Los Angeles Rams vs New England Patriots Match Player Stats Breakdown (Nov 17, 2024)
When digging into the Los Angeles Rams vs New England Patriots match player stats from their November 17 clash at Gillette Stadium, one conclusion jumps out. Sean McVay’s explosive offense simply doesn’t need the ball long to do serious damage.
Table of Contents
Quick Takeaways
- The Rams secured a 28-22 win despite controlling the ball for just 22:40 compared to New England’s 37:20
- Stafford completed 18 of 27 passes for 295 yards and 4 TDs with a 142.7 passer rating
- Kupp and Nacua terrorized the Patriots secondary, combining for 229 yards and 3 TDs
- Maye connected on 74.4% of his throws but committed 2 costly turnovers
- The difference maker? LA averaged 7.9 yards per play while New England managed just 5.2
Game Flow: Possession vs Production
Nobody watching at Gillette Stadium on November 17, 2024, would have predicted the final score based on possession time. The Patriots held the ball for a whopping 37:20 compared to the Rams’ 22:40.
Yet LA walked away with a 28-22 victory.
Why? Because McVay’s squad needed just 51 plays to rack up 402 yards while Mayo’s Patriots required 73 plays to gain 382. Quality over quantity defined this matchup.
| Game Details | Info |
|---|---|
| Stadium | Gillette Stadium |
| Attendance | 64,628 |
| Weather | Clear, 48°F |
| Game Length | 3h 3m |
Stafford Picks Apart Patriots Defense
Matthew Stafford dissected New England’s defense with remarkable precision. His numbers tell the story:
- 66.7% completion rate
- 295 yards
- 4 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 142.7 passer rating
- 0 sacks taken
That last stat might be the most telling. Not once did New England’s pass rush get home, giving Stafford clean pockets all afternoon.
TV commentators highlighted a career milestone for Stafford during the broadcast: his third-quarter TD to Parkinson marked his 370th career scoring toss, pushing him past Eli Manning for 10th all-time.
Receiving Corps Dominates
Good luck trying to game-plan against both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. The Patriots certainly couldn’t figure it out.
Nacua’s Production:
- 7 catches on 9 targets
- 123 yards
- 1 touchdown
- 17.6 yards per catch
Kupp’s Output:
- 6 passes on 10 targets
- 106 yards • 2 TDs
- 17.7 yards per reception
- 69-yard bomb
That 69-yarder from Kupp broke the game open. Just after halftime, Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington called a Cover 0 blitz, gambling they would get to Stafford. Bad decision. Kupp split the seam and was gone, pushing LA up 21-10 just 40 seconds into the third quarter.
His connection with Stafford reminded fans of their performance against the Detroit Lions earlier this season, where similar big plays changed the game’s complexion.
Unsung Heroes: Rams O-Line
Zero sacks allowed against a decent Patriots front seven deserves serious praise. LA’s offensive line gave Stafford plenty of time to scan the field, especially on deeper developing routes.
They also created enough running lanes for Kyren Williams (15 carries, 86 yards, 5.7 avg) to keep the defense honest. His crucial 6-yard run on 4th-and-1 in the second quarter extended a drive that eventually produced points.
Rookie Rollercoaster: Maye Shows Potential
Drake Maye’s raw numbers look solid at first glance:
- 29/39 passing (74.4%)
- 282 yards
- 2 TDs
- 100.6 passer rating
But those stats mask the two critical mistakes: an interception and a lost fumble, both at crucial moments.
The fumble arguably changed everything. Midway through the second quarter, Rams defensive lineman Braden Fiske bull-rushed his man and sacked Maye, causing a fumble. Kobie Turner recovered the loose ball at the Patriots’ 12-yard line, and one play later, Stafford hit Nacua for a touchdown.
Just like that: Rams 14, Patriots 7.
Later, with under two minutes left and driving for a potential game-winning score, Maye threw a pick to Rams safety Kameron Kinchens. Ballgame over.
Patriots Receiving Corps: Reliable But Limited
Kendrick Bourne (5 catches, 70 yards, TD) and Hunter Henry (6 grabs, 63 yards) were Maye’s favorite targets, but neither provided the explosive element the Rams enjoyed with their receiving duo.
Bourne deserves credit for his perfect 5-for-5 catch rate, including a beautiful 9-yard TD grab in the first quarter that put New England up 7-0 early.
Patriots fans have seen this receiving corps struggle before, particularly in their divisional matchup with Buffalo where they similarly lacked downfield threats.
Protection Issues Plague Patriots
Unlike Stafford’s clean jersey, Maye hit the turf three times for 25 lost yards. The rookie often found himself scrambling to avoid pressure, particularly from Fiske, who recorded two sacks.
The Patriots’ line has struggled all season to provide consistent protection, forcing Maye into quicker throws than the offense would prefer. Their run blocking wasn’t terrible, but Rhamondre Stevenson’s 20 carries netted just 73 yards (3.7 avg).
Defensive Breakdown: Opportunistic Rams vs Passive Patriots
Neither defense dominated statistically, but LA’s unit made the plays that mattered.
