Game Recap: Rams use big second half to surge past Titans 33-19

Stu Jackson

https://www.therams.com/news/game-recap-rams-use-big-second-half-to-surge-past-titans-33-19-week-2-2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After a mistake-filled close to the first half, the Rams (2-0) turned things around in the second half to knock off the Titans 33-19 on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.

Trailing 13-10 at halftime, Los Angeles outscored Tennessee (0-2) 23-6 in the second half, led by explosive completions from quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Wide receiver Davante Adams surpassed 12,000 career receiving yards with his performance of six catches for 106 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Puka Nacua logged 136 total yards (45-yard rushing touchdown, 91 receiving yards) in the win as well.

Defensively, outside linebacker Byron Young registered a sack for the second straight week, finishing with two total (one causing a fumble) plus five total tackles (two for loss) in the win.

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was ruled out in the second quarter after sustaining a shoulder injury.

Here is the complete game recap:

The Rams jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with a 45-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Puka Nacua on 4th and 1 from the Titans’ 45 on their first offensive drive. That followed a series from the defense which included outside linebacker Byron Young sacking Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward for an 8-yard loss, amid a series of penalties already driving back the Titans offense on their opening drive.

Kicker Joey Slye’s 55-yard field goal early in the second quarter gave the Titans their first points, cutting the Rams’ lead to 7-3 with 11:21 left in the first half.

A trio of explosive completions by Stafford – two to Adams and one to Higbee – set the Rams up inside the Titans’ 10. However, a botched snap and a pair of incompletions forced Los Angeles to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Karty to bring its lead back to seven with 7:25 left in the first half.

Tennessee eventually answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ward to wide receiver Elic Ayomanor with 38 seconds left in the first half, with Ward making the play by throwing across his body as Rams defensive end Tyler Davis was bearing down on him toward the Titans sideline.

On the first play of the ensuing Rams offensive series, Stafford’s pass intended for wide receiver Tutu Atwell was intercepted by Titans linebacker Cody Barton, giving Tennessee the ball back with 27 seconds left in the first half. The Titans then drew a defensive pass interference penalty against cornerback Cobie Durant, which moved the Titans from the Rams 46 to the Rams 32.

Tennessee eventually turned that takeaway into a 37-yard field goal by Slye to take a 13-10 lead into halftime.

The Rams moved the ball well on the opening series of the second half, but that drive stalled at the Titans 3 and they were forced to settle for another 21-yard field goal by Karty to tie the game 13-13 with 9:29 left in third quarter.

Slye drilled his third field goal of the day, this time from 57 yards, to regain the lead for the Titans 16-13 with 3:32 left in the third quarter. However, the Rams answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Allen to regain the lead 20-16 on the ensuing possession, doing so after successfully challenging the original ruling that Allen was down by contact at the 1-yard line.

A 16-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Adams extended the Rams’ lead to 27-16 midway through the fourth quarter after a timely sack-fumble caused by Young and recovered by inside linebacker Nate Landman. Corum’s 1-yard touchdown run a little over three minutes later made it a 33-16 Rams lead, effectively sealing the game.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
Rams average 7.4 yards per play, rack up 439 total. Get touchdowns from Puka, Allen, Adams, and Corum.

LA defense only allows 80 yards in the 2H.
5 sacks & a takeaway on the day.

33-19 FINAL. Rams 2-0.

Jim Youngblood 53@53_jim70721
Rams left points on board … defense did well … Not going to complain too much on a 33-19 win … could have been more.

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
WR Davante Adams ties Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall and Jimmy Smith (46) for the 11th-most 100+ receiving yard games in NFL history.

Rams Bros.@RamsBrothers
Matthew Stafford has been outrageously good today. My lord. He makes all of the most difficult throws look completely effortless

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
In the third quarter against the Titans, WR Puka Nacua has surpassed 200 receptions for his career. It ties Odell Beckham Jr. for the fewest games to reach 200 career receptions in NFL history.

Eric Lambkins II@elambsquared
#Rams WR Davantae Adams is unguardable. No, literally. He’s ALWAYS open.

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
OLB Byron Young now has a team-leading 3.0 sacks on the season with sacks in back-to-back games. Young has 18.5 sacks for his career and also 4.5 sacks in his last four regular season games, dating back to last season.

Davante Adams first TD as a Los Angeles Ram 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Uc2PmNsHJA

— Rams Bros. (@RamsBrothers) September 14, 2025

PAY BYRON YOUNG RIGHT NOW BEFORE THE PRICE GO UP EVEN MORE pic.twitter.com/ymwhLoC1i7

— Rams Tapes 🇵🇷 (@RamsTapes) September 14, 2025

Ramblin’ Fan@RamblinFan
Appears that Rams are giving Justin Dedich the start at LG today. Dedich started 3 games at LG in 2024, and keeps versatile Beaux Limmer open to fill in at C or RG if necessary.

J.B. Long@JB_Long
Expecting @RamsNFL to start Justin Dedich at LG today in Nashville in Steve Avila’s place. The undrafted USC product saved the day in 2024 with 3 starts — all wins — when the season was on the brink (Weeks 7-9 vs LV, MIN, at SEA).

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
Dedich…was inactive last week.

Rams’ inactives for Week 2 at Titans: https://www.therams.com/news/rams-titans-inactives-week-2-2025-steve-avila-colby-parkinson

LOS ANGELES RAMS

QB Stetson Bennett IV

OL DJ Humphries

TE Colby Parkinson

OL Steve Avila

DE Desjuan Johnson

TENNESSEE TITANS

RT JC Latham

NT T’Vondre Sweat

CB Jalyn Armour-Davis

S Kevin Winston Jr.

RB Kalel Mullings

CB Samuel Womack III

G Jackson Slater

***

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2025/09/14/rams-titans-inactives-week-2-players-out/86149893007/

The Titans’ inactives include a pair of starters. T’Vondre Sweat and JC Latham are both sidelined by injuries and will not play against the Rams today.

The 33rd Team@The33rdTeamFB
Every player with 2,500+ receiving yards through his first 30 career games since 1970, per
@Stathead

1. Odell Beckham Jr. – 3,035
2. Justin Jefferson – 2,735
3. Puka Nacua – 2,606 (30th game is Sunday)
4. Ja’marr Chase – 2,540
5. Randy Moss – 2,527

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Beaux Limmer had to step in and play both left and right guard in Week 1. He was *so* good as a run blocker, leading all NFL linemen in run-block win rate

Brock Vierra@BrockVierra
Per Sean McVay: Steve Avila and Colby Parkinson are doubtful. Everyone else is set to play including Kevin Dotson.

They do the Rams at 2:00 in. Spoiler: Cosell just LOVES Stafford.

LAFB Network@LAFBNetwork
Rams OL ranked 31st in Week 1 pass protection
Only the Titans were worse. But the Rams faced a Texans front that ranked 4th in pressure metrics, and both Avila and Dotson were dealing with injuries.

Teams that generated pressure on more than 50% of their blitzes in Week 1:

🐏 Rams – 83.3% pressure rate (5 on 6 blitzes)
🌊 Seahawks – 83.3% (5/6)
⭐️ Cowboys – 83.3% (5/6)
🦅 Eagles – 75% (3/4)
🐎 Broncos – 72.7% (8/11)
🟥 Patriots – 66.7% (10/15)
⛏️ 49ers – 60% (3/5)
🪶… pic.twitter.com/EtwG9UmXp2

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 11, 2025

The Rams had both the highest-graded QB and WR in Week 1 🐏 pic.twitter.com/1p4kUkhZZy

— PFF (@PFF) September 9, 2025