a success rate of just 39.3% on plays with motion this season, according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable engine.

KEY STATS
–Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford leads the NFL with a passer rating of 126.2 on passes to the right side of the field this season.

–Seattle’s defense ranks second in the league in opponents’ scoring, allowing just 17.3 points per game.

INJURY REPORT
Rams coach Sean McVay said he likely would wait until game time to make a decision on Adams, who aggravated the injury while running a deep route on Sunday in Los Angeles’ 41-34 victory against visiting Detroit.

“I’m not ruling anyone out,” McVay said Tuesday. “He just got his hamstring. He felt it a little bit, and it’s something he’s been dealing with, and he’s as tough as it gets. Want to be able to see what it looks like with the time we have.”

Adams has twice previously dealt with hamstring issues this season, his first with the Rams. He has 60 catches for 789 yards.

Rams defensive end Braden Fiske (ankle) is listed as questionable.

Stafford is a leading MVP contender with a league-leading 37 touchdown passes and 3,722 yards through the air, second only to the 3,931 of the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott.

Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross, who sustained a hamstring injury on Jason Myers’ game-winning kick Sunday, was ruled out of the contest on Wednesday.

“We’re just trying to gather the info right now, exhausting all options to see how fast we can get him back,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of Cross.

FLUTTERING HAWKS
While the Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,541 receiving yards, the rest of the offense has stalled. Seattle’s offense has scored just six first-half points in each of its past three games (not counting an interception return for a TD).

The Seahawks likely will need more than that against a Rams team that has scored 40-plus points in each of its past two contests.

“We just need to get together and understand the game plan and execute at the end of the day,” Smith-Njigba said. “And I’ll leave it at that.”

Seattle managed a season-low 50 rushing yards against the Colts, with Kenneth Walker III totaling just 17 yards on nine attempts.

“We didn’t run it the way we wanted to,” Macdonald said. “It’s kind of a little bit of everything right now. A little bit late in the year to be saying that. So, I mean, we got to pick it up, really, on all fronts.”

“What a crazy week to be playing on a Thursday,” McVay said. “This is a good challenge. … It’s a blessing to be able to play in meaningful games this late in the season.” –McVay, who admitted he hasn’t gotten much sleep this week after his wife Veronika gave birth to son Christian Alexander McVay on Monday morning.

PREDICTION
Seattle’s offensive line already was struggling before losing Darnold’s stalwart blind-side protector for this game. Minus Cross, the Seahawks will continue to struggle running the ball and Darnold will be prone to the types of poor decisions under duress that put Seattle in a 14-3 hole in the first meeting. –Rams 23, Seahawks 20

–Field Level Media

No “O” – Rams Defeat SF 49ers, 12-6

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Los Angeles placekicker Joshua Karty booted a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining and Darious Williams came down with a crucial interception to lift the LA Rams to a 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers (thus 6ers) on Thursday night in Northern California.

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Heavy rain before halftime prevented both teams from finding an offensive rhythm, but Los Angeles (8-6) did just enough to earn its seventh win in nine games. The loss by the 49ers practically eliminated their chance of qualifying for the NFL postseason.

With the game tied at six-apiece, it looked as if the Rams were headed for the end zone after Puka Nacua got behind San Francisco’s secondary and hauled in a 51-yard pass from Matthew Stafford early in the fourth quarter.

The 49ers’ defense soon got a stop on third-and-2, though, forcing Los Angeles to bring out Karty for his 27-yarder.

San Francisco (6-8) quickly worked down to the Los Angeles 33 on its ensuing drive. Brock Purdy proceeded to throw a deep ball near the near-side pylon that Williams picked off, and Karty later made good on a 29-yard field goal with 18 seconds to go.

Although a horse-collar tackle on the following kickoff set the Niners up at the 50-yard line, they couldn’t generate a miracle in the final seconds.

Stafford completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards, with Nacua (seven catches, 97 yards) serving as his favorite target. Kyren Williams was a workhorse on the ground, going for 108 yards on 29 carries.

Star receiver Cooper Kupp didn’t have a single reception for the Rams.

Purdy finished 14 of 31 for 142 yards and the interception. Isaac Guerendo had 16 carries for 57 yards as San Francisco got outgained 302-191 in total yards.

