defeat

The Rams have lost four games this season, three resulting in part from special teams breakdowns.

In the aftermath of their defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, coach Sean McVay made a significant move.

Chase Blackburn, the Rams’ special teams coordinator for the last three seasons, has been fired, a team official said Saturday.

Assistant Ben Kotwica remains on the staff.

Earlier this month, Blackburn said, “The job of a special teams coach is to be able to adapt and overcome on all things.”

That proved a challenge for a team that features a high-powered offense, and an at-times dominating defense.

On Thursday night in Seattle, the Rams led by 16 points in the fourth quarter when they allowed Rashid Shaheed to return a punt 58 yards for a touchdown. The play sparked the Seahawks’ comeback that sent the Rams to a 38-37 overtime defeat.

The loss dropped the Rams’ record to 11-4, and knocked them out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC and first place in the NFC West.

The breakdown was the latest in a series of special teams issues that have plagued the Rams.

In September at Philadelphia, the Eagles blocked two field-goal attempts by Joshua Karty, returning the second for a winning touchdown on the final play of regulation.

Two weeks later, in a 26-23 overtime defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, Karty missed a long field-goal attempt and had an extra-point attempt blocked. Karty’s kickoff in overtime did not reach the landing zone, giving the 49ers the ball at the 40-yard line.

Before their Week 10 game against the 49ers, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to replace Karty and signed veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward.

The kicking game solidified. Mevis made all eight of his field-goal attempts, including three against the Seahawks, before he missed a 48-yard attempt with just over two minutes left in regulation.

The Rams, who clinched a playoff spot, play the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 29 in Atlanta and then conclude the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

England are on the brink of an Ashes series defeat after Australia’s Nathan Lyon broke their resistance late on the fourth day of the third Test in Adelaide.

Off-spinner Lyon removed a reverse-sweeping Harry Brook, bowled Ben Stokes and, crucially, had Zak Crawley stumped to move the home side within touching distance of the urn.

Crawley compiled an impressive 85, but when he was seduced by a delirious Lyon, England were left 194-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.

Australia will return on Sunday needing four more wickets to go 3-0 up after three Tests, retain the Ashes after only 11 days of cricket and win a fourth consecutive home series against England.

Lyon’s intervention – England lost three wickets for 17 runs in six overs – came after the tourists finally showed a willingness to adapt their Bazballing ways.

It was the recognition of the situation and a realisation that some players – Crawley included – are fighting for their futures and reputations.

After Stokes returned to bowling with seven overs from the start of play, the tourists took the last six Australia wickets for 38 runs to dismiss the hosts for 349 in their second innings.

Travis Head was eventually out for 170 and Alex Carey 72. Josh Tongue ended with 4-70 and Brydon Carse 3-80.

A four-day finish felt probable when Ben Duckett was out in the first over of England’s chase and Ollie Pope is in huge danger of being dropped for the fourth Test after falling for 17.

Then came Crawley’s show of defiance, ended by the genius of Lyon.

England were pushed towards the precipice of the fastest Ashes series defeat in more than 100 years as a Travis Head century maintained Australia’s grip on the third Test in Adelaide.

Head was dropped on 99 by Harry Brook and spent eight balls one run short of a hundred before belting Joe Root down the ground for four to draw a deafening roar from his home-town crowd at the Adelaide Oval.

The left-hander moved Australia’s second innings to 271-4 and their overall lead to 356 at the end of the third day.

If England’s third loss in as many Tests is completed on Saturday, it would mean the Ashes have been decided in 10 days of cricket.

Not since 1921, when Australia needed only eight days of play to win in England, has the destination of the urn been settled so swiftly.

Head’s inevitable ton snuffed out brief England hope that was raised when captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer added 73 runs in the morning session.

Stokes made 83 and Archer 51 in a stand of 106, the highest by an England ninth-wicket pair in Australia since 1924.

By creeping to 286 all out, 85 behind on first innings, England could have left themselves an outside chance by dismissing Australia for a total below 240 in their second innings.

At 53-2 and 149-4, England clung on before being cut adrift by Head. At some point, England will be tasked with pulling off the highest successful chase on this ground in order to keep the Ashes alive.

