National Football League

Rams Run Through Belichick, Patriots

Updated Dec. 10, 2020 11:27 p.m. ET

There was no prize at the end, but Sean McVay was able to avenge his Super Bowl LIII loss to Bill Belichick in emphatic fashion on Thursday night.

The Los Angeles Rams moved to 9-4 on the season by dominating the New England Patriots, and in the process, LA inched closer to locking up a playoff berth for the third time in the last four seasons.

Here are the key takeaways from this Thursday Night Football matchup.

1. Cam Akers' big night

Over the last two games, Rams rookie running back Cam Akers had been trending in the right direction. He had recorded his two best rushing performances of the season in consecutive weeks, rushing for 84 yards and a score against San Francisco in Week 12, and followed it up with 74 rushing yards and a score against Arizona in Week 13.

Against New England, Akers took that positive momentum and shifted it into overdrive.

The rookie running back didn't find the endzone on Thursday, but he had his way with the Patriots, finishing the night with 171 yards on 29 carries, averaging 5.9 yards per rush.

For context, the Patriots ended the evening with 220 yards total, just 49 more yards that Akers found on the ground by his lonesome.

Akers' dominance on the ground made up for a subpar peformance from Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who completed 16-of-25 passes for 131 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and Akers also helped the Rams win the time of possession battle with his effort.

The first 100-yard rushing performance of Akers' career will be a memorable one.

2. Rams defense continues to be stingy

Running the football and managing the clock is one way to place yourself in a good position to win a game in the NFL.

Taking the ball away from the other team is another, and the Rams defense has done that better than just about any squad over the last five games.

Thanks to a second quarter interception returned for a touchdown by linebacker Kenny Young, the Rams have now recorded at least one interception in five straight games.

And while LA has forced turnovers through the air in five consecutive games, those interceptions are due in large part to the Rams' consistent pressure on the quarterback.

Three different Rams recorded a sack, led by Michael Brockers' two-sack night.

The Rams are in first place in the NFC West, and their dominant defense has been the catalyst behind their acsension to the top of the arguably the NFL's most competitive division.

3. Missing Tom Brady?

The Patriots have managed to have a solid season so far, and entered Thursday night with a record of 6-6.

But their offense is a shell of what it had been for the past two decades with Tom Brady at the helm, through the air in particular.

New England entered Thursday night ranked 30th in the league in passing yards per game (191.4), and it was more of the same against the Rams.

Cam Newton only mustered 119 yards passing before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham early in the fourth quarter, with the Rams ahead by 21 points.

The Patriots' playoff hopes are in dire straits with three games remaining in the regular season, and if they can't find a way to be more effective through the air, they will likely miss the postseason for the first time since 2008.

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