It was a Christmas Day shellacking for the Los Angeles Rams as they thoroughly beat the Denver Broncos 51-14 at home.
The Rams were firing on all cylinders to begin the game as the defense was able to come up with back-to-back picks on Russell Wilson, while Baker Mayfield led the offense down the field for scoring opportunities. By the end of the first quarter, Los Angeles led Denver 17-3 and never looked back.
Mayfield had his best game of the 2022 season as he went 24 of 28 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns went to Tyler Higbee who also had his best game of the year, recording nine receptions for 94 yards and two scores.
The matchup was not only featured on CBS but on Nickelodeon and as tradition, fans got to vote for the Nickelodeon Valuable Player (NVP). Unsurprisingly, the award went to Mayfield and the quarterback was honored to have been recognized for his performance, via NFL:
.@bakermayfield is psyched to win NVP. 💙💛
And he also wants to slime @tutuatwell. 😂 pic.twitter.com/DxOqirLe9e
— NFL (@NFL) December 26, 2022
The signal-caller is no stranger to winning awards as he won the Heisman Trophy in college. While probably being polite when asked where the award ranks, Mayfield should feel proud to have been voted the NVP considering the year he’s had.
In a fun turn of events, Mayfield is actually the first winning quarterback to be named NVP as Dak Prescott and Mitch Trubisky both lost when they were bestowed with the award.
The Broncos boast a pretty stout secondary led by Patrick Surtain II, but Mayfield had no problem finding open targets like Higbee in the middle of the field. The timing and accuracy of the passes helped remind some people why Mayfield is a former No. 1 overall pick and strengthens his case that he belongs as a starting quarterback somewhere in the league.
Mayfield’s redemption arc in Los Angeles has given Rams fans something to cheer for during the 2022 season considering all the injuries and uneven play the team has endured. He’s impressed both his teammates and coaching staff, especially head coach Sean McVay who admitted he’s surpassed even his expectations.
Since coming to Los Angeles, Mayfield has helped the Rams win two games and has increased his stock as a player in the process. With only two games left in the season, it will be interesting to see how how Mayfield makes the most of this opportunity.
