Still shocked and stung by the Los Angeles Rams’ 37-38 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football? It might take some time for the wounds to heal.
The Rams are in danger of losing the NFC West division race and losing their grip on first place in the NFC conference, though they still have time to take both accolades.
Let’s take a step back and look at the game through an objective, data-driven lens. These are the Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades and metrics from the game.
Top five grades on offense
1 – Puka Nacua, WR: 92.5
Puka Nacua was a one-man show on offense. He was the engine that tore through a very good Seattle defense.
Nacua caught 12 of 16 targets for 225 yards and two scores. He was busy on Thursday in light of Davante Adams’ absence.
There’s simply not much more to say about the Rams’ star receiver.
2 – Matthew Stafford, QB: 79.9
The production Matthew Stafford had against Seattle was eye-popping. He threw for 457 yards and three scores.
According to PFF, this was a below average game for the veteran QB in terms of his output this season. This was his second outing with five big-time throws (season-high of six) and he managed only one turnover-worthy play.
But even after adjusting for four drops by pass catchers, Stafford’s adjusted completion rate was just 71.7. He’s at 74.3% on the season. Three percent doesn’t sound like much, except for Stafford threw 49 passes.
There were a few big plays missed in the passing game that ultimately could have turned this into a win for the Rams, especially in the fourth quarter. Did Stafford leave meat on the bone, even with his monster production in mind?
3 – Jordan Whittington, WR: 72.3
Whittington was only targeted one time and he caught the pass for 19 yards. His positive receiving grade of 73.0 tells us he was separating. He didn’t make too strong of a mark in the run game with a blocking grade of 56.4.
4 – Kevin Dotson, RG: 71.7
Do the Rams win if Kevin Doston doesn’t get hurt? We’ll never know the answer but it’s a worthwhile question to contemplate. We watched Justin Dedich negate a Terrance Ferguson touchdown shortly after replacing Doston, though he mostly held his own for the remainder of the game.
Dotson is one of the best guards in the NFL. Let’s hope he doesn’t miss extended time into the playoffs.
5 – Xavier Smith, WR: 70.9
Smith caught both of his targets for 57 yards. He was wide open and could have possibly scored a touchdown on his 48-yard reception with a better throw. Smith has effectively replaced Tutu Atwell (who was healthy and occasionally on the field) in this offense. He also contributed with a couple longer punt returns.
Other notes on offense
Related to leaving meat on the bone offensively, Rams receivers were guilty of four drops:
- Colby Parkinson: 2
- Blake Corum: 1
- Davis Allen: 1
Top five grades on defense
1 – Poona Ford, DT: 89.6
Ford did everything he could to help the Rams beat his former team. Braden Fiske came into the game with a questionable tag and played only 21 snaps (15 against the pass). This expanded Ford’s role to 43 plays. He notched four pressures as a pass rusher and led the Los Angeles defense with a 75.2 run grade.
2 – Jared Verse, OLB: 80.0
It’s been the case for most of the season, but Jared Verse has taken a step back in run defense and it also was true in this game. He finished with a grade in this facet of 55.6.
On a positive note, he fared better as a pass rusher with a grade of 82.0 and a team-leading seven pressures. Verse pressured Sam Darnold on what became an interception by Kobie Turner.
3 – Kobie Turner, DT: 79.2
Turner also had a nice day rushing the passer. He finished with two sacks (PFF does not credit half sacks) and was second in pressures with five. His run defense was less than stellar at 54.7.
4 – Josh Wallace, SCB: 75.4
The Rams defense has been up and down since Quentin Lake was injured. Wallace seems to be good one week and then down the next. This game was a positive outing. Wallace did not miss a tackle (something he’s struggled with recently).
In coverage he allowed catches on both of his targets for 37 yards with an interception. The pick was great defensive scheme by coordinator Chris Shula.
5 – Omar Speights, MLB: 70.2
Speights was also stingy in coverage. He allowed catches on all three of his targets for just 22 yards. His coverage grade of 70.3 was his most positive contribution. He also recorded a key pressure on Darnold that resulted in a dropped interception by Nate Landman.
Other notes on defense
Rookie Ty Hamilton continues to grade poorly. He earned a mark of just 37.2 in this game and played a (bad) role in Kenneth Walker’s long touchdown run. Hamilton has been a gameday inactive (healthy scratch) in recent weeks. The Rams should reconsider why he’s even on the roster at all.
On other negative notes, Kamren Kinchens received a PFF defensive grade of 29.3 with a run grade of 30.4. In coverage he was targeted three times, allowing three catches for 64 yards (long of 26) with a touchdown and a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
Fiske, as mentioned, came into this game banged up and earned a defensive grade of 26.7. He struggled in run defense (only six plays) with a mark of 28.5.
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