Tyler Higbee is hero in Rams’ win over Jets in first game back since January
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Tyler Higbee is not prone to tears.
“I’m not a big crier,” he said.
But the Rams veteran tight end got choked up this weekend after his wife put together a montage of video clips showing the ninth-year pro enduring through his comeback from injuries.
Higbee watched the video once Saturday night and several times before Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, Higbee’s first in 11 months following knee and shoulder surgeries.
“I did get a little emotional,” Higbee said.
Rams score 13 unanswered points in fourth quarter to defeat Jets
🏈 Rams 19, Jets 9 — FINAL
Jordan Whittington recovered a muffed punt by the Jets’ Xavier Gipson with 1:44 left to seal the Rams’ comeback win.
Anders Carlson missed a 49-yard field-goal attempt with 1:57 left that all but extinguished the Jets’ comeback hopes. The Rams went three and out on the ensuing possession, but Whittington’s recovery ended the game.
Kryen Williams rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown in 23 carries to lead the Rams’ offense. Matthew Stafford completed 14 of 19 passes for 110 yards, with a touchdown and interception.
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 28 of 42 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown.
Check out the game summary from the Rams’ win Sunday.
Rams tack on another field goal to take 19-9 lead
🏈 Rams 19, Jets 9 — 5:17 left in the fourth quarter
Joshua Karty kicked a 45-yard field goal for the Rams to make it a two-possession game.
After the Jets failed to convert on fourth down for the third time this afternoon, the Rams took over at the New York 46.
Matthew Stafford connected on a 27-yard pass to Puka Nacua to open the drive, but a 15-yard taunting penalty on Kyren Williams compromised the possession, leading to the field goal.
Making matters worse for the Jets, rookie offensive lineman Olu Fashanu sustained a foot injury and was in visible pain as he was carted off to the locker room.
Rams take lead on Tyler Higbee TD catch in fourth quarter
🏈 Rams 16, Jets 9 — 10:11 left in the fourth quarter
Playing his first game since sustaining a torn ACL in last season’s playoffs, tight end Tyler Higbee caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to give the Rams their first lead of the game.
The touchdown was set up three plays earlier by a Jared Verse fumble recovery at the New York 21 after Cam Curl strip-sacked Aaron Rodgers off a blitz. Rodgers hobbled off and made a brief visit to the sideline medical tent but returned on the Jets’ next possession.
Stafford has completed 11 of 16 passes, with a touchdown and an interception. Kyren Williams has rushed for 108 yards in 18 carries.
Rams players were thrilled to see Higbee catch a touchdown pass after his 11-month recovery.
Joshua Karty field goal ties game early in fourth quarter
🏈 Rams 9, Jets 9 — 12:44 left in the fourth quarter
Joshua Karty kicked a 38-yard field goal in the frigid conditions at MetLife Stadium to tie the game after a 13-play, 66-yard drive for the Rams sputtered in the red zone.
The Rams’ offense was kept off the field until 5:15 of the third quarter after the Jets gambled — and lost — on fourth-and-four from the Rams’ 13-yard line to end a 14-play possession.
After Matthew Stafford drove the Rams to the New York 15, a false-start penalty on center Beaux Limmer coupled with Stafford failing to connect on a third-down pass to Tyler Higbee led to the field-goal try.
Jets field goal gives them 9-6 lead over Rams at halftime
🏈 Jets 9, Rams 6 — HALFTIME
Anders Carlson kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give the Jets the lead.
Carlson’s kick ended a 15-play, 67-yard drive that included Aaron Rodgers’ fourth-down completion to Allen Lazard and a 15-yard catch and run by running back Breece Hall.
Rodgers has completed 15 of 20 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed six of 10 passes for 46 yards, with an interception.
Kyren Williams has rushed for 58 yards in 10 carries.
Kyren Williams touchdown ties game in the second quarter
🏈 Rams 6, Jets 6 — 6:22 left in the second quarter
Kyren Williams scored on a two-yard run, but Joshua Karty missed the extra-point attempt.
Linebacker Omar Speights set up the scoring drive when he stopped running back Breece Hall for no gain on a fourth-and-one at the Jets’ 33 yard-line.
Williams rushed for 13 yards before Matthew Stafford connected with receiver Puka Nacua for an 18-yard pass play.
Karty missed wide to the right.
Williams has rushed for 58 yards in five carries.
On the previous possession, Jets safety Tony Adams picked off Stafford at the New York 24-yard line.
Aaron Rodgers connects with Davante Adams for game’s first TD
🏈 Jets 6, Rams 0 — 23 seconds left in the first quarter
Well, that looked like vintage Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets quarterback tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams to cap a 14-play, 99-yard drive.
Rodgers completed seven of eight passes for 89 yards during a drive that consumed more than eight minutes.
The key play was a fourth-down pass to Adams that covered nine yards and gave the Jets a first down at the Rams’ 12.
