2014 St. Louis Rams season | |
---|---|
Owner | Stan Kroenke |
General manager | Les Snead |
Head coach | Jeff Fisher |
Home field | Edward Jones Dome |
Results | |
Record | 6–10 |
Division place | 4th NFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | Aaron Donald, DT Robert Quinn, DE |
Uniform | |
The 2014 season was the St. Louis Rams' 77th in the National Football League (NFL), their 20th in St. Louis and their third under head coach Jeff Fisher. The Rams attempted to reach a playoff berth for the first time since their 2004 season, but were officially eliminated in their loss against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15. The Rams failed to improve on their 7–9 record from 2013, finishing 6–10 in 2014. The Rams' 2014 season was notable for their numerous starting quarterbacks including Austin Davis, Shaun Hill, and Sam Bradford, the last of whom was injured before the season began. Despite the lack of stability at the position, the Rams defeated both defending conference champions, Super Bowl participants, and 2014 division winners, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos, plus also shutting out two teams in consecutive weeks: the Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins. To date, defensive tackle Aaron Donald is the only player remaining from the 2014 St. Louis Rams squad. This also represents the most recent last-place finish in the NFC West for the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams.
Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Greg Robinson | Offensive tackle | Auburn |
13 | Aaron Donald | Defensive tackle | Pittsburgh | |
2 | 41 | Lamarcus Joyner | Cornerback | Florida State |
3 | 75 | Tre Mason | Running back | Auburn |
4 | 110 | Maurice Alexander | Safety | Utah St. |
5 | None | |||
6 | 188 | E. J. Gaines | Cornerback | Missouri |
214 | Garrett Gilbert | Quarterback | SMU | |
7 | 226 | Mitchell Van Dyk | Offensive tackle | Portland St. |
241 | Christian Bryant | Free safety | Ohio St. | |
249 | Michael Sam | Defensive end | Missouri | |
250 | Demetrius Rhaney | Center | Tennessee St. |
Compensatory selection |
Draft trades
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
The season took a turn for the worst when starting QB Sam Bradford tore his ACL against the Cleveland Browns on August 23. It was the same ACL he tore the year before that caused him to miss the last half of the year.
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 8 | New Orleans Saints | L 24–26 | 0–1 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
2 | August 16 | Green Bay Packers | L 7–21 | 0–2 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
3 | August 23 | at Cleveland Browns | W 33–14 | 1–2 | FirstEnergy Stadium | Recap |
4 | August 28 | at Miami Dolphins | L 13–14 | 1–3 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 7 | Minnesota Vikings | L 6–34 | 0–1 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
2 | September 14 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 19–17 | 1–1 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
3 | September 21 | Dallas Cowboys | L 31–34 | 1–2 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
4 | Bye | |||||
5 | October 5 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 28–34 | 1–3 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
6 | October 13 | San Francisco 49ers | L 17–31 | 1–4 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
7 | October 19 | Seattle Seahawks | W 28–26 | 2–4 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
8 | October 26 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 7–34 | 2–5 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
9 | November 2 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 13–10 | 3–5 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
10 | November 9 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 14–31 | 3–6 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
11 | November 16 | Denver Broncos | W 22–7 | 4–6 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
12 | November 23 | at San Diego Chargers | L 24–27 | 4–7 | Qualcomm Stadium | Recap |
13 | November 30 | Oakland Raiders | W 52–0 | 5–7 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
14 | December 7 | at Washington Redskins | W 24–0 | 6–7 | FedExField | Recap |
15 | December 11 | Arizona Cardinals | L 6–12 | 6–8 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
16 | December 21 | New York Giants | L 27–37 | 6–9 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
17 | December 28 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 6–20 | 6–10 | CenturyLink Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 3 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 34 |
Rams | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams started the season at home against Minnesota, their first meeting at home since week 15 two years back. The Vikings went on to stun the Rams, 36–22.
