As much as Quentin Lake has improved his game over the past three years, it’s never a good sign for a team when their leading tackler is a safety. However, that’s where the 0-2 Rams find themselves as Lake leads the team with 21 tackles, 11 of which were solo stops.
A product of UCLA, Lake plays the game of football with the same aggression as his legendary father Carnell Lake. Like Quentin, Carnell also played for UCLA and spent 13 years in the NFL.
Both Lakes, father and son, have a knack for putting ball carriers on the ground. Despite playing safety in the NFL, Carnell played linebacker for the Bruins. His son would inherit his father’s eye discipline, strength, and warrior-like nature, allowing him to make plays all over the field.
When asked about Lake, Sean McVay spoke about his play and the fact he’s the team’s current leading tackler.
“He’s done a great job and he’s at a spot where sometimes you can be in the middle of a lot of the action,” McVay said. “He’s been really active. There are some reasons and some things that you would prefer him not to have to make those plays so that it doesn’t get to the second level or the third level if he’s playing at safety. ‘Q’ has done a good job. He’s in a position to be able to make a lot of plays, but his production is – I think tackles can be a little bit of a misleading stat, but I think ‘Q’ has had two good weeks to start the season.”
While Lake continues to shine, the team remains in shambles after their blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams currently possess one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, getting gashed by both the Cardinals and the Lions.
Perhaps with the home opener on the horizon, Lake’s recent play could force DC Chris Shula to play him closer to the line of scrimmage. Perhaps the inclusion of Lake could help fill the gap left by Ernest Jones but such a tactic could expose the team to the deep pass.