Malcolm Brown deservingly gets a lot of credit for this TD, but Jared Goff did a good job avoiding the sack. pic.twitter.com/Qee0FwPj5t

— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) November 5, 2018

Isaac Bruce@IsaacBruce80
#HornsUp! They still pumping Fake Noise in NO!!!

Psycho_X

It seems like the secondary is very often communicating up to (and in the case of the blown coverage by Peters) and after the ball is snapped. I don’t know who’s fault that is but it seems like the defense is not getting set fast enough. And I’ve noticed that this entire season so far. Have mentioned it in the past.

Peters was motioning to several people when the ball was snapped on the last touchdown. And now I’m starting to wonder if there isn’t a larger issue than Peters but just the secondary not being on the same page. Can’t excuse Peters for not being set in time that’s on him but you have to wonder.

Dan Orlovsky@danorlovsky7
The @Saints invested 2 First round picks, a heavy FA signing, & traded away their stud TE in his prime to build this Offensive Line-& they are what’s driving this team right now.

From last night…

The Rams and Saints put on a show worthy of a NFC title-game rematch: https://t.co/5LSanojmES

Marcus Peters realizes the Rams have had a Marcus Peters problem of late: https://t.co/DiR9GauTye

— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) November 5, 2018

Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp ‘doing really well’ after suffering concussions

Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp 'doing really well' after suffering concussions

Rams suffer first defeat of season, falling to New Orleans Saints in shootout

RICH HAMMOND

link: https://www.ocregister.com/2018/11/04/rams-suffer-first-defeat-of-season-falling-to-new-orleans-saints-in-shootout/

NEW ORLEANS – A few teams might not be happy, but that’s too bad. The NFC championship game deserves the Rams and the Saints, and nothing about the rest of the regular season will change matters.

Sports are about entertainment, and nobody – other than the defensive coordinators – walked away from the Superdome on Sunday with anything but satisfaction, and the thought that a rematch should be on the horizon. The Saints won the first round, and ended the Rams’ undefeated-season hopes, with a 45-35 victory.

The conference title game will take place Jan. 20, and while there’s no certainty with half of the regular season still to be played, the Rams (8-1) and Saints (7-1) seem destined to play again, with higher stakes.

“Oh yeah, we’re seeing them again,” Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s here or there.”

Let’s be honest: the Rams weren’t going undefeated in 2018. The league is too tough, and even though the Rams arguably have more talent than anyone in the NFL, putting together 16 consecutive victories is nearly impossible. Plus, the Rams had been involved in too many close calls of late. They were bound to break.

It took a lot, though, so file this one away, as the Rams look forward to two more big games –against Seattle and Kansas City – but don’t bury it too deep. The game, and its aftermath, will be worthy of review for a while. It’s the type of game that will be a hinge.

The Rams, not surprisingly, looked to the positive, to the fact that they faced a three-touchdown first-half deficit, in arguably the most hostile stadium in the NFL, then tied the game late in the fourth quarter and had the ball with a chance to take the lead. Afterward, the Rams bowed the Saints, but not too deep.

“They’re the upper echelon – and we are too – of the NFC,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “If a 21-point lead in a game isn’t safe, I think you’ve proven you’re a contender, especially when you’re at their place to do it. To be down 21 at one point and find a way to come back and tie it, I think that speaks for itself.”

So, is this the pants kick that the Rams needed, or is it the start of growing problems on defense?

That depends entirely on which half one wants to dissect. Set the Rams’ offense aside. No worries there. Quarterback Jared Goff added another game to his NFL MVP resume as he passed for 391 yards and three touchdowns, and he made only one mistake. Todd Gurley, on a tough-sledding day, still managed 5.2 yards per carry. The receiving trio of Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods each had huge moments.

But, oh, that defense. The Rams got completely torched by Saints quarterback Drew Brees in the first half, and couldn’t figure out what to do with receiver Michael Thomas, who set a franchise record with 211 yards.

The Saints, up 35-17 at halftime, handed the Rams their worst defensive half in 10 years, but then the game completely flipped. The Rams kept scoring and the Saints slowed down. They even punted. The Rams scored 18 consecutive points to open the second half and tied the game 35-35 early in the fourth quarter.

