Rams remind NFL why they're a dangerous team in win over Ravens

BALTIMORE — The hibernation period for the Los Angeles Rams ended with the beginning of the second half Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. They went dormant again just a few minutes of game time later. But that’s all Los Angeles needed to walk away with a 17-3 victory.

The Rams had last played Thursday, Oct. 2 – a surprising 26-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. They’d made plenty of mistakes to lose that game. Their start in Baltimore 11 days later was a continuation, especially over the first 30 minutes.

Then quarterback Matthew Stafford — who passed Dan Marino for ninth on the all-time passing yards list — led a nine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that took three minutes and eight seconds off the clock. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, the rare healthy star for the Baltimore offense that desperately missed quarterback Lamar Jackson for the second straight game, coughed up a fumble forced by Rams defensive end Jared Verse and returned to the Baltimore 21-yard line by safety Quentin Lake.

Stafford found Tyler Higbee for a walk-in score two plays later, and vaulting the Rams to 17-3 with 10:20 left in the third quarter. In less than five minutes, before fans even returned to their seats from halftime restroom and refreshment trips, the Rams reminded everybody why they’re among the NFL’s most dangerous teams.

Regardless of how much they try to beat themselves at times. The Rams went 2 for 5 in the red zone, and Baltimore held the ball 15 minutes longer than Los Angeles.

Their efforts in that regard started early in Baltimore. Joshua Karty’s kicking struggles reemerged immediately as he missed a 26-yard chip shot on the Rams’ first possession.

Lake gave his team the ball back with ideal field position by intercepting Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush – starting in place of Jackson, who has a hamstring injury. Stafford was strip-sacked by John Jenkins on the very next play.

In the second quarter, Karty pushed through a knuckling 36-yard field goal to tie the game before a false-start penalty nuked the Rams’ next drive, a three-and-out four minutes before halftime. The Rams punted and forced a fumble on the return, but an ineligible man down field flag induced a redo of the play. Ravens returner LaJohntay Wester took the next kick 36 yards back to the Rams’ 32-yard line.

It took a goal-line stand by the defense and some suspect Ravens playcalling bailed out the special teams gaffe. The Rams went into halftime tied 3-3 with a team that resembled the corpses of a Halloween display.

Stafford and the Rams’ had to navigate a handful of possessions without the league’s top receiver, Puka Nacua. He limped off the field with a left foot injury but eventually returned to the game in the second half.

To start the fourth quarter, McVay left his offense on the field for a fourth-and-3 play from the Ravens 6-yard line. Stafford was sacked and instead of making it a three-possession game, the score remained 17-3. Granted, his field-goal unit has not performed at a high level throughout the season.

Stafford finished with 181 passing yards while completing 17-of-26 attempts.