INGLEWOOD, Calif. —As his team prepared for its game against the winless New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said he was not concerned about a letdown, repeatedly citing his players’ “maturity.”
That was not evident for most of Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium.
The Rams came out flat, fell behind by 17 points early in the third quarter and could not come back in a 23-20 loss to a Jets team that won for the first time in 14 games.
The Rams lost a chance to clinch a playoff spot and fell to 9-5. They also dropped into second place in the NFC West behind the Seattle Seahawks (10-4), who won 20-15 over the Washington Football Team earlier in the day.
The Rams play the Seahawks in Seattle next Sunday.
The Rams were in position to tie the score with a field goal or go ahead with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but safety Marcus Maye broke up a fourth-down pass from Jared Goff that was intended for tight end Gerald Everett.
Goff completed 22 of 34 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was 22 for 31 for 207 yards and a touchdown.
Rams running back Cam Akers, who rushed for 171 yards in 29 carries in the Rams’ last game against the New England Patriots, suffered an ankle injury early in the second quarter. But he returned after sitting out two series.
Akers rushed for 63 yards in 15 carries.
In the first half, the Rams were 0 for 7 on third down and gained only 97 yards.
