The Los Angeles Rams entered Sunday with a chance to solidify their grip on the NFC West by beating their 4-win division rivals.
Instead, Jared Goff & Co. turned the ball over four times in a 23-20 last-second loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The loss potentially knocked L.A. from the top of the NFC West (pending MNF) and kept the Niners' postseason hopes alive.
Goff himself committed three turnovers -- two INTs and one fumble -- including a pick-6 by Niners defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw.
After the loss, Rams coach Sean McVay didn't mince words on L.A.'s struggles.
"It's taking care of the football," he said, via the team's official transcript. "Our quarterback has to take better care of the football."
Goff has thrown two INTs in three of his last four games.
Sunday marked Goff's first career game with three giveaways and fewer than 20 completions. His 198 pass yards tied his season-low (also 198 in Week 6 vs. SF) and snapped a three-game streak of 300-plus passing yards.
McVay harped on the QB being too loose with the ball.
"Each play, like I've talked about, is its own individual situation," the coach said. "But it might be keeping two hands on the ball or it might be understanding that if somebody is swimming around you that you can't just throw it away when you don't see where you're going, being able to trust your guys to be able to separate. But overall, anytime that you turn it over as many times as we did and he did, it just has to be better. He's capable of it, but we have to be able to get it done."
Sitting at 7-4, the Rams' season still sits in front of them with three division games left on the slate, starting with next week's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Goff knows he can't keep turning the ball over if L.A. is to keep its postseason position.
"We've got another game next week," the QB noted. "Just get after it starting tomorrow. I've had to bounce back from various things before this is just another one of those hurdles. I don't wish to have too many more hurdles for the rest of the year, but this is another one I have to bounce back from."
