Tag: Demarcus Robinson

Demarcus Robinson won’t be suspended by Rams, will play vs. Saints

The Rams have decided not to suspend Demarcus Robinson following his DUI arrest and he will play against the Saints

Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams have made a decision regarding Demarcus Robinson’s status for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. McVay told reporters that the team will not suspend Robinson following his arrest on suspicion of DUI and he will play against the Saints.

Robinson has been with the team this week as the legal situation plays out, and the NFL will do its own investigation into the matter, too. It’s possible the league could suspend Robinson at some point if it finds Robinson violated the personal conduct policy.

McVay said Robinson addressed the team about the mistake and he has been remorseful since his arrest.

Robinson was stopped by police at around 5 a.m. Monday morning, hours after the Rams’ loss to the Eagles, after he was cited speeding in excess of 100 mph. He was released to a responsible party after being booked.

Sean McVay comments on Demarcus Robinson’s arrest, unsure if WR will play Sunday

Demarcus Robinson’s status for Week 13 is in doubt after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI early Monday morning

(This story was updated to add full quotes from Sean McVay.)

There’s a chance the Los Angeles Rams will be without their No. 3 receiver in Week 13, but not because of injury.

Demarcus Robinson was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of DUI after he was pulled over driving more than 100 mph on US-101. Robinson showed “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment, leading to his arrest.

Police released Robinson on Monday but his status for Sunday’s game against the Saints is still to be determined. Sean McVay told reporters on Tuesday that he spoke with Robinson about the arrest and he hasn’t yet decided whether the receiver will play this weekend.

“We’re going to see,” he said. “I want to be able to gather all the appropriate information before I commit to something one way or the other. I do know that we’ve made the league aware. There’s a process that they go about and then I’ll have more information for you guys as I get the appropriate facts and deal with this in the best way that we think is in alignment with how we want to operate.”

McVay said he believes Robinson “has a good heart and would never have any ill intentions,” adding that it was a decision that was “not in alignment with the things we want to be about.”

Here’s more of McVay’s statement on Robinson’s arrest, via Adam Grosbard of the OC Register.

“I do believe that Demarcus has a good heart and never would have any ill intentions,” McVay said. “Clearly, there was a decision that’s not in alignment with the things that we want to be about. I know he was remorseful about that, but I think it’s been good that we have had few and far between conversations of this nature. I am grateful that nobody was injured or harmed in the process of this. I think that’s a credit to the people and the surrounding things. I don’t think this makes him a horrible human. I think he made a bad decision and we are fortunate that there wasn’t anything else that occurred as it relates to affecting anybody else in a negative way or himself from just an overall safety and health perspective.”

The Rams will play against the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon. If Robinson doesn’t suit up, it will open up opportunities for both Tutu Atwell and Tyler Johnson at wide receiver, with Jordan Whittington potentially getting a handful of snaps, too.

Ex-Chiefs WR arrested on suspicion of DUI, head coach to issue statement

An ex-#Chiefs wide receiver was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Monday morning. His head coach will issue a statement on Tuesday.

According to a release by NFL Media, former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated on Monday morning after the Los Angeles Rams’ Week 12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on ‘Sunday Night Football.’

Robinson played for Kansas City from 2016 through 2021 and was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV roster in 2019.

After his time in Kansas City ended, Robinson signed contracts with the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens in 2022 before joining Los Angeles last season.

Details about his arrest on Monday night remain murky, but Rams head coach Sean McVay is expected to address Robinson’s situation on Tuesday.

Los Angeles holds a 5-6 record after their primetime defeat at the hands of the Eagles, and the Rams’ offense will need to make some serious adjustments if Robinson has to miss time, especially if injuries play a factor at the position later this season.

Rams WR Demarcus Robinson arrested on suspicion of DUI hours after LA’s loss to Eagles

Demarcus Robinson was arrested on suspicion of DUI after he was cited driving over 100 mph early Monday morning

It was a tough night for the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday and it got even worse for Demarcus Robinson hours after their 37-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. According to Clayton Howley of NFL Network, Robinson was arrested at around 5:13 a.m. Monday morning when he was pulled over for driving over 100 mph and cited for suspicion of driving under the influence.

