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Los Angeles Rams

I will do everything in my power to get 'leader' Donald a Super Bowl, says Miller

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year gave an emotional speech on the sideline as the Rams trailed 17-7 in the NFC Championship Game.

Los Angeles subsequently rallied for a 20-17 victory that sent them to a second Super Bowl in the space of four years.

They lost to the New England Patriots to conclude the 2018 season and generational talent Donald remains without a ring.

Pass-rusher Von Miller, who tasted Super Bowl glory with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and joined the Rams in a mid-season trade, is desperate to get the team's inspirational figure over the hump.

With seven first-team All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowl appearances to go with his three DPOY crowns, Miller believes defensive lineman Donald is on the brink of making it a complete career.

"It was great," Miller said to ESPN about Donald's message to the defense.

"He's been Aaron Donald - vocally, physically, emotionally. That's what leaders do. He's a great leader. 

"Like I said, a Super Bowl is all he needs. He could walk off into the sunset, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make that happen for him."

Donald pressured Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the decisive interception to linebacker Travin Howard that ensured the Rams would keep their three-point lead.

Matthew Stafford will be QB for the Rams in the Super Bowl this time around after Jared Goff played under center in that Patriots loss.

Stafford would have preferred to give the defense a seven-point lead to preserve at the end, but still had faith in a dominant unit.

"Wish we'd have put seven up there, it would have felt a whole lot better sitting on the sideline, but I've got so much trust in our defense, so much faith in those guys," he said.

"They went out there and did their thing and got the win.

"I'm so proud of this group. We've had high expectations all year, done nothing but everything in our power to try to meet those. 

"It's a terrific group we have in there. The game wasn't easy. It wasn't perfect in some spots, but we found a way to win and that's what it's all about. We've got some more work left to do."

Safety Eric Weddle had been retired for two years before making a comeback that will end with a fairy-tale Super Bowl appearance against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

"We were down and out," the veteran said. 

"AD rallied us. He asked us to give more. He said to let us be the reason we win this game. We knew what it meant to him."

And defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was also full of praise for Donald.

"That's what Aaron does," said. "He was vocal all week about what this game meant to him. 

"He calmed everybody down on the sideline and said to do right longer. There was no bigger moment [than the play on the interception]."

The Rams had lost their previous six meetings with the Niners but will now host Super Bowl LVI, looking for their first title since 1999, when they played in St. Louis.

I'm not worried about it - Rams CB Jalen Ramsey tired of contract talk

A year ago the three-time Pro Bowler turned up at the Jacksonville Jaguars training camp in an armoured money truck, a not-so-subtle nod to his wish to land a big contract.

That was not forthcoming from the Jags, who instead shipped Ramsey to the Rams for two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder in October.

His need for a new deal has not gone away, though, as the defensive back is beginning the final season of his five-year rookie contract, and with plenty of leverage given the haul the Rams parted with to land him.

"I'm worried about what I can worry about," Ramsey told reporters. 

"I'm controlling what I can control."

However, as the questions continued, Ramsey grew increasingly frustrated.

"I answered it. I said my agent and the front office, they gonna handle it," Ramsey added.

"I'm worried about what I can worry about, I'm controlling what I can control.

"Either accept the answer or keep it pushing. I don't want to be disrespectful, but that's the answer."

The 25-year-old then walked out of his Zoom media session during a pause in questions before being convinced to return.

At that point, he addressed his contract situation in greater depth, revealing he had informed his agent David Mulugheta to only call him when a deal had been reached.

"I told y'all at the beginning of this, I said I'm controlling what I can control and when you asked me the question about my contract, I said I'm letting my agent, who is by far the best agent in the game, David Mulugheta, and the front office handle it," Ramsey added.

"I can't do anything about it. I'm not worried about it. I'm trying to do my job as a football player. I'm trying to be a leader on the team, I'm not gonna do every Zoom session or however we gonna do them this year, talking about my contract. Look, if it comes, it comes. It's gonna be a surprise to me like it's gonna be a surprise to y'all.

"I said, 'I want you to call me one time', I said, 'When my deal is done'. I said, 'When you feel like my deal is done, call me'. That's it'. 

"I'm not worried about it. I'm worried about football."

In their prime or last chance saloon? Every team's Super Bowl window rated

Any one team can beat another, and that means at this stage of the season, with the first snap still to be taken, every team can have Super Bowl aspirations.

Sort of.

The Cincinnati Bengals, for example, may have been slightly surprising contenders in 2021, but there remain some teams whose title hopes are so remote as to be non-existent.

For some, this is because they have missed their shot at glory in recent years; for others, the plan is to challenge in seasons to come.

So, this leads us to draw up a preseason tier system, ranking all 32 teams by their Super Bowl windows with the help of Stats Perform AI predictions...

