JALEN RAMSEY

The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams should have plenty of company sitting out the first round of the NFL draft next week.

The NFL salary cap is going back up this year with a projection of $208.2 million per team.

A sea of yellow flags flew onto the field in the final two minutes with the Super Bowl at stake.

Odell Beckham Jr.’s 2,000-mile trip on short notice allowed him to escape all the negative energy.

Three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.

Aaron Donald has won just about every individual award available to a defensive lineman during his spectacular eight-year career with the Los Angeles Rams.

Across both Super Bowl rosters, there is a great divide.

Aaron Donald is firmly in conversations about the top pass rushers in NFL history.

The Los Angeles Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game.

Five players, including dynamic pass catchers Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams, are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2021 NFL All-Pro Team.

Kyler Murray has kept a low-key demeanor throughout his football career, staying with a “never too high, never too low” philosophy that’s allowed him to thrive from the high school level all the way through the NFL.

Safety Eric Weddle is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams for the playoffs.

The San Francisco 49ers clinched a playoff spot with a 27-24 overtime victory over the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams.

Cooper Kupp is finishing up one of the greatest seasons by a receiver in NFL history.

Metcalf’s career-best three touchdown catches against the Lions came three days after Pete Carroll ramped up practice a bit.

Brandon Powell returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to lift Los Angeles with Matthew Stafford mired in a slump.

Cooper Kupp caught two touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford in the second half, and the Los Angeles Rams held off the Seattle Seahawks 20-10 in a rescheduled game between two COVID-19-depleted teams.

The matchup between the Bengals and Broncos had no touchdowns scored in the first half.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been added to the COVID-19 reserve list as the NFL reports 28 more positive tests among players.

Even if we weren’t still dealing with a pandemic, this would be a tough time of year for almost every NFL team.

Matthew Stafford threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. each caught a touchdown pass and the Los Angeles Rams held on for a 30-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

The Los Angeles Rams snapped their three-game losing streak with a 37-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Arizona Cardinals, playing once again without starting quarterback Kyler Murray and star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, returned to the top spot of the latest AP Pro32 poll.

Odell Beckham Jr. arrived in Los Angeles on Friday and made his way north to the Rams’ training complex.

Von Miller spent Monday in a sentimental daze after the Denver Broncos traded him.

Two people with knowledge of the deal tell The Associated Press that the Denver Broncos have agreed to trade star linebacker Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams for a pair of 2022 draft picks.

Matthew Stafford passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns against his former team, and Jalen Ramsey made an end zone interception on his 27th birthday with five minutes left in the Los Angeles Rams’ 28-19 victory over Jared Goff and the winless Detroit Lions.

Darius Bradwell rushed for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-6 Saturday night in the first NFL game with fans at SoFi Stadium.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson is among the NFL players who took advantage of a rule change allowing more options for jersey numbers this year.

Travis Etienne is already reunited with Clemson teammate Trevor Lawrence.

Nearly every team still vying for the Super Bowl has an elite cornerback often capable of shutting down an opponent's top receiver all by himself. The NFC playoff bracket has three of the conference's four Pro Bowl cornerbacks: Green Bay's Jaire Alexander, Los Angeles' Jalen Ramsey and New Orleans' Marshon Lattimore. Staley's scheme has employed Ramsey in multiple roles throughout the season, and his job often changes from play to play. Oddly enough, the remaining playoff team perceived to have the least dominant cornerbacks is defending champion Kansas City, the favorite to make it back to the Super Bowl. “Some of the best cornerbacks happen to play on the best teams, that’s all I can say,” Bills safety Micah Hyde said.

They watched less than two weeks ago as the Seattle Seahawks loudly celebrated a division title the Rams felt they gave away. No team was better at limiting yards or points than the Rams (11-6) and they continued to torment Wilson and the Seahawks (12-5). The victory sent the Rams into next week’s divisional playoff round, likely at top-seeded Green Bay unless Chicago upsets New Orleans. His heart, his passion for the game is special,” Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. Seahawks: will head into an offseason filled with questions after winning the division but experiencing another early playoff exit.

Donald was selected Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, to The Associated Press All-Pro Team. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear, File)Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald and unstoppable tight end Travis Kelce are unanimous choices Friday for The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team. It is the sixth All-Pro selection for Donald, who has helped the Los Angeles Rams to the top-ranked defense in the NFL, and the third for Kansas City's record-setting Kelce. Rounding out the offense are Cleveland right tackle Jack Conklin (second selection), and Washington right guard Brandon Scherff (first). The long snapper position is new to the All-Pro Team in 2020, and Baltimore's Morgan Cox is the choice.

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)The NFC playoff field features the usual cast of quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 45, 31-25 over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Feb. 6, 2011, at Arlington, Texas. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 48, 43-8 over the Denver Broncos on Feb. 2, 2014, at East Rutherford, N.J. Last year: No. The Bears’ leading tackler left in the first quarter of the Green Bay game with an elbow injury. DBs Buster Skrine, rookie Jaylon Johnson and Deon Bush missed the loss to Green Bay.

