INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Start with the coin toss, one of the last moments that the outcome between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams was still in question.

After winning the toss, the Saints elected to receive the opening kickoff. It was an aggressive choice made by a team looking for any sort of advantage against one of the premier teams in the NFL. The idea, in a vacuum, is to take control of the game early by jumping out to an early lead.

Instead, the Saints gained nine yards on their first three plays and lost their stomach for aggressiveness, punting the ball away. Los Angeles took possession at its own 12-yard line and showed the Saints what it meant to start fast.

The Rams’ first four plays gained 10, 9, 20 and 16 yards. Whatever the Rams wanted to do on a 12-play, 88-yard

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