DETROIT _ Perhaps it was the early wake-up call for their only game in the Eastern time zone. Or the comedown from such a breathless pace and finish in their last game.
Whatever the reason, the Rams looked sluggish on Sunday against the struggling Detroit Lions.
Todd Gurley ran for two touchdowns, Jared Goff passed for another, and star defensive tackle Aaron Donald once again came up with a big play that helped the Rams clinch the NFC West with a 30-16 victory before 60,974 at Ford Field.
With Greg Zuerlein providing three field goals, the Rams improved their record to 11-1 and clinched a second consecutive division title for the first time since the 1978 and 1979 seasons.
In 1979, the Rams rode the momentum all the way to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Rams, competing for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, have four games remaining, including next Sunday night's game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, a Sunday night home game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a road game at Arizona and the season finale against the San Francisco 49ers.
Gurley rushed for 132 yards in 23 carries, and also caught three passes for 33 yards. Before scoring his second touchdown, he gave himself up on what would have been a certain 38-yard scoring run.
Goff completed 17 of 33 passes for 207 yards, including a touchdown to Robert Woods. He also had a pass intercepted and lost a fumble.
Brandin Cooks had four catches for 62 yards. Cooks has 63 receptions for 1,062 yards, the fourth time in five NFL seasons he eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving.
Zuerlein kicked field goals of 24, 47 and 48 yards.
Donald had two sacks, increasing his league-leading season total to 16 {, and forced a fumble that set up a touchdown. Lineman Ndamukong Suh, playing in Detroit for the first time since leaving the Lions after the 2014 season, had six tackles and was penalized twice for personal fouls.
Matthew Stafford completed 20 of 33 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown, with an interception, for the Lions (4-8).
The Rams led, 13-3, at halftime.
The Lions had an opportunity after they sacked Goff and forced him to lose a fumble. But after driving to the nine-yard line they were forced to settle for a field goal.
The ensuing onside kick attempt did not travel 10 yards, giving the Rams excellent field position. But they too could only manage a 48-yard field goal for a 16-6 lead.
And then Lions showed some imagination.
Stafford connected with tight end Levine Toilolo for 39 and running back Theo Roddick for 12 yards and moved the Lions to the 11-yard line.
On first down, the Lions got creative, Stafford finding offensive tackle Taylor Decker for a touchdown pass that pulled the Lions to within 16-13.
The Rams got the ball with 10:13 left, but the Lions' defense set up Stafford with three outstanding plays.
First, end Romeo Okwara broke up a pass. Linebacker Eli Harold broke up another, and then end Ezekiel Ansah pressured Goff into an incomplete pass.
But Donald sacked Stafford and forced him to fumble. That set up Gurley's 13-yard touchdown run for a 23-13 lead. The Lions added a field goal, but Gurley clinched the outcome with a two-yard touchdown run with just less than two minutes left.
The pace was wholly different than the last time the Rams were on the field, when they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 54-51.
The Rams took a 13-3 halftime lead on Goff's short touchdown pass to Woods and two field goals.
On the Rams' second possession, Goff connected with Woods, Josh Reynolds and Gurley for gains of 14 yards or more, and Gurley broke off a 15-yard run as the Rams moved to the six-yard line. But Goff misfired on a third-down pass intended for Reynolds, forcing the Rams to settle for Greg Zuerlein's 24-yard field goal.
Rams linebacker Dante Fowler had a sack, and also made a big third-down stop on the ensuing possession and the Lions tied the score with a field goal.
The Lions had a chance to turn the momentum after Quandre Diggs intercepted a Goff pass, but the Rams forced a three and out, giving the Rams' offense another opportunity.
This time, Gurley took advantage. He carried the ball six times during a drive that Goff finished with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Woods.
The Rams got the ball back with 1:33 left in the second quarter, and Goff connected with Cooks for gains of 26 and 13 yards. But the drive stalled at the Lions' 29, and Zuerlein came on to kick a 47-yard field goal.