He might find a moment after the Rams (10-6) finish their playoff run, which begins Saturday at Seattle. But Rams fans already appreciate a defense that topped the NFL in several important categories and excelled at nearly everything during a remarkable season. 1 in total yards allowed, yards passing allowed, passing TDs allowed, first downs allowed and points allowed while becoming the Rams' first top-ranked NFL defense in decades. “We're proud of the way we've competed,” Staley said Tuesday as the Rams began preparations for their trip to Seattle. ... LT Andrew Whitworth has a shot to return this week after tearing ligaments in his knee during the Rams' first meeting with Seattle in November.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods, left, catches a pass against Arizona Cardinals middle linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the first half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. It ended with the inexperienced quarterback fearlessly leading the Los Angeles Rams back to the playoffs. And though Wolford capably did his part, everybody in the Rams' jubilant locker room realized they owed this achievement to a dominant defense that scored as many points as the Rams' offense — and a couple more than the Arizona Cardinals — in Los Angeles' 18-7 victory Sunday. Wolford passed for 231 yards and rushed for 56 more, producing many moments of excitement in place of injured Jared Goff. Wolford racked up 47 yards rushing in the first half — more than Goff managed in any game of his five-year career.

He entertained those along the bench by dancing after the Miami Dolphins' first touchdown, and greeted 5-foot-6 Jakeem Grant with a leaping chest bump to the face mask after another score. The early 33-yard scoring drive was the Dolphins' longest, as the big lead allowed them to keep Tagovailoa mostly under wraps. We tried to make him see a lot of different things, and for the most part it worked.”The Rams' defense received little support from their offense, though. “We heard a lot about the Rams' defense," Miami safety Eric Rowe said, “but they had to worry about our defense.”INJURIESTwo-time Rams Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey became ill before the game and didn’t play. ANTHEMFifteen Rams players knelt during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The Dolphins stayed in the locker room during the national anthem.

“I don’t ever remember having our own defense score more than our offense,” Nagy said. “That’s that’s that’s hard to do. But the offense has averaged 16 points per game in Foles’ four starts since, and he’s getting little help from the players around him. The offensive line struggled against the strong front of the Rams (5-2), producing just 2.9 yards per carry. Foles was sacked four times, twice at the hands of former Bears linebacker Leonard Floyd, and he threw two interceptions.

Josh Reynolds and Gerald Everett caught touchdown passes from Jared Goff, and the Rams won a matchup of dominant defenses, beating the Bears 24-10 on Monday night. “We proved that we were the better defense today,” Floyd said after a six-tackle performance in his first game against Chicago since the Bears released him last offseason. After his first sack, Floyd jumped up and went toward the Bears sideline, shouting and gesticulating at the team that let him go. We’re just one tight unit right now.”The Rams led 10-3 at halftime after holding the Bears to 126 yards. ... TE Tyler Higbee was inactive with a hand injury, missing his second game since 2016.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Landover, Md. Smith played his first NFL game 693 days since breaking his right tibia and fibula, entering when new Washington starting quarterback Kyle Allen injured his left arm. “You watch guys like Aaron all the time and as effective as he is, you guys have no idea how impressive it is with all the attention he gets week after week,” Rams linebacker Troy Reeder said. Rivera said if Allen can play next week, Smith would back up and Haskins would again be inactive. UP NEXTThe Rams visit the 49ers next Sunday, while Washington is at the NFC East rival New York Giants.

Prescott was playing the Giants in the first visit of his former coach, Jason Garrett, now New York’s offensive coordinator. A week after giving up a franchise-record 307 yards rushing, the Cowboys allowed Devonta Freeman 20 yards on three carries. The Giants extended the lead to 14-3 when Kyler Fackrell returned an interception by Dak Prescott 46 yards for a touchdown. Atlanta cornerback Kendall Sheffield suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and was listed as questionable to return. Smith is one injury to Allen away from completing his remarkable comeback to play in an NFL game again.

Neither Tate nor Ramsey spoke publicly Monday. Ramsey and Tate fought shortly after the final whistle Sunday in the Rams' 17-9 victory over the Giants in Inglewood. Judge said the Giants probably wouldn't discipline Tate, while McVay said the Rams would handle the matter internally. Ramsey and Breanna Tate, a former track athlete at Ole Miss, broke up last year, reportedly while Breanna Tate was pregnant with their second child. Golden Tate made his displeasure with Ramsey known on social media, and it boiled over in their first on-field meeting since then.

Jared Goff hit Cooper Kupp for a 55-yard touchdown with 6:56 to play, and the Rams grinded out a 17-9 victory over New York on Sunday before the wild fight between Ramsey and Tate. Los Angeles managed 240 total yards and went nearly 45 minutes between its two touchdowns, but it was enough. Williams said he recognized the Giants' play call from earlier in the game, allowing him to anticipate the throw. Graham Gano kicked three field goals in the Giants’ first game in the Los Angeles area since 1994. Los Angeles had racked up at least 400 total yards in each of its first three games.

