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Marcus Peters swaps jerseys with Todd Gurley, reunites with ex-teammates

Todd Gurley and Marcus Peters swapped jerseys after the Rams-Ravens game.

Marcus Peters’ tenure with the Los Angeles Rams was fairly brief, lasting less than a season and a half after he was traded by the Chiefs in 2018. The Rams shipped him off to the Ravens before this year’s trade deadline, effectively replacing him with Jalen Ramsey.

He returned to the Coliseum as a member of the Ravens on Monday night, and he could not have planned for his revenge game to go better than it did. He picked off Jared Goff and helped lift the Ravens to a 45-6 victory, also getting into it with Ramsey after the clock hit zero.

Despite showing some disdain for Ramsey, Peters is still on good terms with other members of the Rams. He swapped jerseys with Todd Gurley on the field, writing a message that said “love u brotha” and “keep ballin.”

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Peters also shared a few positive moments with his former teammates, giving Andrew Whitworth a big hug on the field after the Ravens’ win.

(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

He greeted Cooper Kupp, as well, who’s a player he had a lot of respect for during his time with the Rams. Peters didn’t cover Kupp much on Monday night, but the two were close in Los Angeles.

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

While on the field during the game, Peters and Robert Woods appeared to share a laugh. Peters was in coverage against Woods often in this one, helping keep the receiver in check; he had six catches for 97 yards, but a good portion of that was in garbage time.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After being traded by the Rams, Peters made it a point to go back to the team’s facility and say goodbye to his teammates and coaches. It’s something that Les Snead and Sean McVay greatly appreciated, and it’s clear his ex-teammates did, as well.

He still seems to be on good terms with many of the Rams’ current players.

Sean McVay feels ‘as responsible as anybody’ for Rams’ loss to Ravens

Here’s what Sean McVay told reporters after the Rams’ 45-6 loss.

When you lose by 39 points, there’s plenty of blame to go around. Sean McVay unsurprisingly shouldered most of it after the game, as he often does following Rams losses.

Los Angeles suffered its worst home loss in franchise history on Monday night against the Ravens, losing 45-6. The Rams did nothing well for 60 minutes, failing to slow down Baltimore’s offense or show any consistency against the Ravens’ defense.

Afterwards, McVay stepped to the podium and not only praised the Ravens, but also fell on the sword for his players.

“I trust that we have the right guys in that locker room, guys that are mentally tough, that understand that whatever we did tonight has nothing to do with what we’re going to do moving forward unless we allow it to,” McVay stated. “And that’s the mindset we’ve got to have as coaches, as players. We owe it each other to do better and I feel as responsible as anybody. I certainly have to do a better job but the only way I know how to do that is by the way you work throughout the week, the way that you consistently bring a consistent demeanor of urgency but also, ‘Hey, let’s be solution-oriented in the way we move forward.’

“Can’t wait to look at this tape, fix it and get ready for the Arizona Cardinals next week.”

McVay wasn’t afraid to give the Ravens credit where it was due. He and Wade Phillips had no answer for anything Baltimore threw at them, and it all centered around Lamar Jackson.

He can see why Jackson is a frontrunner to win NFL MVP, saying he felt like the league’s most valuable player on Monday night. But as good as the Ravens were, McVay knows the Rams did a lot to cost themselves a win.

And he knows he has to do a better job as a coach.

“Credit them, they made a lot of plays, they did some things. But certainly, I know I’ve got to do a much better job of coaching this football team and putting us in a position to make plays,” McVay said.

Any time a team runs for 285 yards, effort on the part of players is questioned. The Rams missed tackles left and right, which is nothing new for a defense against the Ravens, but it cost them a lot of yardage defensively.

McVay didn’t see an issue with players’ effort, once again putting the blame on himself.

“I don’t think it was anything to do with the effort,” he said. “Certainly, I feel responsible for not putting our players in better positions in all three phases. We’ll go back, we’ll look at it, we’ll see what we can do. There’s going to be an element of execution that that entails. We’re all in this thing together, but I feel as responsible as anybody.”

The Rams have another dynamic quarterback next up on their schedule as they’ll visit the Cardinals in Arizona. A loss in Week 13 would drop the Rams’ playoff chances to 7%, so their season hinges on this next game.

Rams set new low with worst home loss in franchise history

The Rams’ 39-point loss was their worst at home in franchise history.

Monday night was the first time since 2017 that the Rams were home underdogs, and just the second time all season that they weren’t the favorites over their opponent. That’s what happens when you’re facing the hottest team in football, even with the game being at home.

The Ravens were only favored by 3.5 points, but they won by much more than that. They blew out the Rams 45-6, completely shutting down Los Angeles’ offense and making things look easy against a defense that had allowed the fewest points in the NFL since Week 7.

Incredibly, it was the Rams’ worst home loss in franchise history. Their 39-point margin of defeat is the largest ever for the Rams, surpassing the previous high of 38 points. Overall, it’s the team’s fifth-worst loss ever, matching a 39-point road loss in 2002.

