Tag: Malcolm Brown

Tunnel Vision of Week 1

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Josh Allen 312-57 3
Russell Wilson 322-29 4
 Aaron Rodgers 364-2 4
 Matt Ryan 450 2
 Kyler Murray 230-91 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Josh Jacobs 139 3
Christian McCaffrey 134 2
Nyheim Hines 73 2
Raheem Mostert 151 1
Chris Carson 66 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Davante Adams 156 2
Calvin Ridley 130 2
DeAndre Hopkins 151 0
Adam Thielen 110 2
Julio Jones 157 0
Tight Ends Yards TD
Mark Andrews 58 2
Dallas Goedert 101 1
T.J. Hockenson 56 1
Travis Kelce 50 1
David Njoku 50 1
Placekickers XP FG
Daniel Carlson 3 3
Mason Crosby 5 2
Josh Lambo 3 2
Matt Prater 2 3
Joey Slye 1 3
Defense Sack-TO TD
Saints 3-3 1
Football Team 8-3 0
Ravens 3-2 0
Bills 3-2 0
Chargers 3-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

RB Le’Veon Bell – Hamstring
RB Marlon Mack – Achilles
WR  Devante Parker – Hamstring
RB Jordan Howard – Hamstring
RB Justin Jackson – Quad
TE David Njoku – Knee
TE Blake Jarwin – Knee (ACL?)

Chasing Ambulances

A light week is always great to see. But it also

RB Marlon Mack – Reported to have torn his Achilles and that clears up the Colts’ backfield. Jonathan Taylor becomes the primary rusher but he was snapped up in all fantasy leagues. Nyheim Hines is the free agent to note with seven carries for 28 yards and one touchdown as a rusher, and then eight receptions for 45 yards and a second touchdown. The next three opponents – Vikings, Jets, and Bears – all sport above-average defenses but that likely prompts more passes to Hines and Taylor.

RB Le’Veon Bell – While Bell left the Bills game after only six carries, the woeful Jets only totaled 14 runs in the game anyway. Frank Gore would start if Bell misses time but Josh Adams ran in the score against in Buffalo. The Jets face the 49ers next and that won’t be much better than what happened against the Bills. Gore and Adams come into play only in the biggest of leagues and even then, only for the Bell owners.

RB Jordan Howard – Left with a hamstring strain but like Bell, or even worse than Bell, the Dolphins offense is just not something to waste a free agent move on. Matt Breida wasn’t a factor and Myles Gaskin was the best back with just nine runs for 40 yards. He added four catches for 26 yards but Patrick Laird also had a couple of catches. They face the Bills next as well. Gaskin is worth a stash only in the deepest of leagues but keep all expectations from this backfield low.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

TE Jordan Akins – The Texans are searching for new receivers since DeAndre Hopkins left and while Will Fuller had another Week 1 explosion, that’s not going to happen often (or ever if last year serves). The third-year tight end Akins was a star in training camp and caught two passes for 39 yards that included a 19-yard touchdown. Not reliable yet, but at least Akins deserves to land as fantasy depth. The Texans have a bad stretch up next – Ravens, Steelers and Vikings – so Akins won’t be a starting option this month.

TE Greg Olsen – Like Akins, he surprised with four catches for 24 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. There’s not enough left after D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett take their share, but Olsen is worth at least watching.

WR Russell Gage – The Falcons produced three wideouts with nine catches for over 100 yards in one game thanks to the 450 passing yards by Matt Ryan. It was a great game by Gage to be sure, but he’ll never be as reliable as either Julio Jones or Calvin Ridley. He’s worth rostering only if you own Ridley or Jones as insurance.

Browns running backs – Nick Chubb’s value took a hit with the Browns falling behind so badly since Kareem Hunt plays in more passing situations. Chubb ended with only ten carries for 60 yards and Hunt finished with 13 runs for 72 yards and four catches for nine yards. The good news is that the next two games are at home against the Bengals and Redskins so Chubb should improve.

RB Mark Ingram – The Ravens decimated the Browns and yet Ingram only ran ten times for 29 yards while the rookie J.K. Dobbins gained 22 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Gus Edwards had four carries as well so Ingram’s role appears to be shrinking.

