The Los Angeles Rams entered Sunday night needing a win against the Denver Broncos as they entered a grueling part of their schedule. For much of the game, it looked like they may win in dominant fashion. They led 16-0 at halftime and out-gained the Broncos 273 yards to 67. However, when all was said and done, the Rams found themselves on the wrong end of yet another heart-breaking loss. 

“Yeah, it’s tough,” said head coach Sean McVay. “But this is sports. You sign up for all of it. I love our group. We just came up short. Give the Broncos credit, they found a way to get it done. We’ll look at ourselves and figure out how we can improve.”

According to The Athletic’s Nate Atkins, McVay ducked out of his press conference before Rams media could ask him questions and only 10 minutes after the final whistle. It’s a testament to the emotions tied to this loss.

Going into the half, the Rams led 16-0 and looked like the far superior team. With the Broncos getting the ball out of the half, the Rams defense forced a third three-and-out of the game, seemingly putting to bed any chance of the Broncos getting back in the game. 

Special Teams Spark Another Rams Collapse

However, much like the Rams’ 16-point collapse to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16 last year, it was a special teams error that changed everything. The Rams followed the Broncos’ three-and-out with one of their own. Ethan Evans then bombed a punt 57 yards right down the middle of the field that was returned to the Rams’ 42-yard line. 12 plays later, Bo Nix found wide receiver Pat Bryant in the end zone for the touchdown and then Jaylen Waddle for the two-point conversion. 

After Evans had a better punt on the next drive, pinning the Broncos inside their own 10, Emmanuel Forbes was flagged for running out of bounds unimpeded. The next punt resulted in the Broncos taking over at midfield. Seven plays later, Nix threw a second touchdown pass and found Bryant for the two-point conversion to tie the game. 

The Broncos had to travel an average of 47 yards on their two touchdown drives. Throughout the offseason, the Rams put an emphasis on special teams, but it cost them heavily on Sunday night.  The Rams dominated the first half, and before the third quarter was over, the game was tied within a matter of minutes. 

In the first half, the Rams’ defense allowed just 3.2 yards per play. They also held the Broncos to 2-for-6 on third down. For much of the game, Nix was contained and the Rams made him uncomfortable. Nix finished the first half just 6-for-12 for 53 yards. 

For as good as the Broncos’ secondary was, the Rams didn’t back away from throwing the ball. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had 32 passing attempts in the first half. After a lot of talk about the matchup between Davante Adams and Patrick Surtain, Adams finished with seven catches for 137 yards. It marked his first back-to-back 100-yard games since 2024. 

Missed Opportunities Keep Broncos Alive

Too many times, the Rams’ offense settled for field goals in the first half, keeping the Broncos in the game. The Rams scored on their first red zone trip after Stafford found Tyler Higbee for a touchdown off a play-action bootleg. 

However, as the defense continued to shut down the Broncos offense, the offense didn’t take advantage. Two red zone penalties forced the Rams to settle for field goals, which Harrison Mevis converted. Before the half, Stafford led the offense into scoring range to give the Rams a 16-0 lead at halftime. 

The Rams needed to play 60 minutes against a Broncos team that typically starts playing its best football in the second half of games. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Rams had lost all balance in the offense and the game script seemed to get thrown out the window. As a play-caller, McVay lost control of the game. 

Missed Chances Come Back to Haunt Rams

Despite the Rams winning or being tied for most of the night, Stafford threw the ball 55 times as Kyren Williams and Blake Corum carried the ball 21 times. Through the first two games, the carries between Williams and Corum were almost 50-50. On Sunday night, Williams had 15 carries to Corum’s six. 

With Terrance Ferguson out of the game with an ankle injury, the Rams struggled to find any rhythm in the passing game. The offense was already without Puka Nacua. No Ferguson left the Rams short-handed and needing to resort to more three wide receiver looks. Stafford’s 55 pass attempts were the most he’s had in a game since 2023. 

Despite the game starting to snowball, things appeared to go back in the Rams’ favor after a tipped pass by Kobie Turner landed in the arms of cornerback Josh Wallace. However, again, the offense didn’t capitalize. The offense went seven yards in seven plays and had to settle for a field goal. 

When the defense got another stop, the offense once again had a chance to take control of the game. Stafford found Adams for 49 yards. On 3rd-and-6, the game flipped on its head. Stafford targeted Kyren Williams in the flat, but instead found the arms of Talanoa Hufanga who took it the other way for a touchdown. It was Hufanga’s second career pick-six on Stafford and Stafford’s 33rd career pick-six. 

Still, the Matthew Stafford experience is anything but dull. While Stafford was sacked on the first play of the ensuing drive, he found wide receiver Konata Mumpfield for 21 yards to pick up the first down. Two plays later, Stafford found Mumpfield again, only this time, sprinting wide open down the right sideline past Riley Moss for a 48-yard touchdown pass to put the Rams back in the lead. 

Leading by three with just 3:38 to play, all the Rams needed was a stop from their defense. A hold by Garrett Bolles put the Broncos at 2nd-and-20 and the Rams in a spot to close the game. On the very next play, Nix found Bryant steaming across the field wide open for 36 yards.

Rams Haunted by Controversial Officiating Decisions

Back in 2018, referee Bill Vinovich called the NFC Championship game between the Rams and Saints with Sean McVay and Sean Payton on the sideline. Late in that game, Nickell Robey-Coleman got away with an egregious defensive pass interference. 

On Sunday night, Vinovich was the referee for Rams-Broncos with Payton and McVay once again on opposite sidelines as the respective head coaches. Facing 3rd-and-6, Nix threw to the same sideline where Robey-Coleman covered Tommylee Lewis. Only this time, it was Josh Wallace covering Pat Bryant. Wallace fought for the ball and came up with an interception that seemingly would have essentially ended the game. However, Vinovich called Wallace for defensive pass interference that NBC Referee Analyst Terry McAulay said should not have been. 

It took 7.5 years, but Payton finally got his make-up call against McVay with Vinovich once again as the referee. While the Rams defense got another third down stop, this time Quentin Lake was called for illegal use of hands on a penalty that was just as questionable as the first. The defense forced another third down, but with the ball at the one-yard line, Nix got in on a quarterback sneak to give the Broncos a 30-26 lead. 

The Rams’ offense certainly made things interesting at the end. Stafford led the Rams down to the 19-yard line. On the final play of the game, Stafford lobbed a pass intended for Davante Adams that was underthrown and ended up in the hands of Hufanga who changed the game with his pick-six. 

Rams Face Familiar Questions After Another Heartbreaker

This loss is just another trophy in the bookcase of heartbreaking losses that the Rams have accumulated over the last two years. They were leading 16-0 against the Broncos at halftime and lost 30-26. The game changed with the injuries to Watson and Ferguson, but it’s still a disappointing loss and one that got away. 

While it helps that it’s against an AFC opponent, this is one that the Rams may look back on at the end of the year and wish they had back. Once again, it was a special teams gaffe that started the comeback. 

The Rams will head to Philadelphia next week to play the Eagles and hope to get back to .500 against another tough team on the road. It’s very easy to want to write the Rams off after this one, but they largely outplayed the Broncos. There certainly won’t be any moral victories, but the Rams had more yards and more first downs. However, poorly timed penalties, a lack of efficiency in the red zone, and special teams errors are a constant thorn in the Rams’ side.

After three weeks, not many would have expected the Rams to sit at 1-2. However, that’s the bed they’ve made. Much like the 2023 and 2024 seasons, injuries to key players in big moments have put the Rams in a hole. Now, we’ll get to see if this team has what it takes to dig themselves out of it. 

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