The Ravens had no trouble moving the ball in any facet on Monday night, but they were absolutely unstoppable on the ground. They carried it 48 times for 285 yards, and of those 48 rushes, none of them went for fewer than 1 yard aside from three kneel-downs to end the game.

This was also the first time a team scored a touchdown on each of its first six possessions in more than a decade, which further emphasizes how ugly this performance was by the defense – and the team as a whole.

If the Rams are going to make the playoffs, it’ll take a miraculous run in the final five weeks. Right now, their postseason odds sit at 19%, according to the New York Times, and a loss to the Cardinals on Sunday would drop them to just 7%.

Rams’ playoff chances on life support, drop to 19% after Week 12 loss

The Rams’ playoff hopes took a major hit on Monday night.

Last season, the Los Angeles Rams clinched the NFC West on Dec. 2 with a win over the Lions. This year, it’ll take a miracle for them to sneak into the playoffs as a wild-card team. That’s especially evident after their most recent loss, an uninspiring 45-6 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.

The Rams entered the game with a 29% chance to make the playoffs, according to the New York Times’ playoff predictor. A win would’ve pushed their chances to nearly 40%, but this loss sets them back significantly on their quest to the postseason.

After falling to the Ravens, the Rams now have just a 19% chance to make the playoffs. If they win their next three games, their odds jump to 56%, but that’s also not including the results of other games across the NFL. A loss to the Cardinals next week drops the Rams’ chances to a measly 7%, all but ending their playoff hopes.

Los Angeles hasn’t looked like a playoff team lately, scoring just two offensive touchdowns in its last three games. The defense had been playing well, but it was gashed for 285 yards by the Ravens on Monday night at home.

Not only did this loss really hurt the Rams’ playoff chances statistically, but mentally and emotionally, it was a deflating defeat.

Watch: Jalen Ramsey and Marcus Peters get into it after Rams-Ravens game

Jalen Ramsey and Marcus Peters had to be separated after the Rams-Ravens game.

Marcus Peters’ return to the Coliseum against the team that traded him a month ago could not have gone better. He picked off Jared Goff and left Los Angeles with bragging rights after the Ravens blew out the Rams, 45-6.

He made the Rams look bad for trading him midseason, and he let them know. After the game, he was approached by Jalen Ramsey, who the Rams replaced Peters with. The two exchanged words, and it wasn’t to wish each other well in the future.

Here’s another angle of the confrontation, which left Ramsey trying to get back to Peters.

During the game, Peters appeared to taunt Ramsey on the field by yelling his name from the sidelines. This came after Peters’ interception, as you can see him chanting Ramsey’s name while the Rams were on defense.

In the locker room afterwards, Ramsey declined to comment on his exchange with Peters.

Peters, meanwhile, had some words for the Rams as he went down the tunnel from the field.

4 takeaways from the Rams’ 45-6 loss to Baltimore

The Rams were embarrassed by Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens on primetime. Here are four takeaways from the depressing outing.

The Los Angeles Rams were embarrassed on Monday Night Football by the Baltimore Ravens. It was complete opposite of last year’s barnburner on Monday Night Football against Kansas City. Here’s a few takeaways from the primetime debacle.

Rams’ defense nonexistent

It appears that something must have happened to the Rams over the past week that didn’t allow their defense to practice or come up with a game-plan to stop Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense. Maybe Wade Phillips just gave the team the week off. Any excuse as to why the Rams forgot to come up with a game-plan would be less embarrassing than if this was actually their game plan. 

The Ravens scored a touchdown every single time they touched the ball in the first half and Lamar Jackson completed all nine of his passes. The Rams were hopeless every time the defense touched the field.

Something also must have happened at halftime that caused the Rams to make any adjustments, because if they actually attempted to make any adjustments, they were meaningless. Baltimore scored a touchdown on their first two possessions of the second half before Lamar Jackson called it a night.

These games happen to everyone. Good teams get blown out. Bad teams get blown out. Mediocre teams get blown out. The Rams were decimated by Baltimore’s elite offense. It happens. But it certainly stings a little more when it’s on primetime and it drops your record to 6-5.

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Instant analysis of Rams’ crushing 45-6 loss to Ravens

The Rams were embarrassed by the Ravens at home, losing 45-6.

The Rams were in desperate need of a win on Monday night against the Ravens. Instead, they were served a huge slice of humble pie and left the Coliseum with a terrible taste in their mouth.

They were absolutely embarrassed by the Ravens from start to finish, and in all three phases of the game. The end result? A 45-6 loss in front of the home crowd, dropping their record to 6-5.

It was as ugly a game as they’ve played this season, allowing more rushing yards Monday night than they had in their last four games combined. Lamar Jackson played just over three quarters and was pulled with five touchdown passes and 95 yards rushing, bolstering his MVP case.

Stat to know: 285

The Ravens rushed for 285 yards, which is 18 more than the Rams had allowed in their previous four games combined. Los Angeles only had 221 yards of total offense, to put things in perspective.