RB Devin Singletary – Like Ingram, Singletary’s team had their way with the Jets but he only ran nine times for 30 yards while the rookie Zack Moss took nine carries for 11 yards.  Worse yet, Moss scored a touchdown on his three catches for 16 yards while Singletary went scoreless despite five receptions for 23 yards.  At least he did not fumble, but the expectations that Singletary’s role would get dialed back was correct.

WR Nelson Agholor – He only caught one pass for the Raiders but it was a 23-yard touchdown and the rookie starter Bryan Edwards settled for just one catch for nine yards. The Raiders are still throwing mostly to Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller, but Agholor is worth noting.

WR Robby Anderson – While No. 1 wideout DJ Moore was held to only four catches for 54 yards in the Panthers new offense, Anderson turned in 115 yards and one score on six catches thanks to a 75-yard touchdown. The scheme intends to be pass-heavy and Anderson has already made a splash as the No. 2 receiver.

RB Adrian Peterson – Kerryon Johnson only ran seven times for 14 yards against the Bears while Peterson accounted for 93 yards on 14 runs and even caught three passes for 21 yards. D’Andre Swift ran in a score but was only used on three rushes for eight yards. Peterson’s value is higher than expected but this will remain a committee.

TE T.J. Hockenson – He caught all five passes and gained 56 yards with the lone receiving touchdown. That’s a positive sign for the tight end that was drafted specifically to be a cog in the passing game.

RB James Robinson – The Jaguars game of musical chairs for their backfield ended with the undrafted Robinson getting the starting nod. He handled all the backfield carries with 16 for 62 yards and even caught a 28-yard pass. He’s worth owning if only for Week 3 when the Dolphins visit.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling – Davante Adams is simply a pass-sponge but MVS turned four catches into 96 yards and a score on the Vikings on Sunday. He’s had good showings in the past and then disappeared for almost all of 2019. But notable that he generated some buzz this summer and then delivered.

QB Cam Newton – What says Tom Brady is gone more than having the Patriot’s quarterback run 15 times for 75 yards and two scores?  Newton threw for 155 yards and even completed 15 of 19 passes. But a muddle committee backfield just got a lot worse with less scoring and runs to go around.

TE Dallas Goedert –  Carson Wentz was surprisingly less effective passing with only 24 of 42 passes completed and Goedert was the only one with notable production when he turned a team-high nine targets into eight catches for 101 yards and a score. That was the same number of catches by all wide receivers combined. The Eagles disappeared after leading 17-0 so hard to rely on any of the outcomes, but Wentz is still having trouble connecting with his wideouts even though they are all healthy now.

RB Peyton Barber – While Antonio Gibson (9-36) got all the hype this summer, Washington turned to Barber (17-29, 2 TD) to lead the backfield in carries. Touchdowns aside, the running backs only combined for 65 yards on 26 carries in a home game they controlled for the second half. Playing in Arizona next week doesn’t look like as much fun as it used to be so Barber is still no safe fantasy start.

RB Joshua Kelley – The Chargers lost Justin Jackson to a quad injury so Kelley hasn’t formally become the No. 2 running back. But the rookie gained 60 yards and a score on 12 carries. Austin Ekeler (19-84) also ran effectively though never more than 13 yards on any carry. But the offense only threw one pass to a running back all game. That’s a major shift from life with Philip Rivers under center.

RB Ronald Jones – The jury was still out on Jones and then once Leonard Fournette was acquired, the fantasy world figured that the third-year back wasn’t going to be a factor. Not so fast. Fournette ran five times to gain five yards while Jones handled 17 rushes for 66 yards and caught two passes for 16 yards. We should know a lot more after the Bucs host the Panthers this week, but Jones ran strong and Fournette isn’t effective, at least not yet.

TE George Kittle – Caught four passes for 44 yards in the first half but then had a shot to his left knee that looked bad and sent him to the sideline. He played in the second half but never caught a pass so fantasy owners need to pay attention to practices to see if Kittle will be healthy to play at the Jets this week. The 49ers ran out of starting wideouts already and finally started throwing to Raheem Mostert (4-95, TD).

