The Rams did just about everything they could to beat themselves vs. Titans

[theramswire.usatoday.com] The Rams did just about everything they could to beat themselves vs. Titans

Cameron DaSilva
November 7, 2021 10:42 pm PT
The Titans ran 56 plays, picked up 16 first downs and gained a total of 194 yards. The Rams held them to only 3.5 yards per play and even forced one turnover, maintaining possession for four-plus minutes more than Tennessee did.

Yet, the Rams were steamrolled 28-16 – and their only touchdown came with 24 seconds left when the game was already decided. By looking at the box score, you would never know the Rams were blown out at home by a Titans team that was missing Derrick Henry.


The Titans didn’t really beat the Rams. The Rams beat themselves.

Not to discredit the Titans’ victory, but this was a game Los Angeles should’ve won – and likely would have if not for the list of self-inflicted wounds that ran longer than a CVS receipt.

In total, the Rams committed 12 penalties that gave the Titans 115 yards. It’s the most penalty yards the Rams have accumulated with Sean McVay as their head coach. In fact, it’s the most they’ve had in a game since 2014.

They were called for two roughing the passer penalties (the first of which was questionable), two false starts, three holding calls, taunting and unnecessary roughness, and a neutral zone infraction. There was a wide variety of penalties committed by the Rams, almost all of which proved to be costly and hurt their chances of winning on Sunday night.

“We were uncharacteristic with the penalties, the turnovers,” McVay said. “But I really think the defense started off, they were giving us a chance, big-time interception by Jalen. And then ultimately, just the momentum and flow of the game, I didn’t do a nearly good enough job of helping our players establish that, particularly on offense. You go back, you look at yourself critically and we get these things corrected.”

But even with those penalties, the Rams had a chance to win. What really did them in were Matthew Stafford’s two interceptions. He threw a Carson Wentz-inspired helicopter interception, blindly throwing the ball from his own end zone into the waiting arms of David Long Jr., who returned it to the Rams’ 2-yard line.

The INT that set up the @titans touchdown!