Nowhere near

This is unlikely to be a season to remember for the teams grouped in this category, for a variety of reasons.

The Houston Texans won the AFC South in 2018 and 2019, but the Deshaun Watson saga and two down years have them looking at a rebuild, with the data forecasting just 4.8 wins this year. That at least ranks them ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (3.6 projected wins) and the New York Giants (4.2), while the Texans did gain draft assets in the Watson trade.

The Chicago Bears are the fourth and final team projected to earn fewer than six wins (4.9), with second-year quarterback Justin Fields receiving little help on offense and playing behind an offensive line ranked 31st in pass protection.

Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders rank 31st in terms of skill players – better only than the Falcons – with faith in Carson Wentz long since having diminished. In Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, the Carolina Panthers have two high-draft-pick QBs unlikely to trouble the postseason. The New York Jets are in a similar boat, even if Zach Wilson is still young.

The Detroit Lions might argue they do not deserve to keep such company after a 3-3 finish to last season, but nobody could seriously argue they are title contenders.

Entering contention

If that first group was a mixed bag, so too is the second.

Anyone who has paid any attention to the New England Patriots' preseason would suggest they are very fortunate to be given any hope of success in the near future, but they finished with 10 wins in 2021 – even if that number is projected to shrink to 7.7. Despite a trade for Tyreek Hill, that still ranks the Patriots comfortably ahead of the Miami Dolphins (7.0), although the losing team in their Week 1 meeting will face a long slog of a season.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Philadelphia Eagles are forecast to have 11.9 wins – the second-most in the NFL – after a very strong offseason. But Jalen Hurts, for now, is unproven in the postseason, so Philly fans may have to stay patient.

The San Francisco 49ers are even younger at QB after promoting Trey Lance to a starting role, which explains why the prediction model looks so unfavourably on a team many consider contenders right now. Just 7.1 projected wins speaks to the potentially low floor Lance brings.

NFC West rivals the Arizona Cardinals have to be considered among this group of future hopefuls, with Kyler Murray hugely talented and now committed long term but frustratingly inconsistent, while the Jacksonville Jaguars will hope Trevor Lawrence can follow in the footsteps of the Bengals' Joe Burrow – the number one pick the year before him.

The Los Angeles Chargers, with 9.8 projected wins, have Justin Herbert to lead their charge, while the Cleveland Browns might have been contenders already if not for Watson's suspension, which is enough to limit them to a still strong 9.3-win forecast.

In their prime

The Chargers may have Herbert, but they also have three division rivals who intend to win and intend to win now. Indeed, all four AFC West teams rank in the top half of the league in terms of projected wins, with the Chargers second – behind the Kansas City Chiefs (11.5) and just ahead of the Denver Broncos (9.7) and the Las Vegas Raiders (9.2).

The Chiefs lead the AFC in this regard, although their playoff win over the Buffalo Bills last season came down to a coin flip, and the two are set to be similarly tough to separate this year. Buffalo are down for 11.1 wins.

The two teams coming off a Super Bowl run are of course prominent among the contenders, even if the model has far greater optimism for a Los Angeles Rams repeat than for another Bengals charge. The Rams are backed for a league-leading 12.4 wins and given a 15.3 per cent shot at defending their title, while the Bengals are actually projected to dip below .500 with 8.2 wins.

The Bengals' route to the Super Bowl will be complicated not just by the AFC West and the Bills but also by any return to form for the fit-again Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens, who are counted among nine teams on course for 10 or more wins (10.4).

Also in that group are NFC pair the Dallas Cowboys (11.0) and the Minnesota Vikings (10.9), who may not even be the best teams in their divisions but might be nearing a point when they must seriously challenge or start again, which brings us to...

Last chance saloon

As long as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the QBs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers, those teams are in with a chance. The question is how long that will remain the case.

Brady is 45, briefly retired this offseason and then missed a chunk of the preseason. Rodgers is 38, has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Green Bay and lost top target Davante Adams ahead of the new season. Still, the Buccaneers rank eighth for projected wins (10.7), with the Packers up in third (11.5).

They are not the only ageing teams in the NFL, however.

The Indianapolis Colts hope they have upgraded in moving from Wentz to Matt Ryan, yet the former MVP is now 37 and last played in the postseason in 2017 – when Wentz's Eagles took the title.

Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is a little younger at 34, but of greater concern would be Derrick Henry's durability after the injury that limited to eight games last regular season. The Titans need to make the most of any seasons they have left of the superstar running back going at full tilt.

Missed their chance

Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees won Super Bowls with the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints respectively, but with all three having now moved on, it is difficult to see those teams plotting a path to the title.

