COOPER KUPP

Matthew Stafford passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns in his first playoff victory and the Los Angeles Rams roared out of the wild-card round with a 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

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.

The NFL’s steady increase in offensive production took a step back this season.

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.

Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes made the NFL’s first 17-game regular season feel a little more normal despite it being played through a pandemic again.

Wins are piling up for the Los Angeles Rams. With the playoffs in sight, the two are unlikely to continue to coexist, something Stafford knows all too well after the Rams escaped with a 20-19 victory at the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Despite Stafford throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble, the Rams (12-4) won their fifth straight game.

Kudos to those who wagered correctly on Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and mixed martial artist Rose Namajunas.

Here are some athletes who were money in the bank for sports bettors this year: Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans and Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

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.

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.

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.

Andrew Whitworth reaches a remarkable milestone in his career and his life when the Los Angeles Rams visit the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.

On his 29-yard touchdown against the Jaguars, Cooper Kupp saw a gap in the coverage and exploited it. But he didn't explain it in such basic terms.

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

Aaron Rodgers withstood pain from a toe injury, threw two touchdown passes and also ran for a score in the Green Bay Packers’ 36-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Robert Woods is out for the season after tearing his knee ligament in practice.

The Browns will still pay Beckham more than $4 million after the rest of his $30 million contract was canceled.

Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to a one-year deal with the Rams.

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

Matthew Stafford threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters as the Los Angeles Rams dominated the inept Houston Texans in every way in a 38-22 win.

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.

The Arizona Cardinals extended their longest unbeaten start since 2012 with a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Los Angeles Rams are the unanimous top team in the latest AP Pro32 poll.

Matthew Stafford passed for 343 yards and four touchdowns as he outdueled Tom Brady and led the Los Angeles Rams to a 34-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Matthew Stafford led Los Angeles on two late scoring drives and Matt Gay made a tiebreaking field goal with 2:23 to go to give the Rams a 27-24 victory at Indianapolis.

Matthew Stafford passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in a dynamic debut for the Los Angeles Rams.

Veteran receiver DeSean Jackson has signed with the Los Angeles Rams, returning to his native Southern California after 13 NFL seasons on the East Coast. The Rams announced the deal for Jackson on Sunday, March 21, 2021 adding him to the targets for new quarterback Matthew Stafford. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)LOS ANGELES – Veteran receiver DeSean Jackson agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, returning to his native Southern California after 13 NFL seasons on the East Coast. “The difficult part of the equation is finding those players who can actually threaten NFL defenders, because most players that come into this league are fast,” Snead added. We’d all love to identify those guys that can even threaten NFL defenders.”___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Without Donald in peak form, the NFL’s top defense simply couldn’t slow down the league’s highest-scoring offense. The Green Bay Packers scored on their first five series and beat the Rams 32-18 in the NFC divisional playoffs. “I love Aaron Donald,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. Yet this heavyweight matchup between the Packers’ offense and the Rams’ defense was more like a mismatch for much of the day. You have to defend every inch as far as laterally.”The Rams also had some uncharacteristic mistakes on defense to help Green Bay out.

They're in complete accord this week, however: Goff is the best choice to lead the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs. Goff will start the Rams' postseason game at Green Bay on Saturday, while John Wolford will be inactive one week after incurring a neck injury, McVay announced Thursday. After Goff had surgery on his broken right thumb Dec. 28, Wolford got the Rams' last two starts — even though Goff thought he was ready to play last week. McVay instead decided early in the week that Wolford would start, although he didn't announce his decision until shortly before kickoff. “I was extremely excited to have that chance in a big game up in Seattle,” Wolford said.

(AP Photo/Scott Eklund)LOS ANGELES – All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald is expected to play for the Rams on Saturday in Green Bay after injuring his ribs in Los Angeles' playoff victory at Seattle. McVay said he doesn't expect to name a starting quarterback this week for the Rams' showdown with the top-seeded Packers (12-4), preferring to wait until game day for the second straight week. Donald left the game and went to the locker room, but eventually returned to watch the Rams' win from the sideline. “We'll be smart with him throughout the week,” McVay said. Rams left guard David Edwards also left with Achilles tendinitis.

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.

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.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___A positive COVID-19 test and ensuing contact tracing at Temple have postponed the Owls’ next two basketball games. The reserve/COVID list was created for a player has tested positive test or has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person. The move came after the team stopped all in-person work at its practice facility and reported a positive COVID-19 test. ___Middle Tennessee has postponed a pair of basketball games at Florida Atlantic because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the Blue Raiders’ program. ___The Atlanta Falcons have stopped all in-person work at their practice facility after a positive COVID-19 test.

FILE - In this Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019 file photo, Los Angeles Rams quarterback John Wolford (9) gestures during an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos in Los Angeles. Wolford will make his NFL debut for the Rams on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021 against Arizona after nearly two full seasons as a backup in which he never took a snap. “It's a lot of hard work, and I'm confident in the time I've spent that has gotten me here. “I'm confident in John, but I'm also confident in the other 10 players around him. ... Los Angeles also activated LB Micah Kiser from injured reserve, but he won't play this week, McVay said.

These Rams even looked good enough to contend for a chance at some actual Super Bowl redemption later this season. “We’ve got a lot of respect for them, but it’s a totally different year,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. The Patriots have been held without an offensive touchdown in multiple games this season for the first time since 2003. Tyler Higbee and Akers had long gains before Goff leaned over the line on fourth-and-goal for his career-high fourth rushing touchdown of the season. But Young opened the second quarter by picking off a poor throw created by Donald's disruption up front and taking it all the way back for the third-year linebacker's first NFL touchdown.

Garoppolo threw three TD passes in the first half and Jason Verrett’s first interception in more than four years helped preserve the lead, giving the 49ers a 24-16 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. This week got us back on track.”San Francisco’s defense stepped up with some key stops in the second half. Verrett's interception was part of a rough day overall for Jared Goff, who also missed an open Kupp on a deep ball earlier in the second half. Garoppolo found Kittle on a one-on-one matchup with Darious Williams on a fourth-and-2 play that turned into a 44-yard TD. INJURY REPORT49ers: RB Raheem Mostert (ankle) S Jaquiski Tartt (groin) and C Ben Garland (calf) all left in the second half and didn't return.

Ramsey and Tate scuffled at midfield after the final whistle after a game filled with trash-talking between the two Nashville-area natives. Ramsey has two young children with Tate's sister, and Tate was publicly upset last year when the couple went through a nasty public breakup. Ramsey and Tate both walked toward midfield when the game ended, and they immediately took swings at each other, eventually going to the turf in a heap. Graham Gano kicked three field goals in the Giants' first game in the Los Angeles area since 1994. NASTY RIVALRYBefore their fight, Ramsey and Tate clashed several times on the field.

Philadelphia Eagles' DeSean Jackson, right, catches a pass against Los Angeles Rams' Troy Hill during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)PHILADELPHIA – Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Philadelphia Eagles 37-19 on Sunday. Goff completed his first 13 passes, including a pair of TDs to Higbee, and the Rams jumped to a 21-3 lead minutes into the second quarter. After the Eagles (0-2) pulled within one score, Goff’s 28-yard TD pass to Higbee in the fourth iced it for Los Angeles (2-0). The Rams took a 7-0 lead on Goff’s 4-yard TD pass to Higbee after Miles Sanders’ fumble on the third play gave them the ball at the Eagles 41.

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!