Jake Moody and Karty exchanged second-half field goals within a span of just under 10 minutes to forge the 6-6 tie.

Amid the rain, San Francisco punted on six of its seven first-half drives.

The 49ers’ only successful drive before the break ended with Moody’s 53-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the first quarter. A 33-yard completion to George Kittle over the middle helped set up the kick.

After punting on its five first drives of the game, Los Angeles finally tied the contest with 65 seconds remaining in the first half on a 48-yard field goal from Karty.

The Rams climbed within a half-game of the first-place Seattle Seahawks (8-5) in the NFC West. The defending conference champion 49ers are last in the division, a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals (6-7).

–Field Level Media

Can Patriots Put 1+1 Together?

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Stringing wins together has been nearly impossible for the New England Patriots for the better part of the past three seasons.

New England hasn’t posted back-to-back victories since a three-game winning streak in 2022. The Patriots will attempt to accomplish the feat on Sunday when the Los Angeles Rams roll into Massachusetts.

The Patriots (3-7) suffocated the Bears last Sunday, notching a season-high nine sacks from their defense in a 19-3 win. They held Chicago to 142 yards of total offense and 1 of 14 third down conversions.

However, considering they haven’t had consecutive wins in almost two years, New England coach Jerod Mayo has made it clear to his team that it needs to play with a sense of urgency to stay in the win column.

“Big win from there, and just build on it,” Patriots quarterback Drake Maye said. “Sense of urgency, what coach Mayo is preaching. I think it starts with cleaning up from the game (last) Sunday, cleaning up some little things that I think we could have ended up being a bigger margin of victory for us, especially offensively.

“I think we’ve got another chance here at home. L.A.’s coming off a short week, so we’ve got to prepare for them. They’re good up front on defense, so we’re preparing for them.”

Los Angeles has a quicker-than-usual turnaround following a 23-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. The Rams (4-5) were never able to find the end zone, getting five field goals from Joshua Karty to at least keep the game competitive.

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It marked the end of a three-game winning streak for Los Angeles, which is still within striking distance of the Arizona Cardinals (6-4) for the lead in the NFC West. Rams linebacker Jared Verse realizes that time is of the essence when it comes to making a playoff push, though.

“We can’t dwell on this (loss against Miami), ‘Oh no, woe is me,’ ” Verse said. “We have to move on.”

Verse was among the few bright spots for Los Angeles against the Dolphins. The rookie had four tackles (two for loss), one sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Still, Verse believes he can be even better against the Patriots.

“I’ll never be satisfied with the way I play,” he said. “I think there were definitely a couple plays here and there that I could have made if I did a little bit more.”

Offensive linemen Joe Noteboom and Rob Havenstein are both dealing with ankle injuries that forced them to miss practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Charles Woods (ankle) and defensive lineman Neville Gallimore (neck) did not practice as well. Linebacker Byron Young (knee) was limited during the session.

Four Patriots players did not practice on Wednesday, including defensive end Deatrich Wise (foot) and linebacker Sione Takitaki (knee). Safety Kyle Dugger was limited by an ankle injury and tight end Hunter Henry was limited because of a foot issue.

New England and Los Angeles are facing each other for the first time since Dec. 10, 2020, when the Rams beat the Patriots 24-3.

–Field Level Media

MNF: Dolphins End Three Game Skid

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INGLEWOOD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa passed for 207 yards with a touchdown as the visiting Dolphins ended a three-game losing streak with a 23-15 victory Monday night over the Los Angeles Rams in California.

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Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill had a second-half touchdown reception for the Dolphins (3-6) after he was questionable to play with a wrist injury. Jason Sanders made three field goals, including a 50-yarder with 2:38 remaining to seal the victory. Miami’s defense recorded four sacks.

Tagovailoa was 20-of-28 passing with an interception, while improving to 1-2 since returning from concussion protocol in Week 8. De’Von Achane ran for a team-best 37 yards and had five receptions for 15 yards.

Matthew Stafford was 32-of-46 passing for 293 yards, but did not throw for a touchdown with one interception, the sixth consecutive game he threw a pick.

Puka Nacua had nine receptions for 98 yards and Cooper Kupp had seven catches for 80 yards as the Rams (4-5) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Rookie Joshua Karty made five field goals for Los Angeles, including a career best from 55 yards.

