Tag: Los Angeles Rams

What does the future of the Rams’ offensive line look like?

Despite spending over $90 million on offensive linemen this offseason, there are questions about the future of that group for the Rams

The Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line has been a point of pride for the franchise throughout its entire history. Hall of Famers Orlando Pace, Jackie Slater, Bob Brown, Tom Mack, and potential future Hall of Famer Andrew Whitworth have preserved a longstanding tradition of dominance along the line of scrimmage.

But the state of the Rams’ offensive line in 2024 is a far cry from the days of old. Resting in a state of uncertainty and inconsistent play, the future for the five men up front remains bleak.

Tackles Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein have held up strong but Jackson is in a contract year and Havenstein will be 33 years old at the start of next season, the last year on his deal. Both men may have different futures in football but they share the same cloudiness when it comes to who they will play for next season.

The problem is that the Rams can not afford to lose either of them. The Rams’ offensive line is even more brittle than they already are when either of them misses time and the capital it will take to replace them would be more than it would take to renew their deals. A replacement may also yield poor results.

So both Jackson’s and Havenstein’s agents have serious leverage in contract negotiations, which could leave a dent in the team’s wallet. However, the situation with the tackles is a cakewalk compared to the mess on the interior offensive line.

The Rams signed Jonah Jackson to a three-year, $51 million deal in free agency this offseason. They also re-signed Kevin Dotson to a three-year, $48 million extension. Steve Avila is on a four-year rookie deal worth about $9.2 million and Beaux Limmer is on a four-year rookie deal worth about $4.1 million. All four men are under contract until at least the end of the 2026 season.

That’s over $110 million committed to an interior offensive line unit that has contributed to an extensive display of poor pass protection. With pressure primarily coming from the inside, the Rams have given up 25 quarterback hits in the past four games.

So that begs the question: What is the solution? There really isn’t one. When the Rams signed Jonah Jackson, the thought was that Avila would move to center. Avila played the position at several points during his collegiate career so the move in theory would be simple. It wasn’t. It was a failure and through injuries, Beaux Limmer became the starter.

Limmer is a rookie and plays like one. Yes, Limmer has shown good potential and has thrived in the run game but he recorded a 5.2 pass-blocking grade from PFF on Sunday. That’s out of 100. To bench Limmer now,  however, would ruin his development but keeping him in means exposing Matthew Stafford to even more damaging punishment.

The bigger question is that out of Avila, Dotson and Jonah Jackson, who will be the odd man out when all three are healthy? Currently, it’s Jackson but he’s the most expensive player out of three. Plus, he was promised the guard job when he signed.

But for Avila, if he gets benched, he would be within his rights to request a trade. He’s in the second year of his rookie deal and if he wants to see a big second contract, he’ll need playing time. Plus, he was drafted to be a guard, the position he was a first-team All-Big 12 selection and PFWA All-Rookie Team selection at.

Financially, the answer is to cut Dotson. He and Jackson have similar deals, Dotson is a bit older and he would save the Rams a little over $12 million in cap space. The problem is that cutting Dotson would be one of the worst football decisions of GM Les Snead’s career. Dotson is playing at an All-Pro level, he’s started in every game since week three of the 2023 season and he’s on a very short list of players that the team can not touch. So that begs the question, what do the Rams do?

They could cut Jackson as he offers similar cap relief but that would also mean letting go of a Pro Bowl-caliber player and admitting that his signing was a failure. They could trade Avila but that would mean getting rid of a burgeoning star in the prime of his career while on a cheap contract. The other choice is to bench Limmer. If done, benching Limmer would severely damage the development of a player who has a 50-50 shot of being the centerpiece of the offensive line for the next decade.

If the team doesn’t make a move, they’ll be on the hook for a ton of money, while also having to negotiate potential deals for Havenstein, Alaric Jackson and/or their replacements.

A tough decision lies before Snead but inaction could lead to growing resentment in the locker room and the last thing this offensive line needs is another reason to not be on the same page.

Matthew Stafford suffered ankle sprain vs. Saints but is not expected to miss time

Matthew Stafford sprained his ankle on Sunday but Sean McVay doesn’t expect it to affect the veteran QB

Matthew Stafford has been hit a lot this season and it seems the wear and tear has caught up with the 36-year-old Iron Man. Sean McVay told reporters on Monday that Stafford suffered a lateral ankle sprain in the teams’ victory over New Orleans on Sunday.

Stafford’s standard week of preparation will not be affected as the Rams are set to host the red-hot Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium in a rematch of the 2022 NFL season opener.

