Less than a year on from winning Super Bowl LVI, an injury-wrecked Rams side slipped to a 24-12 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Monday to officially put the postseason beyond their reach.
No Baker Mayfield heroics were able to save them this time around, and with a 4-10 record, they are tied with the 1999 Denver Broncos for the most losses coming off claiming the sport's biggest prize.
Asked whether he could have imagined his side's underperformance just months on from the greatest high of all, McVay acknowledged it had been a chastening campaign for his team and himself.
"I think it's hard to say that you could [have expected this]," he said. "You certainly can't, but this is the reality that we're in, and this is where we're at.
"My job is to focus on [finishing] up the season with the right competitive spirit, with the mindset and mentality that's reflective of who those guys are in the locker room and who those coaches are.
"There's been a lot of things I've thought about that I think you can make sense of, but it still doesn't make it any easier. It's a very humbling season, for sure."
McVay was adamant the Rams will not fold in the remaining weeks of the campaign, even with only pride to play for now, and credited his team for their performances amid a number of trying situations.
"This has been a real struggle in a lot of instances, a lot of adversity that we've gone through," he added. "But I think what we've seen from our guys is they're going to continue to battle.
"They're going to finish up these last three games the right way, with the right mindset and mentality, and we'll compete to the best of our ability.
"That's all I know how to do, and I trust that that's exactly what we'll do collectively as a group."
Less than a year on from winning Super Bowl LVI, an injury-wrecked Rams side slipped to a 24-12 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Monday to officially put the postseason beyond their reach.
No Baker Mayfield heroics were able to save them this time around, and with a 4-10 record, they are tied with the 1999 Denver Broncos for the most losses coming off claiming the sport's biggest prize.
Asked whether he could have imagined his side's underperformance just months on from the greatest high of all, McVay acknowledged it had been a chastening campaign for his team and himself.
"I think it's hard to say that you could [have expected this]," he said. "You certainly can't, but this is the reality that we're in, and this is where we're at.
"My job is to focus on [finishing] up the season with the right competitive spirit, with the mindset and mentality that's reflective of who those guys are in the locker room and who those coaches are.
"There's been a lot of things I've thought about that I think you can make sense of, but it still doesn't make it any easier. It's a very humbling season, for sure."
McVay was adamant the Rams will not fold in the remaining weeks of the campaign, even with only pride to play for now, and credited his team for their performances amid a number of trying situations.
"This has been a real struggle in a lot of instances, a lot of adversity that we've gone through," he added. "But I think what we've seen from our guys is they're going to continue to battle.
"They're going to finish up these last three games the right way, with the right mindset and mentality, and we'll compete to the best of our ability.
"That's all I know how to do, and I trust that that's exactly what we'll do collectively as a group."
Thursday's 24-3 road loss for the Patriots came amid a disappointing showing for Newton, the former Carolina Panthers star who was NFL MVP five years ago.
He finished nine of 16 for 119 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception – a pick six – to go with seven carries and 16 yards.
Collectively, New England were far from the level Belichick expects as they had their two-game winning run halted and slid to 6-7 for the season.
An 18th consecutive year with a double-digit haul of regular-season wins is now beyond them, while Newton can only point to five touchdown passes in 2020 and he sits 23rd in passing yards (2,172 yards).
The first question in Belichick's post-game news conference saw him asked whether he would continue to start with Newton.
Cutting in, Belichick said: "Great question. I'm really glad you asked that. Cam's our quarterback."
Asked to explain what Newton has done to deserve such support, Belichick again put it bluntly, saying: “He's our quarterback."
Across the team, however, there must be improvements to meet the coach's demands.
“We didn't do well enough to win tonight. We've all got to do a better job," Belichick added.
"The Rams were the better team tonight, they deserve a lot of credit. We were out-coached, out-played, out-everything really.
"They did a good job in all areas. We weren't really able to stay with them here. They're a good football team. They played well and they deserved to win.
"We have to all do a better job, starting with me. it just wasn't our night tonight."
Rams coach Sean McVay, who at 34 is half Belichick's age, was praised for his strategy by the Patriots coach.