Of further concern to the visitors is the fitness of all-rounder Stokes, who is yet to bowl in the 66 overs of Australia’s second innings.

Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: CBS, Paramount+.

Line: Bills by 10½. O/U: 41½.

After an amazing comeback against a really strong New England team last Sunday, the Bills are emboldened and Josh Allen is on an MVP pace. Cleveland relies on its stout defense, but that unit didn’t show up in Week 15 against Chicago, surrendering 31 points. Buffalo, which is 7-2 outside the division, wins this going away.

Pick: Bills 27, Browns 16

SUNRISE, Fla. — Sam Bennett scored 10 seconds into the third period, Brad Marchand had two assists and the Florida Panthers beat the Kings 3-2 on Wednesday night to sweep the two-game season series.

Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe also scored for Florida, which has won six of its last seven games. Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves for the Panthers, including a breakaway stop against the Kings’ Trevor Moore with just under five minutes left to preserve a one-goal lead.

Joel Armia and Kevin Fiala had the goals for the Kings, who fell to 0-2-2 in their last four contests. The four-game winless streak matches a season-long slide for the Kings, who were 0-2-2 from Oct. 11 through Oct. 18 as well.

Anton Forsberg stopped 25 shots for the Kings. Armia had the only goal in the first period, and Fiala made it 3-2 when a clearing attempt by Florida deflected off his shin and went past Tarasov with 15:12 left.

The Kings had a chance in the final minutes to tie the game, after Florida’s Anton Lundell was called for high-sticking with 3:05 left. The Kings managed only one shot on the ensuing power play — about half of which was with a two-man advantage after Forsberg was pulled for an extra attacker — and the Panthers held on from there.

Bennett’s goal that gave Florida a 3-1 lead tied for the third-fastest to start any period this season.

Kirill Marchenko scored for Columbus seven seconds into a second period against Minnesota on Oct. 11; Jackson LaCombe scored for the Ducks nine seconds into a second period against Vancouver on Nov. 26; and Connor McDavid scored for Edmonton 10 seconds into a third period against Buffalo on Dec. 9.

Up next

Kings: Visit Tampa Bay on Thursday night. Panthers: Host Carolina on Friday night.

The Rams are going to the playoffs.

The only questions now: Can they hold onto the No. 1 seed in the NFC and have home-field advantage for the entire postseason. And will receiver Davante Adams be fit for the stretch run?

The Rams clinched a playoff spot on Sunday with a 41-34 victory over the Detroit Lions before 74,701 at SoFi Stadium in a game that featured Adams’ fourth-quarter departure because of a left hamstring injury.

Matthew Stafford outdueled Jared Goff, Puka Nacua continued his torrid receiving pace and the Rams defense shut down the Lions in the second half as the Rams improved their record to 11-3 and ensured their seventh playoff appearance under ninth-year coach Sean McVay.

It was a huge victory for a Rams team that will be tested again Thursday night when they play the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.

The Seahawks (11-3) defeated Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Seattle, setting up the Thursday night showdown. The Rams currently hold the tie-breaker over the Seahawks because of their Nov. 16 victory over the Seahawks at SoFi Stadium.

Can they capture home field throughout the playoffs for the first time?

They advanced to the Super Bowl in the 2018 and the 2021 seasons without the benefit of playing every playoff game at home.

The Rams finish the regular season with games against the Seahawks, a road trip to Atlanta and a home game against the Arizona Cardinals.

As expected, the victory over the Lions (8-6) did not come easy.

The Rams overcame an early interception and 10-point deficit late in the second quarter.

Adams, who has been nursing a hamstring issue, left the field for the locker room and did not return to the game after appearing to suffer an injury early in the fourth quarter.

McVay said Adams’ injury “didn’t look good” and wasn’t sure if Adams would be able to play against the Seahawks.

Stafford came alive in the second half, leading three consecutive scoring drives in the third quarter to give the Rams a 34-24 lead.

Stafford kept alive his drive for the NFL most valuable player award by completing 24 of 38 for 368 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception.