The Rams’ initial drive stalled at the Jets’ 37-yard line when Hassan Reddick tipped away a Matthew Stafford pass.
Ethan Evans’ punt bounced high near the goal line and Jordan Whittington caught it while airbound and tossed it to Jake Hummel at the one-yard line.
No reinforcements for Rams but the path to NFC West title and playoffs is clear
The Rams are in first place in the NFC West and readying for a playoff push.
Will coach Sean McVay seek reinforcements?
The window closed after Week 12 for future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald to come out of retirement this season for a shot at another Super Bowl.
But star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who also was a member of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship team, is a free agent after clearing waivers Monday.
Tyler Higbee fired up about return to Rams: ‘Might have to throw some water on me’
Tyler Higbee is understandably excited.
It’s been 11 long months since the Rams’ veteran tight end last played for the Rams.
Rams vs. Jets inactives for Sunday’s game
Here are the players that won’t be suiting up for the Rams and Jets on Sunday:
Rams inactives: QB Stetson Bennett, WR Tyler Johnson, CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr., RB Cody Schrader, OL Dylan McMahon, OL Warren McClendon Jr.
Jets inactives: S Jaylin Simpson, CB Michael Carter II, OL Xavier Newman, CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, DL Quinnen Williams, OL Jake Hanson
Rams offensive line hitting its stride at the right time
After injuries forced the Rams offensive line to go through numerous iterations, it appears to be hitting its stride.
Left tackle Alaric Jackson, left guard Steve Avila, center Beaux Limmer, right guard Kevin Dotson and right tackle Rob Havenstein did not give up a sack in the last two games against the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers.
They aim to extend the streak to three games on Sunday against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
“We’re trending in the right direction,” said Havenstein, a 10th-year pro. “There’s never a point in offensive line play where you’re like, ‘All right, we made it. We can relax.’ You’re always climbing that mountain.”
Pass protection involves more than the line, Havenstein said. Receivers must create separation from defenders to get open, running backs must pick up blitzes and quarterback Matthew Stafford helps by slipping away from would-be tacklers.
“It’s hard to block some of these pass rushers,” Havenstein said. “They’re going forward, we’re going backward. They run 4.5s [in the 40-yard dash] — we’re running 5.4s. ... So it takes 11 [players on offense] working as one.”
Cooper Kupp looking to make impact vs. Jets after catch-less game
Don’t be surprised if coach Sean McVay calls Cooper Kupp’s number early during Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Kupp, the 2021 NFL offensive player of the year, did not catch a pass in the Rams’ 12-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 12. It was only the second time in the eighth-year pro’s career that he did not catch a pass in a game that he did not leave early because of injury.
“You’re obviously frustrated,” Kupp said of his postgame reaction. “You want to be able to contribute in the pass game and that goes without saying. I don’t think anyone needs to say that they want to be able to have opportunities to touch the ball, but at the same time the way that game played out, that’s not what I was asked to do and I’m going to execute whatever they’re asking me.
“That’s been our thing here for years. Whatever it’s going to take to win, that’s what we have to do.”
Kupp has 63 catches for 657 yards and six touchdowns in nine games this season. He has 630 receptions for 7,723 yards and 57 touchdowns in his career.
McVay said the flow of the game and other factors contributed to Kupp’s catchless performance. Kupp contributed in other areas such as blocking in a victory that improved the Rams’ record to 8-6 and put them in first place in the NFC West.
“He did have a way of impacting the game,” McVay said, adding, “ I was also proud of the contributions that Cooper made without the ball. He didn’t really have many opportunities in the pass game, so certainly isn’t on him.”
Receiver Puka Nacua said he was surprised Kupp had no catches against the 49ers.
“The leader of our room, the professional that I’ve been able to watch and study in Cooper Kupp, it didn’t change how he comes out here to work,” Nacua said. “It didn’t change how he celebrated with us that we were winning on Thursday Night Football.
“It just doesn’t change who he has been.”
Classic matchup no matter the teams: Rams’ Matthew Stafford vs. Jets’ Aaron Rodgers
Both rank in the top 10 in NFL career-passing categories. Both have won a Super Bowl title.
On Sunday, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will square off for the 18th time.
“It’s two greats,” Rams coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. “Two guys that I look at as Hall of Famers.”
Most of the matchups between Stafford and Rodgers occurred when they played in the NFC North.
Rams vs. New York Jets: How to watch, prediction and betting odds
Don’t be fooled by the New York Jets’ 4-10 record. Remember 2020? That’s when the winless Jets defeated the playoff-bound Rams in Week 15.
So Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium could be a trap game for a Rams team riding a three-game winning streak. If the Rams defeat the Jets and the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks, they will win the NFC West.
And it’s not like the Rams are coming off a great performance. They did not score a touchdown in their 12-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. For only the second time in his eight-year career, star receiver Cooper Kupp did not catch a pass in a game in which he did not leave because of injury.