Los Angeles Rams muff the opening kickoff vs. Atlanta Falcons (Video)

The Los Angeles Rams can’t get the opening kickoff right vs. the Atlanta Falcons. Mike Thomas muffs the opening kickoff. Atlanta scores on the next play.

2016 has been a miserable year for the recently relocated Los Angeles Rams. After a 3-1 start, the Rams have lost seven of their last eight games to enter their Week 14 home game with the Atlanta Falcons at 4-8 on the year.

Atlanta deferred the opening kickoff. Rams wide receiver Mike Thomas was clearly not ready to field this Matt Bosher kickoff. He muffed the return and Atlanta recovered on the Los Angeles three-yard line.

Falcons linebacker Paul Worrilow would jump on the muffed return by Thomas to set up the high-octane Atlanta offense on a very short field. Atlanta starting quarterback would find wide receiver Justin Hardy in man coverage for an easy three-yard touchdown strike to go up 7-0 after the Matt Bryant PAT.

Think about this. Rams starting quarterback Jared Goff had to start a game in a 7-0 hole when the opposition elected to defer the opening kickoff. This sort of poor execution happens to bad teams. Solid teams like Atlanta will capitalized on easy field position.

Goff would lead a decent drive on his first offensive possession against the weak Atlanta defense. He would make several good passes, but would get picked off on a tipped ball from wide receiver Kenny Britt by Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen.

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The Rams were a decent underdog play in this game versus the Falcons. Atlanta is weakest in the interior of its offensive line. Los Angeles is strong on its defensive line and that could be an area where the Rams defense could exploit the Falcons offense. Giving up points in the special teams doesn’t help the Rams at all.