Rams Win Defensive Battle with Jets, 9-6

Rams Win Defensive Battle with Jets, 9-6

Myles Simmons


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The streak is over, as the Rams used another strong defensive performance to defeat the Jets, 9-6. With the win, Los Angeles is now 4-5 on the season.

The Rams were able to score on their first drive to take an early lead. Wide receiver Kenny Britt caught a pair of passes to convert third downs, and then made a one-handed reception to move L.A. to New York’s 25-yard line. From there, running back Benny Cunningham took a pitch play to the right down to the one-yard line.


But that would be it for the Rams’ offense on the drive, as a negative run followed by two incomplete passes induced the team to settle for a 20-yard Greg Zuerlein field goal.

Los Angeles held its 3-0 lead until early in the second quarter. Though a Johnny Hekker punt downed by wide receiver Bradley Marquezplaced the Jets at their own one-yard line to begin a drive, the home team went 99 yards to pay dirt. Second-year quarterback Bryce Petty — starting in place of the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick — completed a 52-yard pass on the left sideline to wide receiver Robby Anderson, which got the Jets out of the shadow of their goal posts and pushed them into Rams territory.

After the clock flipped to the second quarter, New York took the lead with a bit of trickery. Petty passed to wide receiver Brandon Marshall outside for a screen. While it looked like the play was well defended, Marshall then pitched it on a lateral to running back Bilal Powell, who ran the ball in for a touchdown. The Jets, however, missed the extra point, which kept the score at 6-3.

New York’s three-point lead held through halftime, until the Rams scored their second field goal of the game to tie it up. Running back Todd Gurley began Los Angeles’ second drive of the third quarter with a 13 yard run, and followed it up with another for five yards. But it was a 20-yard screen pass to Tavon Austin that brought the Rams into scoring position at the New York seven-yard line.

But Los Angeles could not punch it in, with an offensive pass interference penalty pushing the unit back to the 19-yard line. After a Keenum sack and an incomplete pass, Zuerlein connected on a 38-yard field goal to tie the game at six.

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