Already missing starting quarterback Sam Bradford for the year with another knee injury, the Rams lost several starters via injury; New starting quarterback Shaun Hill, to injured quadriceps, and defensive end Chris Long was hampered by an ankle injury which forced him to miss two months. An unknown, but third-string quarterback named Austin Davis, who would take the starting job for the next few games, took over for Hill in the second half. The Rams, limited by two field goals, would go on to lose their home opener, 34–6.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
Buccaneers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
With Chris Long and Shaun Hill out, the Rams travel to Tampa Bay looking to rebound from the blowout home loss against Minnesota. The game saw Austin Davis get first start. Most of the game was delayed due to lightning and thunder after the game was tied to 7. Rams kicker Greg Zurelien nailed a last minute field goal to give the Rams a close 19–17 victory, giving them their first win of the season, with a record of one game tied apiece.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 0 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 34 |
Rams | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams started off hot early in the game, but Dallas responded in the second half, including a Tony Romo pass to Dez Bryant for 68 yards, in which stunned the St. Louis home crowd. In the fourth quarter Rams tight end Jared Cook's temper snapped on the sidelines as he shoved quarterback Austin Davis who attempted to find Cook in the end zone, but Davis pass was incomplete. Davis threw a couple of interceptions, including one by a swarming of Dallas defenders to give Dallas a 34–31 victory.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
Eagles | 13 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 34 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
49ers | 0 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
Rams | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Hosting the 49ers on Monday Night, the Rams, sporting their 1999 throwbacks, welcomed back "The Greatest Show on Turf" at halftime. But the 49ers ruined their party as they would go on to stun the Rams at home 31–17.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 26 |
Rams | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Hoping to rebound from the heartbreaking Monday Night loss at home, the Rams face the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Highlighted by a series of fake punts and long returns, the Rams managed to squeeze past the Super Bowl champions, 28–26.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Chiefs | 0 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 34 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams travel to Kansas City to face their in-state rival and the first of four AFC West opponents of the season, the Chiefs. Things would get ugly for the Rams as more injuries continue to pile up as both offensive lineman Jake Long and wide receiver Brian Quick suffered season-ending knee and shoulder injuries, respectively. With the loss, the Rams are 0–1 against AFC West opponents.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
49ers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
In the last seconds of the fourth quarter, Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis scooped a fumble from 49ers' quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who attempted to dive into the endzone for a game-winning touchdown, to give the Rams a 13–10 victory. The defense, for the most part, sacked Kaepernick eight times.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Cardinals | 0 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 31 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Rams | 10 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 22 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams meet the Broncos at home for the first time since their home opener in 2006. The Rams won 18–10.
The injury-riddled Denver Broncos (7–2) travel to St. Louis, looking to extend their lead in the AFC West, but it was too late as the Rams defense harassed Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense all day long. Rams' quarterback Shaun Hill returned from injury and took over for Austin Davis, who started only a few games. Among the game's highlights was Rams safety Rodney McLeod taking a hit on Broncos' wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, forcing Sanders to leave the game with a concussion. Officials later confirmed that the McLeod hit on Sanders was not illegal. The Rams won 22–7 and are tied one game apiece against all AFC West opponents.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
Chargers | 3 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 27 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams travel to San Diego, facing their third AFC West opponent, the Chargers. The Rams looked to go 2–1 against AFC West opponents, but couldn't flick the switch this time thanks to the Chargers' Philip Rivers' late game heroics and the defense, who intercepted a pass from Shaun Hill, who attempted a game-winning touchdown pass. With the 27–24 loss, this gave the Rams a 1–2 record against all AFC West opponents. Rams fans, who attended the game, were seen holding up signs involving a possible return to Los Angeles.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rams | 21 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 52 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams meet the Raiders at home for the first time in twelve years after Week 6 of 2002, where the Rams defeated the Raiders, who were 4–0 at the time, 28–13 to give the Rams their first victory of 2002 after starting the year with five consecutive losses.
