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Shorthanded Rams fight back bravely but lose to Lions in overtime – Orange County Register

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Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) celebrates his two-yard touchdown run against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

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DETROIT — The Rams came to Ford Field already short-handed for their playoff rematch against the Detroit Lions. Those concerns quickly escalated in the first half when receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom left the game with injuries and the Rams soon trailed by two touchdowns.

It took a perfect storm for the Rams to make this game competitive. A Kyren Williams touchdown, some magic from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp, and an interception by John Johnson III that left only his knuckles separating the ball from the turf were enough to give the Rams the lead back in the fourth quarter. The Rams defense even forced the Lions to punt, which allowed Stafford to get the ball back with 4:10 left.

But a punt gave the Lions life again, and an 18-yard pass to Sam LaPorta, made worse by a helmet-to-helmet penalty against rookie Kamren Kinchens, brought the Lions within field goal range. Only a tackle by Quentin Lake in the red zone forced Detroit to kick and sent the game into overtime.

By this point, the Rams defense, which had fought so valiantly all game, was exhausted. The Lions won the coin toss and moved the ball all the way down the goal line until David Montgomery netted it from 1 yard out, handing the Rams a crushing 23-17 loss in their season opener.

Given how the game started, there was no reason to believe it would be this close.

Stafford had no time to act on the game's first drive, a quick three-and-out, and the Rams used Kupp as an extension of the running game on the second drive. Kupp caught a career-high five passes in the first quarter, while Williams carried the ball just twice.

As the first half progressed, however, Stafford became more sluggish in his progressions, trusting that Noteboom and Warren McClendon, who started at right tackle in place of Rob Havenstein (ankle), would give him the time he needed.

But then lightning struck twice at the end of a drive. Nacua slipped during a catch and came up limping with an injury to his right knee. Noteboom twisted his already bandaged left ankle. And to make matters worse, Kupp dropped a deflected pass on fourth down and lost the ball.

With a 36-yard pass to Jameson Williams, the Lions moved down the field in seven plays and scored a touchdown by Jahmyr Gibbs. Meanwhile, Nacua sat in the injury tent for 10 minutes and Noteboom was taken from the sidelines to the locker room.

Trailing 10-3 with 1:57 left in the first half, Nacua charged up the field but quickly returned to the sidelines and sat alone on the bench. AJ Arcuri, who was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday, took over the left tackle position for Noteboom.

As the Rams headed to the halftime locker room, a cart arrived to take Nacua, who had missed much of training camp with a knee injury, off the field. When the Rams returned for the second half, they were without Avila, who played every snap for the Rams as a rookie a year ago.

This pushed Jonah Jackson back to the left guard position, while freshman Beaux Limmer moved to center as the Rams quietly took three wins and no losses on their first drive of the second half.

A 52-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams gave the Lions a two-touchdown lead, a seemingly insurmountable lead given the Rams' numerous injuries.

It turned out that the Rams had enough to win the game, but not enough to finish it.

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