The Atlanta Falcons held on to beat the Los Angeles Rams 27-24 on Monday Night Football. Here are winners and losers from the Week 17 closer.
Chicago locked up the NFC North despite loss to 49ers, Houston clinched another postseason berth, and Baltimore kept its AFC North hopes alive with a big win.on Monday Night Football to close Week 17 Atlanta jumped out to a 21-0 first-half lead thanks to a Matthew Stafford pick-six and a career-best run by Bijan Robinson not long after.
But Stafford and Co. did not go down without a fight with NFC playoff seeding implications still to play for. The Rams came all the way back to tie it at 24 apiece, but Robinson led a game-winning drive to take the lead off a field goal as the defense just held on in the closing seconds to prevent overtime.The win moves Atlanta to 7-9 amid a disappointing season where expectations had the team taking the leap into the playoffs. That slightly transpired for a different NFC South team. Los Angeles, meanwhile, dropped to 11-5. It is not a catastrophic loss, but it does leave a sting. Robinson is one of the best in the sport for a reason. The star running back exploded for a huge game on the ground, rushing for 195 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries as LA had trouble bringing him down all night.He also added five catches on eight targets for 34 yards and a receiving score. With Kirk Cousins past his best, Robinson needed to step up and lead the way if Atlanta wanted an important win. Cousins and Co. definitely liked that.It's been a tough stretch for the Rams. They recently dropped out of contention for the NFC's No. 1 seed, the NFC West title and star quarterback Matthew Stafford may no longer win MVP . Stafford, who's enjoyed a stellar season thus far at age 37, struggled throughout against an underrated Atlanta defense given its record entering the game. He threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns on 22 of 38 completions, with three interceptions .Stafford hasn't always been the most efficient QB despite having a Super Bowl to his name. But if the Rams want him to lead the way to another, he'll need to bounce back strong in a tight conference.The Falcons possess a solid draft record lately when it comes to defensive gems. Xavier Watts may very well be the next. The 24-year-old safety, a rookie third-round draft pick, made his mark in this one. He recorded five tackles and three passes defended along with two picks himself. Jessie Bates III had the pick-six, with Watts adding two timely ones.PICKED! Xavier Watts with his 2nd of the game 🙌 Depending on the winner's/loser's perspective, there was plenty on the line in this game in terms of the draft order. The Rams own Atlanta's first-round pick in 2026, so it was pretty essential that the Falcons did not lose to help LA in that regard. With the win, Atlanta bumped the pick to No. 12 overall. If the Falcons can hold it outside of the top 10, that'll be a slight plus given the context of how the campaign has unfolded. Next up to close the season is the hot New Orleans Saints at home, who are 6-10 amid a four-game win streak led by rookie QB Tyler Shough and currently own pick No. 8. Another win could bump the pick up a few spots. If the Falcons defeat the Saints in Week 18, the Panthers will win the NFC South regardless of their outcome against the Buccaneers on Saturday. LA didn't win, but it arguably came down with the play of the night. Trailing 24-10 late in the third with Atlanta attempting a 37-yard field goal to potentially lead by three possessions, star rusher Jared Verse blocked Zane Gonzalez's kick and took it back all the way for a touchdown.It was an incredible swing of events, one that could've been worth a win itself. But perhaps Verse waving to the Falcons bench was some bad karma. The loss ultimately doesn't change a whole lot in terms of seeding. LA will either be the No. 5 seed or No. 6, depending on the loser of the Seattle Seahawks atWeek 18 showdown Saturday. The Rams will host the lowly Arizona Cardinals. Barring a stunning loss, LA could still get the favorable No. 5 spot if San Francisco falls.
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