The Rams have only had two games this season where a running back had at least 20 carries. They’ve taken this “running back by committee” plan in full stride, allowing all three of their tailbacks to contribute each week.
Some games, Cam Akers gets the most work. Others, it’s Darrell Henderson. And no matter the situation, Malcolm Brown is going to get his snaps in, even if it’s primarily in pass protection.
But entering Week 14, it might be time for the Rams to consider condensing the distribution of work at running back. Akers has stood out for the second straight week and he’s making a case to be the Rams’ primary tailback moving forward.
On Sunday against the Cardinals, Akers carried the ball 21 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 22-yard reception on a key third-and-1 where he slipped out of the traffic and picked up big yardage after the catch.
He didn’t have a 61-yarder like last week against San Francisco, but his 72 yards today were hard-earned and impressive. Sean McVay certainly thought so and has come away impressed with the way Akers has played in recent weeks.
“I thought he had some really tough, hard-earned yards,” McVay said. “He probably had about 80 (yards) but they were really tough, hard-earned yards. I think you’re seeing a really physical player that’s got explosion. This guy’s going to only get better and you can see why we were so excited about him. I think this guy’s got a really bright future.”
Jared Goff handed off to Akers more often than he’s used to this week, but he didn’t mind it one bit. Like McVay, Goff loved what he saw from Akers and his postgame comments were telling.
It’s clear Akers has improved dramatically since training camp and has closed the gap with Henderson and Brown, perhaps even overtaking them.
“He just continues to take great leaps,” Goff said. “I think in practice, you really see it. Early in the year, we had faith in everyone, but Darrell and Malcolm were just a step ahead a little bit in understanding what we’re trying to do on each play. And at this point, Cam’s right there with them. He’s done a really good job. He’s explosive with the football, he can catch, he can run, he can do anything you want him to do and he had a great day.”
This isn’t to say the Rams should completely phase out Henderson and Brown in favor of Akers. But he’s been the most consistent of the bunch lately. Yes, Henderson also had 74 yards from scrimmage against Arizona, including a 38-yard touchdown run, but he hadn’t topped 40 total yards in a game since Week 8 prior to this one and missed some snaps Sunday due to a knee issue.
Akers looks better by the week, making the most of his opportunities – even if he’s not consistently breaking off 10-15-yard runs like Henderson was at the beginning of the year. He’s better between the tackles than Henderson and Brown, which is criticial when opponents take away the Rams’ outside zone runs.
At the very least, Akers should get 10 carries a game moving forward with a dash of Henderson to complement him. It’s time for L.A. to unleash its top draft pick to provide a spark on offense.
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