"They had a good running game. They've run the game well all year. Sean had a good plan and the players executed it well," Belichick said.
"[Cam] Akers ran well. They did a better job than we did."
The result saw the Rams (9-4) end a run of six losses to the Patriots.
Newton, who was eventually withdrawn as Jarrett Stidham was introduced under center, took his share of responsibility for the defeat.
He said: "We've just got to be better and it starts with me personally. Just have to make more plays, that's what it comes down to.
"I think we didn't play a good style or brand of football tonight and they did and they made more plays than us. So, it led to them winning."
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.
Having led the Rams to Super Bowl LVI glory in his first year in LA, Stafford's second season has not gone to plan.
The former Detroit Lions QB underwent elbow surgery in the offseason and did not look the same player as the 2022 campaign began.
In nine games with Stafford under center, the Rams were 3-6, with the QB throwing only 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions for a passer rating of 87.4 – his worst since 2014.
Stafford had averaged 287.4 yards per game in 2021 but only topped that mark in one game this year.
A spinal cord contusion then cut Stafford's season short in Week 11, prompting concerns around the 34-year-old's long-term future.
But in an appearance on his wife Kelly's The Morning After podcast, Stafford responded flatly to a question asking if he would retire: "No."
Stafford signed a four-year, $160million extension with the Rams in March, and the team are confident he can avoid surgery ahead of a 2023 return.
Coach Sean McVay said earlier this month: "He'll be good. To my knowledge, there's nothing like that [surgery] that's going to be required or necessary.
"And it will be great for Matthew to have a healthy offseason and do a lot of the things that I think he'll feel good about being able to do."
The Bills looked strong throughout at SoFi Stadium, with quarterback Josh Allen putting in a sensational performance as he threw three touchdowns, rushed for one of his own, and completed 26 of 31 passes for a total of 297 yards.
After unveiling their Super Bowl LVI banner, the Rams struggled in front of their own fans as all 10 of their points came in the second quarter, with Buffalo shutting them out in the second half.
"When you look at a lot of the ways that this game unfolded, [I] feel a huge sense of responsibility to this team," McVay said after the loss.
"We weren't ready to go. I take a lot of pride in that, and that's on me. I've got to do better. There were a lot of decisions that I made that I felt didn't put our players in good enough spots.
"So it was a humbling experience, but we're going to stay connected. We're going to all look inward. We're going to do a better job moving forward."
Allen became the first QB in NFL history to record 250+ passing yards, 50+ rushing yards, three or more passing TDs, a rushing TD, 80 per cent completions and a win in the same game.
Speaking to NBC after the victory, Allen said: "We knew if we came out and tried to execute the way we know we can execute, we were going to move the ball the ball and score. Our defense played a hell of a game.
"Defense's job is to get the ball back, but the offense can help and let them go and pin their ears back by getting up and putting them in legit passing situations and letting them go.
"We got a bunch of dawgs up front. [Former Ram Von Miller] is the leader of that D-line and they played outstanding."
The Bills play the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium in Week 2, while the Rams will look to put their opening defeat behind them as they host the Atlanta Falcons.
The Rams wideout suffered an ACL injury in February's Super Bowl LVI as Los Angeles narrowly defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at their home of SoFi Stadium.
Beckham Jr signed a short-term deal with the Rams last November, though it was expected he would re-sign after an impressive postseason.
The 29-year-old is yet to find a new NFL side as he remains a free agent, but a reunion with the Rams appeared seemingly unlikely after Beckham Jr revealed his disappointment with his former team.
"LA knows where I wanted to be… but they didn't offer me….anything!," he posted on Twitter.
"So [I don't know] what people want me to do, I definitely know my worth and what the offer was isn't reflective of that.
"So it's tough to say that I can come on back even though I thought I finally found that home!
"But yes, LA treated me normal and special all in the same breath, we see how that played out! For both sides.
"I went out to win a [trophy] there knowing the risk of playing without an ACL… and then I got the lowest of low offers after that going into the next season."
