QB Wilson Struggles Again, Los Angeles Rams Crush Denver Broncos

Sandwiched between a pair of hard-fought, closely contested affairs, the Los Angeles Rams absolutely demolished the Denver Broncos 51-14 on Christmas Day, providing the most damning evidence yet that the marriage between quarterback Russell Wilson and his new team is fated for disaster. Wilson played his worst game of a putrid season, throwing three interceptions and absorbing six sacks before being mercifully relegated to the bench in the fourth quarter.

Bobby Wagner picks off his former teammate!

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— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2022

Wilson was simply helpless from the jump. He threw two interceptions before completing a single pass, and the Rams punished both with touchdown drives on short fields, taking a 17-0 first-quarter lead before the Broncos had made a first down. The Broncos didn't score a touchdown until midway through the fourth quarter. If it's any consolation to Wilson and his fans, backup Brett Rypien was at least as awful when given the reins of the offense: he threw an 85-yard pick-six on his very first drive.

As for the Rams, they played about as complete a game as you'll ever see for a team that entered the day 4-10. The defense dominated, of course, forcing four takeaways and notching the aforementioned six sacks. But the offense played its part too, rushing for 158 yards on 36 carries and compiling 26 first downs. Backup quarterback Baker Mayfield played his second strong game in three weeks, completing 24 of his 28 pass attempts for 230 yards and two touchdowns while avoiding the mistakes that have become his calling card. With another couple of solid efforts, he could put himself back in the conversation for a starting job somewhere next year.

Both teams are already out of the playoff race, so neither has much to look forward to in the coming weeks. But a win like today's will at least give the Rams some optimism for next year. As for the Broncos, they clearly have a lot of work to do if they want to avoid their acquisition of Wilson going down as one of the biggest bungles in NFL history.