(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)The Latest on Week 4 in the NFL (all times EDT)___8:35 p.m.Carson Wentz has thrown his NFL-worst seventh interception of the season for the Philadelphia Eagles. ___7:05 p.m.Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s 1-yard sneak that gave Buffalo a 23-16 lead over Las Vegas early in the fourth quarter. ___7:20 p.m.Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is back guiding the Bills offense after injuring his left shoulder late in the first half at Las Vegas. ___6:40 p.m.Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen headed to the locker room after falling on his left wrist. The high-scoring start to the 2020 NFL season continued Sunday with several games featuring lots of points and very little defense.

LOS ANGELES – A person with knowledge of the deal says receiver Robert Woods has agreed to a four-year contract extension worth up to $68 million with the Los Angeles Rams. Woods' extension includes a guaranteed $32 million, and the veteran receiver is now signed with his hometown team through the 2025 season. He has been a major, versatile component of Los Angeles' prolific offense under coach Sean McVay since they joined the franchise together in 2017. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey got a five-year, $105 million extension last week, while Woods’ counterpart, fellow 1,100-yard receiver Cooper Kupp, got a three-year deal worth $48 million. Woods’ deal was announced after the Rams’ media availability Friday, but Kupp reacted to it on Twitter with a photo of the two receivers along with: “Iron x Iron!

“For one, he was clamping me the whole time,” Green complained afterward, saying the officials should call it both ways. “Honestly, it reminded me of the times I was back at the College of San Mateo, my junior college,” Edelman said. It brought me back at least to high school, junior college, college. In some ways, it brings the game back to why you started playing, just to love playing the game. ___With contributions from AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell and AP Sports Writers Tim Booth, Larry Lage and Kyle Hightower.

Mike McCarthy lost his debut as coach of the Dallas Cowboys in part because of a curious fourth-down decision that didn’t work. Now the Cowboys (0-1) will see whether a short-term loss can turn into a long-term gain, starting Sunday in their home opener against Atlanta (0-1). WHAT NEEDS HELPThe Cowboys played from behind almost all of the first half because they couldn't defend the screen pass. Vander Esch's injury raises serious questions for the linebackers when the secondary was already the weakest link on the team. The scoreboard didn't show it, but Dallas appears capable of having an offense as productive as last season's top-ranked unit.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mike McCarthy’s first big decision in his debut as Dallas Cowboys coach is going to be second guessed for awhile. “I think it was a good play call. “We ended up coming up short, and that’s just one of those plays in the game where you’ve got to convert. That cost us the game.”Lamb finished with five receptions for 59 yards in his NFL debut. Dallas' defense allowed 422 yards, but linebacker Aldon Smith got a sack in his first game since November 2015.

Dak Prescott passed for 266 yards and a touchdown, but Dallas managed three points on its six drives in the second half. The opening of Rams owner Stan Kroenke's $5 billion stadium project was a historic night for the Los Angeles area, albeit one that should have been much more festive. Elliott tied it early in the second quarter with a 19-yard TD catch during which he ran through most of the Los Angeles defense. Van Jefferson's first career reception was a beautiful 31-yard grab in the second quarter, but it was the promising Rams rookie's only reception. Right tackle Cam Erving and tight end Blake Jarwin both didn't return from knee injuries in the second quarter.

So it's only fitting that when Kroenke's Los Angeles Rams open their $5 billion West Coast NFL showpiece on Sunday night, their opponents will be Jones' Dallas Cowboys. “Jerry has told us all about the stadium,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “I know he’s excited for the Rams organization and what’s gone into this stadium. It’s supposed to be an unbelievable venue.”McCarthy's debut as the Cowboys' first new coach in a decade is the other milestone event at SoFi Stadium. They held two scrimmages at SoFi Stadium to familiarize their players with their new environs, but the awe still hasn't evaporated.

FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2019, file photo, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey watches during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Los Angeles. Ramsey remains confident he will sign a new contract with the Rams as he heads into the final season of his rookie deal. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. Jalen Ramsey will become the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history after agreeing to a five-year, $105 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams. Ramsey will make $13.7 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract. Ramsey has had none of those concerns with the Rams, who barely missed the playoffs last season while going 9-7.

FILE - Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey celebrates the team's win over the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 in Los Angeles. Jalen Ramsey will become the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history after agreeing to a five-year, $105 million contract extension with the Rams. Ramsey will become the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history after agreeing to a five-year, $105 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday. It's a well-earned contract, Rams coach Sean McVay said. Ramsey seemed to immediately enjoy Los Angeles, where he once committed to play for USC before ending up at Florida State.

HOUSTON (AP) - Justin Reid stopped Leonard Fournette on a 2-point conversion attempt with 36 seconds left, and the Houston Texans held on to edge the Jacksonville Jaguars 13-12 on Sunday. The Texans led 3-0 after a field goal with about two minutes left in the first quarter. FOR KICKSThe Jaguars tied it with a field goal with about three minutes left in the first half. Houston took a 6-3 lead into halftime thanks to another field goal as time expired in the second quarter. But they only got one play off after that before the field goal as coach Bill O'Brien didn't call a timeout despite having two.