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Five lessons from LA’s overtime victory
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Five lessons from LA’s overtime victory

The Rams did something on Sunday that they haven’t done so far in the 2024 season. They won a football match on the road. Not only did the Rams win on the road, they did it against a division foe and they did it in Seattle, a place with one of the loudest environments in the NFL. Their 26-20 victory ties them with Arizona for the lead in the NFC West, giving the Rams three straight wins and a .500 record.

Their victory came despite the departure of Puka Nacua when he was ejected in the second quarter for throwing a punch after being provoked by Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson. It was a mixed bag of veterans and rookies who came through for the team and landed a new loan this season.

Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s win.

1. Chris Shula and his defense have arrived

When Shula’s defense repeatedly shut down the Raiders two weeks ago, it seemed like a flash-in-the-pan achievement. After Shula’s defense came away with three interceptions on Sunday, that no longer seemed to be the case.

Not only were they opportunistic, they were also strong defensively and repeatedly complemented the Seahawks’ rushing attack. This proved crucial as they stopped Kenneth Walker on fourth-and-1 in the red zone in OT. The Rams won the game four plays later. That’s three consecutive spectacular performances for Shula’s group.

2. The Rams have one of the brightest safety rooms in the NFL

Kam Curl, Kam Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough have fueled the Rams’ recent success. Each player has scored a touchdown this season and contributed to multiple turnovers over the last three weeks.

They came together to pick off Geno Smith three times, including a 103-yard touchdown by Kinchens. All three men are signed through next season and at an average age of 23.6, their growth potential should have fans excited.

3. Demarcus Robinson is a problem for defenses

It’s been two straight multi-scoring weeks for Demarcus Robinson as the veteran proves his worth once again. Not only did Robinson haul in both of the Rams’ offensive scores, he also caught the game-winner in overtime.

His combination of speed and intelligence ensures that he is open in different places on the field. He’s the WR3, there’s no doubt about that. At this rate, he might be the best WR3 in the NFL.

4. Tutu Atwell has no future in Los Angeles

Despite Puka Nacua’s early departure, Tutu Atwell was used sparingly and only saw three goals come his way.

Since he is in a contract year and Jordan Whittington returns at some point, it appears that unless he signs with the Chargers, his future in LA is all but over.

5. Braden Fiske jumps

Multiple sacks, multiple QB hits and a ton of QB pressure, Braden Fiske had his NFL coming out party. One of the main reasons for the win was that Fiske was a bully on the interior.

Fiske was a stout defender in the run game and often blew up Kenneth Walker. Alongside Kobie Turner, Bobby Brown and Tyler Davis, Fiske put in the best performance of his career.