After Karty missed a 57-yard field-goal attempt on the opening drive of the second half, the Dolphins responded with a six-play, 53-yard drive that ended with Hill’s 1-yard TD reception from Tagovailoa for a 17-6 lead.

The Rams had 133 yards of offense in the fourth quarter but were only able to come away with three Karty field goals.

Sanders made a 37-yard field goal with 9:07 remaining before his boot from 50 yards gave Miami a 23-12 lead with less than three minutes on the clock.

The Dolphins took the opening drive of the game 70 yards in five plays with Malik Washington scoring on a 19-yard end around for a 7-0 lead. A defensive tussle immediately ensued.

After Sanders’ 50-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Miami a 10-0 lead, the Rams finally scored on a 34-yard field goal from Karty with 5:46 remaining in the second quarter. His make from 55 yards got Los Angeles within 10-6 on the final play of the first half.

–Field Level Media

NFL Monday Night Football Preview

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Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Rams

Week 10 in the NFL wraps up on Monday night with the Rams rolling out the red carpet for the Miami Dolphins. Although the Dolphins are 2-6 with three consecutive losses, Miami is far more competitive than the record indicates since starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned from a four-game hiatus on injured reserve with a concussion.

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Miami narrowly lost twice since Tagovailoa stepped back into the start job. The Dolphins dropped a one-point decision to Arizona and were also beaten by Buffalo by a field goal margin.

As for the Rams (4-4), they’ll look to keep their playoff hopes alive by extending their winning streak to four games and keeping their noses up with the rest of the pack in the NFC West. Given both teams’ firepower on offense when healthy, this matchup looks tailor-made to produce a high-scoring affair.

–Dolphins’ offense energized with Tagovailoa’s return The Dolphins scored 27 points in back-to-back games with Tagovailoa returning to rescue a group putting up less than two touchdowns per game without him. His presence alone tends to have a calming effect on the offense based on his accuracy and ability to put the ball exactly where he wants it to go. Tagovailoa completed 69.3 percent of his passes last season and is up to 72.7 percent this season. The Dolphins are more likely to remain on schedule with Tagovailoa, who has the fifth-highest success rate among quarterbacks with a minimum of 140 plays. When you’re picking up the necessary yardage on early downs, you’ll have more flexibility with your playcalling.

In their last two games, the Dolphins converted 65.2 percent of their third-down opportunities and 6-for-8 in touchdown conversions inside the red zone. While the offense can sometimes resemble a slow grind, the Dolphins’ efficiency under Tagovailoa makes them a real threat to opposing defenses.

We’re eyeing the over on Tagovailoa completions — set at 21.5 at DraftKings, ESPN Bet and FanDuel — given his high-percentage horizontal route connections with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and the additional threat of running back De’Von Achane. Tagovailoa was 25 of 28 (89.3 percent) at Buffalo last week and 28 of 38 in his first game back from IR.

–Pass defense a mutual concern Los Angeles had its share of injury woes, with wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua combining to miss seven games. Both players are now back with the team to significantly boost the Rams offense. The passing game is vital for the Rams because they struggle to run the ball, ranking 31st in yards per carry (3.8). As a result, it’s no surprise that Los Angeles has the ninth-highest pass play rate at 58.68 percent.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford should be eager for his chance to face this Dolphins defense. According to the FTN Fantasy Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) metric, Miami ranks 27th against the pass.

However, the Rams’ pass defense is only one spot better. Pro Football Focus offers a similar view. It has the Dolphins 26th in pass coverage while grading the Rams as the third worst in this category. Hence, we play the points.

This total opened at 47.5 and was bet up as high as 49.5 before we began to see a little bit of buyback. It’s now settling at 49 at most sportsbooks.

As of this morning, 48.5 was still available at FanDuel. In a perfect scenario — or close to perfect health for both teams — this number would probably be closer to 52. Do not pass: take the value and run with it.

Best bet: over 48.5 points (-115 at FanDuel)

-Field Level Media

NFL Thursday Night Football Preview

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Los Angeles Rams host Minnesota on Thursday night seeking consecutive victories for the first time this season, while the Vikings try to rebound from their first loss of the campaign. Los Angeles (2-4) snapped a two-game losing streak by beating the visiting Las Vegas Raiders 20-15 last weekend. Meanwhile, Minnesota (5-1) dropped a back-and-forth 31-29 affair to division rival Detroit on a field goal with 15 seconds remaining.