For the Seahawks and the Steelers, this will be their first year without their stalwart QBs, even if things had already gone stale in 2021. Wilson dipped below the .500 mark for a season for the first time in his career, while Pittsburgh were attempting to stay competitive in spite of Roethlisberger rather than because of him.

Still, with both gone – Wilson to Denver and Roethlisberger to retirement – there is a void under center that has not been suitably filled. Seattle also rank 32nd in pass protection, likely leaving Geno Smith hopelessly exposed.

The Saints have had another 12 months to come to terms with Brees' exit, albeit they spent it juggling Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill at QB. Winston's season-ending injury doomed the Saints' hopes of contention last year, and New Orleans' outlook for 9.5 wins with the entertaining but erratic former number one pick is at least far more positive than that of the Seahawks (6.2) or the Steelers (7.0).

Regardless, each of these three teams have provided an example in how not to do succession planning. They all could have won additional honours with their departed veterans and now face long waits for further title tilts.

It looks like two bananas! – Rams great Eric Dickerson rips team's new look

Having introduced a new logo to much derision earlier in the offseason ahead of their expected move to a new stadium later this year, the Rams became the latest NFL team to unveil fresh uniforms on Wednesday.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers' updated looks all won approval on social media, but the Rams' 'royal' and 'bone' uniforms had a less-than-favourable response.

Hall of Famer Dickerson was certainly not a fan as he ripped the parallels between the Rams' look and that of Los Angeles' other team, the Chargers.

"I'll say this, the colours are not bad," Dickerson told AM570.

"If you wanna change the colours, make them look brighter. The uniform's not bad.

"I just don't like the stripe around the sleeve. It's not big enough.

"It almost looks like a lightning bolt, like the Chargers' uniform. I don't like the stripe down the pants. I wish it was bigger.

"And the horn, man, it's horrible. I just feel like they really took away from the Rams' uniform. And it looks almost like the Chargers' logo. It looks like two bananas!

"This is football. This ain't nothing to do with surfing. This ain't nothing to do with waves. This is football. This is a man's sport.

"And to me, it just looks soft. It don't look like football. It don't look hard."

It was football' – Aaron Donald downplays Rams-Bengals brawl despite swinging helmet

Footage emerged of the incident from the practice session between last season's Super Bowl teams with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Donald at the center of it.

The situation led to calls for a suspension, but clubs, and not the league, are responsible for overseeing the players' conduct in practice, with no ban transpiring since.

Rams coach Sean McVay played down the significance of the fracas later in the day and Donald reiterated that on Wednesday.

"It was just a practice. It was football," Donald told AP Pro Football Podcast.

"I don't really want to go back to nothing negative that happened and talk about something that happened in a practice. My main focus is Buffalo."

Donald indicated he had addressed the incident with McVay and teammates but would not be drawn on it further.

The Rams start the new NFL season against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.

It's a pretty damn good story' - Baker Mayfield reflects on stunning debut with the Rams

Having been cut by the Carolina Panthers on Monday following news he was no longer the starter or the backup, he was claimed by the Rams on Tuesday, and just two days later he was thrust into the action.

John Wolford started the game at quarterback for the Rams, but after two quick Raiders scores, Mayfield trotted out in the first quarter trailing 10-0 and began to figure things out.

His very first play went for a 21-yard completion, and his first drive ended in a field goal, but the Rams were unable to score again until the final minutes of the game.

Trailing 16-3 to begin the fourth quarter, Mayfield put together a 17-play, 75-yard drive, with Cam Akers' short-range touchdown cutting the margin to six points, and he got the ball back with 98 yards to go and just 1:45 on the clock.

He went on to produce the longest go-ahead drive beginning in the final two minutes in the past 45 seasons, culminating in his first touchdown pass as a Ram, a 23-yard dime down the left sideline to Van Jefferson as the Raiders opted to play man coverage with no safety help over the top.

Speaking to the media after the fairytale result, Mayfield reflected on the long, winding journey to Los Angeles.

"I don't know if you can write it any better than that," he said. "Obviously, we'd like to be a little bit more stress-free, but it's a pretty damn good story, I'll be honest with you. It's special.

"It feels really good right now, but there's a lot to get fixed, that's for sure. Throughout my career so far there's been a lot of ups and downs, so this is one I'm going to enjoy right now, but there's a lot of things to get ironed out and learn from.

"I'm extremely thankful. It's been a tough year, to be honest with you, and this has been a good way to kick-start this journey here. It's wild."

Joining the Amazon Prime coverage immediately after the win, the former number one overall draft pick was asked where this ranks out of the moments in his career.

"This is up there, to be honest with you," he said. "I didn't think it was going to play out like this, but I'm sure happy [the coaches and I] covered the two-minute operation, my goodness.

