Rams vs. Falcons: Three must-know storylines for Monday's Week 17 prime-time game

Two NFC teams close out the Monday Night Football slate for the 2025 season, as the Los Angeles Rams travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.

The Rams are in a must-win situation in order to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but they need a couple things to go in their favor. Los Angeles is coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16. It was a devastating defeat with the Seahawks taking over the No. 1 seed in the conference and in the NFC West.

Meanwhile, Atlanta has gathered a two-game winning streak with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins under center. The Falcons defeated the Cardinals in Week 16 and have a chance to play spoilers for Monday's contest versus the Rams.

Even though the Rams have clinched a playoff spot, L.A. has a 19 percent chance to win the NFC West, and Monday's game could either be a step closer or have them in a wild-card spot when the postseason begins in January.

Three must-know storylines

1) Stafford having a MVP-caliber campaign

In his 17th season in the NFL, Matthew Stafford is having one of his best seasons. Heading into Monday's matchup, the Rams QB has thrown for 4,179 yards, a league-leading 40 pass touchdowns and five interceptions. He's played exceptionally well despite Davante Adams missing the last game due to a hamstring injury. The Rams listed Adams as doubtful for Monday night's game. Puka Nacua has continued to be a reliable WR1 for Stafford. Nacua leads the NFL with 114 receptions and is coming off a career-high 225 receiving yards in the Week 16 loss to Seattle. The supporting cast around Stafford in 2025 has been stellar and it's a reason why L.A.'s offense has been one of the most explosive units this season. If Stafford can continue his consistent play, the 37-year-old QB could become the oldest first-time MVP winner of all-time.

2) Falcons offense finding a rhythm

Heading into Week 17, Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson leads the league with 2,026 scrimmage yards and is on pace for 2,296 scrimmage yards, which would be the franchise record. The dual-threat RB has been a safety blanket for Kirk Cousins since the quarterback took over for an injured Michael Penix Jr., who suffered a partially torn ACL. 2021 first-round pick Kyle Pitts has been emerging into a top tight end as he finishes up his contract year and heads into free agency. Among TEs, Pitts ranks second with 854 receiving yards and has four TDs over the last two games. Drake London returned to the lineup in Week 16 after dealing with a knee injury. But despite being questionable for Monday's game, London being back with Robinson and Pitts is a significant boost for Atlanta's offense.

3) Which defensive unit could force mistakes on Monday night?

The Rams defense has allowed an average of 36 points over the last two games. It's not a trend Sean McVay would like his defense to maintain heading toward the postseason; in Weeks 1-12, the Rams unit ranked first in the NFL allowing 16.3 points per game. Nonetheless, the Rams have 24 takeaways, and the trio of Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Jared Verse are a big factor in forcing those turnovers. As for the Falcons, Atlanta's defense is headlined by rookies James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker and Brandon Dorlus, who have been disrupting opposing quarterbacks every week. Atlanta has 50 sacks, trailing only the Denver Broncos (60) for most in the NFL. Monday's matchup is also enticing with the Rams owning Atlanta's 2026 first-round pick (currently the 11th overall selection) after the Falcons trading up to grab Pearce in the 2025 draft.

Rams' Week 17 injury report

Falcons' Week 17 injury report