Rams Coach Jeff Fisher at a press conference on Monday. “It’s frustrating, we thought we had a win, but I guess that’s why you play until the clock says zero”. Miami barely kept alive its longest winning streak since 2008. The biggest story for the Rams all through this season and during the offseason has been their handling of Jared Goff.
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Can the Rams afford to put the fate of Goff, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, in a head coach who hasn’t been able to figure out a sound offense almost five years into the job?
“I don’t expect us to do anything insane next week”, Goff said. That will give us a better sense of what Goff’s capable of. Weinke told me that is not the case, they will actually be expanding the playbook because of Goff’s rare arm talent, he can just do more things and spread the field in different ways. “We need to stay out of our own way”.
At 6-4, Miami is just one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs for the sixth seed in the AFC. Tannehill and Co. finally capitalized with an eight-play, 62-yard drive capped off by Jarvis Landry’s 10-yard touchdown reception.
The Rams got the ball back with 0:41 remaining, but they only drove 12 yards before throwing a failed Hail Mary pass as time expired. But their offense was mostly very bad until Tannehill got it moving in the final minutes with big plays from Parker, who had eight catches for 79 yards, and Jay Ajayi, who rushed for 77 yards. Tannehill wound up with 172 yards passing and the two touchdowns.
Fisher said he also is not considering a change at offensive coordinator.
The best defensive player in the National Football League hit Miami’s Ryan Tannehill after the pass was already traveling toward Kenny Stills, and that added 15 yards to the 15-yard catch, and a chill invaded the souls inside the damp white jerseys on the sideline.
“Guys made plays”, Tannehill said. Just before the half, Goff found himself painfully sandwiched between Suh and fellow Pro Bowl defensive lineman Cameron Wake, nine yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Gurley ran for 75 yards on 20 carries, but his final six carries-all in the fourth quarter-went for just nine yards once the Dolphins realized that Goff wasn’t going to be allowed to throw downfield to beat them.
Goff’s first completion came on his third attempt, a 3-yard pass to rookie tight end Tyler Higbee on the second play of the second series.
After the Gurley touchdown, it was a game of punts.
Other games worth highlighting: Philadelphia (5-4) is at Seattle (6-2-1), with both teams coming off impressive wins.
The Rams converted two of 13 third down opportunities, 15.4 percent, the Dolphins one of 11, 9.1 percent.
It’s clear that the Rams were mistaken in thinking a top quarterback was the final piece in their puzzle. Gurley ran the ball 20 times for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Zuerlein’s 48-yard attempt bounced off the upright – his first miss from inside 50 yards this season.
“We have to learn to finish”, Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “You can’t have all those penalties that we had and expect to win”. None of the Rams’ defensive players have done that publicly this season, though star defensive tackle Aaron Donald – who committed a costly fourth-quarter penalty against the Dolphins – declined to talk to the media postgame. The Chargers, who must decide by January 15, are weighing their options after voters in San Diego rejected a stadium ballot measure earlier this month.
With left tackle Branden Albert (wrist) and centre Mike Pouncey (hip) out, Laremy Tunsil had to slide over to replace Albert, Kraig Urbik taking over for Tunsil at guard and Anthony Steen snapping the ball. Hill got into an accident with a semi truck and was later busted for DUI.
Special teams provided the game-winning touchdown against the New York Jets, with an interception return for a touchdown by Kiko Alonso making the difference over the San Diego Chargers last week.
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The result was a 14-10 defeat before a rain-soaked crowd of 83,483.