"It's been a wild year, I'm not going to say otherwise. From being in limbo at the beginning, not knowing where it's going to go, to the last 48 hours here.

"I'm thankful to the guys back in Carolina, to be honest with you, I love those guys, and it sucks I had to leave. But when it works out like this, it's for the best, and I think they understand that."

Mayfield added that he has history with Jefferson, and that him coming down with the winning touchdown catch makes up for any past indiscretions.

"Van and I go back, I'm not very happy with Van until now," he said in jest. "I was trying to get him to come to Oklahoma, but he wouldn't text or call back. He owes me one, and he got me right there.

"I was truly shocked they pressed him up with 15 seconds left, knowing we had no timeouts left. He did a great job winning off the line of scrimmage, and I just put it up for him to go make a play."

The 27-year-old will likely start the remainder of the season with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford out injured, and with Stafford's future up in the air, the Rams' low-cost gamble could end up producing their new number one.

It's just second nature' – 49ers' star Samuel revels in highlight-reel touchdown

Samuel provided the standout moment of an accomplished 49ers performance on Monday, as they prevented the Rams from scoring a single touchdown in a dominant 24-9 home win.

Jimmy Garoppolo looked destined to throw an interception late in the second quarter, only for Samuel to turn a fine catch into a touchdown as he skipped past several Rams challenges.  

The wide receiver caught six passes for 115 yards as the 49ers moved to 2-2 for the season.

"My mentality, it's just me and the ball out there. What happened after that is something that I work on all the time and I got in the box," Samuel said.

"Every time I get the chance to get the ball in my hands, it's just my mentality of trying to make it a big play, but it's just second nature to me right now.

"When I go out there it's just me and the ball. Breaking tackles is just something I do all the time."

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Samuel's run: "It was impressive. 

"At first it looked like a pick. It was close, that corner was teeing off on it. 

"We had to wait a little bit because the guy inside, they ran into each other. We had to hesitate just a hair for Deebo to come down with that throw, then he did the rest. 

"When you get the ball in his hands, I think he's shown he does some pretty cool things."

Josh Allen leads the Buffalo Bills to emphatic 31-10 road win against the Los Angeles Rams

It was a stylish start for the Bills as they received the opening kick and marched down the field in nine plays, culminating in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to Gabriel Davis for the first score of the season.

That set the table for what looked like it may be a shootout, but the rust was still clearly not shaken off as the next five combined possessions resulted in three turnovers and two punts.

A beautiful throw from Matthew Stafford found Cooper Kupp in the back corner of the endzone late in the second quarter, and after Allen's second interception of the game, a 57-yard field goal as time expired from Matt Gay had things tied at 10-10 going into halftime.

There were warning signs for the Rams as they needed three Bills turnovers to remain competitive, and when the visitors cleaned things up in the second half, the hosts had no answer.

The first three Bills drives of the second half all resulted in touchdowns, with Allen rushing for one score, finding Isaiah McKenzie for a short-range touchdown, and heaving long for a 53-yarder to Stefon Diggs to complete the rout.

Stafford could only find success throwing to star receiver Cooper Kupp, who finished with 13 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown from his 15 targets, while the five other players to catch a pass combined for 16 catches for 112 yards on 25 targets. He also had three interceptions after one more in garbage time.

Allen finished 26-of-31 for 297 yards with three touchdowns and two picks, adding 10 rushes for 56 yards and a score on the ground. Diggs was his top receiver with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown from nine targets.

Kupp closing in on 'incredible' NFL triple crown

The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver leads the league in catches, touchdown receptions and receiving yards going into Week 18 of the regular season.

Only three players in the Super Bowl era have ever finished top of the standings in all three categories in the same year: Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe and Steve Smith. It is 16 years since the feat was last achieved.

Kupp has 138 receptions for 1,829 yards, totals which look highly unlikely to be caught in the last week of action before the playoffs.

His total of 15 touchdowns also looks strong, although the Cincinnati Bengals' rookie sensation Ja'Marr Chase has closed to within two behind him in that category after finding the endzone three times against the Kansas City Chiefs last time out.

Kupp's shot at history will come when the Rams host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the team still looking to wrap up the NFC West title with the Arizona Cardinals in hot pursuit behind them.

"It would be a pretty incredible thing," Kupp said, per ESPN, of the prospect of earning the triple crown.

"There are a lot of good football players in this league, a lot of really good receivers who I've got a ton of respect for, so it would be very cool."

Kupp will also have the chance to set the single-season receiving yards record, which is currently held by Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (1,964 in 2012).

The 28-year-old could also surpass the receptions record set by Michael Thomas (149) two years ago.

But Kupp concedes those records would come with an asterisk given the NFL is now playing a 17-game regular season.