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ODDS AND TRENDS
The Vikings are about a field goal favorite on the road by most sportsbooks.

The line is 3.0 points at BetRivers, where the Vikings have been backed by one-sided action with 79 percent of the spread-line money and a lopsided 93 percent on their -150 moneyline.

The public jury is certainly still out on Minnesota. After suffering their first loss of the season in Week 7, the Vikings have received only 4 percent of the total money wagered on the NFC championship at DraftKings, where they’re being offered at +650 to reach the Super Bowl. That’s the same percentage that have backed the Rams as +5000 long shots.

The Over/Under for Thursday night’s game is 48 total points at BetRivers, with the Over backed by 65 percent of the money.

PROP PICKS
–Cooper Kupp Over 6.5 Receptions (-130 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at DraftKings with Kupp expected to play for the first time since Week 2. Kupp had 14 receptions on 21 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, and had hauled in four catches on six targets before leaving the Week 2 loss to Arizona.

–Justin Jefferson Anytime TD (-143 at BetRivers): Jefferson reaching the end zone on Thursday night has drawn the most total money (1.5 percent) and bets (4.5 percent) of any player prop at the book. He has a touchdown in all but one game thus far, two weeks ago against the Jets in a game where Jefferson was targeted 14 times.

INJURY REPORT
Both teams are hoping to get key playmakers back for this contest.

For the Rams, Kupp is expected to play. Kupp participated in full at practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, while fellow receiver Puka Nacua was limited both days due to a knee injury after having his 21-day practice window opened up. Still, NFL Network reported Thursday the Rams are “optimistic” Nacua is ready to play, which would require a decision to activate Nacua off injured reserve.

Defensive end Braden Fiske (back) was limited Wednesday and linebacker Troy Reeder (hamstring) has been ruled out.

This week could also mark the return of tight end T.J. Hockenson for the Vikings. The veteran has been sidelined since late last season, when he tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said it was “very much a possibility” that Hockenson could return against the Rams, although his workload could be limited. He was limited in practice this week and listed as questionable on Wednesday.

“It’s early,” O’Connell said as the Vikings returned to practice this week. “We’ll make that determination as these next couple of days (go by). As we put together game plans, we want to have a good feel for that.”

Hockenson caught 95 passes for 960 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games (11 starts) for Minnesota last season. His return would give quarterback Sam Darnold another top target in the passing game alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

Aaron Jones also said he felt good to play on short rest despite a hip injury that has nagged him for a couple of weeks. Jones racked up 116 total yards (93 rushing, 23 receiving) and a touchdown against Detroit.

“No problems out of it,” Jones said. “I’ll continue to stay on top of it on my end and do everything to check the boxes so I don’t end up back in that situation (with the injury).”

Linebacker Blake Cashman missed the Vikings’ practice this week because of a toe issue and has been declared out against the Rams. Hockenson and Jones were among those limited on Tuesday, although Jones was a full participant on Wednesday.

SCUFFLING RAMS NEED STAR WRs
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will look to improve upon his 83.6 passer rating against a physical Vikings defense. Stafford has thrown for 1,392 yards and three touchdowns, with four interceptions this season.

Kyren Williams is the Rams’ biggest threat on offense. He has rushed for 436 yards and eight touchdowns in six games (all starts).

Tutu Atwell leads the team’s receiving unit with 23 catches for 332 yards. Demarcus Robinson, Kupp and Williams each have a receiving touchdown.

THEY SAID IT
“I’m aware of it, but at the end of the day, I mean, I’m going to be where my feet are. That’s all I know. I have a job to do here. And I take a lot of pride in giving everything I can for the guys in this building and being able to step on the field knowing that I prepared the best that I can.” — Kupp on rumors he could be traded ahead of the Nov. 5 deadline.

PREDICTION
This has the feeling of a do-or-die game for the Rams, who could look to trade Kupp and other veterans should they fall further in the NFC West. The Vikings are coming off a loss, but were toe-to-toe with the high-powered Lions. Los Angeles enters with the 26th-ranked defense, which even Kupp’s return can’t mask against a Minnesota offense averaging 333.2 yards per game. — Vikings 27, Rams 23

–Field Level Media