NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After a mistake-filled close to the first half, the Rams (2-0) turned things around in the second half to knock off the Titans 33-19 on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Trailing 13-10 at halftime, Los Angeles outscored Tennessee (0-2) 23-6 in the second half, led by explosive completions from quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Wide receiver Davante Adams surpassed 12,000 career receiving yards with his performance of six catches for 106 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Puka Nacua logged 136 total yards (45-yard rushing touchdown, 91 receiving yards) in the win as well.
Defensively, outside linebacker Byron Young registered a sack for the second straight week, finishing with two total (one causing a fumble) plus five total tackles (two for loss) in the win.
Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was ruled out in the second quarter after sustaining a shoulder injury.
Here is the complete game recap, presented by TickPick:
The Rams jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with a 45-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Puka Nacua on 4th and 1 from the Titans' 45 on their first offensive drive. That followed a series from the defense which included outside linebacker Byron Young sacking Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward for an 8-yard loss, amid a series of penalties already driving back the Titans offense on their opening drive.
Kicker Joey Slye's 55-yard field goal early in the second quarter gave the Titans their first points, cutting the Rams' lead to 7-3 with 11:21 left in the first half.
A trio of explosive completions by Stafford – two to Adams and one to Tyler Higbee – set the Rams up inside the Titans' 10. However, a botched snap and a pair of incompletions forced Los Angeles to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Karty to bring its lead back to seven with 7:25 left in the first half.
Tennessee eventually answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ward to wide receiver Elic Ayomanor with 38 seconds left in the first half, with Ward making the play by throwing across his body as Rams defensive end Tyler Davis was bearing down on him toward the Titans sideline.
On the first play of the ensuing Rams offensive series, Stafford's pass intended for wide receiver Tutu Atwell was intercepted by Titans linebacker Cody Barton, giving Tennessee the ball back with 27 seconds left in the first half. The Titans then drew a defensive pass interference penalty against cornerback Cobie Durant, which moved the Titans from the Rams 46 to the Rams 32.
Tennessee eventually turned that takeaway into a 37-yard field goal by Slye to take a 13-10 lead into halftime.
The Rams moved the ball well on the opening series of the second half, but that drive stalled at the Titans 3 and they were forced to settle for another 21-yard field goal by Karty to tie the game 13-13 with 9:29 left in third quarter.
Slye drilled his third field goal of the day, this time from 57 yards, to regain the lead for the Titans 16-13 with 3:32 left in the third quarter. However, the Rams answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Davis Allen to regain the lead 20-16 on the ensuing possession, doing so after successfully challenging the original ruling that Allen was down by contact at the 1-yard line.
A 16-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Adams extended the Rams' lead to 27-16 midway through the fourth quarter after a timely sack-fumble caused by Young and recovered by inside linebacker Nate Landman. Blake Corum's 1-yard touchdown run a little over three minutes later made it a 33-16 Rams lead, effectively sealing the game.
