Rams playing for more than top seed

It's a late-season matchup with subplots galore.

- GARY KLEIN

MATTHEW STAFFORD and coach Sean McVay will try to scheme some winning plays for the Rams.

The Rams' game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium pits several of the NFL's closest coaching friends against each other with playoff and draft positions, job security and possibly the most valuable player award on the line.

The Rams are 11-4 and coming off a crushing 38-37 overtime defeat by the Seattle Seahawks. The loss knocked the Rams out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC and dropped them to No. 6 with two games left.

"It's exciting because this is the opportunity for us to come back and have a response," star receiver Puka Nacua said, adding, "This is the opportunity to show that we've improved and we learned from that experience."

The Rams finish the season next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.

"We have two weeks left in it," coach Sean McVay said. “I love the way everybody has maximized every single day.

Those scars can be your strength if you use them appropriately.“With this group I got a funny feeling that that’s exactly where we're headed.”