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Los Angeles Rams edge New York Jets behind Greg Zuerlein's three field goals

By Jerry Beach, The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Someday, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Case Keenum will tell his children that teammate Johnny Hekker's decisive punt Sunday afternoon traveled 100 yards in the air. Keenum's kids might have an easier time believing that than the idea that their father's team won multiple games in 2016 without scoring a touchdown.

The Rams' emphasis on special teams paid off with a victory again Sunday, when Hekker's 78-yard punt set into motion a chain of events that ended with kicker Greg Zuerlein booting his third field goal -- a tie-breaking 34-yarder with 6:52 remaining -- as Los Angeles edged the New York Jets 9-6 at MetLife Stadium.

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"We knew special teams had to have a huge day and they did," Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said. "Did a fabulous job flipping the field a couple times."

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The win, which snapped a four-game losing streak for the Rams (4-5), marked the second victory this season in which Zuerlein's right leg accounted for all of Los Angeles' points. He also kicked three field goals in a 9-3 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 18.

"It may have been ugly, but at the end of the day, the end of the year, they don't ask how, they ask how many," said Keenum, who was 17-of-30 for 165 yards and no turnovers. "I'm never going to take winning for granted in this league. I know how hard it is."

The game Sunday was hard to watch for most of the announced crowd of 78,160. The two teams combined for 576 yards of total offense and as many punts -- eight for the Jets, seven for the Rams -- as points scored.

Zuerlein's first field goal, a 20-yarder less than six minutes into the first quarter, came after the Rams failed to score on first-and-goal from the Jets' 1-yard-line.

The Jets scored their points following the most impressive offensive possession of the game, a 99-yard drive that spanned the first and second quarters and ended with a trick 4-yard touchdown pass.

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Quarterback Bryce Petty, making his first career start in place of the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick, threw to wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who immediately lateraled to Bilal Powell, who ran into the end zone. Kicker Nick Folk missed the extra point.

The teams combined for eight punts over the next nine possessions before Zuerlein's second field goal, which tied the game at 6-6 in the final minute of the third quarter, ended a drive in which Los Angeles needed 8:15 to "march" 55 yards in 15 plays.

The Jets got one first down on their next drive and the Rams went three-and-out to set up Hekker's booming punt, which came on a fourth-and-1 from the Los Angeles 17-yard-line. The kick sent Jets returner Jalin Marshall running backward inside his own 5-yard-line like a center fielder chasing a ball hit to the fence.

"I don't know where he actually kicked that from, I think it was the goal line," Keenum said. "I want to say it landed on the 10. Ninety-yard punt. I don't know. That's what it felt like. I'm going to tell my kids it was a 100-yard punt one of these days."

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The Jets went three-and-out and the Rams took over at their own 48 to begin a 10-play, 36-yard drive that took four minutes and ended with Zuerlein's decisive field goal.

The Jets got the ball back twice after the go-ahead field goal, but they didn't get past midfield on the first drive and Petty was intercepted by Alec Ogletree immediately after the two-minute warning.

"I think that's been kind of an identity of our team over the last couple years," Hekker said. "When our offense doesn't turn the ball over, we can control field position like we did (and) Greg's making his kicks, that's a recipe for success for our team."

Powell finished with 89 yards of total offense for the Jets (3-7), who have lost two straight and are all but assured of missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season.

"We're not even thinking playoffs," Jets head coach Todd Bowles said. "We're trying to get to four wins."

Nor is Bowles ready to think about who will start at quarter once the Jets return from their bye on Nov. 27. Petty was 19-of-32 for 163 yards.

"We have a bye week to evaluate it and I'll see how Fitz feels," Bowles said. "We'll watch the film on Bryce and make a determination middle of next week."

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NOTES: The victory marked the fourth time in franchise history the Rams have won a game in which all their scoring came from three field goals. ... Among the Rams' inactives were DE Matt Longacre (hip), who was listed as questionable on Friday, and QB Sean Mannion, who was the fourth quarterback taken in the 2015 draft. Jets QB Bryce Petty was the fifth quarterback selected. ... Jets CB Dexter McDougle, who was signed from the practice squad on Saturday, made his season debut. To make room for McDougle, the Jets waived/injured TE Kellen Davis. ... Among the Jets' inactives was C Nick Mangold (ankle), who missed his third straight game. Mangold missed just four games in his first 10 NFL seasons. ... The only two quarterbacks selected in the third round or earlier this year who have not played a down yet are Rams QB Jared Goff, the first overall pick, and Jets QB Christian Hackenberg, a second-rounder who was inactive Sunday.

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