"We're in a new age of football here," he said. "We're playing 17 games of football a year, and a lot of the stuff that happened before that, those records hold a different weight, being played in those 16 games.

"What those guys did in 16 games, it wouldn't seem right to, I don't know, for those to be broken in 17 games.

"It wouldn't hold the same weight to me as it does for guys that have done that in a 16-game season and the accomplishments those guys had and the seasons they put together. 

"Those are incredible things, incredible accomplishments. You kind of have to separate the two.

"I just have an incredible respect for what those guys were able to do, what they were able to accomplish, what they were able to produce for their teams in those 16 games."

The Rams are assured of a place in the playoffs regardless of the outcome against the Niners, but the prize of a home playoff game in Wild Card Weekend and a division title mean the stakes are still high.

"My priorities are going out and winning this game this week, whatever it takes to win it," added Kupp, when asked if setting records were his priority.

"If it means spending more time blocking defensive ends and being able to get [running back] Sony Michel sprung for some big gains, that would be huge. 

"I just want to do my job, whatever they ask of me, I just want to do my job over and over again and be a part of helping this team win."

The Rams face a Niners team who are looking to seal their own postseason berth. 

To progress, Kyle Shanahan's team must win or tie against the Rams or hope the New Orleans Saints fail to beat the Atlanta Falcons.

Kupp had 'no idea' of Rams record

In a game pushed back from Sunday to Tuesday due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Rams' camp, Kupp caught nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-10 win for Los Angeles.

In the process, the 28-year-old set a Rams single-season record of 122 receptions, while his 14 touchdown receptions rank as the second-most in a campaign in the franchise's history, with only Elroy Hirsch recording more (17 in 1951).

Kupp, however, was not aware of the feat.

"I had no idea," Kupp told reporters.

"Obviously that's a great honour considering the receivers that have come through this organisation."

Kupp leads the NFL in touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards (1,625), and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is thrilled to have such an in-form team-mate to pick out.

"He's a great player, he's having a fantastic season," Stafford said.

"I'm happy that I get a chance to play with a guy like that."

The Rams' win takes them to 10-4 for the season, tied for first place in the NFC West with the Arizona Cardinals heading into the final three regular-season games.

Los Angeles had placed a total of 29 players on their reserve/COVID-19 list over the previous 10 days, and coach Sean McVay admitted it had been a challenging week.

"I am tired right now. This has been emotionally and physically exhausting," McVay said.

"We'll get some rest, and then we'll get back at this thing tomorrow."

The Rams face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Kupp rescues Rams to reach NFC Championship Game after Brady's latest fightback

Discussion around 44-year-old Brady's future increased as this Divisional Round game approached at Raymond James Stadium.

If this was the end for the seven-time Super Bowl champion, who has not committed to playing next year, it befitted the rest of his outstanding career.

Brady will be a spectator next week when the Rams face NFC West rivals the San Francisco 49ers – helmed by his former backup Jimmy Garoppolo – in the NFC Championship Game, but he could hardly have done more to prolong the Buccaneers' title defence.

The Rams led 27-3 halfway through the third quarter, but errors crept into their play and Brady sniffed an opportunity.

Attempting a repeat of his Super Bowl LI fightback from 28-3 down, Brady led the Bucs to 24 unanswered points to tie the game with just seconds remaining.

The veteran had endured a frustrating first half that included his first career penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct as he fumed at officials when a hit from Von Miller left him with a bloodied lip.

That incident had long been forgotten by the time Brady connected with Mike Evans for a 55-yard touchdown pass, with the possibility of a turnaround that would rank as the joint-fourth largest in postseason history coming into view.

Evans' score made the game 27-20 and another Rams mistake allowed the Bucs to level the scores.

A sloppy second half seemed to have peaked when a Miller strip sack of Brady was immediately followed by LA's snap missing Matthew Stafford, who was looking the other way. Instead, the Rams outdid themselves as Cam Akers' second fumble gave Brady the ball back late on.

Brady handed off to Leonard Fournette and overtime loomed, yet Stafford and triple crown wide receiver Cooper Kupp – having earlier combined for a 70-yard score on third and 20 – had the final say.

A 44-yard completion gave Matt Gay a winning field goal with time up. After a third road win and a third winning field goal in this Divisional Round, now the Rams must beat a 49ers team they have twice lost to this year.

Kupp scores two touchdowns as Rams survive late drama to defeat the Falcons

The Rams were cooking early, jumping ahead in the first quarter when quarterback Matthew Stafford decided to feed newly acquired wide receiver Allen Robinson II for a one-yard touchdown.

Their 7-0 lead was doubled to 14-0 when Darrell Henderson rushed one in from eight yards out, and after a Falcons field goal, the Rams added their third touchdown of the half with a three-yard fade to the back corner of the endzone for Cooper Kupp.

