PHILADELPHIA (AP) 鈥 Call him Karty B 鈥 as in, blocked.
Joshua Karty went from automatic for the Rams 鈥 four straight field goals, including a 51-yarder 鈥 to being barely able to get his kicks off the ground.
The Philadelphia Eagles blocked two straight attempts by Karty on Sunday. The first set up Philly’s drive for a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and the second came on the final play of the game with the Rams trailing by one. Jordan Davis knocked Karty’s potential game-winner to the ground, scooped the ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown to seal Los Angeles’ .
The Rams blew a 19-point, third-quarter lead, and that can’t all be blamed on Karty. But there was clearly something wrong with his approach on the final two kicks.
As with a pitcher tipping his pitches, the Eagles noticed some tells.
鈥淭he way we talked about it on the sideline, we knew especially off his last kick, we knew his angle, we knew his launch point,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淲e just hit the gap, put our hands up at the right time and I saw the ball on the ground at the right time.鈥
Karty didn’t attempt a field goal in the season opener and went 2 for 2 in last week’s win over Tennessee. He entered the game 31 of 36 overall in his two-year career with the Rams.
鈥淲hether we found a way to make that kick or whether we ended up having that result right there, we鈥檝e got to be able to keep it moving,鈥 Rams coach Sean McVay said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a lot of football left and that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e going to see.鈥
The Rams led 26-21 midway through the fourth when Jalen Carter blocked Karty鈥檚 36-yard try, and Jalen Hurts then led the Eagles on a 17-play, 91-yard touchdown drive. That left 1:48 on the clock for Matthew Stafford, who led the Rams into position for Karty鈥檚 44-yard attempt with 3 seconds left.
McVay and Stafford each lamented other blown opportunities 鈥 such as failures to convert on third down 鈥 that led to yet another loss to the Eagles.
Philly beat the Rams twice last season, the second time in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs at Lincoln Financial Field.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we were thinking about last year at all, to be honest with you,鈥 Stafford said. 鈥淛ust in the moment in this game, they had a chance, drove down, and they did a nice job on special teams two times there in the fourth. So there鈥檚 so many plays throughout the game that can affect it.鈥
Stafford threw for 196 yards and a pair of touchdowns. After Hurts was strip-sacked by Jared Verse in the third quarter, Stafford hit Kyren Williams for a 10-yard TD that made it 26-7. Karty booted field goals of 51, 28, 33 and 46 yards to help the Rams take a 19-7 lead into halftime.
鈥淚 mean, we鈥檝e all been a part of enough NFL games that the scoreboard doesn鈥檛 really matter until the end of the game,鈥 Stafford said. 鈥淲e had our chance at the end of the game and it didn鈥檛 go our way.鈥
Stafford threw an interception on the Rams’ first drive. Zack Baun picked off Stafford’s pass, leading to an Eagles touchdown.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to start the game with the turnover like I did,鈥 Stafford said. 鈥淪ome physical throws that I would love to have back early in the game and on third down so I can be better for sure.鈥
The Rams were 3 of 10 on third down and failed to convert their only fourth-down attempt.
The Rams failed to open 3-0 for the first time since 2021 and lost an early measuring stick on a schedule full of long road trips for LA.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 what we鈥檝e learned about ourselves. When you鈥檙e 2-0, you don鈥檛 learn about anybody,” said McVay, who coached a week after he in his left foot. 鈥淏ut when you do have a loss like this, I want to see what we鈥檙e about. I know what we鈥檙e about. I know we鈥檙e going to respond. Can鈥檛 let the Eagles beat us twice.鈥
The Rams can learn a little more about themselves next week when they host unbeaten Indianapolis.
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