Rams Pull Off a Comfortable Win Against Tennessee
The Los Angeles Rams continued their strong start to the season with an impressive 33-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, improving to 2-0. Facing off against the first overall draft pick, Cam Ward, the Rams defense battled early in the first half before locking in and shutting down the rookie quarterback in key moments. On the offensive side, Matthew Stafford seemed to have found his rhythm. Plus, the explosive duo of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams once again proved to be a dangerous matchup for opposing defenses.
The game opened with defensive energy, as Byron Young recorded the first sack of the day on Ward for a loss of eight yards, forcing a long third down. On the Rams’ first offensive drive, they elected to go for it on fourth and one at Tennessee's 45-yard line. Stafford then handed the ball off to Puka Nacua, who took it all the way for a 45-yard touchdown, setting the tone early. In the second quarter, Kobie Turner broke through the defensive line for another sack on Ward that pushed the Titans back, forcing them to make a long 55-yard field goal by kicker Joey Slye.
Momentum shifted late in the first half. Stafford connected with Adams for a 33-yard gain, but the Rams had to settle for a Joshua Karty field goal. Cam Ward answered with a touchdown pass across his body to Elic Ayomanor, tying the game at 10-10. Stafford was then intercepted by Cody Barton with just under 30 seconds left in the half, allowing Tennessee to add another Slye field goal to take a 13-10 lead into halftime. Stafford ended the half going nine-of-16 for 107 yards and an interception, while Ward had 123 yards and a touchdown.
The Rams came out strong in the second half. Stafford and Adams connected on several key passes, and although drives initially ended in field goals, a 35-yard reception by Nacua set up a quick 69-yard drive capped by tight end Davis Allen’s touchdown at the pylon. The Titans were able to make another long field goal. However, ultimately, the Rams were in control. The balanced attack on both sides of the ball from Los Angeles began to wear down Tennessee as the momentum swung fully in the Rams’ favor.
The entire fourth quarter belonged to Los Angeles as they looked to get into a comfortable spot. Byron Young continued to make his presence felt, forcing a fumble on a strip sack on Ward that was recovered by Nate Landman, which gave Stafford the opportunity to hit Adams for a 16-yard touchdown, his first touchdown as a Ram that increased the lead to 27-16. Late in the fourth quarter, Jordan Whittington joined the party with a 40-yard catch of his own, setting up for Blake Corum to get his first career NFL touchdown. Even though Tennessee blocked the extra point, the Rams stayed in the lead the rest of the game, finishing off with a 33-19 win.
Stafford ended his day with 298 passing yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-33 passing. Puka finished with 91 receiving yards, 45 rushing yards, and a touchdown, while Davante Adams had 106 yards and a touchdown. With their offense firing on all cylinders and their defense forcing turnovers, the Rams showed poise and balance in their second straight win. Next week, they’ll travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in a marquee matchup at Lincoln Financial Field.