Before the game, five Rams receivers came out of the tunnel with their hands up in protest to support the Ferguson unrest, causing controversy (see hands up don't shoot). Amid the "Hands Up" controversy, the Rams defense obliterated the Raiders and struggling new quarterback Derek Carr all game long. The game was best highlighted by two Tre Mason touchdowns, including an 89-yard run. The Rams held the Raiders scoreless with a 52–0 blowout. With the victory, the Rams finished the year 2–2 against all AFC West opponents.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 24 |
Redskins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Despite Rams' kicker Greg Zuerlein missing a series of field goals and chants of "RG3!!!" from Washington's home crowd, the Rams still managed to hold Washington scoreless, giving them a 24–0 victory, and their sixth and final win the Rams would get this year. For the second time in a row this season, the Rams held an opponent scoreless. During the opening coin toss, the Rams sent out all 6 players acquired in the RG3 trade in 2012 as their team captains.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
Rams | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
With the loss, the Rams were officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giants | 10 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 37 |
Rams | 3 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
The Rams wrapped up their 2014 home schedule, facing their fourth and final NFC East opponent, the Giants, led by new wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Tempers flared later in the game as a sideline brawl escalated after a late hit on Beckham, drawing 3 ejections to Giants' Damontre Moore and Preston Parker and Rams' defensive end William Hayes. The Rams went on to lose their final home game, 27–37.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Seahawks | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 20 |
at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Going to Seattle for their third straight year, the Rams once again struggled all game, losing the game 20–6, ending their season with a disappointing 6–10 record. The record led the team to draft running back Todd Gurley from Georgia with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
NFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(1) Seattle Seahawks | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | 394 | 254 | W6 |
(5) Arizona Cardinals | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 310 | 299 | L2 |
San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 7–5 | 306 | 340 | W1 |
St. Louis Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 324 | 354 | L3 |
# | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division leaders | ||||||||||||
1 [lower-alpha 1] | Seattle Seahawks | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .525 | .513 | W6 | |
2 [lower-alpha 1] | Green Bay Packers | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .482 | .440 | W2 | |
3 [lower-alpha 1] | Dallas Cowboys | East | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .445 | .422 | W4 | |
4 | Carolina Panthers | South | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .490 | .357 | W4 | |
Wild Cards | ||||||||||||
5 [lower-alpha 2] | Arizona Cardinals | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .523 | .477 | L2 | |
6 [lower-alpha 2] | Detroit Lions | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .471 | .392 | L1 | |
Did not qualify for the postseason | ||||||||||||
7 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .490 | .416 | W1 | |
8 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .527 | .508 | W1 | |
9 [lower-alpha 3] | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .486 | .415 | W1 | |
10 [lower-alpha 3] | Minnesota Vikings | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 6–6 | .475 | .308 | W1 | |
11 [lower-alpha 4] | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .512 | .323 | L1 | |
12 [lower-alpha 4] | Atlanta Falcons | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5–1 | 6–6 | .482 | .380 | L1 | |
13 [lower-alpha 4] | St. Louis Rams | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .531 | .427 | L3 | |
14 | Chicago Bears | North | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .529 | .338 | L5 | |
15 | Washington Redskins | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .496 | .422 | L1 | |
16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .486 | .469 | L6 | |
Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 5] | ||||||||||||
|
Recipient | awards |
---|---|
Stedman Bailey | Week 7: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week |
Greg Zuerlein | Week 11: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week |
Tavon Austin | Week 14: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week |
Aaron Donald | NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, PFWA All-Rookie Team |
Tre Mason | PFWA All-Rookie Team |
E.J. Gaines | PFWA All-Rookie Team |
The 2000 season was the St. Louis Rams' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their sixth in St. Louis. For the first time in franchise history, the Rams entered the season as the defending Super Bowl champions. The Rams finished the regular-season with a record of 10–6 but would go on to lose to the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round of the playoffs. They led the NFL in scoring for a second straight year with 540 points. The Rams became the first team in NFL history to score more than 500 points on offense, while allowing more than 450 points on defense.
The 1999 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 62nd year with the National Football League (NFL) and the fifth season in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams finished the regular-season with a record of 13–3, and defeated the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The 2012 season was the St. Louis Rams' 75th in the National Football League (NFL), their 18th in St. Louis and their first under head coach Jeff Fisher. Finishing at 7–8–1, they improved on their 2–14 record from 2011. In Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, the game ended in a 24–24 tie, the first since the 2008 NFL season. It was Sam Bradford's second and final full season as the Rams starting quarterback as two torn ACLs sidelined him for much of the next season and the entire 2014 season.
The 2013 season was the St. Louis Rams' 76th in the National Football League (NFL), their 19th in St. Louis and their second under head coach Jeff Fisher. The Rams equaled their win total from 2012, but missed the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season.
The 2014 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 95th in the National Football League (NFL), their 27th in Arizona and their second under head coach Bruce Arians. Following an explosive 9–1 start to the regular season, they finished at 11–5, achieving their highest win total since 1975 when they were still in St. Louis. The Cardinals clinched their first playoff berth since 2009, and had a chance to become the first team to try to play the Super Bowl on their own home field, University of Phoenix Stadium. However, after season-ending injuries to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, they were forced to start third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley in the wild-card round, losing to the Carolina Panthers, 27–16.
The 2014 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 55th season in the National Football League (NFL), the sixth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the fourth full season under head coach Jason Garrett.
The 2014 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the seventh and final under head coach Mike Smith. The Falcons were defeated by the Carolina Panthers in week 17, officially eliminating them from postseason contention for the second straight year. As a result, Smith was fired after his seventh year as head coach, after two straight years with a losing record.
The 2014 season was the New Orleans Saints' 48th in the National Football League (NFL), their 39th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their eighth under head coach Sean Payton.
