Rams lose Puka Nacua, several offensive linemen, then to Lions in overtime

Rams lose puka nakua several offensive linemen then to lions in overtime it is way too early to know but another possible opportunity could loom in January for Matthew Stafford the ram star quarterback has twice returned to Ford Field where he played 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions and came up just short both times a one-point defeat last season in an NFC wildcard game was a Crusher on Sunday night Stafford gave the Rams the lead with one of his patented fourth quarter drives but could not close out the game in regulation got a remade Rams defense that stifled the high-powered lions from much of the game finally broke on the first possession in overtime quarterback Jared gof drove his team 70 yards in eight plays and running back David Montgomery scored on a one-yard touchdown to send the Rams to a 26-20 defeat before 6653 Rams coach Shawn McVey looked for positives for one of the NFL's youngest teams subscribe login show search advertisement Rams Rams lose puka nakua several offensive linemen then to lions in overtime Detroit Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson Sachs Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford nine is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson in the fourth quarter of the Rams 26 to20 loss Sunday night at Ford Field David durmer Associated Press by Gary kleene staff writer follow September 8th 2024 9:01 p.m. Pacific time share Detroit it is way too early to know but another possible opportunity could loom in January for Matthew Stafford the ram star quarterback has twice returned to Ford Field where he played 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions and came up just short both times a one-point defeat last season in an NFC wildcard game was a Crusher on Sunday night Stafford gave the Rams the lead with one of his patented fourth quarter drives but could not close out the game in regulation advertisement a remade Rams defense that stifled the high-powered lions from much of the game finally broke on the first possession in overtime quarterback Jared GF drove his team 70 yards and eight plays and running back David Montgomery scored on a one-yard touchdown to send the Rams to a 26-20 defeat before 6653 Rams coach Shawn McVey looked for positives for one of the NFL's youngest teams Miami Gardens Florida September 8th Tyreek Hill number 10 of the Miami Dolphins and Jaylen W number 17 of the Miami Dolphins celebrate after Hills receiving touchdown during the third quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock stadium on September 8th 2024 in Miami Gardens Florida photo by Megan Briggs Getty Images Sports what if I wasn't Tyreek Hill dolphin star handcuffed after traffic stop outside Stadium September 8th 2024 this is a real learning opportunity said McVey who is 6 to2 in season openers it was a costly defeat for the Rams in more ways than one wide receiver puka nakua and offensive lineman Steve Aila left because of the injury an offensive lineman Joe Noteboom sustained an ankle injury Right Guard Kevin doson exited the locker room on crutches with his left foot an ankle in a protective boot McVey provided no updates and did not specify whether ncua's injury was to the same knee that was injured during a joint practice with the Chargers in training camp the rash of injuries in the opener Hawkins to 20202 that's when the defending Super Bowl champion Rams lost several offensive linemen during a season opening route by the Buffalo Bills the beginning of the Rams historic Super Bowl hangover the Rams went into Sunday night short-handed because of left tackle Aller Jackson's suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy and veteran right tackle Rob havenstein being sidelined because of an ankle injury Noteboom started at left tackle Warren McLendon Jr at right tackle but not booom was carded from the sideline to the locker room in the second quarter in Aila who started at Right Guard did not play after halftime that force center Jonah Jackson to move to guard rookie Bose limmer to take over at Center and AJ archery who was promoted this week from the practice squad to play left tackle a holding penalty against archery nullified a touchdown and forced the Rams to settle for a field goal to pull within 17 to13 but Stafford praised the offense's effort tough environment to play in said Stafford who completed 34 of 49 passes for 3177 yds and a touchdown with an interception a bunch of linemen going down starting receiver going down and our guys never blinked Stafford lamented his missed opportunities the Lions intercepted his pass into the end zone with less than a minute left in the second quarter after throwing a go-ahead touchdown pass to cup with less than 5 minutes left the Rams got the ball back less than a minute later Stafford's third down pass intended for cup was high and fell incomplete however giving the Lions a chance to kick a game tying field goal Stafford walked to the sideline frustrated with his hands on the top of his helmet I had a chance to win it he said every game there's plays you want back and that's definitely one of them I'd like to think I could hit that throw a bunch of times in a row said Cup who caught 14 passes for 110 yards we need to find a way to ideally close the game out there we do that and overtime doesn't matter gof for whom Stafford was traded in 2021 aled him again completing 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards with an interception the Rams defense playing without the retired Aaron Donald for the first time since 2015 and under the direction of new coordinator Chris schula neutralized the Lions high-powered offense for much of the game after the Lions won the overtime coin toss however the Rams could not stop them the Lions ran the ball six times during the game-winning drive with Montgomery carrying five times just hand it to Democrat Missouri man a battering ram Goff said just hand it to him and he did the rest and it was fun it was fun watching him kind of catch that second win there and that overtime and our o line the same way Rams outside linebacker Michael ho said the Rams competed to the end when you go to Toe to Toe with a team that went to the NFC championship game and it comes down to a coin toss it sucks he said but it stings a little less rookie Jared verse and second-year pro Byron young each had a sack we stood our ground we came up short a little bit young said adding it's a lot to learn from I see a bright future for us