Robinson showed “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment,” leading to his arrest. The police report shows Robinson was cited and released to a responsible party.

In the loss to the Eagles, Robinson scored a touchdown, his sixth of the season. In 2024, he has 26 catches for 384 yards.

The Rams have not yet commented on the situation, but Sean McVay is scheduled to speak to the media again on Wednesday.

Saquon Barkley runs the Rams out of SoFi Stadium, carrying the Eagles to their 7th straight win

A sea of Eagles fans took over SoFi Stadium, carrying Philadelphia to its 7th straight win on Sunday night as Saquon Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night

The Eagles are 9-2 and have won seven straight games after Saquon Barkley exploded in the running game, and A.J. Brown was dominant in the passing game. Philadelphia put the league on notice with a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

If not for a late Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, Philadelphia would have exited Los Angeles with a 37-14 road win just seven days before a monster matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night and had 302 total yards of offense in a game that saw A.J. Brown log 109 yards receiving and a touchdown on seven targets.

Why the Rams must get Demarcus Robinson more involved

Demarcus Robinson only had one catch against the Dolphins but getting him more involved could be a key to unlocking the offense

Often, it is the WR3 that wins football games in the NFL. Defenses around the league, especially in crunch time, tighten up on the primary targets for an offense, scheming up calls that eliminate them from the play.

Whether that be a double-team, another form of safety help or simply having a true lockdown corner placed on them, WR1s and WR2s can sometimes have difficulty creating separation due to defensive designs.

In the NFL, it’s not the play call that wins the game, it is the players. Defensive coordinators are too smart to outwit consistently so QBs have to find an advantageous matchup to exploit. With resources dedicated to eliminating primary targets and rushing the passer, the WR3 will find himself with a one-on-one matchup where the game comes down to will and desire over skill and scheme.

Demarcus Robinson knows this all too well as before the Monday night game against Miami, he had two straight games with two touchdowns, scoring the game-winners in both.

Robinson, a nine-year veteran, has been in this role since his early days in Kansas City. As a member of the Legion of Zoom, Robinson played a WR3 role, helping the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV.

So it is mindboggling to see a player who has gotten it done throughout his career, especially in the last several weeks, only see five targets on Monday – many of which were uncatchable.

Robinson was a key piece in the Rams’ late-season playoff push in 2023, putting up 14 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games he played during the regular season (held out in the season finale as the Rams had already clinched a playoff birth). He also caught 73.6% of passes thrown his way.

All three of those games ended in victory. In fact, when Robinson has at least four catches, the Rams are 4-1 in those games with the lone loss coming in the 2024 season-opener against Detroit.

Getting Robinson involved forces defenses to adjust, shining more attention on him. Thus, less attention gets put on the rest of the Rams’ playmakers, leading to more opportunities for established stars like Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.

The numbers say it, the film says it and the fact Robinson has played in the postseason every year of his career says it. Get him the ball. Considering he was drafted in 2016, if the Rams want to make the playoffs, perhaps rely on the guy that’s been there eight straight times.

Watch: Demarcus Robinson makes spectacular game-winning one-handed catch in OT

Demarcus Robinson won it for the Rams with an incredible one-handed touchdown catch in overtime

The Los Angeles Rams won their third straight game on Sunday, but their victory over the Seattle Seahawks didn’t come easy. It was a wild overtime win against a division rival, and it was Demarcus Robinson who broke the tie with about 5 minutes left in the extra frame.

Matthew Stafford hit him deep for a 39-yard score, and Robinson made a one-handed catch in the end zone to win it for the Rams. It was a spectacular catch, the second touchdown of the day for Robinson and his fourth in the last two games, helping lift the Rams to their third straight victory.

Here’s a look at the play from Stafford to Robinson to win it for Los Angeles.

 

Rams stuff Seahawks on defense, win on Matthew Stafford TD pass in overtime

The Rams downed the Seahawks in overtime on a Matthew Stafford TD pass

The Los Angeles Rams stopped the Seattle Seahawks on two short-yardage plays in overtime on Sunday. They then took the football and won the game on a Matthew Stafford pass to DeMarcus Robinson.

LA’s 26-20 win raised the Rams’ record to 4-4. Seattle fell to 4-5 and last in the parity-laden NFC West.

