The Atlanta Falcons squared off against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football, and it was a game to note because they had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Still, they surprised many as they defeated the Rams, one of the best teams in the NFL, 27-24.
The offense was on fire, with running back Bijan Robinson racking up 195 rushing yards and a touchdown, and 34 receiving yards and a score. However, the story of the night was how the defense was able to shut down the Rams’ high-powered offense. Here’s how they did it.
They Contained Rams’ Puka Nacua
Rams’ wide receiver Puka Nacua, ranked at the top of PFSN’s WR Metrics, has had a terrific season, catching over 100 catches and 1,000 yards ahead of the game. In the contest, Nacua had only five catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. Atlanta was able to contain Nacua by having cornerback AJ Terrell Jr. shadow him a bit during the game, providing exceptional coverage.
Nacua was targeted 10 times in total but only caught five passes. He had to earn just about every catch as the Falcons’ secondary made it tough for him to get the ball.
They Got After Rams’ Matthew Stafford
The Falcons’ defense got after Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford, and he didn’t look his usual MVP-like self, like he has been this season. He went 22/38 for 269 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Falcons’ front seven was able to get pressure on Stafford, sacking him three times. It was difficult for Stafford to step up in the pocket and make accurate throws for a good portion of the night.
Stafford threw three interceptions, one of which was a pick-six by Falcons’ safety Jessie Bates III, which occurred in the second quarter. Safety Xavier Watts had two interceptions, and one of those was initially ruled a touchdown, but after review, it was determined that he stepped out of bounds. Falcons defensive linemen Ruke Orhorhoro, Leonard Floyd, and linebacker Brandon Dorlus all had a sack.
Atlanta’s defense, ranked 18th on PFSN’s DEFi, caused the Rams to go 5/13 on third down and 1/4 on fourth down, which contributed to the victory. The Rams did rally back late with a touchdown to Puka Nacua in the fourth quarter with about three minutes to go, tying the score at 24.
However, when the Rams regained possession of the ball after Atlanta’s game-leading and ultimately winning field goal, the defense secured another stop to seal the game.
Falcons’ head coach Raheem Morris served on the Rams staff as a defensive coordinator and won a Super Bowl before joining Atlanta as the head coach. Morris’ defense was one of the factors in the victory over his former team.