Reigning Offensive Player of the Year Kupp nabbed his second of the game after half-time, getting on the end of a 10-yard pass to make it 28-3. He went on to finish with 11 catches from 14 targets for 108 yards and two touchdowns, after snagging 13 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.

While the game appeared dead, nobody told the Falcons as they began to march back into the contest.

The first receiver taken in this year's NFL Draft – Drake London, at pick eight – gave the Falcons their first touchdown of the night, and the first of his career, when he reeled in a four-yard pass from Marcus Mariota.

Another field goal for the Rams would extend their lead to 31-10, which was cut to 31-17 when Olamide Zaccheaus found some space for an 11-yard touchdown reception with eight minutes remaining.

The Rams clearly felt they had done enough for the win, and were content to punt the ball away on their next drive, only for the punt to get blocked, scooped up and run in by Lorenzo Carter for a Falcons touchdown, with a two-point conversion cutting the deficit to 31-25.

Atlanta would get a chance to drive down and win the game after Kupp coughed up an uncharacteristic fumble, but Mariota's pass into the endzone was picked off by Jalen Ramsey, allowing the Rams to run out the clock, even taking an intentional safety in the process to drain the time.

Stafford completed 27 of 36 passes for 272 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, and with Falcons running back Damien Williams placed on injured reserve, Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allegier split the carries with 10 each.

Wilson's Broncos ride to choppy first win

New Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson heard boos in his first home game in Empower Field at Mile High, but did enough to earn an unimpressive 16-9 win against the Houston Texans.

The Broncos trailed 6-3 in the final seconds of the first half, and with fourth-and-goal at the one yard line they opted to trot out the kicker, which was met with a chorus of boos for the coaching decision.

After an interception on the opening drive of the second half, Wilson himself was met with boos as he had only completed six-of-18 passes up until that point, but a touchdown pass to Eric Saubert at the start of the fourth quarter was enough to get the Broncos over the line.

Wilson ended up completing 14 of his 31 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and he relied heavily on receiver Courtland Sutton, who reeled in seven of his 11 targets for 122 yards.

Kupp stars as Rams down Seahawks in NFC West clash, Eagles edge Washington

Kupp recorded his fifth two-touchdown game of the season, finishing with nine receptions for 136 yards to help the Rams improve their record to 10-4.

Stafford completed 21 of 29 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, while Sony Michel rushed for 92 yards from 18 carries for the Rams.

With both sides fielding COVID-19-depleted teams, it was the Seahawks who went ahead in the third quarter after neither could score a touchdown in the first half, with Deejay Dallas bulldozing his way into the end zone.

But the Rams levelled it up at 10-10 with 6:31 left in the third when Stafford found Kupp, who broke the record for most receptions in a single season in Rams history, moving past Isaac Bruce (119) to 120.

The pair linked up again for the decisive play in the final quarter, with Stafford nailing a 29-yard play down the middle to Kupp who had found a small pocket of space, capping an 88-yard drive.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who made 17 of 31 passes for 156 yards, could not find a way back late, sacked by Aaron Donald before a fine block by corner back Jalen Ramsey on an attempt for DK Metcalf.

Hurts stars on Eagles return

The Philadelphia Eagles withstood a late challenge from the depleted Washington Football Team to win 27-17 and improve to a 7-7 record, keeping alive their playoffs' hopes.

Jalen Hurts returned from an ankle injury to run for two touchdowns and pass another for Greg Ward Jr to secure victory.

Hurts, who completed 20 of 26 passes for 296 yards and rushed for 38 yards from eight carries, set the single-season franchise record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 10.

LA Rams coach McVay plays down Stafford elbow concern: 'Part of the plan'

Stafford did not throw during Monday's training session during their spring workout as he continued to deal with elbow soreness which he described as "irritating" on Saturday.

McVay, however, insisted that the issue was not a major concern for the 34-year-old quarterback.

"[His absence was] part of the plan," McVay told reporters on Monday.

"We've always stayed true to the first day. This one is a three-day bucket. He'll work tomorrow and you'll see him do a similar workload to what he did last week."

The QB had declined to go into any detail about the extent of the elbow issue on Saturday, with McVay having admitted it was a "little bit abnormal" last week, leading to questions.

Stafford was crucial to the Rams' success last season following his off-season move from the Detroit Lions, becoming the third starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady (2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Trent Dilfer (2000 with the Baltimore Ravens).

Stafford played in all 17 regular-season games in 2021 and then played four postseason games, leading the Rams to their first Super Bowl title since returning from St. Louis.

He finished with 4,886 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in the regular season.

