The Los Angeles Rams are back atop the NFC West standings after a Week 1 loss saw fans question whether they still had the same magic that delivered them a Super Bowl victory last season. Despite a laundry list of injuries and the need to rely on contributions from lesser-known talents on both sides of the ball, the Rams are thriving, and look every bit as competitive as they did in 2021.
Head coach Sean McVay featured one unsung hero in particular in his game plan for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Second-year wideout Ben Skowronek led the way for Los Angeles as the team’s leading receiver, snagging four receptions on four targets for 66 yards in the win.
On Monday, McVay commented on Skowronek’s standout performance against the Cardinals and said that he will continue playing a mixed role in the coming weeks as the coaching staff evaluates their available talent.
The promising receiver has been used in a variety of ways so far this season, including as a lead blocker from the fullback position. Asked if he will continue to be utilized in this unconventional manner, McVay explained that the decision will come down to what the team sees in film study.
“I think it’s kind of something that is always one of the things that we try to work through as coaches every single week,” McVay said. “What’s the best way to take advantage of our players and different things that we can present based on their skill sets? Last year, it was what we felt like what we needed at that time. I’m sure that this won’t be the only thing that ends up being a little different way of trying to accentuate our player skill sets, whether that be personnel groupings or using certain players to create the illusion of that personnel grouping even though you might be in what is typically an 11-personnel type of look.
“So like I said, it kind of goes back to collaboration, but it takes the players to be able to fit and you certainly can’t do that unless you have somebody like a Ben Skowronek that has the toughness, the physicality, the overall football IQ and intelligence to be able to play a bunch of different spots because he’s playing receiver, he’s playing fullback in a lot of those two-back looks. There’s certain plays that we ask him to do, certain some of the roles that are similar to a tight end. It takes the player number one, and then creative coaches that have an open mind of different ways to be able to utilize guys. That’s a real credit to our offensive coaching staff.”
Every week will require a different approach to achieve victory over the Rams’ talented opponents, but if the team can rely on sleeper talent like Skowronek to deliver them game-changing plays on a regular basis, their outlook will remain positive. With a primetime matchup against the San Francisco 49ers looming on Monday night, McVay and his staff would be wise to identify a few more players who might present their rivals with issues on defense, and exploit every mismatch they can find to extend their lead in the division.
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