That took a lot of energy, though, and while the Rams got the ball back with 6:23 remaining and down only 38-35, they couldn’t quite do it. The offense sputtered and Brees and Thomas delivered a gut-punch, 72-yard touchdown with 3:52 remaining. The Rams valiant second-half effort ended in some hung heads.

Perhaps that’s why the game will linger. In the locker room a bit later, some players said the Rams needed this. Some said it would relieve the pressure of being the league’s only undefeated team. Some, such as veteran Ndamukong Suh, slowly shook their heads and said no loss is good. It’s not the loss. The question is how the Rams unpack it.

“We treat it like a 16-round fight, a boxing match,” Johnson said. “You’re going to get hit, but it’s how you bounce back. You saw how we came back, but we just couldn’t finish.”

There were some self-inflicted blows. The Rams and Saints each scored touchdowns on their first two drives, then the Rams broke serve early in the second quarter and recovered a fumble by Saints running back Mark Ingram at the New Orleans 22.

The Rams stalled and faced a fourth-and-4 play from the Saints’ 16-yard line. The Rams lined up for a field goal, which would have given them a 17-14 lead, but holder (and usual punter) Johnny Hekker stood up and tried to sprint for a first down. Hekker lunged and thought he picked up the first down, but officials spotted the ball short, a ruling upheld after a video review.

New Orleans scored the next 21 points and took a 35-14 lead late in the second quarter. That’s because the Rams were befuddled by Brees in the first half. True to his Hall of Fame nature, Brees got rid of the ball quickly and threw accurate passes. He also got helped by a stellar offensive line that didn’t allow him to get sacked once. Brees completed 25 of 36 attempts for 346 yards and four touchdowns.

The Rams improved their tackling in the second half and got a moderate amount of pressure on Brees at times. The Saints scored only 10 points on four second-half drives, but the Rams have some significant issues to clean up on defense, and they start with cornerback Marcus Peters.

There’s time. The Rams can exhale and, for all practical purposes, clinch the NFC West with a home victory over Seattle next Sunday. Chances are, they’ll be keeping an eye on the Saints for the next couple months.

“I think adversity is necessary in this league,” Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner said. “It’s good to get that adversity early and know how you can get better as a team.”

from Rams at Saints Postgame Notes (11/4/18)

– The Rams fell to the Saints, 35…45

– QB Jared Goff completed 28-of-40 passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns, his second-highest single game passing yards total of his career. Earlier this season, Goff registered 465 yards against the Vikings ((9/27/18).

– Goff tallied his 10th career game with 300-plus yards.

– RB Todd Gurley rushed 13 times for 68 yards and one touchdown.

– Gurley has 12 rushing touchdowns, four receiving touchdowns and three two-point conversion this season. Gurley leads the league in scoring with 102 points.

– Gurley has scored a scrimmage touchdown in 12-straight regular season games played, setting a new franchise record for the Rams. Previously, Elroy Hirsch (1950-51) held the record with 11 consecutive games with a scrimmage touchdown.

– Gurley tallied six receptions to increase his career total to 165 receptions. Gurley moved passed Pete Holohan (159) to move into 25th place on the Rams all-time reception leaders list.

– Cooks led the team in receiving yards with 114 on six catches.

– Cooks notched his 12th career game with 100-plus yards.

– DE Michael Brockers played in his 100th-career game this Sunday. Brockers has started 98-of-100 thus far in his career.

– According to press box statistics, LB Cory Littleton and S John Johnson split the team lead in tackles, each recording nine.

– With K Greg Zuerlein’s (26) converted 56-yard field goal, he tied Jeff Wilkins (26) for the most made 50-yard field goals in franchise history.

.@saints O-Line is without argument the league’s best unit at the halfway mark. They combine power with finesse. You need both. Much respect to OLINE coach, Dan Rousher. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/3FwbjYxODu

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 5, 2018

I didn’t see the “Saffold shove.”

What was the Saffold shove?

Arash Markazi@ArashMarkazi
Hekker definitely gets the first down. It really wasn’t that close if they looked at the right angles. Not sure what they were looking at. The original spot was absurdly short.

==

Johnny Hekker’s failed fake field goal was a huge momentum swing

But the replays sure make it look like the Rams got screwedhttps://t.co/CSj8AKcEoC

— SB Nation NFL (@SBNationNFL) November 4, 2018