Falcons' Morris still seeking ways to 'mimic' the Rams' winning formula entering Monday night game

ATLANTA (AP) — Raheem Morris is trying to coach the Atlanta Falcons to play like the Los Angeles Rams.

The records show Morris has found the Rams' success is difficult to duplicate.

Coach Sean McVay's Rams (11-4) will try to improve their playoff position when they face the Falcons (6-9) on Monday night. Los Angeles is tied with San Francisco for second place in the tough NFC West while Atlanta playoff drought has been extended to eight seasons.

Morris was the Rams' defensive coordinator under McVay from 2021-23. Morris has five assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who also served on McVay's staff.

“We definitely mimic and mock a lot of things that they do and want to continue to do that,” Morris said of the Rams.

The Falcons' lost season could endanger the coaching future of Morris, who is 14-18 in his two years.

Back-to-back wins over Tampa Bay and Arizona show players haven't quit on Morris. A win over the Rams could make a stronger case for Morris to be given a third season in Atlanta.

The Rams are trying to rebound from a 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Los Angeles leads the NFL in scoring and total offense. Matthew Stafford tops the league in touchdown passes (40), yards passing (4,179) and passer rating (112.1). Puka Nacua's 114 receptions are the most in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Falcons have won three of five games with Kirk Cousins at quarterback since losing Michael Penix Jr. to a season-ending knee injury. Bijan Robinson leads the league in scrimmage yards.

Morris acknowledged there is “definitely a balance” in choosing when to try to follow the Rams' model.

“You steal what you steal from the Rams and you move on and you form your own identity and you form your own stuff within your own building,” Morris said. “But it takes time to do those things with everybody.”

The Rams have more on the line than just improving their playoff position. They also can improve their 2026 first-round NFL draft pick by beating the Falcons.

The Falcons traded their 2026 first-rounder to the Rams in this year's draft in order to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. at No. 26 overall. Entering this week's games, that trade gives the Rams the No. 11 overall pick. The Rams could move into the top 10 by beating the Falcons.

The Falcons drafted Pearce after taking another edge rusher, Jalon Walker, at No. 15 overall. Pearce and Walker lead NFL rookies in sacks with 8 1/2 and 5 1/2, respectively. The Falcons rank second in the league with 50 sacks after ranking next to last last season with 31.

The Falcons also acquired a third-round pick used for safety Xavier Watts in last year's trade with the Rams. Watts has three interceptions to tie for the lead among NFL rookies. Morris says the Falcons are still happy with the trade.

"So, us getting X (Watts) in the third and James Pearce joining for a first-round pick, sign me up,” Morris said.

McVay said this week the possible impact on the 2026 first-round pick “doesn’t have any effect on our approach to this game.”

The Rams have mostly run their passing offense through one receiver under McVay. Nacua is taking that emphasis to levels not seen since Cooper Kupp’s triple crown season in 2021.

Nacua is averaging 8.14 receptions on 10.36 targets per game. He has 28 catches for 573 yards and four touchdowns the last three contests.

Nacua’s big plays have increased since Davante Adams aggravated a hamstring injury against Detroit on Dec. 14.

“Certain games present more opportunities than others,” Stafford said. “We had a lot of plays and a lot of snaps the last couple of games, which just by sheer volume you’re going to have more attempts at it. We were able to connect on some of those and make some big plays, but same stuff he’s always done.”

Morris said Penix is rehabbing at the team's practice facility following surgery to repair a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

When asked if he has a timeline on Penix's recovery schedule, Morris said: “Nothing I really want to share, to be honest. ... I would say as far as we know, we’re on schedule, as far as everything that’s going on right now.”

Robinson said preparing for the Rams feels different “just because the familiarity with everybody over there.”

“It’s a cool opportunity,” Robinson said. "We’re playing arguably the best team in football. For our guys to go shoot their shot and cut it loose on Monday night against a great opponent, I think is a cool challenge.”

The Rams left their facility in the San Fernando Valley to practice at SoFi Stadium this week because of heavy rain and gusty winds throughout Southern California. On Wednesday, that had them traveling on the 405 freeway past Los Angeles International Airport, one of the more notorious stretches of holiday traffic in town.

“It was not too bad on the way down here, though,” Stafford said. “The bus got here in about 45, 50 minutes, so we’ll take it.”

AP freelance writer Dan Greenspan contributed to this report.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay talks with quarterback Matthew Stafford, left, during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay congratulates players after a touchdown play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump said the United States launched a “powerful and deadly" strike against forces of the Islamic State group in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the targeting of Christians.

In a Christmas evening post on his social media site Thursday, Trump did not provide details or mention the extent of the damage caused by the strikes in the northwestern state of Sokoto.

A Defense Department official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss details not made public, said the U.S. worked with Nigeria to carry out the strikes and that they'd been approved by Abuja.

Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cooperation included exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination in ways “consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty and shared commitments to regional and global security."

The Associated Press could not confirm the extent of the strikes’ impact.

Nigeria is battling multiple armed groups, including at least two affiliated with IS, an offshoot of the Boko Haram extremist group known as the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, and the less-known Lakurawa group prominent in the northwestern states, where the gangs use large swathes of forests as hideouts.

Security analysts said the target of the U.S. strikes could be the Lakurawa group, which in the last year has increasingly become lethal in the region, often targeting remote communities and security forces.

“Lakurawa is a group that is actually controlling territories in Nigeria, in Sokoto state and in other states like Kebbi,” said Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher at Good Governance Africa. “In the northwest, there has been the incursion of violent extremist groups that are ideologically driven," he said, blaming the incursion on the near absence of the state and security forces in hot spots.

Trump said the airstrikes were launched against IS militants “who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria’s security crisis affects both Christians, predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.

“Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security,” the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Nigeria’s government has previously said in response to Trump’s criticisms that people of many faiths, not just Christians, have suffered attacks at the hands of extremist groups.

Trump ordered the Pentagon last month to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria to try and curb what he called Christian persecution. The State Department recently announced it would restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in killing Christians there.

And the U.S. recently designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Trump said U.S. defense officials had “executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing" and added that “our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”

Nigeria’s population of 220 million is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims. The country has long faced insecurity from various fronts, including Boko Haram, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.

But attacks in Nigeria often have varying motives. There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.

The U.S. security footprint has diminished in Africa, where military partnerships have either been scaled down or canceled. U.S. forces likely would have to be drawn from other parts of the world for any larger-scale military intervention in Nigeria.

Trump has nonetheless kept up the pressure as Nigeria faced a series of attacks on schools and churches in violence that experts and residents say targets both Christians and Muslims.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted Thursday night on X: “The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.”

Hegseth said that U.S. military forces are “always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas” and added, “More to come…Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation” before signing off, “Merry Christmas!”

Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin in Washington, and Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria, contributed to this report.

His Royal Highness (HRH) Garba Aliyu, Head of the Jabo community, sits in his house in Northwest Jabo, Nigeria, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/ Tunde Omolehin)

In this image made from video, local residents hold metal debris in Jabo, Nigeria, Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. (UGC via AP)

President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)