Key Rams defenders:
- Kameron Kinchens: 6 tackles, 2 assists, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble
- Braden Fiske: 2 tackles, 1 assist, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
- Quentin Lake: 7 solo tackles, 4 assists
Patriots defensive leaders:
- Marcus Jones: 6 tackles, 3 assists
- Jahlani Tavai: 4 tackles, 3 assists
- Christian Barmore: 3 solo tackles
Raheem Morris called a smart game for LA’s defense, mixing up looks and keeping Maye guessing. They would show blitz then drop eight into coverage. They would stack the box then back out. The rookie QB never looked comfortable reading what was coming next.
The Patriots’ scheme seemed more predictable. Outside of that ill-fated Cover 0 blitz that resulted in Kupp’s long score, they played conservative zones that Stafford picked apart. With no pass rush to speak of, even the best coverage eventually breaks down.
Game-Defining Moments
Five plays changed the entire complexion of this contest:
- Fiske’s Strip-Sack (Q2, 5:55): Maye lost the ball at his own 12, leading to an immediate Rams TD
- Kupp’s 69-yard Bomb (Q3, 14:20): Just the second play after halftime, Stafford found Kupp deep against a zero blitz
- Patriots Red Zone Failure (Q3, 7:05): First-and-goal at the 5, but settled for a field goal instead of potentially tying the game
- Hoecht’s Blocked XP (Q4, 12:49): After a Patriots TD, Michael Hoecht got a hand on the extra point, keeping the score 28-19 instead of 28-20
- Kinchens’ Game-Ender (Q4, 1:55): With the Patriots driving for a potential win, Kinchens jumped a route for the game-sealing INT
That blocked extra point might seem minor, but it forced New England to need more than just a TD and field goal at the end. Special teams always matter.
Efficiency vs Volume
LA’s efficiency versus New England’s volume approach stands out in the box score:
| Category | Rams | Patriots | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yards per play | 7.9 | 5.2 | Rams +2.7 |
| Clock control | 22:40 | 37:20 | Pats +14:40 |
| Red zone TDs | 75% (3/4) | 40% (2/5) | Rams +35% |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 | Rams +2 |
| 3rd down | 25% (2/8) | 42.9% (6/14) | Pats +17.9% |
Pro Football Reference stats show the Rams’ 7.9 yards per play was their most efficient output this season.
Quarter-by-Quarter Scoring
The Rams did their damage in the middle frames, while the Patriots bookended the game:
| Quarter | Rams | Patriots | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 7 | Patriots started strong with Bourne TD |
| 2nd | 14 | 3 | Rams seized momentum after fumble recovery |
| 3rd | 14 | 3 | Kupp & Parkinson TDs built 28-13 lead |
| 4th | 0 | 9 | Too little, too late for Patriots |
All 28 Rams points came during a 20-minute stretch spanning the second and third quarters. This offensive explosion from the visitors has become a common pattern for McVay’s squad this season.
The NFL official game statistics reflect this scoring burst has become somewhat typical for LA’s offense, which tends to score in bunches rather than sustained drives.
Looking Ahead
Rams fans have plenty to be excited about with their offensive firepower. With both Kupp and Nacua healthy, not many secondaries can contain them. Add in Stafford’s accuracy and Williams’ ground contributions, and this offense can compete with anyone.
Patriots supporters can take encouragement from Maye despite the loss. That completion percentage shows accuracy, and spreading the ball to eight different receivers demonstrates good vision. If he cleans up the turnovers, there is definitely something to build around.
Mayo will need to address the pass rush this offseason. Going an entire game without touching Stafford once simply won’t cut it against top-tier QBs.
Fan Questions Answered
Q: Was Kupp or Nacua more valuable in this game?
A: Tough call. Nacua led in yards (123 to 106), but Kupp scored twice including that backbreaking 69-yarder. Both averaged almost identical yards per catch. Honestly, their combined threat makes this offense special. Defenses can’t double both.
Q: Why couldn’t the Patriots get any pressure on Stafford?
A: Several factors: excellent blitz pickup, Stafford’s quick release (2.4 seconds on average), and conservative rush schemes. New England rarely sent more than four, and those four couldn’t win their one-on-one battles. When they did blitz heavily on Kupp’s long TD, they got burned badly.
Q: What was Maye’s biggest mistake?
A: The fumble was probably costlier than the interception. That strip-sack at his own 12-yard line directly led to a one-play Rams TD drive. The late INT sealed the loss, but the fumble swung momentum when the game was still tight at 7-7.
Q: Which defender had the most impact?
A: Kameron Kinchens was everywhere. His forced fumble early and game-sealing interception late were the defensive bookends to this Rams win. Honorable mention to Fiske for his constant pressure.
Q: How crucial was the blocked extra point?
A: Huge. Without Hoecht’s block, the Patriots would have been down just 8 points (28-20) instead of 9. That is the difference between needing a TD+2-point conversion to tie versus TD+field goal+recovered onside kick. Those special teams plays that change the math always matter in close games.
Football often comes down to who makes the most of their opportunities, not who has the most of them. The Los Angeles Rams vs New England Patriots match player stats perfectly illustrate this principle. Quality over quantity won the day.
