The opportunities were there for the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday night’s loss to the Detroit Lions, but they were unable to capitalize. Every game has missed opportunities for both teams but the Rams will be kicking themselves about six specific plays in their overtime loss.
If they execute properly on these plays, they likely beat the Lions and start the season 1-0. From a failed fourth-down conversion to a costly penalty by a rookie defender, these six plays cost the Rams the most against the Lions at Ford Field.
Failed fourth-and-4 from Lions’ 23
It’s hard to blame Sean McVay for going for it in this situation. The score was 3-3 and the Lions aren’t a team you necessarily beat with field goals, so McVay wanted to stay aggressive and go for six instead of settling for three points. It was still early in the game, with about 6 minutes left in the second quarter, so they had plenty of time to make up for it.
It’s just unfortunate that the ball went through Cooper Kupp’s hands while trying to make a catch against tight coverage. Had he picked up the first, the Rams could’ve gone up 10-3 instead of allowing the Lions to lead 10-3 on the ensuing drive.
Matthew Stafford’s interception in end zone
This play was even costlier than the failed fourth-down conversion. The Rams had nothing going on offense in the first half but they put together a nice drive before halftime. On second-and-goal from the 8, Stafford floated a pass to Tyler Johnson in the end zone and it was picked off by Kerby Joseph, taking at least three points off the board for the Rams.
If that pass falls incomplete, at worst the Rams run one more play and settle for the field goal to make it 10-6. Better yet, they might’ve scored on third down to tie the game. An interception was the worst possible outcome.
Jameson Williams’ 52-yard touchdown catch
Tre’Davious White had a decent game but this rep was not one he wants to watch again. He got burned by a double-move, grabbed Williams and still let him run wide open down the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown despite White being flagged for illegal contact.
It came on third-and-3 from the Lions’ own 48-yard line, too, so it’s not as if they were in field goal range. If White stays with Williams and forces an incompletion, the Lions either punt or go for it on fourth down instead of going up 17-3 early in the third quarter.
A.J. Arcuri’s holding penalty on Jordan Whittington’s touchdown
It’s always painful when penalties take points off the board. Arcuri’s holding penalty on the goal line when the Rams ran a perfect jet sweep to Whittington on second-and-1 was a backbreaker. It negated the touchdown and put the Rams in second-and-11, which forced them to take the field goal instead of a touchdown – a four-point swing. Whittington’s touchdown would’ve tied the game at 17 and given the Rams even more momentum.
Warren McClendon Jr.’s false start in fourth quarter
Leading 20-17, the Rams got the ball back with a chance to really put the game away late in the fourth quarter. From their own 20-yard line, they had second-and-12 with 2:31 left to play. There’s no guarantee they would’ve converted on the next two plays, but McClendon was called for a false start to make it second-and-17.
A 7-yard run by Kyren Williams set up third-and-10, but the bad news is Williams went out of bounds instead of staying in and forcing the Lions to use their timeout. Stafford’s third-and-10 pass was incomplete so the Lions got the ball back with two timeouts and 2:11 to play, eventually kicking a game-tying field goal.
Kamren Kinchens’ personal foul
On the Lions’ final drive of regulation, they got a huge assist from the rookie Kinchens. Sam LaPorta caught an 18-yard pass over the middle and Kinchens landed a helmet-to-helmet hit on the tight end, leading to a 15-yard penalty. So the Lions went from their own 36 to the Rams’ 31 in one play, already putting them in field goal range while trailing by just three points.
It was one of just five snaps played by Kinchens, but it was a very costly one.