Beckham Jr ended the series of posts with "Impossible" followed by two laughing emojis, suggesting he values himself far above what the Rams offered.
The Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs are said to be the favourites to sign Beckham Jr, though Rams coach McVay claimed negotiations are far from over.
"I love Odell," McVay told reporters. "We have constant dialogue. He also knows that certainly I don't think that's the last [offer] that would come from us. I'm not familiar with what it is.
"He knows how we feel about him. We've got a little bit of time. But [I] love Odell. Nothing but good things coming from me."
Monday night's 24-9 loss saw the Rams fail to capitalise on several touchdown opportunities, with McVay pointing to "self-inflicted wounds".
San Francisco's Deebo Manuel caught six passes for 115 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown, and when the Rams were still in the game, at 17-9 in arrears, quarterback Matthew Stafford was intercepted by Talanoa Hufanga. That pick-six summed up the Rams' night.
"I liked the way our guys battled, they competed and got it to a one-possession game," said McVay.
"But the story of the night from an offensive perspective was self-inflicted wounds, above-the-neck errors where we're not doing things we're capable of, and I expect us to be better than that.
"Defensively, I know we continue to battle, we gave ourselves a chance. We can tackle better, you credit them for making the plays, and I thought special teams hung tough, but overall we didn't do enough to win the football game.
"I'm not going to make any excuses. We've got to play better. A lot of it was just things where guys we were counting on didn't do what they were supposed to do."
McVay took his share of the blame, saying: "I put us in some bad spots.
"However you want to cut it, we have to be better collectively, coaches and players. There's no other way around it and no way I know how to fix it other than go back to work."
The Rams will face the Dallas Cowboys, who are on a three-game winning streak, in Week 5.
"Everybody needs to be able to look inward," said McVay. "In the red area, to have three good drives and only come away with nine points in a game that was a back-and-forth battle like that, that ended up being the difference.
"And when you do make it a one-possession game and you've got some momentum, a couple of game first downs and we throw an interception for a touchdown on a screen, those are the things that don't help you win games."
McVay had been pondering his future following the conclusion of a difficult 2022 campaign that ended with Sunday's overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The 2017 NFL Coach of the Year confirmed he was weighing up his options when speaking at Monday's end-of-the-season press conference.
The Rams dropped nine of their final 11 games to finish 5-12, the highest loss total in a season for any team defending a Super Bowl title, amid a mounting swarm of injuries to several key players that included quarterback Matthew Stafford, 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.
"I think what I liked to do is be able to take the appropriate time," McVay said on Monday. "I've never gone through anything like this, but you want to make sure that you're considerate of the people that are affected.
"That's the most important thing and you want to be able to have the consistent conversations and dialogues that have existed with the people that I love and really care about.
"But that doesn't mean it takes away the empathy, the level of responsibility that I do feel for the people that would be affected as it relates to my decision moving forward, and so those are the things that you don’t take lightly.
"You want to be able to make sure that you're intentional about taking the appropriate time, while also making a decision in a manner that's considerate of those people that would be affected."
McVay, who at age 36 became the youngest head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with the Rams' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last February, has four years remaining on a new contract he received prior to the start of this past season.
The Rams reached the playoffs four times in McVay's first five seasons in charge and won 55 regular-season games over that span, tying him with Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin for the third-most victories of any coach through his first five seasons in NFL history.
McVay is also the youngest head coach to lead a team to a Super Bowl after guiding the Rams to the title game during the 2018 season at the age of 33.
The Rams have compiled a 60-38 record with three NFC West titles during McVay's tenure, as well as a 7-3 mark in postseason play.
Kupp clutched his right ankle when he landed awkwardly trying to catch a fourth-quarter John Wolford pass and was checked by the Rams medical staff before walking to the locker room.
The Rams wide receiver, who also hurt his right ankle late in their Week 8 game but played the following week, did not speak to media afterwards.
"I don't have anything right now," McVay told reporters. "I just know it didn't look good, it didn't sound good."
Kupp, who won last year's Super Bowl MVP, has been the Rams' key offensive player this season. The wide receiver has 72 receptions for 813 yards with six touchdowns, with one rushing TD from nine carries this season.