Nacua, coming off a performance against the Arizona Cardinals that earned him NFC offensive player of the week honors, caught nine passes for 181 yards. Adams caught four passes for 71 yards.

Tight end Colby Parkinson caught two touchdown passes, Kyren Williams rushed for two touchdowns and Blake Corum also scored on the ground.

Defensive lineman Kobie Turner had a key sack for a defense that gave up three touchdown passes and several big plays in the first half, but neutralized Goff for most of the second.

Goff and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown started fast and helped the Lions take a 24-17 lead.

Stafford had a hand in that, throwing a ball into the waiting arms of Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who returned the interception 58 yards. On the next play, Goff found St. Brown for a touchdown.

Williams’ two short touchdown runs gave the Rams the lead midway through the second quarter. But Goff connected with St. Brown for a short touchdown and then hit Jameson Williams with a 31-yard scoring pass to put the Lions ahead, 24-14.

The Rams cut the deficit to seven points when Harrison Mevis closed the first half with a field goal.

The Rams opened the second half with another field goal to cut the Lions’ lead to four points.

The defense then forced the Lions to go three and out, forcing them to punt for the first time.

Stafford put the Rams ahead with a 26-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson to give the Rams a 27-24 lead.

Turner’s sack of Goff helped set up another punt, and it took Stafford only 52 seconds to engineer another touchdown. He connected with Nacua for a 39-yard gain, and Blake Corum extended the lead with an 11-yard touchdown run.

The Lions kicked a field goal midway through the fourth quarter to trim the Rams’ lead to seven points, but Stafford’s second touchdown pass to Parkinson gave the Rams a 14-point lead with just under five minutes left.

David Montgomery’s short touchdown run late in the fourth quarter cut the lead back to seven.

Goff completed 25 of 41 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. St. Brown caught 13 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

Raphinha’s brace helped Barcelona overcome Osasuna and open up a seven-point lead on Real Madrid at top of the ladder.

Raphinha struck twice late in the second half as Barcelona secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over a resolute Osasuna side on Saturday, extending their lead at the top of the La Liga standings to seven points.

Hansi Flick’s men now sit on 43 points, comfortably clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and are set to play at Alaves on Sunday.

Barcelona dominated from the outset, enjoying an eye-watering 80% possession and firing 24 shots compared to just three from Osasuna.

However, the visitors’ disciplined five-man defensive line, combined with several outstanding saves from goalkeeper Sergio Herrera, frustrated the home side for much of the match.

The Catalans thought they had broken the deadlock in the 23rd minute when Ferran Torres nodded home a looping header from Marcus Rashford’s cross after a short corner routine.

However, a lengthy VAR review ruled the goal out for a marginal offside in the build-up.

The best chance of the first half came in the 40th minute, as teenager Lamine Yamal darted down the right flank before delivering a pinpoint cross to Torres. The striker unleashed an audacious overhead kick but sent the ball wide of the far post.

Osasuna’s resilient back five held firm as Barcelona swarmed forward in the second half, with Rashford testing Herrera’s acrobatics from a free kick early after the interval.

Yamal remained a constant menace down the right, tirelessly driving at defenders, but the visitors absorbed wave after wave of pressure.

Barcelona finally broke down Osasuna’s deep defensive block in the 70th minute when Pedri’s incisive pass cut through the visitors’ defence, finding Raphinha in his stride.

The Brazilian forward took a controlled touch before unleashing a thunderous strike from the edge of the area, the ball arrowing inside the left post.

Raphinha sealed the win in the 86th minute. A deflected cross from Jules Kounde on the right found the Brazilian unmarked at the far post, and he calmly volleyed the ball into an empty net, giving the scoreline a more comfortable look.

“It’s very commendable (what Osasuna did) because they were very compact and we struggled to break them down,” Barca defender Gerard Martin told Movistar Plus. “But with patience and a lot of ball possession, we know that goals always come and we finally found them.”

Champions League pundit Rory Smith looks at the future of Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso following their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League, which leaves the Spanish club on a run of two wins from their last eight games.

WATCH MORE: Man City beat Real Madrid to pile pressure on Alonso