Bolts and duds from LA’s Week 5 loss to GB

Curl played closer to the line of scrimmage in this game with Quentin Lake as the deep safety, and that worked in his favor. He shined when the opportunity to rush the passer presented itself, pressuring Jordan Love a few times and batting a pass at the line of scrimmage near the Packers’ own end zone. This change from Chris Shula seemed to work in the Rams’ safety’s favor, who have struggled in coverage this season.

Williams hasn’t been the most efficient runner this season, but he was better on Sunday. He broke off his longest run of the season, a 30-yard run to the right side, and consistently moved the chains on the ground with chunk runs of 5 to 7 yards. He also scored a game-winning touchdown on third down after Blake Corum was stuffed twice at the goal line, making it 7-7 after the Rams failed to score a point on their first trip to the red zone. Yes, he had a fumble, but he kept the Rams in the game with multiple third- and fourth-down runs for first downs.

Turner will always have high expectations as the man who plays the same position as Aaron Donald, but that isn’t exactly fair to him. He played well all season, but it was difficult for him and the Rams defense to make big plays. On Sunday, he collected two sacks and forced a fumble. He was constantly in the Packers’ backfield and did a good job pressuring Love in the pocket.

His first game back wasn’t perfect and he didn’t play every snap, but Williams certainly provided a boost in the Rams’ secondary. Late in the fourth quarter, he came up big on third-and-10 and forced an incompletion with tight Dontayvion-Wicks coverage down the right sideline to give the Rams a chance on a final drive.

It might be time for the Rams to make a change at linebacker. Not only does Reeder lack athleticism, but he also fails to read plays well, whether against the run or the pass. He left Tucker Kraft wide open on his 66-yard touchdown, hit the wrong holes on Josh Jacobs’ runs and couldn’t clear blocks on the inside. Despite facing a ton of runs, Reeder still only had five tackles, four of which were assists.

Hoecht struggled to stay ahead all last season and it was a problem again on Sunday. He failed to fend off Jacobs’ 1-yard touchdown run, which he bounced to the outside after running out of space up the middle. He also bit on a Packers run fake in which Love threw it backwards to Jayden Reed for a slight 11-yard gain.

It’s hard to single out any one lineman for his play on Sunday, but the entire unit struggled to keep Stafford upright. His interception was due in part to pressure in his face, and he was sacked on a critical third-down play in the fourth quarter when the pocket simply collapsed around him. For one thing, Alaric Jackson definitely needs to play better at left tackle.

In total, Stafford was sacked three times and suffered ten hits, giving him an absolute loss in the backfield.

It wasn’t a very good day for Stafford. He completed 29 of 45 passes for 260 yards with a touchdown and a bad interception in which he threw into double coverage and gave Tutu Atwell no chance at all. Granted, it was third down, but it was a terrible decision. Stafford backed up his stats late in the game with a good drive in the fourth quarter against weak coverage, but was a little imprecise in his throws down the field even when guys were open. The sack he took on third down from the Packers’ 35-yard line also might have cost the team three points.

Neither player did much when it came to building pressure on their own. Young did have a hit on the quarterback that led to the pick-six, but it was a cruel tackle attempt that barely knocked Jordan Love off his feet. It worked because it led to a touchdown, but he has to attack the ball and wrap up the quarterback.

Verse also largely didn’t play a role in this game, as he failed to capitalize on Jordan Love’s 12-yard scramble in the fourth quarter to move the chains on third-and-12.