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It wasn't pretty on Thursday night, but the Los Angeles Rams did what needed to be done. In a defensive slugfest defined by the bad weather and pouring rain, the Rams improved to 8-6 with a 12-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
The win helps the Rams keep pace with the Seattle Seahawks at the top of the NFC West, which they will lead on Sunday night if the Seahawks lose to the Green Bay Packers. As they look to secure the division title and make it into the playoffs, the Rams will be getting a key piece back as soon as next week.
Starting tight end Tyler Higbee could be making his return in Week 16 against the New York Jets. Higbee has missed the entire season so far due to shoulder and knee injuries, but is nearly ready to return according to head coach Sean McVay.
“Yeah, that's the plan. That's what the plan is,” McVay said about whether Higbee will be active next Sunday. “We haven't made that move official. All things that have gone on over the last couple weeks, we've kind of had the expectation and the anticipation that that will be something that would be a move that we anticipate making. None of it has been finalized yet, but with the progress that he has made over the last couple weeks and the way that he’s looked in practice, I do expect him to be ready to go against the Jets. I don't want to put a hundred percent stamp on that, but that is the plan.”
Higbee has spent his entire eight-year NFL career with the Rams and has caught 353 passes for 22 touchdowns during his time there. Adding him back into the lineup will give McVay and Matthew Stafford another experienced pass catcher for an offense that can be very dangerous.
Rams defense comes alive to get huge win over 49ers
A week ago, the Rams picked up one of the most impressive (and entertaining) victories of the season when they knocked off the Buffalo Bills 44-42. On Thursday night, it was a different story.
In a pouring rainstorm in San Francisco, the Rams' offense couldn't get anything going and failed to score a touchdown against the 49ers in a huge divisional clash. However, the defense came up big, holding the 49ers to just two field goals in a 12-6 win.
There were plenty of unsung heroes that stepped up for the Rams in this one. Cornerback Darious Williams, playing in his second stint in Los Angeles, came up with a PBU and a huge interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Christian Rozeboom led the team with nine tackles and a sack. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, a former 49er himself, came up with three pass breakups for the Rams.
This is the kind of effort that the Rams have to continue to get from some of their lesser known players on defense. When they combine a defensive performance like Thursday night's with an offensive outburst like they had last Sunday, look out for what could be a very dangerous team.