Lamar Jackson returns to practice but no certainty for Sunday's must-win game

Jackson has been battling a right ankle injury over the past fortnight having missed their past two games and practiced with a visible limp on Wednesday.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh indicated it is expected the 24-year-old QB will have limited preparation ahead of Sunday's game.

"I'm really hopeful," Harbaugh told reporters. "I'm hopeful for all our quarterbacks, starting with Lamar.

"I really want to see him out there on Sunday. I know the fans do, and I know most of all, Lamar does.

"He's going to do everything he can to be out there. You can't make a promise because we don't know what tomorrow is going to bring."

Jackson has not played since sustained the injury in the 24-22 loss to the Cleveland Browns on December 12.

The Ravens have lost their past two games without Jackson, stretching their losing run to four games and leaving them with an 8-7 record and in danger of missing the playoffs.

Tyler Huntley will stand in for Jackson if he is not deemed fit, given he is expected to be activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.

Jackson has thrown for 2,882 yards and 16 touchdowns this season along with a career-high 13 interceptions. The 24-year-old has also rushed for two scores – the lowest of his career – on 133 carries in 2021.

Legend Brady bidding to complete the set on first return to New England

Thursday marked the 20th anniversary of the quarterback's first NFL start. On Sunday, he needs only 68 yards to pass Drew Brees for the most passing yards in league history.

"It's definitely a special record because it speaks to the longevity that he's been able to experience and the level that he's been able to play at," Brees said at the start of the week.

Of course, that record will fall as Brady takes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back to Foxborough to play the New England Patriots for the first time.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion made history time and again in 19 years with the Pats and does not look like stopping now in the pick of the Week 4 Sunday matchups, broken down by Stats Perform.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New England Patriots

A win for the 2-1 Bucs would make Brady only the fourth starting quarterback to defeat all 32 NFL teams across their careers, joining Brees, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.

The QB comes into this game in form, having thrown for at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns through his team's first three games of the year for the second time, having also done so with New England in 2011. No other QB has achieved that feat twice.

The Pats will hope they have found a long-term successor in Mac Jones, whose 81 completions are the third-most by any QB in the Super Bowl era through three career games – after Joe Burrow (91) and Kyler Murray (84).

Tampa Bay have a poor record against New England, too. The Pats are 7-2 in this matchup all-time and have held the Bucs to 11.9 points per game – the fewest any current franchise has averaged against another.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks are in a spot of bother in the NFC West with a 1-2 record, but they are 14-3 over their past 17 games against the 49ers, making them the first team to beat San Francisco 14 times over a 17-game span since the Los Angeles Rams between 1973 and 1981.

Russell Wilson will hope his team-mates can catch up this week, having become the first QB in the Super Bowl era to complete at least 70 per cent of his passes for 250 yards and no interceptions in each of his first three games of a season. In fact, Seattle's back-to-back defeats marked the second time in franchise history they have lost consecutive games with no turnovers in either (also November 2008).

If nothing else, expect this game to be tight, with the 49ers' past seven games all decided by eight points or fewer – tying a franchise record – although San Francisco certainly have the talent to hurt the Seahawks.

The Niners have had touchdowns from 11 different players this year, tied for the most in NFL history through three games (also the 1964 Houston Oilers, 1987 Chicago Bears and 2002 Patriots). Deebo Samuel is the chief threat right now, though, with his 334 receiving yards the most by a 49er through three team games since Jerry Rice's 341 in 1995.

Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams

The four NFC West teams are playing among themselves for the coming two weeks, meaning another mammoth matchup as the division's two 3-0 starters meet at SoFi Stadium in a series the Rams have dominated with eight straight wins against the Cardinals. That is their longest winning streak against a single opponent since a run of nine against the 49ers from 1976 to 1980.

A 4-0 start brings back contrasting memories for these two teams. The Rams made the Super Bowl after winning their first four in both 2018 and 2001, but the last time Arizona jumped out to such a start in 2015 they lost 11 of their remaining 12 games to finish 5-11.

Cardinals QB Murray makes for an entertaining watch, with at least one interception and one rushing TD in each of his first three games in 2021. It is only the third time a player has done that since 1960, with Murray accounting for one of the other two examples in 2020 (also Charlie Frye in 2006).

Crucially, Murray has more options through the air this year. Arizona have a league-leading six players with 10 or more receptions, having only had eight players reach that mark in the entirety of the 2020 campaign – tied for the fifth-fewest in the NFL.

Elsewhere...

The Kansas City Chiefs visit the Philadelphia Eagles looking to avoid losing three in a row for the first time since Patrick Mahomes became a starter. Back-to-back defeats to the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers already represent the Chiefs' worst run since a pair of losses in Weeks 5 and 6 in 2019.

