It’s a season-ending game with plenty of subplots.
THE Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons game Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, several of the NFL’s closest coaching friends will compete with playoff and draft positions, job security and perhaps the Most Valuable Player award on the line.
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THE Rams are 11-4 and coming off a crush 38-37 defeat in overtime by the Seattle Seahawks. The loss knocked the Rams out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC and back to No. 6 with two games remaining.
“It’s exciting because it’s an opportunity for us to come back and have an answer,” the star receiver said Puka Nacua ” said, adding: “This is an opportunity to show that we have improved and learned from this experience.
The Rams finish the season next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
“We have two weeks left”, coach Sean McVay said. “I love how everyone maximized every day. These scars can be your strength if you use them properly.
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“With this group, I had a funny feeling that this is exactly where we are heading.”
The Rams will be on their way to the playoffs as a No. 5 or 6 seed after victories by the Seahawks (13-3) and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday eliminated them from contention for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed.
The home stretch begins with McVay, defensive coordinator Chris Shula and offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur facing off against Falcons coach Raheem Morris, the former Rams defensive coordinator who helped them. win Super Bowl LVI.
Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson also coached under McVay.
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Both McVay and Shula described Morris as one of their best friends and mentors.
“I’m pretty sure all of our kids’ furniture is from his house because we tracked it,” Shula said last week.
Morris coached with the Rams from 2021 to 2023. He told Atlanta reporters last week that the Rams have an “all hands on deck” mentality and that he has tried to implement similar systems.
“We definitely imitated and mocked a lot of the things they do,” he said.
The Rams, however, could make a difficult season for Morris even more uncomfortable.
Sean McVay will try to lead the Rams to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
The Falcons have won two games in a row but they are 6-9 and out of the playoffs. If the Rams beat them on Monday, Morris’ future with the Falcons will become more uncertain.
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And the Rams have more to gain than just a potential No. 5 seed.
During this year’s draft, as the Rams were considering how they could capitalize on the No. 26 pick, the Falcons gave the Rams their 2026 first-round pick so they could draft edge rusher James Pearce Jr. This essentially made the Rams the biggest winner in the draft, as it gave them two 2026 first-round picks to potentially shop for a possible replacement for the veteran quarterback. Matthew Stafford.
On one level, the deal worked for both teams. The Rams selected tight end Terrance Ferguson in the second round, and Pearce recorded 8½ sacks. But every Falcons loss moves the Rams up in the draft. As of Monday, the Rams have the No. 11 pick and another pick at No. 25 or lower.
McVay acknowledged the Rams’ improved draft capital, but said it would have no effect on how they approach the game.
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“At the end of the day, I even have to think about this stuff,” he said.
Meanwhile, Stafford isn’t playing like a quarterback ready to retire or be replaced. The 17th-year pro, already top 10 in several all-time passing categories, leads the NFL with 40 touchdown passes.
Learn more: Rams star Puka Nacua slams referees: I’ll never let this happen again
He’s one of the favorites to win his first Most Valuable Player award, and a stellar performance in a Monday night showcase could seal it.
Will Stafford’s situation influence McVay’s decision?
“If you’re thinking, ‘Am I going to make a decision that I don’t think would be best for our team in this situation?’ No, I would never do that,” McVay said, adding, “The good thing is he’s in this conversation because he played really well.” This had no impact on decision making.
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“When he does his thing, it’s good for our football team and all he has to do is continue to play the way he can. Usually these things have a way of working out if they’re supposed to.”
This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
