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The LA Rams defense should be taken quite seriously at this point. Another quarterback blasted asunder, another offense held to 10 points or less. Thursday’s 24-3 victory against the Patriots marked the fourth time in 2020 that the Rams held an opponent to 10 or fewer points and that is now the most of any team in the league.
Offensively, Cam Akers rushed for more yards than any other NFL rookie this season.
No victories are perfect but few can compete with beating Bill Belichick by 21 points and forcing him to pull out his rarest move since the Cleveland days, benching a starting quarterback for poor performance.
The Rams came to play and now they can see the NFC West title in hand’s reach. The hand of Aaron Donald.
The Good
Cam Akers for 35 yards
THE CAM AKERS TAKEOVER STARTS NOWpic.twitter.com/iusbuk2xi8
— PFF (@PFF) December 11, 2020
Cam Akers had 100 total yards by the end of the first quarter. I think that he matters. He seems to be more valuable than his counterparts with the football in his hands and I believe that the sum total of that value helped the Rams win the football game. This seems like an easy aspect of the game to understand.
Jared Goff gives Rams 7-0 lead
Jared Goff rushing TD, just how we drew it up! #NEvsLAR pic.twitter.com/aV1O1vmNtV
— BetOnline.ag (@betonline_ag) December 11, 2020
Goff has four rushing touchdowns this season.
Cam Newton throws a pick-six to give Rams 17-0 lead
TO THE HOUSE. Pick-6 for Kenny Young #RamsHouse
— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2020
: #NEvsLAR on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
: https://t.co/W5bCPYgMfo pic.twitter.com/HtraEJ9ivy
This was Newton’s first pick six since Week 10 of the 2018 season, though he did miss most of 2019. In any case, this was the closest he’d come to a scoring play all night.
Kenny Young played a season-low 23% of the snaps last week. The night of his life this week.
Michael Brockers sacks Cam Newton
BIG BROCK @MichaelBrockers x #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/jfc1aGyetJ
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 11, 2020
Brockers was on the injury report this week but looked healthy.
Goff to Cooper Kupp to make score 24-3
Cooper Kupp toe-drag TD
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 11, 2020
(via @RamsNFL)pic.twitter.com/Cdh6mvWoC2
The Patriots didn’t think it was a touchdown. It was a touchdown.
Michael Brockers sacks Cam Newton
Michael Brockers is having himself a night @MichaelBrockers @RamsNFL
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 11, 2020
#NEvsLAR on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO pic.twitter.com/i7qqBuDPFM
Michael Brockers looked healthy. He has five sacks this season, one shy of a new career-high.
Aaron Donald sacks Cam Newton
Superman.@AaronDonald97 x #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/BpLIBE6qYd
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 11, 2020
Aaron Donald probably won’t post a new career-high in sacks (but Jets next week) but he will probably get a new second-most.
Kenny Young sacks Cam Newton
That Kenny Young/Marcus Peters trade is feeling pretty damn good right about now
— Bate™ (@NoPlanB_) December 11, 2020
More Kenny Young.
Jared Goff punch instincts
Did Jared Goff just avoid a punch from the ref #NEvsLAR pic.twitter.com/4DUZRb5gtj
— Tony Clements (@TonyClementsTC) December 11, 2020
The Bad
Jared Goff interception
Myles Bryant dope interception off Jared Goff!#GoPats pic.twitter.com/ZzbXXPi2r9
— Roto Street Journal (RSJ) (@RotoStJournal) December 11, 2020
I don’t have much to add in the bad.
The Difference
There are a lot of things that could have been “the difference” tonight and I think it’s best again if you tell me...
What was the difference in the Rams making it easy against the Patriots tonight?
Poll
What was the THE DIFFERENCE in the Rams 24-3 win over the Patriots?
This poll is closed
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39%
Cam Akers
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43%
Sean McVay’s game plan vs Belichick
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6%
Cam Newton is bad
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10%
Aaron Donald leading dominant pass rush