Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse turned his team’s game on its head in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons when he blocked and returned a 76-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Not only did it give the Rams what seemed like a blowout loss, but it also added to the legacy of Verse’s already exciting NFL career.
However, the touchdown did not help the team win, and the Rams lost to the Falcons 27-24. But Wells’ touchdown broke an NFL record. His top speed on the touchdown run was 20.21 mph, the fastest speed as a ball carrier by a back weighing more than 260 pounds since Next Gen Stats began tracking speed in 2016.
Verse has been one of the best young backs in the NFL since the Rams drafted him in 2024, and this run exemplifies the exciting potential he brings to the team. He already has more sacks this year than he did as a rookie and 11 in his career. Verse also had 43 quarterback hits and five forced fumbles in 33 games.
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If the Rams can stay in contention for the Super Bowl, it will be because of players like Voss doing things like this. Up until this point, the Falcons’ game had looked completely lost, and Voss gave the Rams some light heading into the quarter.
However, the overall defense was not enough to stop the Falcons offense. They’ve given up 99 points in their last three games, losing two of them, and they need to get better.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Jared Verse’s blocked FG touchdown breaks NFL record
