Rams can set NFL record next week

It had been nine years since the last time a team had at least 580 total yards and lost, but that’s what the L.A. Rams did on Thursday against the Seahawks in overtime. The Rams had their highest offensive output of the entire Sean McVay era but couldn’t find a way to win when ironically three of their last four drives in regular completely stalled out, allowing Seattle to force the extra period and win on a two-point conversion.

Regardless, the Rams offense continues to dominate NFL opponents by putting up their third consecutive game with at least 500 total yards. One more and the Rams will set a new NFL record for consecutive games with 500+ yards.

They next face a Falcons team with a defensive coached by Raheem Morris that will be very familiar to McVay and Matthew Stafford.

The Rams are the first team since the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 to go three consecutive games with at least 500 yards. They are the only team on this list of five to only turn the ball over one time during its streak.

The New England Patriots, who went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Giants in 2011, only turned it over twice during their streak. However, this streak was carried over from the previous season, so it was the last regular season game of 2010 and the first two games of 2011.

The 1982 Chargers hold the record for most yards during such a streak with 1,706, 76 more yards than L.A.’s streak, but that number is tainted because there was a strike in 1982. Even so, Don Coryell is a legend for a reason.

The 1998 49ers had over 500 yards in each of their first three games that season, culminating in a 31-20 win over the Falcons in Week 3. However, it was the Falcons who knocked San Francisco out of the playoffs in the divisional round, 20-18. It would be the last real season for Steve Young, who was retired three games into the 1999 season.

The Cowboys came out as an offensive juggernaut under Mike McCarthy in 2020, leading the NFL in total yards and scoring through five weeks. But couldn’t wake up from a defensive nightmare and lost more than they won. That was also the year that Dak Prescott broke his ankle in Week 5.

None of these teams won the Super Bowl and only the Patriots came close. The Rams have been an unstoppable offensive juggernaut, but in many ways are struggling from the same defensive and special teams follies of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys probably could have made the playoffs with Dak instead of Andy Dalton, so the Rams don’t have to worry about being that bad, but L.A. will need to play more complete football moving forward to get past three or four playoff teams to win it all.

Will Rams set record against Falcons?

The Falcons have many issues, but defense is sort of the last of Raheem’s worries. Even so, Atlanta did give up over 500 yards to the Colts in Week 10.

They gave up 486 yards to the Panthers the next week. Both games went to overtime, both losses for the Falcons.

One reason that would force the Rams to try and put up 500 yards would be if the game is a shootout and/or L.A. lets Atlanta hang in the game for too long. Many of these 500 yard games go to overtime.

Well, as bad as it might feel to lose in the manner that L.A. did in Week 16, the Falcons are still having an awful season. A win over the Bills in Week 6 notwithstanding, Atlanta has been bad against good teams. They are coming off of a one-point win over the Bucs too.

And if they beat the Cardinals this week, the Falcons will probably have some hope of winning out, which could save Morris’s job and give ownership faith that he’s righting the ship. Especially if one of those wins comes against the Rams, which is extra personal for Atlanta’s front office after trading their 2026 first round pick to L.A. for an edge rusher.

Ian Rapoport notes that owner Arthur Blank is still weighing his options:

Owner Arthur Blank has shown patience in the past, but is it running out with a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in eight years? He plans to evaluate the futures of coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot as the season draws to a close, as most owners do following trying campaigns.

This game has been circled on Morris’s calendar all year probably. He wants to prove he knows McVay well enough to keep the game close.

But does McVay know Morris well enough to make sure that it isn’t close?

500+ yards and the Rams set a new record. But all that the Rams want for sure is to have at least one more point than Atlanta to stay alive for the number one seed.