After winning the NFC West for the first time since 2021, the Los Angeles Rams have one more regular-season game left before a home playoff game against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. The Rams turned a terrible start to the season into a playoff berth, a remarkable feat by head coach Sean McVay and the Rams.
The Rams have used a 9-2 record since their bye week to propel them to the playoffs. Their defense has been largely why the Rams are headed to the playoffs this season.
This was especially the case this past weekend against the Arizona Cardinals when the Rams' defense saved the day after the Rams' offense failed to put the Cardinals away late in the game.
Adam H. Beasley of Pro Football Network recently released his list of figurative game balls for Week 17. Beasley hands these out to players who have productive games each week, and a Rams defender was on the list this week.
"Ahkello Witherspoon’s diving end-zone interception off Kyler Murray Saturday preserved more than the Rams’ 13-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals," Beasley said. "It set the Rams up to clinch the NFC West with some help on Sunday. But simply getting there isn’t enough for a Rams team that surely wants to avoid playing the No. 5 seed, considering how challenging a first-round showdown with the [Detroit] Lions or [Minnesota] Vikings would be."
The Rams' matchup against the Seattle Seahawks does not have as much meaning as it could have, yet it can still impact the Rams' momentum in the playoffs. McVay and the Rams have plenty of reason to play hard.
However, for the Rams to be successful in the postseason, they will need their defense to continue to play, as it has throughout the entire season. While the Rams' offense is one of the more explosive in the National Football League, their defense has spent the season proving itself on a weekly basis.
The Rams defense must continue playing well and their offense must improve their play before the playoffs start, if they hope to avoid being eliminated in the first round of the postseason.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as REPORT: Rams Defender Receives National Recognition .