The Rams have reached that fork in the road that divides losing teams from teams that will continue to fight and to salvage a season that has gone south.
With three more home dates remaining, starting Sunday at 1:25 against a division leader, the 7-5 Atlanta Falcons, the Rams have an opportunity to finish on positive note.
For the third straight week, Los Angeles will face one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, Matt Ryan.
He is called Matty Ice because he is calm under pressure. Two weeks ago the Rams faced Drew Brees of the Saints and last week it was Tom Brady of the Patriots.
The 4-8 Rams have lost three in a row. They need to make adjustments on both sides of the ball. In five of their eight losses, the defense has played well enough to win. The last two weeks, though, the defense has given up 75 points. The offense has struggled the whole season.
Could this be the week the defense and offense comes together.
Former Bruin Cory Harkey hopes the offense can score. “We need to execute better on Sundays,” said the tight end at the Rams training camp in Thousand Oaks. “Everyone needs to be focused on what they need to do and do their job. You have to have a short memory regardless if you win or lose.”
Special teams have been a bright spot, especially punter Johnny Hekker. The 6-foot-5, 236-pound fifth year kicker from Oregon State is the best punter in the league.
A month ago against the Jets he got off a 78-yard punt. “I am not sure if I am kicking better than before,” he said. “But I am blessed to be on a really good punt team.
Hekker is becoming one of the faces of the franchise, along with running back Todd Gurley and rookie quarterback Jared Goff. At the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Rams’ $2.9 billion stadium last month in Inglewood, Hekker was awed by what he saw.
“An incredible moment to see the shovels in the ground,” he said, “and we got to see where the stadium is going to be built. It will be an incredible monument for sports and entertainment, and it will be cool to be a part of that.”
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com
