Duds
Rams’ safeties
The safeties were going to have to play a big role in this game, knowing how often Jackson targets his tight ends. The Ravens’ tight ends only had three catches for 52 yards, but that doesn’t excuse the play of Los Angeles’ safeties. Eric Weddle missed a few tackles, Marqui Christian was in coverage on two of Jackson’s touchdown passes and Taylor Rapp did very little against the run. Weddle also appeared to blow his coverage on Jackson’s first touchdown to Marquise Brown.
OLB Clay Matthews
This was a game to forget for Matthews. He was only in on two tackles, but his inability to get off blocks and set an edge on the strong side was even worse and impossible to ignore. Most of the Ravens’ biggest runs went right at Matthews on the left side of the defense, and that’s not a coincidence. He did very little as a pass rusher, either.
DT Aaron Donald
Donald was almost shut out of this game, making just one assisted tackle. He was being double-teamed throughout the game and rarely had any opportunities to rush the passer, but it was hardly a good performance by the two-time Defensive Player of the Year. The Ravens had a game plan for neutralizing Donald and it worked to perfection. He was a non-factor.
WR Cooper Kupp
Kupp continues to struggle, partly because of Jared Goff’s trouble at quarterback, too. He was targeted a game-high 10 times, but he caught just six passes for 35 yards. His longest catch went for 9 yards and he dropped a pass that led to an interception on the Rams’ final drive. His impact was minimal in this one, as has been the case the previous two weeks.
Sean McVay and Wade Phillips
Much of this game falls on the coaching staff. McVay was conservative with his play calling, running the ball on third-and-13 early in the game and punting the ball on fourth-and-2 from his own 33-yard line.
Phillips did not have his defense ready for the Ravens, and it showed with Baltimore’s ability to march down the field drive after drive. The tackling was poor, the coverage was lacking and the Rams’ discipline up front against the run was concerning.
Losses like this fall on the entire team, but the coaching staff did almost nothing to set the players up for success.