Dak Prescott is in top form as the Dallas Cowboys prepare to host the Carolina Panthers, but that game may be decided on defense. The Panthers have allowed a league-low 3.8 yards per play this season, while the Cowboys' 6.7 yards allowed per play is fewer only than the Chiefs (7.0) and the Minnesota Vikings (6.8).

The Denver Broncos have made the most of a kind schedule to join the Panthers at 3-0 but now face a first real test against the Ravens. Teddy Bridgewater will aim to maintain his high standards, having become the fourth player in the past 60 years to complete at least 75 per cent of his passes in the first three games of a season, along with Brady (2007), Brees (2018) and Philip Rivers (2020). Brady did so in four straight.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won five consecutive regular season games against the Green Bay Packers going back to 1998, but veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger has made an unconvincing start to the campaign. He is one TD shy of 400 in the NFL – Aaron Rodgers was the seventh and most recent man to that mark.

Lions reportedly trade Stafford to Rams for Goff, picks

Stafford, 32, spent 12 seasons with the Lions after being selected with the top pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

But the quarterback will join the Rams, according to NFL Network and ESPN.

The reports said the Rams will send QB Goff, two first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Lions in exchange for Stafford.

Stafford started all 16 games for the Lions this season, completing 339 of 528 passes for 4,084 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Detroit were 5-11, missing the playoffs for the ninth time in 12 seasons since Stafford's arrival.

The Lions are without a playoff victory since the 1991 season, having lost in the Wild Card Round in the 2011, 2014 and 2016 campaigns.

Goff, 26, was with the Rams for five seasons and was also a number one draft pick – selected in 2016.

He helped the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII, which they lost to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Goff completed 370 of 552 passes for 3,952 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during the 2020 regular season as the Rams reached the playoffs before losing to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round.

Lions-bound Goff: Excited to be with team who want and appreciate me

Goff is Detroit-bound after the Lions agreed to send quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams for the former and multiple NFL picks.

Reports claim the Rams will trade QB Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round selection to the Lions in exchange for Stafford.

Goff called the Rams home for five seasons and was also a number one draft pick – selected in 2016.

The two-time Pro Bowler helped the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII, which they lost to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

"I'm just excited to be somewhere that I know wants me and appreciates me," the 26-year-old Goff told NFL.com.

"I'm moving forward and couldn't be more excited to build a winner there. I'm excited about Dan [Campbell] and the whole staff."

Goff completed 370 of 552 passes for 3,952 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during the 2020 regular season as the Rams reached the playoffs before losing to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round.

The Lions have not advanced to the postseason since their Wild Card loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2016.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp signs three-year, $80million extension

The Los Angeles Rams and Kupp have agreed on a three-year, $80million contract extension Wednesday that ties him to the franchise for the next five years at $110m, according to multiple reports.  

Kupp put together one of the best seasons in league history in 2021, leading the NFL with 145 receptions for 1,945 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning Offensive Player of the Year honours in the process. 

He capped the memorable season with eight catches for 92 yards and two scores, including the late game-winner, and was named MVP in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in February.  

Even with the new extension, Kupp will still trail the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams, Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins, Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs in yearly value on receiver contracts.  

Kupp was asked in April if he felt he needed to be the league’s highest-paid receiver after his stellar season.  

''I don't think that's really kind of the approach that I take,'' he said. ''I think there's definitely a place where you want to be.

"There's a place that I think you feel is fair, and a place both for me and this organization. I want to be there. I'm not trying to beat anybody. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone else. It's more of just being in a place that's just right for both sides.'' 

Kupp becomes the second star player the champion Rams have extended this week. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had his contract re-worked on Monday, making him the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL.  

Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald to miss first career game due to injury

Coach Sean McVay said on Wednesday that a high-ankle sprain suffered in the Rams' 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12 will sideline Donald for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. 

This will be the first game the 31-year-old Donald will miss since Week 17 of the 2017 season, when the Rams rested a number of starters ahead of the playoffs. The only other game he missed in his nine-year career was Week 1 of the same season because of a contract holdout. 

Despite missing those two games in 2017, he still won his first of three NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards. 

Donald, who has five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, 11 quarterback hits and a forced fumble in 11 games this season, is the latest Rams star to be saddled with an injury, joining quarterback Matthew Stafford (concussion protocol) and 2021 AP Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp (high-ankle sprain). 

Unlike Kupp, whose high-ankle sprain required surgery, Donald won't need surgery, and is considered week to week, according to McVay. 

Although the injury isn't thought to be season-ending, there is a possibility the team ultimately decides to shut him down seeing as the Rams are essentially playing out the string. 

Last Sunday's loss was the fifth straight for Los Angeles, dropping the defending Super Bowl champions to 3-8 – alone in last place in the NFC West.