As of writing, Stafford will be a full go for the game but his injury and how it affects his mobility will be something to keep an eye on. The Rams have surrendered 25 QB hits in their last four games.

The last time the Bills played in a domed environment, their defense put up six QB hits, four sacks, and forced four turnovers in a 30-20 win over a Joe Flacco-led Colts team.

The Bills are coming off a 35-10 thrashing in the snow against the 49ers on Sunday night. Buffalo is 3-0 against the NFC West this season as they defeated Arizona 34-28 in the season opener and won 31-10 at Seattle in Week 8.

Sean McVay shares update on Tyler Higbee’s status for Week 14 vs. Bills

Rams TE Tyler Higbee may have to wait a bit longer to make his 2024 debut

Tyler Higbee returned to practice for the first time last week since tearing his ACL and MCL in January, but it was never realistic that he’d be active in Sunday’s game after such little practice time.

There was hope that he could return for Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills but Sean McVay’s update on Monday threw cold water on that idea. McVay said that while Higbee has exceeded everyone’s expectations in his rehab and recovery from a significant knee injury, he most likely won’t be ready to go this week, either.

McVay once again used the phrase “less likely than likely” that he plays on Sunday, indicating that the Rams will probably be without him for at least another week.

Higbee has been on the PUP list since the start of training camp and though he can be activated at any time, the Rams want to take it slow with their veteran tight end.

With Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen all healthy and contributing, they don’t want to rush Higbee back before he’s fully ready.

Rams claim former 1st-round CB Emmanuel Forbes off waivers

The Rams are taking a shot on former first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes after he was waived by the Commanders

The Los Angeles Rams have never been afraid to take a shot on a player who fell out of favor elsewhere and they’re doing so again this season. On Monday, the Rams claimed former Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers. Washington surprisingly cut the 2023 first-round pick on Saturday and the Rams are giving him a fresh start in Los Angeles.

Forbes was the 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Mississippi State but he struggled in his year and a half with the Commanders. He’s played in 20 games and made just seven starts, allowing 46 receptions on 69 targets in the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

By claiming him off waivers, the Rams take on the remainder of his contract, which comes with an average annual salary of $3.85 million per year. His rookie deal runs through 2026, with a fifth-year option in 2027 if the Rams want to pick it up.

The Rams could use help at cornerback behind Cobie Durant and Darious Williams, who were the only two corners to play multiple snaps in Sunday’s win over the Saints.

They do have Ahkello Witherspoon, Josh Wallace and Charles Woods on the depth chart, so Forbes will be competing with them for playing time the rest of the season.

Rams Week 13 snap counts: Blake Corum narrows the gap on Kyren Williams

Kyren Williams led the backfield in snaps again but Blake Corum was on the field more Sunday than he has been all season

The Los Angeles Rams accomplished their goal of leaving New Orleans with a win on Sunday, beating the Saints 21-14 on the road to improve to 6-6. They did so with a fully healthy offensive line for the first time all season, and with a slightly adjusted backfield rotation between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.

On defense, it was much of the same, though there were some minor changes in the secondary with Ahkello Witherspoon getting zero snaps in the win.

Here’s a look at the complete snap counts from Sunday’s game with breakdowns of each position group.

Offense

All five starting linemen played every snap in the game, a positive development for a group that’s been ravaged by injuries all season.

At running back, Kyren Williams remains the starter but he played just 68% of the snaps, his lowest of the season. Previously, he had played at least 79% in every game. That’s because Blake Corum played a season-high 32% of the snaps and had eight carries, also tying his season-high. Corum isn’t going to unseat Williams as the top back but he may start to eat into his carries.

The Rams rotated their wide receivers more than usual, giving Demarcus Robinson only 34 snaps as the No. 3 receiver behind Cooper Kupp (91%) and Puka Nacua (79%). Tutu Atwell saw a slightly bigger role with a 39% snap share, while Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington and Xavier Smith were barely involved.

At tight end, it’s anyone’s guess as to how this group will look each week. On Sunday, it was Colby Parkinson playing the most snaps with 20, but Hunter Long (19) and Davis Allen (18) weren’t far behind. None of the three had a big impact, though.

Defense

Darious Williams and Cobie Durant have both been starters at cornerback but on Sunday, neither player came off the field. They were the only two corners to play multiple snaps, which is notable because typically, the Rams use at least three cornerbacks. Witherspoon saw his role disappear, getting zero defensive snaps in the win. Josh Wallace was the only other corner to play and he got only one snap.

