Gary Klein@LATimesklein
McVay on if he looks at games that could determine strength of victory and predicts outcomes: “You look at it and you say, all right, subconsciously I think you think what might happen but I think that’s why a lot of people lose their ass betting on NFL games probably.”

Rams Top Plays From Week 17 Win Over Cardinals: Ahkello Witherspoon’s Game-Sealing INT + More

Albert Breer@AlbertBreer
The Rams get to double-digit wins for the sixth time in Sean McVay’s eight seasons in charge. You have to go back 30 years to count up the six double-digit win seasons for the franchise prior to McVay’s arrival.

No need to overcomplicate who the difference-maker is.

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
DE Braden Fiske recorded his eighth sack of the season in the second quarter, the most by a Rams player this season. His 8.0 sacks are the most among all rookies and tied for the third-most in a season by a Rams rookie trailing only Aaron Donald (9.0) and Kobie Turner (9.0).

Sarah Barshop@sarahbarshop
According to Next Gen Stats, Jared Verse generated a team-high seven pressures, including four pressures under 2.5 seconds, on 43 pass rushes (16.3%).

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Verse wasn’t necessarily all over the simple stat sheet like his teammates were, but his quick-pressure and overall pressure success drew blocking attention and set up different rush designs that helped loosen others at times.

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
The offensive line did not allow a sack for a fourth-consecutive game, tied for the longest streak in franchise history and the first time they’ve accomplished the feat since 2013.

OptaSTATS@OptaSTATS
The @RamsNFL now have two rookies with at least four interceptions this season in Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough.

The 33rd Team@The33rdTeamFB
No one has more 100+ yard receiving games than Puka Nacua this season

This is his 9th full game

Highest Receiving Yards per Game in NFL History

Justin Jefferson: 97.1
Ja’Marr Chase: 87.1
Puka Nacua: 86.9
Calvin Johnson: 86.1

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Since returning from Injured Reserve in Week 8, WR Puka Nacua (@AsapPuka) has recorded five games with 100+ receiving yards, most in the NFL over that span.

Puka Nacua – Five Games
Justin Jefferson – Four Games
Nine players – Three Games

Rams Bros.@RamsBrothers
Rams can become the 1st team in NFL HISTORY to enter their bye week under .500 and make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons

Steve Smith Sr. didn't exactly mince words regarding Kyler Murray's game-losing interception. pic.twitter.com/KPPGwls8a8

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 29, 2024

Don't throw the ball in his Kinchens

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/a3aSaHiPl5

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 29, 2024

pic.twitter.com/Fjfv3EWMua

— HoldenCantor (@HoldenCantor) December 29, 2024

What an amazing season of resolve from @RamsNFL

Where is Mad Dog and Shannon and SAS? https://t.co/YBHWYbybGL

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 29, 2024

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?? pic.twitter.com/UsjdalFWR9

— trey wingo (@wingoz) December 29, 2024

zn wrote:

Checklist! The key teams, ie. the ones that we need to win, are bolded.

*Saturday

Broncos at Bengals, 4:30 et

*Sunday

Jets at Bills, 1 et

Dolphins at Browns, 4:05 et

Packers at Vikings, 4:05 et

Falcons at Commanders, 8:20 et

*Monday

Lions at 49ers, 8:15 et

Bengals 7-3 at the half.

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2024/12/26/nfl-free-agency-top-players-rams-alaric-jackson/?taid=676fb00eaee5c900012bb6eb&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

PFF released its early list of the top 50 free agents of 2025 and Jackson is the only player from Los Angeles’ roster to make the cut. He came in at No. 46, with his top free-agent comparison being Jared Veldheer in 2014. PFF:

The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa has settled in quite nicely over the past few years protecting the blindside of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, with a career year across the board in 2024 coming at just the right time.

nextgen stats — pic.twitter.com/FnrevQDDQU

— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) December 27, 2024

What Seahawks’ Thursday Night Football win over Bears means for Rams’ clinching scenarios in Week 17

Stu Jackson

https://www.therams.com/news/rams-clinching-scenarios-week-17-2024-cardinals-what-seahawks-thursday-night-football-win-over-bears-means-nfl-playoffs-nfc-west

The Rams’ path to clinching the NFC West and a playoff berth in Week 17 became slightly more complicated with the Seahawks’ 6-3 Thursday Night Football win over the Bears.

