BALTIMORE – Complementary football has made the difference when the Rams have needed timely plays across their five-game win streak.
The most recent example came Sunday against the Ravens.
On the verge of a scoreless first half, the breakthrough for the Rams' first points of the game came via safety Jordan Fuller's interception with 1:42 left until halftime.
"We always just want to play complementary ball," Fuller said postgame. "There's been times this season where the defense hasn't been playing great but the offense picked us up, and it kind of goes like that. You can see it; the offense won the game for us in the end. So, that's how we play. We don't get down on ourselves, or anything like that - it's just football."
Forced to punt with two minutes left until halftime, the Rams were facing a 10-point deficit and the prospect of it potentially growing, as the Ravens and quarterback Tyler Huntley had gotten the ball back with plenty of time to at least reach field goal range.
Huntley dropped back to pass on 1st and 10 from the Baltimore 28, then launched the ball deep downfield toward wide receiver Marquise Brown. Fuller, however, had been reading Huntley's eyes the entire time, so once the ball was in the air, he knew exactly where it was going, leaping in the air seconds later to pick off the pass.
The ensuing 34-yard return down the right sideline positioned Los Angeles at the Baltimore 29, with quarterback Matthew Stafford firing an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cooper Kupp three plays later to cut the Rams' deficit to three.
"I thought one of the biggest plays of the game was Jordan Fuller's interception at the end of the first half," Rams head coach Sean McVay said. "That enabled us to get in good field position. Matthew hits Cooper, give us a little bit of momentum going into the half."
Of course, it wasn't just Fuller among the Rams defense that sparked the rally and eventual thriller of a victory, but Fuller's pick proved pivotal in changing the course of the game.
"Our defense made some huge plays," Stafford said. "Jordan Fuller's pick at the end of the first half was huge. Being able to capitalize on that and get points on that was big."