At safety, it was once again a four-man rotation, with Quentin Lake and Kamren Curl each playing the entire game. Kamren Kinchens played 43% of the snaps as the third safety, which allowed Lake to drop down into the slot, and Jaylen McCollough had a 30% snap share as a dime defender.

Christian Rozeboom played the most snaps at inside linebacker (63), with Omar Speights playing 45 snaps as the No. 2 linebacker. Both of them played well against the Saints and will continue to see plenty of playing time moving forward.

Jared Verse and Byron Young remain the top two edge rushers with 55 and 50 snaps played, respectively. Michael Hochet played 39 snaps in his usual role as the third edge rusher and hybrid defender across the defensive front. Nick Hampton played three snaps as the fourth option.

Up front, the Rams once again leaned on Kobie Turner (53), Braden Fiske (48) and Bobby Brown III (28) along the defensive line. Neville Gallimore played 21 snaps and Tyler Davis played 20, so they each had a role in the win, too. Desjuan Johnson played 13 snaps, as well.

Updated NFC West standings headed into Week 14: Seahawks remain in 1st

Updated NFC West standings headed into Week 14: Seahawks remain in 1st

It cannot be overstated how big of a seized opportunity it was for the Seattle Seahawks for winning on Sunday. The Seahawks survived a sloppy and bizarre game against the New York Jets, ultimately prevailing with a 26-21 victory on the road. As I say often, style points do not matter in this league, only wins count.

And count they do, as Seattle created a little distance between themselves and the rest of the division. The Seahawks won, but the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers did not. Arizona lost a narrow battle to the Minnesota Vikings 23-22 with Kyler Murray throwing a game-losing interception in the final minute of the game.

Meanwhile the 49ers suffered their second-straight blowout loss. One week after being dog walked by the Packers to the tune of 38-10, they endured an almost identical fate by losing 35-10 to the Buffalo Bills.

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Rams are still somehow alive, being the only other NFC West team to prevail in Week 13. They also won on the road, taking down the New Orleans Saints 21-14. Below are the current divisional standings:

  • Seattle Seahawks 7-5
  • Arizona Cardinals 6-6
  • Los Angeles Rams 6-6
  • San Francisco 49ers 5-7

Arizona edges out Los Angeles for now due to a direct head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams. The Cards obliterated them 41-10 in Week 2 of this season.

Speaking of the Red Birds, they are Seattle’s next opponent. The rematch of the season is already upon the Hawks, and the stakes are just as high. Should Arizona beat Seattle in Week 14, they will reclaim first place in the NFC West due to a better division record tiebreaker. Currently, the Seahawks are 2-2 in the division, while the Cardinals are 2-1.

Seattle did themselves a favor by winning, but that’s officially in the past. What matters now is finding a way to win in Week 14 to stave off Arizona, and a Los Angeles team that simply will not quit.

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NFC playoff picture: Where the Rams stand after Week 13 win

The Rams are currently 10th in the NFC and their playoff odds sit at 20% through Week 13

The Los Angeles Rams got a much-needed win against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon, bouncing back from a 37-20 loss in Week 12. They overcame a 6-0 halftime deficit and scored 21 points in the second half to steal a win from the Saints, improving their record to 6-6 on the year.

With five games remaining, the Rams are still alive in the playoff race and sit just one game back of the division lead, currently held by the 7-5 Seahawks.

The Rams face a huge test against the Bills in Week 14, going up against a 10-2 team that has won seven in a row and scored at least 30 points in six straight. If they can somehow take down the Bills, the Rams will be in even better shape heading into the final stretch.

Below is a look at the current standings in the NFC.

  1. Lions: 11-1
  2. Eagles: 10-2
  3. Seahawks: 7-5
  4. Falcons: 6-6
  5. Vikings: 10-2
  6. Packers: 9-3
  7. Commanders: 8-5
  8. Buccaneers: 6-6
  9. Cardinals: 6-6
  10. Rams: 6-6
  11. 49ers: 5-7
  12. Cowboys: 5-7

Through Week 13, the Rams are 10th in the conference. NFL.com estimates that their playoff odds sit at 20% entering the final five games, so they’re not close to assured a spot in the postseason just yet.

What’s keeping their odds lower is the fact that their clearest path to the playoffs is with a division title because they’re two games back of the Commanders for the final wild-card spot, with the Bucs and Cardinals also ahead of LA in the standings.

The Seahawks and Cardinals play each other in Week 14 so in a best-case scenario, Arizona and the Rams both win, creating a three-way tie for first in the NFC West at 7-6.

However, if the Seahawks and Rams both win, Seattle will remain one game ahead. The Rams have already beaten the Seahawks once, which means their Week 18 showdown could end up being for the division title.