Essentially, Los Angeles needs a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, and some help with wins from 4 of 6 other teams playing this weekend in order to clinch via winning the Strength of Victory tiebreaker over Seattle.

What clinching scenarios remain in play for the Rams in Week 17?

The Rams need a win over the Cardinals on Saturday, and also need to win the Strength of Victory tiebreaker over the Seahawks via 4 wins from any of these teams this week: Bengals, Commanders, Bills, 49ers, Vikings and Browns.

Each of those six teams are at home this weekend.

What is Strength of Victory?

Strength of Victory is the combined record of all opponents a team has beaten, and serves as the fifth step in NFL tiebreaking procedures between two teams. Because the records of those defeated opponents can change over the course of the season, so too can a team’s Strength of Victory.

The Rams’ is currently .449 with 61 wins:

49ers (6-9)
Raiders (3-12)
Vikings (13-2)
Seahawks (9-7)
Patriots (3-12)
Saints (5-10)
Bills (12-3)
49ers (6-9)
Jets (4-11)

So, 61 wins out of 136 total games played by those teams beaten = .449. The Seahawks’ ninth win tonight counted toward that.

The Seahawks’ is currently .404 with 55 wins:

Broncos (9-6)
Patriots (3-12)
Dolphins (7-8)
Falcons (8-7)
49ers (6-9)
Cardinals (7-8)
Jets (4-11)
Cardinals (7-8)
Bears (4-12)

So, 55 wins out of 136 total games played by those teams beaten = .404.

Why do the Bengals, Commanders, Bills, 49ers, Vikings and Browns’ games matter to the Rams and the Strength of Victory tiebreaker?

In short, the Rams need more of the teams they’ve defeated and the Seahawks haven’t to win, or the teams the Seahawks have defeated and the Rams haven’t to lose.

Mapped out further:

The Bengals face the Broncos (1:30 p.m. PT Saturday, NFL Network). A Bengals win prevents a Broncos win from being added to, and therefore improving, the Seahawks’ Strength of Victory.

The Commanders face the Falcons (5:20 p.m. PT Sunday, NBC). A Commanders win prevents a Falcons win from being added to the Seahawks’ Strength of Victory.

The Bills face the Jets (10 a.m. PT Sunday, CBS). A Bills win prevents a Jets win from being added to the Rams’ and the Seahawks’ Strength of Victory, which is still a positive outcome for the Rams.

The 49ers face the Lions (5:15 p.m. PT Monday, ESPN). Similar to Bills-Jets, a 49ers win prevent effectively cancels out the effect it would have on the Rams and the Seahawks’ Strength of Victory, which is still a positive outcome for the Rams.

The Vikings face the Packers (1:25 p.m. PT Sunday, FOX). A Vikings win helps boost the Rams’ Strength of Victory.

The Browns face the Dolphins (1:05 p.m. PT Sunday, CBS). A Browns win prevents a Dolphins win from being added to the Seahawks’ Strength of Victory.

Sarah Barshop@sarahbarshop
Rams RT Rob Havenstein, who injured his shoulder in practice on Wednesday, is listed as questionable to play on Saturday against Arizona. Sean McVay said he’s hopeful Havenstein will be able to play, but if not, it will be Joe Noteboom

“I thought in the second half of the game this past week against the Commanders, that was the worst performance by their O-Line of the season… Barkley had 16 for 27 in the second half. They could not run the football at all.”@GregCosell on what he saw from the Birds this past… pic.twitter.com/z5QVK18YKL

— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) December 26, 2024

Eric Dickerson on Saquon:

“I don’t think he’ll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don’t pull no punches on that. But I’m not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football.”https://t.co/8b9S8FhKxJ

— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) December 26, 2024