The Rams' latest loss left the Super Bowl LVI champions with a 3-6 record, sitting last in the NFC West after three straight losses.
Kupp enjoyed an historic 2021 season, becoming the fourth player in NFL history to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in the same season, alongside Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe and Steve Smith Sr.
The 29-year-old had 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns in the 2021 regular season, before adding 33 receptions for 478 yards and six touchdowns in the postseason.
The 2020 NFL season is scheduled to begin on September 10, despite all preseason games being cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Previously, McVay has been sceptical regarding training camp and the NFL season but the 34-year-old coach has faith in the campaign going ahead.
"I feel a lot better now, having a little bit more knowledge and understanding of – it's really about the risk mitigation, keeping our ecosystem clear," McVay said.
The Rams are scheduled to face the Dallas Cowboys in their NFL opener on September 13.
McVay added: "We're still going to play football. I think there's a better understanding of how we apply those risk mitigation practices.
"I made the comment about social distancing – we're not going to do that on the field, but in those meeting settings when you can do that and you're wearing your masks, those are the times that we're going to do that."
"Guys are chomping at the bit to get back and understand that that's going to be part of how we have a successful season – is guys successfully handling themselves in the right way with regards to the risk mitigation," McVay continued.
"We've always just talked about handling yourself in a professional manner outside the building for just good decision making and now that's an added part of it as we navigate through this."
He, obviously, ended up not retiring, with the Rams ultimately restructuring his contract to give him a record payday in early June.
But from the time the Rams raised the Lombardi Trophy to the time Donald agreed to the massive raise, coach Sean McVay says his ongoing conversations with the future Hall of Famer were crucial in getting a deal done.
"My dialogue with Aaron throughout the process I thought was key to be able to feel good about it but also understand what needed to get done to have him come back and lead the way for us," McVay said on Monday.
Donald’s restructured deal guarantees him $95million over the next three years, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
The hefty price is justified, however, given he’s widely considered one of the best defensive players in NFL history.
A Super Bowl championship was the last major accomplishment left to achieve for the 31-year-old Donald, who has three Defensive Player of the Year Awards and seven consecutive First Team All-Pro selections on his resume.
So McVay understood why Donald wanted to take some time to evaluate his career after playing a vital role in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals with a pair of sacks against Joe Burrow.
"When you reach (and win the Super Bowl), when he had been working so hard to try to get to that goal, there's an exhale," McVay said. "I think you want to be able to let the dust settle, figure out what's important. What can we do to accommodate that? If you still want to be able to play football."
Donald still has the passion to play and McVay credits their conversations as a big reason why one of the most feared defensive players ever will be suiting up for the Rams in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
"(Donald and I) had great dialogue throughout the course of the offseason," McVay said. "I think like anything else, it's such a long process when you're able to play 21 games and if you include the pre-season, you're talking about 24 games last year. So many emotions."
McVay has led the Rams to four playoff appearances and two trips to the Super Bowl in five seasons since the team made the then 30-year-old the youngest head coach in modern NFL history in 2017.
He became the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl at age 36 when Los Angeles defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in February.
The 2017 NFL Coach of the Year's 55 regular-season victories are tied with Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin for the third-most of any coach through his first five seasons in NFL history.
McVay also sports a 7-3 postseason record with three NFC West titles over his tenure, along with an NFC championship in 2018 that resulted in the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance in 17 years.
Snead, entering his 11th season as the Rams' GM after remaining with the team following its move from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016, has also played a major part in the franchise's recent success by assembling one of the league's most talented rosters through the draft and trades.
The Rams have drafted five Pro Bowl players, most notably three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp, under Snead's watch.
The 51-year-old has also established a reputation as one of the league's most aggressive and shrewd executives by acquiring several other members of last season's championship core via the trade and free agent markets.
Snead snared three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 and landed quarterback Matthew Stafford in a blockbuster trade with the Detroit Lions in March 2021.