Rams made big improvements in two key areas vs. Saints

The Rams finally made some strides in two critical areas, which was the difference in the game against the Saints

A lot of things have gone wrong for the Los Angeles Rams on offense this season. Between injuries, inefficient running and penalties, it’s been a struggle to get going on that side of the ball – a surprising development when you consider how much talent the Rams have on offense.

But two things have been the root issue for Los Angeles’ inability to put up points consistently: third down and red zone efficiency. Entering Week 13, the Rams ranked 25th in red zone touchdown percentage and 31st in third-down conversion rate.

On Sunday against the Saints, the Rams made huge strides in both areas. After going 0-for-8 on third down last week and starting Sunday’s game 0-for-2, the Rams moved the chains on four of their final seven third-down attempts to finish the game 4-for-9 – a respectable rate, one that allowed them to sustain drives and put up points in the second half.

In the red zone, the Rams had really struggled in their first 11 games of the season, settling for field goal after field goal. That was particularly troublesome given Joshua Karty’s inaccuracy, missing one field goal in each of his previous three games.

Against the Saints, the Rams were 3-for-3 when reaching the red zone, scoring touchdowns all three times. In a game they won 21-14, that was the difference. Rather than kicking three field goals and only coming away with nine points, they scored three touchdowns. One was a rushing score by Kyren Williams from 4 yards out and the other two were short touchdown receptions by Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua.

In a game where the Rams only ran 55 offensive plays and attempted just 24 passes, they needed to be as efficient as possible when given scoring opportunities. And they were.

If the Rams can continue to move the chains on third down and score touchdowns in the red area, they can be competitive against any team. That’s just a big “if” at this point in the year because as we’ve seen week in and week out, the offense is wildly inconsistent.

Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction and could lead to improvements from the offense as a whole. They’ll be tested in a big way against the 10-2 Bills, who are eighth in red zone defense but only 20th in third-down conversion rate allowed.

The Rams must score touchdowns instead of field goals this Sunday, given the fact that the Bills have scored at least 30 points in six straight games and boast one of the best offenses in the league.

Why NFL Week 13 results were so damaging for 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers’ playoff hopes are fading fast.

The San Francisco 49ers‘ playoff hopes are fading fast.

With its 35-10 loss at Buffalo on Sunday night, the 49ers have now dropped three straight to sink to 5-7 on the season.

The blowout loss also marked the first time since 2015 and just the fourth time in franchise history that San Francisco has lost back-to-back games by 25 points or more.

San Francisco entered Week 13 just a game outside first place in the NFC West, but the 49ers exit the week in the division’s cellar.

The Seattle Seahawks used a 92-yard pick-six from defensive end Leonard Williams to flip an early 21-7 deficit into an eventual 26-21 win at the New York Jets. The Seahawks improved to 7-5 with the win.

Seattle has now won three straight dating back to its 20-17 Week 11 win at San Francisco.

Thanks to Minnesota‘s rally over Arizona, Seattle now owns sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold connected with running back Aaron Jones for a 5-yard score with 1:13 left to play. Then, Vikings cornerback Shaquill Griffin sealed the 23-22 victory with his interception of Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray on the ensuing possession.

The loss drops Arizona to 6-6 on the season and one game out of first place.

The Los Angeles Rams stayed within striking distance thanks to a 21-14 win at the New Orleans Saints. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua in the fourth quarter to help Los Angeles improve to 6-6.

Sitting in the cellar and now two games out of first place, San Francisco will close its 2024 season with games versus Chicago, versus the Los Angeles Rams, at Miami, versus Detroit and at Arizona.

Watch highlights from Rams’ comeback win over Saints in Week 13

If you missed the Rams’ win over the Saints, here are highlights from the game at the Superdome

Plenty of things went wrong for the Los Angeles Rams against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. They started the game 0-for-2 on third down, had just 4 total yards in the first quarter, failed on fourth down and were gashed on the ground by Alvin Kamara.

Despite all that, they still found a way to win, coming back to beat the Saints, 21-14. They scored 14 straight points to take a 14-6 lead in the second half before adding the go-ahead score with 8:54 left, a 7-yard touchdown catch by Puka Nacua to cap off a 56-yard drive.

Though they would’ve liked to win by a more comfortable margin, the Rams will take any victories they can get. They showed resilience and made plays when it mattered most, including Nacua’s touchdown, Jared Verse’s fourth-down pressure and Kyren Williams’ game-sealing 11-yard run in the final minute.

If you missed the game, check out the highlights below.