The Rams entered the 2018 season with high expectations, and met them during the regular season to go 13-3 — winning back-to-back NFC West titles for the first time since 1978 and 1979. Here's Part I of a week-by-week look at the top play from each game.
Week 1: Rams 33 - Raiders 13
Cornerback Marcus Peters put the finishing touches on his primetime Los Angeles Rams debut in his hometown of Oakland with his first interception as a Ram. Peters picked off Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and returned it 40 yards to the house. The fifth-year corner put the Rams up by 20 with under two minutes remaining in the game, which featured a second-half shut out by the L.A. defense. Peters paid homage to his cousin and Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, mimicking his signature 'Beast Mode' touchdown celebration as he entered the end zone.
Week 2: Rams 34 - Cardinals 0
Wide receiver Robert Woods wowed the Coliseum's crowd in L.A.'s first home game of the year with his third-quarter leaping grab over Arizona safety Budda Baker. The 21-yard reception was the longest of Woods' six receptions in Los Angeles' first NFC West game of the season.
Week 3: Rams 35 - Chargers 23
Quarterback Jared Goff extended a third-quarter play against the Chargers to find wide receiver Cooper Kupp for a 53-yard touchdown reception in the inaugural meeting between L.A.'s two NFL teams. Kupp broke free from safety Trevor Williams and trotted into the end zone for his second touchdown of the season and the second scoring strike of Goff's afternoon against the Chargers.
Week 4: Rams 38 - Vikings 31
Goff and Kupp connected on a deep shot for a touchdown once again on Thursday Night Football against the Vikings. Goff hit Kupp in the back corner of the end zone with arguably the young quarterback's best throw of the season to retake the lead late in the second quarter, in a game that featured four lead changes. Goff finished his night with a career high in both passing yards (465) and touchdown passes (five). Kupp caught nine passes for a career-high 162 yards with two touchdowns in the win.
Week 5: Rams 33 - Seahawks 31
The Rams and Seahawks traded blows in L.A.'s first divisional road game of the season. Running back Todd Gurley's three touchdowns and kicker Cairo Santos' late go-ahead field goal may have put the Rams past the Seahawks on the scoreboard, but it was Goff's two-yard quarterback sneak that iced the game for the undefeated defending division champs. Goff finished the game with five rushing attempts that went for 15 yards, but the two yards that came after head coach Sean McVay's gutsy fourth-down play call — courtesy of a strong push by the offensive line — were the most important. Los Angeles ran out the clock at CenturyLink Field and improved to 5-0.
Week 6: Rams 23 - Broncos 20
The Rams relied heavily on Gurley once again against the Broncos as the the road stint continued. Goff handed it to Gurley 28 times on the unseasonably cold October afternoon and the former Bulldog made the most of it. Gurley rushed for a career-high 208 yards with two touchdowns in the road win. He scored his first touchdown of the afternoon with a 10-yard dash on 4th-and-1, finishing with a strong stiff arm to linebacker Todd Davis.
Week 7: Rams 39 - 49ers 10
It was all defensive tackle Aaron Donald in San Francisco. Donald recorded a career-high 4.0 sacks against quarterback C.J. Beathard and finished the game with nine tackles — a whopping six for loss — five quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and fumble recovery. The forced fumble and recovery came in one swift motion and was Donald's play of the game.
Week 8: Rams 29 - Packers 27
The Rams met quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at the season's midpoint. It was another close one for the first game back home since TNF's thrilling win over Vikings, and the contest was won on special teams. Linebacker Ramik Wilson laid a thunderous hit on return man Ty Montgomery after he elected to bring fourth-quarter kickoff out of the end zone, forcing a fumble and thwarting any chance of Rodgers putting the Pack ahead with just two minutes remaining in the game.