The 2015 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 96th in the National Football League (NFL), their 117th overall, their 28th in Arizona, their 10th playing home games at University of Phoenix Stadium and their third under head coach Bruce Arians. The Cardinals clinched their first NFC West title since 2009, in addition to the first 13-win season in franchise history. They also clinched a first round bye for the first time in franchise history.
The 2015 season was the St. Louis Rams' 78th in the National Football League (NFL), their fourth under head coach Jeff Fisher, and their 21st and final season in St. Louis, Missouri, their home since the 1995 season.
The 2015 season was the New Orleans Saints' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 40th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their ninth under head coach Sean Payton. On November 16, 2015, the Saints hired Dennis Allen to replace fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. However, the Saints still missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Saints set a new league record for the most passing touchdowns allowed with 45.
The 2016 Green Bay Packers season was their 98th season overall, 96th season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 11th under head coach Mike McCarthy. Despite a 4–6 start to the season, the Green Bay Packers went on a 6-game winning streak to finish the regular season with a 10–6 record. The team clinched the NFC North for the fifth time in six years with their week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. They routed the fifth-seeded New York Giants 38–13 in the wild card round of the playoffs and defeated the top-seeded and heavily favored Dallas Cowboys 34–31 in the divisional round of the playoffs, but their season came to an end when they were beat by the second-seeded Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game 44–21.
The 2016 season was the New Orleans Saints' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 41st playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and their 10th under head coach Sean Payton. The Saints matched their 7–9 record from 2014 and 2015, and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. One highlight from the season includes quarterback Drew Brees' first return to San Diego for the first time since the Chargers released him at the end of the 2005 season, also where Brees played his first five seasons in. This came 10 years after the Chargers released Brees after the Saints' previous regular season meetings with the Chargers were home games for the Saints, and including a 2008 meeting at Wembley Stadium in London, a game which New Orleans was designated as the home team.
The 2016 season was the Tennessee Titans franchise's 47th in the National Football League and their 57th overall. It also marked the franchise's 20th season in the state of Tennessee as well as the first full season under head coach Mike Mularkey, who served as the team's interim head coach for the last nine games of the 2015 season.
The 2016 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 97th in the National Football League, their 118th overall, their 29th in Arizona, their 11th at University of Phoenix Stadium and their fourth under head coach Bruce Arians.
The 2017 season was the New Orleans Saints' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 42nd playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 11th under head coach Sean Payton. The team improved on their 7–9 output from the previous season, while achieving an eight-game winning streak after losing their first two contests, their longest streak since 2009, when they won Super Bowl XLIV. In Week 13 the Saints clinched their first winning season since 2013 and swept the Carolina Panthers for the first time since 2011. In Week 16, the Saints clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2013 by defeating the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 17, the Saints clinched the NFC South for the first time since 2011 with the Panthers loss to the Falcons. This was the first of four consecutive NFC South titles for the Saints. On January 7, 2018 the Saints played their divisional rival Carolina Panthers in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They beat Carolina 31–26 in the Wild Card, but lost 29–24 to the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round in a shocking ending.
The 2018 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 99th in the National Football League, their 31st in Arizona, and their only season under head coach Steve Wilks. During the off-season, State Farm purchased the naming rights to the Cardinals' home stadium and it was renamed from University of Phoenix Stadium to State Farm Stadium. Although former head coach Bruce Arians retired before the season began, he came out of retirement on January 8, 2019 to become the new coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 2018 season was the Houston Texans' 17th season in the National Football League and their fifth under head coach Bill O'Brien. This marks the first season since 2005 that Rick Smith would not be the general manager as he took a leave of absence for family reasons. Despite an 0–3 start, their first in a decade, the Texans surpassed their win total from the previous season with a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins. They had a franchise record 9 consecutive wins that also broke the NFL record for most consecutive wins after starting 0–3. The streak ended with a Week 14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. With a Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Texans clinched their first 10-win season under head coach Bill O’Brien, their first 10-win season since 2012 and their third 10-win season in franchise history.
The 2018 Tennessee Titans season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League and their 59th overall. It also marked the franchise's 22nd season in the state of Tennessee, their first under head coach Mike Vrabel, and the first with new uniforms and blue helmets, as they have worn white helmets since the club was based in Houston, Texas. This season marked the third of four straight in which the Titans finished 9–7. The Titans failed to qualify for the postseason after losing a Week 17 win-and-in contest against their division rival Indianapolis Colts.
The 2018 season was the New Orleans Saints' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 12th under head coach Sean Payton.
Indianapolis cornerback Josh Gordy, whom the Rams receive a seventh-round draft choice for this year from a 2012 trade, made a big play to keep the Colts alive and will play the Patriots tonight.