The way the schedule fell for the Los Angeles Rams gave them every opportunity to be perfect through the first quarter of the season.
The real test for the Rams started on Sunday. They passed by overcoming more adversity than they could have expected.
“The toughness and the resolve of this football team was certainly tested today and guys delivered in a big way,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.
Photo: AFP
The Rams escaped from Seattle with a 33-31 win over the Seahawks that kept Los Angeles as one of two unbeaten teams in the league.
Los Angeles moved to 5-0 by leaning heavily on Todd Gurley and Jared Goff, making a key defensive stand in the fourth quarter and a gutsy fourth-down call to clinch the victory.
It was the kind of victory the Rams needed.
They were down two of their top offensive stars after Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp suffered concussions. They trailed in the fourth quarter and watched Goff respond, and they prevailed in a venue that has been exceedingly difficult for road teams.
“You need to know when these games come around, can you finish. That’s what we did today,” Gurley said. “Tough environment. Doesn’t matter which team it is. You’ve just got to be able to close out those close games.”
Gurley rushed for three touchdowns, despite being held to only 77 yards rushing.
He has got seven touchdowns in the past two games against Seattle, and even with Kupp and Cooks missing the entire second half, the Rams were still able to put up 468 yards and average 7.4 yards per play against a Seattle defense that, for the most part, played well.
For all the big yards the Rams racked up, it was the two yards Goff got on fourth-and-one with 1 minute, 39 seconds left that sealed the victory, as he plunged forward to convert the risky call by McVay.
For some longtime Rams, winning again in Seattle was a sweet feeling.
“This just continues the rivalry,” Rams guard Rodger Saffold III said. “A lot of these guys weren’t here, but I remember the days when Golden Tate used to taunt us before he got to the end zone. I remember the close games in the Edward Jones Dome. You could say that sways my decision about what I think about this team, but at the end of the day we knew it was going to be a tough, physical game.”
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care