The Los Angeles Rams were never supposed to be in a position to win Monday night’s game in Atlanta. Down 21–0, battered at the line of scrimmage, and reeling from uncharacteristic mistakes, the Rams spent most of the night chasing the Falcons. Yet somehow, improbably, they clawed all the way back. That’s what made the ending so brutal.
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With just 21 seconds left after Zane Gonzalez drilled a 51-yard field goal to give Atlanta a 27–24 lead, the Rams had one final opportunity to steal a game they had no business being this close to winning. What followed were three separate moments that combined into a collapse defined by execution failures, a season-altering no-call, and inches separating immortality from heartbreak.
Missed Chance No. 1: Stafford Leaves a Layup on the Field
The Rams didn’t even need heroics to start the drive. On first down, Matthew Stafford had exactly what every quarterback dreams of in that situation: a completely uncovered receiver.
Xavier Smith slipped free downfield with no defender within range. It was a touchdown waiting to happen, or at the very least an easy completion that would have allowed Smith to get out of bounds and immediately set Los Angeles up for a manageable field goal attempt. Instead, Stafford missed him.
It was a stunning misfire, one that instantly raised the difficulty level of an already impossible situation. In a game where Stafford would later finish with three interceptions, including a pick-six, the miss stood out as another moment where precision deserted him when it mattered most. If the first play was self-inflicted, the second was something else entirely.
Missed Chance No. 2: The No-Call That Altered the Ending
On second down, Stafford launched a deep shot up the left sideline to Tutu Atwell. Falcons cornerback Dee Alford arrived early and, more importantly, restricted Atwell’s left arm as the ball came in. Atwell never had a chance to finish the catch. The officials kept their flags in their pockets, and the ESPN broadcast immediately erupted.
Joe Buck didn’t hesitate. Rules analyst Russell Yurk was even more definitive, explaining that while the initial contact could be viewed as hand fighting, Alford’s second grab, pinning Atwell’s arm as he attempted to catch the ball, clearly met the standard for defensive pass interference.
Had the call been made, the Rams would have been awarded the ball inside the Falcons’ 15-yard line with time still on the clock. Suddenly, a game-winning touchdown or a chip-shot field goal was firmly on the table. Instead, the Rams were left chasing miracles. It was one of the most glaring no-calls of the season—and the defining moment of the night.
Missed Chance No. 3: Puka Nacua Comes Inches From History
With time slipping away, Stafford went back to the well one final time—this time targeting Puka Nacua down the right sideline. What happened next nearly defied belief.
Nacua elevated, reached back with one hand, and appeared to haul in a jaw-dropping catch while dragging his feet near the boundary. For a moment, it looked like an instant classic—one of those plays that would live forever in NFL highlight reels. Replay told a harsher truth.
The ball shifted as Nacua went to the ground. The catch wasn’t clean. Incomplete. Hope gone. The Rams still had one final snap on fourth down, but by then the clock and momentum were gone. Atlanta kneeled out a 27–24 win that felt as surreal as it was deflating for Los Angeles.