He later made two significant in-season moves that contributed to last season's title run by trading for star pass rusher Von Miller and signing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
"As an organisation we constantly strive to better ourselves every day. This requires selflessness, dedication and great leadership throughout. Sean and Les personify this mindset," Rams owner Stan Kroenke said in a statement.
"They have been crucial to many of our successes that transcend wins and losses. They epitomise the 'We, not me' mantra that permeates the entire organisation.
"We look forward to many more exciting seasons at SoFi Stadium as Sean and Les continue to play meaningful roles within the organisation and throughout the community."
Los Angeles will kick off the 2022 NFL season Thursday night at SoFi Stadium against reigning AFC East champion, the Buffalo Bills.
The Super Bowl LVI champions suffered their third loss of the season, with Stafford and the offense struggling again in a 22-10 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
The Rams have managed only one touchdown in their past nine quarters, with Stafford finding wide receiver Cooper Kupp in a 75-yard catch and run against the Cowboys.
Stafford has also been left banged up with the Rams' offensive line cursed by injuries, allowing five sacks on Sunday, for a total of 21 for the season. The QB was also pressured 20 times by the Cowboys defense, the equal second most in a game for Stafford's career.
"I love Matthew Stafford," McVay told reporters. "He is competing and doing everything in his power for this team. He needs some help. We've got to be able to help him."
McVay had no quick fixes for his side's offensive line issues, while he continued to back Stafford.
"I think he's doing everything he can," he said. "I think he needs more help. Guys got to play better around him.
"We've got to be able to help him be able to give himself a chance to sit on his back foot, just past even a hitch on some things.
"I'll ride with that guy to the end of time. And he's continuing to do everything in his power to try to help our team move the football, score points and we've got to be able to help him out more."
Stafford completed 28 of 42 attempts for 308 yards with one interception against the Cowboys, showing that he has been able to play through pain after copping so many hits.
"I feel OK," Stafford said. "It's part of the game."
"We've got to find a way to get the ball in the end zone. Got to do a better job sustaining some drives, giving ourselves some more manageable situations and find a way to get more points."
The Rams edged the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 with quarterback Matthew Stafford finding Kupp for two touchdown passes.
Kupp had 11 receptions for 142 yards for the game, with his fourth-quarter TD helping them reel in a 10-point final-change deficit.
The 28-year-old led the NFL in the key receiver statistics with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. Kupp has 386 receiving yards this postseason, which is the third all-time most in playoffs history before the Super Bowl.
"He's just a special player," McVay said at the post-game news conference. "I talked about Matthew [Stafford], competitive greatness, Cooper was that today.
"Just big catch after big catch. He's competing in the run game. He does so many things.
"We'd have no chance of being here today without Cooper Kupp."
The victory means the Rams have reached the Super Bowl for the second time in five seasons under McVay, having been beaten by the New England Patriots three years ago.
Stafford completed 31 of 45 passing attempts for 337 yards with his two touchdown passes for Kupp.
The Rams traded in 33-year-old QB Stafford from the Detroit Lions in March last year, with the move paying off.
"We went out and got him because we thought it was a chance to get a great player of his magnitude," McVay said. "Those things don’t come around often.
"He's elevated everybody around him. He's made me a better coach. He's made his teammates better. He's such a great person.
"He's a great competitor. We've seen that all season but it's really been on display this last couple of weeks. We talk about competitive greatness, he embodied that today."
Stafford endured years of under-achievement with the Lions, with only three postseason games which were all defeats, and was delighted to reach a Super Bowl for the first time in his 13-year career.
"I don’t know that I ever thought about what I'd be feeling at this moment," Stafford said. "I probably just sat there and wished I'd be in those games.
"I'm so happy that I've got that opportunity and we've got an opportunity to be in another one that I've always wanted to play in."
He added: "Long time coming, you know. [I] Spent a lot of years in this league, I've loved every minute of it. I feel blessed to be able to play in this league as long as I have. It's an opportunity."
Stafford has been skipping the Rams’ full-team portions of training camp practices and instead has been throwing in individual drills and 7-on-7 setups. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback dealt with an elbow injury last season and received an injection in the affected area during the offseason.