It was a bizarre game for the Seahawks. The only times they scored were in the final minute of the second quarter and the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Seattle scored two touchdowns in 46 seconds before halftime. The Rams then countered with17 straight points to take a 20-13 lead.

Geno Smith, who threw three TD passes and three interceptions, found Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a 14-yard pass with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Seattle got the ball and was driving until LA’s defense stopped it cold on third and four down in Rams territory.

The Rams took over and Stafford drove them 83 yards in four plays with the final 39 coming on the pass to Robinson.

Sean McVay was one pumped-up coach.

Watch: Demarcus Robinson jukes Seahawks DB with filthy release on TD catch

Demarcus Robinson nearly sent Riq Woolen to the ground with a filthy move at the line to get wide open for a TD

Demarcus Robinson doesn’t have the release skills of Davante Adams at the line of scrimmage but Adams would probably appreciate this move by the Rams receiver. In the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, Robinson juked Riq Woolen at the goal line with a brilliant jab-step to the inside before breaking outside for an easy touchdown.

The release allowed Robinson to come wide open on the play and Matthew Stafford didn’t miss him, completing the pass for six points. That touchdown pulled the Rams closer, making the score 13-10 after Joshua Karty’s PAT.

Here’s a look at Robinson’s filthy move at the line.

How will Cooper Kupp’s return impact Rams’ WR depth chart?

With Cooper Kupp returning, how will the Rams deploy their Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson and their other WRs?

The Los Angeles Rams have merely been trying to tread water in the last four and a half games without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua available. Their receiving corps has consisted of players such as Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson and Jordan Whittington, with Tyler Johnson and Xavier Smith also contributing.

Despite only playing in a game and a half this season, Kupp still ranks third on the team in receptions (18), which shows how heavily utilized he was in Weeks 1 and 2 before injuring his ankle. With Kupp on the verge of returning this Thursday, it creates some questions about how the Rams’ receiving corps will look now that he’s back.

Even for a team that uses 11 personnel more than 90% of the time, fitting all six wideouts into the equation will be a challenge. So who stands to lose playing time when Kupp returns?

If we look at the snap counts from this season, it could help paint a clearer picture.

  • Demarcus Robinson: 352 snaps
  • Tutu Atwell: 220 snaps
  • Tyler Johnson: 196 snaps
  • Jordan Whittington: 190 snaps

Demarcus Robinson

Even though he’s only caught 13 passes this season, the fewest of the bunch, Robinson continues to play the majority of the snaps. He’s played at least 85% in every game this season, including 91% in the Rams’ most recent game against the Raiders. After starting the year as the No. 3 receiver, we can assume he’ll remain one of the starters with Kupp back.

Tyler Johnson

Johnson had been relegated to a role as the No. 4 receiver prior to Week 5 when Whittington was limited to just nine snaps due to a lack of practice time as he recovers from a shoulder injury. Johnson played just 10 and 11 snaps in Weeks 4 and 5 before playing 50 snaps on Sunday.

Tutu Atwell

Atwell’s role has been steady since Week 3, playing 74%, 90%, 81% and 78% of the snaps in the last four games. His skill set is completely different than Kupp’s, so he provides some variety at wide receiver with his speed and downfield ability.

Jordan Whittington

And then there’s the wild card Whittington, who caught a total of 13 passes for 151 yards in Weeks 4 and 5 before playing just nine snaps on Sunday. He played 97% of the snaps in Week 4 and 92% in Week 5, looking like he had fully taken over the Puka Nacua role. After being listed as a non-participant on Monday’s injury report, and with Sean McVay saying he hopes he has “a little bit more of a workload” this week, it doesn’t sound like Whittington is fully healthy.

Projection

As long as Kupp is healthy, which he appears to be after being a full participant on Monday’s estimated report, he’s going to play the majority of the snaps. We can probably expect Atwell to play about 75% of the snaps as one of the outside receivers, with Robinson getting a healthy number of snaps as the X-receiver on the boundary.

That leaves the rest of the snaps to Johnson and Whittington. Johnson led the team with 57 yards in Sunday’s win, but he’s not exactly a dynamic playmaker. And with Whittington banged up, he may not be ready for a full workload just yet.