Game notes

  • The defense had no answer for Jackson or the Ravens offense. There were missed tackles all over the place, poor gap discipline and a lack of physicality at all three levels of the defense. Whether it was safeties or linebackers, no one could corral Jackson or the Ravens’ running backs.
  • Jared Goff was the least of the Rams’ problems. Although he didn’t have a great performance, his first interception came with the game already out of hand and his second went right through Cooper Kupp’s hands. At one point, he was 14-for-19 but finished the game 26-for-37 with 212 yards. He missed Tyler Higbee for a touchdown after the TE broke wide open, but other than that, his accuracy seemed better against Baltimore.
  • The run game was understandably non-existent. The Ravens were up 14-0 before the first quarter even ended, forcing Los Angeles to abandon the run. Todd Gurley played the majority of the game, but he only carried it six times for 22 yards.
  • Sean McVay continues to show a lack of confidence in the offense. Down 35-6, the Rams punted the ball away on fourth-and-2 from their own 28-yard line. The Ravens scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive, making the punt look even worse. Additionally, McVay ran the ball on third-and-13 early in the game, which was called back due to penalty. On third-and-18, it was a quick bubble screen.
  • Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks both looked good in their returns to the field. Woods got open for a 24-yard gain in the fourth quarter, while Cooks had a nice 22-yard grab in traffic over the middle. Kupp caught six passes, but only for 35 yards with a long reception of 9 yards.

Lamar Jackson embarrassed the Rams with a near-perfect first half

The Rams put together one of their worst first halves in recent memory.

The Rams needed to come out on Monday night and punch the Ravens in the mouth. Instead, they were the ones who suffered the first blow – and the second, third and fourth.

In the first half against the Ravens, the Rams were absolutely embarrassed by Lamar Jackson and Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens struck quickly with a touchdown on their first drive. The Rams couldn’t answer, so Baltimore added a touchdown on its second possession, too.

Finally, the Rams got on the board to make it 14-3, but the Ravens doubled that margin before halftime, going up 28-6 on Jackson’s third touchdown of the night.

He finished the first 30 minutes of the game going 9-for-9 passing with 87 yards and three touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 146.5. On the ground, he added another 80 yards on just six carries, including a 29-yarder to set up Mark Ingram’s touchdown run.

He wasn’t the only one running all over the Rams, either. Ingram had 58 yards on eight carries, Justice Hill added 18 yards on three carries and Gus Edwards had 17 yards on three attempts. In total, the Ravens rushed for 173 yards, which is more than the Rams have allowed in any game this season.

Baltimore scored touchdowns on all four of its first-half possessions, making this just the ninth time since 1996 that the Rams allowed at least 28 points before the half.

Rams fans on Twitter were not thrilled about the start to this game, while others reacted in awe of Jackson.

Rams Week 12 inactives: Robert Woods to play vs. Ravens

Robert Woods is officially back after missing one game.

After missing one game due to a family matter, Robert Woods is back in the mix for the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. The team announced its seven inactives for the game against the Ravens and Woods was not among them.

He’s officially active for Week 12, and his return comes at a perfect time. The Ravens have the best offense in the NFL and Los Angeles will need all hands on deck against them.

Throughout the week, Sean McVay said he wasn’t sure if Woods was going to play against the Ravens. It wasn’t a matter of him being in shape physically, but his personal issue seems to be ongoing. Fortunately, he’ll be on the field Monday night.

Brandin Cooks is also active after missing two games with a concussion.

Here are the Rams’ other inactives for Week 12, none of which are surprising.

Natrez Patrick came down with an illness late in the week and will miss the game as a result. Rob Havenstein is still out with a knee injury, and Darious Williams is still hampered by an ankle issue.

The other four players are all healthy scratches, however.

For the Ravens, Michael Pierce is out with an ankle injury.

Field conditions could be an issue for Rams vs. Ravens tonight

The Coliseum is in rough shape after Saturday’s USC-UCLA game.

The Rams and Ravens will take the field on Monday night just two days after the USC Trojans hosted UCLA at the Coliseum. As a result, the field probably won’t be in pristine condition, which could cause some problems for players.

According to Steve Wyche of NFL Network, the grounds crew has been out trying to get the field ready since Monday morning. The USC-UCLA game “really churned up this field,” according to Wyche, but the crew has the field “looking very good.”

“They have been putting down a sand-based granular substance on here to help with moisture and adhesion,” he added.

The field also had to be covered with the tarp Wednesday, which didn’t help, either.

Sean McVay was asked this past week about the possibility of the field being in rough shape after the USC game, but he didn’t seem too concerned about it thanks to the work done by the equipment staff.

“I think our guys in equipment do a great job of kind of educating our players,” McVay said. “You could even see last Sunday, it gets to be slippery, there’s some moisture on the field and you want to make sure that you’ve got your footing. Really, I’ll probably be able to tell you after the game, see how messed up it ends up getting. Usually, (Head of Equipment) Brendan Burger and his staff do a great job of putting our players in a position to make sure they are ready to go equipment-wise.”

The Rams won’t be back at the Coliseum until Week 14, so the grounds crew will have plenty of time to work on the field, which it sounds like they’ll be doing a lot of.