''It's a little bit abnormal for a quarterback,'' McVay said Thursday. ''Some of this stuff is things that MLB pitchers deal with, so it is something that we're kind of learning about on the fly with his feedback.''
While McVay stressed that Stafford could probably play in a game this week, the Rams clearly are trying to figure out how to keep him healthy for the season and are being careful not to overtax his arm.
"We want to try to have him operate in as little pain as possible,'' McVay said. ''I think anytime that you've played as long and are as tough as he is, I don't know if you're ever truly pain-free, but the goal would be for September 8, and really looking towards 17 games, then hopefully some games after that, if we earn that opportunity.
"That's kind of the perspective and the big-picture approach that we want to be able to take. I don't know that I would feel as comfortable taking that approach if it wasn't for the experience that he's accumulated.''
Stafford, 34, 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, his first with Los Angeles after 12 in Detroit.
Bruss headed to Los Angeles as a third-round selection from Wisconsin and arrived with great potential as a right guard, starting the first two preseason games as competition for places heated up.
However, the 22-year-old will not feature in the upcoming campaign after sustaining a season-ending injury to his right knee in the second quarter on Friday against the Texans.
"We obviously drafted him with confidence that he could be a guy that could potentially contribute for us this year," Rams coach Sean McVay said.
"Unfortunately now, as a result of what's occurred, that won't be the case. But [you] put your arm around him, you help him attack the rehab the right way.
"And I trust that he's going to do everything in his power to come back better next year than he was this year."
Bruss had been competing with Coleman Shelton for the starting right guard spot, though it will be the latter who appears in Week 1 at home to the Buffalo Bills on September 9.
While McVay believes Shelton's versatility will help the Rams, the Los Angeles coach expects his other players to step up and seize their opportunities in the absence of Bruss.
"It's an unfortunate thing for Logan, but guys have to be able to step up," McVay added.
"And that's the unfortunate part about this business and this game is that injuries do occur and let's go ahead and respond the right way with the way we attack our rehab.
"I hate it for Logan, but I am encouraged and very excited and optimistic about what we can be up front this year."
Tremayne Anchrum Jr., AJ Jackson and Bobby Evans were all cited by McVay as those who have shown development in preseason and could excel in 2022.
"I've seen incredible strides from Tremayne Anchrum, he's been outstanding in the preseason," McVay said.
"I think he's really done an outstanding job in these first two preseason games of showing that he absolutely belongs and he's a guy that could play and be ready to go if need be. And then the same thing with AJ Jackson.
"Those guys have stood out, and then you've got a guy in Bobby Evans that has started at guard, he's started at tackle in meaningful games that we've won over the last couple of years.
"And then you've got some young intriguing prospects in guys that have been here."
Wolford was in a neck brace when he was taken away from Lumen Field in an ambulance having been struck on the head by the shoulder of Seahawks safety Jamal Adams in the first quarter.
Asked for an update on the 25-year-old, Rams head coach Sean McVay told the media he had been released from hospital.
"He must be good because he was in the locker room smiling, looking good," said McVay.
"I think it was just a stinger, but he definitely seemed good. We wanted to be as cautious as we could with something like that. It looks like it's trending in a positive direction."
Wolford was selected to start the Wild Card game after completing 22 of 38 throws for 231 yards passing as the Rams clinched their playoff spot by defeating the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17.
The fact starting quarterback Jared Goff underwent thumb surgery less than two weeks ago played a part in McVay's decision.
However, Goff came off the bench to replace Wolford and passed for 155 yards - the most by any player off the bench since Jay Fielder's 172 for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1999 Divisional Round.
He connected on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods, while Cam Akers had 176 scrimmage yards - the second-most by a rookie in his playoff debut - and Darious Williams scored a 42-yard interception return.
"For [Goff] to be able to throw the football is pretty impressive," McVay said.
"There were a couple limitations which led to the decision to go with John. I was real pleased with Jared, and I think it was a real credit to him to be able to handle this week the right way and have himself mentally ready to go."
