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Swanson: Rams blow it against Pittsburgh Steelers in true team effort

October 23, 2023

Rams head coach Sean McVay gives instructions during pregame warm ups prior to playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023 as quarterback Matthew Stafford warms up. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams running back Darrell Henderson (27) finds running room as the Steeler T.J. Watt pursues during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Steelers Najee Harris looks for running room deep in Rams territory early in the third quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes up field during the first half against the Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers running back Najee Harris dives short of the endzone early in the third quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams defensive back Derion Kendrick (1) joins the huddle during the first half against the visiting Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kendrick was arrested in Hollywood early Monday after a traffic stop, was charged with two misdemeanor gun offenses — carrying a concealed firearm and carrying a loaded firearm — according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.(Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell (5) hauls in a late second quarter touchdown pass to give the Rams a 9-3 lead over the Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers fans nearly fill an entire field level section during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht, right, moves in to make the sack on Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, left, during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson is tripped up by the Rams Russ Yeast, bottom right, during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is caught from behind by the Rams Russ Yeast during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams running back Darrell Henderson, right, is tackled by the Steelers Cole Holcomb during the second half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, right, looks for running room following a reception as the Steelers Cole Holcomb defends during the second half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams fans were far outnumbered by Steelers fans in the north endzone at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers running back Najee Harris, left, celebrates with quarterback Kenny Pickett, right, after scoring what would be the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Former Alta Loma High School graduate, and former Los Angeles Ram, Eric Weddle is introduced as the Legend of the Game during a break in the second quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Steelers Najee Harris (22) dives into the endzone for what would be the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Rams Jordan Fuller (4) defends at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Rams Cooper Kupp hauls in a pass for a 2-point conversion during the third quarter against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams head coach Sean McVay greets Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin following the Rams 24-17 loss at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Steelers Najee Harris (22) celebrates after diving into the endzone for what would be the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Rams Jordan Fuller (4) kneels in the endzone following the play SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Rams Matthew Stafford runs onto the field during pregame introductions prior to playing the visitin Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The Rams Cooper Kupp runs onto the field during pregame introductions prior to playing the visitin Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams defensive back Russ Yeast, 2, has a possible interception go off his fingertips as defensive back Cobie Durant joins the play during the third quarter against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams defensive back Derion Kendrick (1) stands on the sidelines as they play the Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kendrick was arrested in Hollywood early Monday after a traffic stop, was charged with two misdemeanor gun offenses — carrying a concealed firearm and carrying a loaded firearm — according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin helps up receiver Diontae Johnson, 18, following a pass interference call against the Rams Ahkello Witherspoon, 44, during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams head coach Sean McVay point to a video replay as he speaks with a referee during the fourth quarter against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson finds running room in the Rams secondary during the second half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers running back Najee Harris, center, celebrates with wide receiver Allen Robinson II, right, and quarterback Kenny Pickett, right, after scoring what would be the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett passes up field as the Rams Kobie Turner defends during the second half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rams defensive back Russ Yeast, 2, has a possible interception go off his fingertips during the third quarter against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The Los Angeles Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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INGLEWOOD – From the coulda, woulda, shoulda files: Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Rams 17.

It would’ve been hard to imagine back in July, before the Rams broke camp, that they could weather a loss this season that would be quite so disappointing.

They were coming off a most-disheartening 5-12 Super Bowl defense and embarking on a preseason with 39 rookies on the roster. The only expectations were low expectations. Specifically, oddsmakers’ prognostication: over/under 6.5 wins.

And yet Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh stung. The Rams’ complementary collapse will eat at them and everyone associated with them until they can get back on the field and make it right, whether that’s next weekend in Dallas or the following week at Green Bay or on Nov. 19, when they’re back at SoFi Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks. Or whenever.

Because it turns out the Rams are better than what oddsmakers imagined they’d be, and moreover, they should be better than 3-4.

They’ll tell you that, too. This is a team led by a head coach that isn’t afraid to give itself lashings: “We didn’t help ourselves,” McVay volunteered before anyone could even ask a questions about what he called a “disappointing deal” at his postgame news conference.

“Anytime we don’t get it done, it’s a collective effort,” he continued. “There’s a lot of things that we didn’t do to be able to finish this game. Execution on (special) teams. Execution offensively. Defensively …”

McVay’s is a team that goes out of its way show it cares by being neither dismissive nor defensive. But even all their accountability can go only so far as to blunt the public annoyance with a game that was so badly botched, blown by a pileup of mistakes. A true and total team effort.

It wasn’t, despite what Ice Cube rapped to an appreciative stadium at halftime, a good day in L.A. At least not if you were one of the easily outnumbered Rams fans in the stands Sunday.

Oh, how did Steelers fans love this one? Let me count the ways. Or some of them. I’ve got only so much space.

Sixth-year kicker Brett Maher missed two field goals and an extra point, momentum-killing misses even if those seven points wouldn’t have won the game on their own.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick was late coming off the field, so the Rams were penalized five yards for too many men two plays before Najee Harris rushed for the Steelers’ final score – a 3-yard touchdown – in the lopsided fourth quarter.

.@ohthatsNajee22 in for 6⃣

: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/T87FSng3KS pic.twitter.com/v0dISLEj9J

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 22, 2023

Stafford – who was sacked twice and hurried four times – threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by the Steelers’ defensive superstar T.J. Watt on the first play of the second half, setting up a Pittsburgh touchdown that gave them the 10-9 lead.

The Rams found themselves on the ropes late in a game that featured another sensational effort from rookie receiver Puka Nacua, who finished with eight catches for 154 yards. Even he, though, bemoaned a few misses on third down: “I left some plays out there.”

Even the game’s controversial conclusion – a highly questionable first-down spot with 2:24 to play – reflected the old adage that you create your own luck.

In the Rams’ case, that’s bad luck. They couldn’t request a review of the play because they’d blown through all their timeouts.

They’d found themselves in a fourth-quarter dogfight even though, mathematically, it seemed improbable: Pittsburgh had 110 total yards entering the fourth quarter, but finished with 300. Its generally anemic offense recorded only six of its 17 first downs before that final frame too. And yet, the Steelers (4-2) had their hosts on their heels.

Even after Pittsburgh’s fourth-quarter surge, when they outscored the Rams 14-0 to overcome a seven-point deficit, McVay’s team walked off the field with more total yards, more first downs, more passing and rushing yardage, more time of possession and fewer penalties for fewer yards.

Just about everything except more points.

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Even the sure-handed Cooper Kupp chipped in with a pair of uncharacteristic drops on the Rams’ sloppy opening drive, a harbinger of the mess to come.

“Too many mistakes, too many mistakes,” said Kupp, who finished with just two catches for 29 yards. “You want to play a perfect game, and that obviously isn’t gonna happen. But there are plays you can make, you gotta make. So to start the game off like that and set us back a little bit and we didn’t get into a rhythm, I can obviously do a much better job there.”

Kupp’s rookie cohort seemed at a loss to explain all the ways it went wrong when pressed postgame, so he referred to McVay’s messaging in the locker room after the loss, relaying something that sounded like constructive frustration.

The notion Nacua relayed was that the Rams need to “look inward at ourselves for the things we can execute, because were doing them throughout the week. We’re right there on the edge, so it’s the little things – the inch in the alignment to get that block done — that might make the difference. Or the yard in making sure I’m getting across the field in a shallow route. All those little things make the difference in the end.”

It could, it should. It probably would.

Orange County Register

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Swanson: Rams blow it against Pittsburgh Steelers in true team effort

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