Asked for his opinion on McVay's decision, Goff said: "It was tough. It was some long conversations we had, but ultimately, I respect his decision.
"He's the coach. He had to make a decision that he needed to make early in the week to get out in front of some stuff, and I get it, but as a competitor of course I wanted to play."
Goff suggested there was added motivation for the Rams after seeing the Seahawks celebrate clinching the NFC West division title by beating them 20-9 in Week 16.
"Two weeks ago, you saw them smoking cigars and getting all excited about beating us and winning the division, and we're able to come up here and beat them in their own place. It feels good," he said.
Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Wednesday that Stafford had entered the protocol on Tuesday with medical staff performing their "cleanup after the game" from Sunday's 16-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stafford has not missed an NFL game since 2019, but if he is unavailable, John Wolford would be the Rams' starting quarterback.
"We'll take it a day at a time with him," McVay told reporters. "We're still anticipating and having the optimistic approach that there's a possibility that he'll be ready to go."
McVay added: "I know Matthew's going to do everything in his power to try to be able to be ready and we'll just take it a day at a time.
"But John's a guy that when he's been in these situations, he's stepped in and done a really good job. And it wasn't too long ago that he had to come in a game that we had to have to be able to get into the playoffs and he performed incredibly well."
McVay clarified that Stafford had not shown any indication that he was dealing with concussion symptoms during Sunday's game. He said medical staff "determined that they felt like that [entering protocols] was the best thing for him".
Stafford completed 13 of 27 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions against the Bucs. He was sacked four times in the game.
The 34-year-old Super Bowl LVI champion has a 68.4 per cent completion rate for 1,928 passing yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.
The Rams are 3-5 and third in the NFC West, while the Cardinals are 3-6 and fourth in that division.
The Rams toppled the Cardinals, who are ahead of them in the NFC West, to improve their record to 9-4, while Arizona go to 10-3.
Stafford's side had lost three in a row against the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers before winning their past two and refused to get carried away.
"Obviously it's big. Obviously it's a great win for us but at the same time we've got to make it worth something," Stafford told ESPN after the game. "We win this one and don’t take care of business in other weeks, then it don't mean much.
"We're on to the next one. This is a nice win for us, a division opponent, at a tough place to play, without some big-time key players, it's a good win to get but we've got to continue to get some more of them."
Stafford had three touchdown passes, completing 23 of 30 attempts for 287 yards. He has an NFL-high six games without three TD passes and no interceptions this season, ahead of Kirk Cousins, Justin Herbert and Aaron Rodgers with four.
The win came with the Rams without five players due to COVID-19 protocols, including Jalen Ramsey and Tyler Higbee who were both ruled out on the day of the game. Rob Havenstein, Dont'e Deayon and running back Darrell Henderson were also unavailable.
"It's a total team win," Stafford added. "A lot of adversity this week and today with some stuff going on with the players and personnel, I'm just proud of our team and our coach, and everyone sticking together. Getting one at their place, it's a tough place to play."
Rams head coach Sean McVay reiterated Stafford's comments, with the side scheduled to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday after they had managed back-to-back wins.
"It's a measuring stick for tonight. I thought the guys answered the bell," McVay said at the post-game news conference. "We've talked about it throughout the course of the year, how do we build on this, this is one night, we'll enjoy this but we've got a short week.
"Seattle has really gotten rolling over these last couple of weeks. Big win over San Fran, they looked good versus the Texans yesterday. Really pleased with these guys but we want to continue to be totally and completely present. Enjoy this but let's keep building on it.
"That's what the good teams do, they get better in the month of December. That's our goal, you've got to continue to be relevant but you want to make sure that you're improving so if you do give yourself an opportunity to play after the regular season, you're playing your best ball."
The loss is Arizona's third in a row at home and they were left to bemoan their final possession, having got within seven points, as quarterback Kyler Murray ran out of options with the clock ticking down, before being sacked for a third time by Aaron Donald.
On the final play, Murray said: "It was a miscommunication between me and the line. They thought it was a spike. It was a heat of the moment deal. I don’t even recall what was being said in the helmet."