RB Malcolm Brown – Cam Akers ran for 39 yards on 14 carries but Brown took the lead against the Cowboys with 18 runs for 79 yards and both rushing touchdowns, along with three receptions for 31 yards. Akers may eventually become the new Gurley, but so far Brown owns that role.

The Week 1 Chill Pill

Before you freak out that your players all suck or that we all whiffed on drafting the stars of 2020, the annual reality check is in order.

The top 3 wideouts from Week 1, 2019 were Sammy Watkins (9-198, 3 TD), DeSean Jackson (8-154, 2 TD), and John Ross (7-158, 2 TD). All three got you nowhere last year after Week 1.

T.J. Hockenson turned in six catches for 131 yards and one score. David Johnson totaled 137 yards, five receptions and one touchdown. Case Keenum ended with 380 passing yards and three touchdowns. It happens.

Joe Mixon opened 2019 with just 17 yards. Tyreek Hill had 21 yards. Mike Evans only managed 28 yards in a season where his team passed for over 5,000 yards.

It’s just one week. And usually very different than the rest of the season.

Huddle player of the week

Davante Adams  –  While Michael Thomas was turning in a head-scratching Week 1, Davante Adams richly rewarded the fantasy drafters that probably spent a first-round pick on him. Adams roasted the Vikings with 14 receptions for 156 yards and two scores as the best fantasy play on opening weekend. That tied the all-time Packer record for single-game receptions.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Cam Newton 230 2 QB Drew Brees 160 2
RB Peyton Barber 29 2 RB Devin Singletary 53 0
RB Nyheim Hines 73 2 RB Le’Veon Bell 46 0
WR Jamison Crowder 115 1 WR Michael Thomas 17 0
WR Robby Anderson 115 1 WR Odell Beckham 22 0
WR Russell Gage 114 0 WR Keenan Allen 37 0
TE Dallas Goedert 101 1 TE George Kittle 44 0
PK Matt Prater   2 XP   3 FG PK Ka’imi Fairbairn  2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 134 Huddle Fantasy Points = 39

Now get back to work…

WATCH: Former Texas Longhorn scores first touchdown in Rams new stadium

Former Texas Longhorn running back Malcolm Brown scores the first touchdown in the Los Angeles Rams new stadium.

The first Sunday Night Football game of the 2020 season. The Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams meeting in the first week. This opened the Rams and Los Angeles Chargers brand new stadium. A multibillion dollar state of the art stadium. A couple former Texas Longhorns taking part in the game on both sides of this match.

The Rams are rolling with a running back by committee which includes former Longhorn running back Malcolm Brown. Brown joined the Rams after the 2015 NFL Draft where he signed as an undrafted free agent. Brown has spent his entire career with the Rams organization. He became the first player to score in the new home stadium.

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.

We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Texas Longhorns athletics by joining the Longhorns Wire Forum.

Watch: Malcolm Brown scores first TD ever at SoFi Stadium

Remember this for future trivia use.

If you ever play SoFi Stadium trivia one day, make sure you remember who scored the first touchdown ever in the Rams’ new home.

Malcolm Brown punched it in from 1 yard out on Sunday night against the Cowboys, finding the end zone for the first-ever touchdown at SoFi Stadium. It came on the Rams’ first drive of the night, which Cam Akers started at running back.

The Rams went 75 yards on seven plays to open the game and their new stadium, going up 7-0 right out of the gate.

Here’s another look at Brown’s touchdown from the back of the end zone.

Here’s what Les Snead said about Cam Akers and the Rams’ plan at RB

Snead said the Rams “really like where Cam’s at,” but also mentioned Brown as a closer.

The biggest question surrounding the Rams entering this season – at least for fantasy owners – is who will get the bulk of the carries at running back. Will it be the rising rookie Cam Akers? Will Malcolm Brown’s experience earn him the most playing time? Is Darrell Henderson more than just a change-of-pace guy?

We don’t know the answers to those questions right now, and we may not for a few weeks. Sean McVay has been tight-lipped on the entire discussion, not wanting to tip his hand in any way, shape, or form.

Les Snead also isn’t giving anything away, but he was on the “Rich Eisen Show” Thursday and was asked about how the backfield will play out. He didn’t reveal anything definitively, but it sounds like Akers and Brown will get the first crack at the RB1 spot, with Henderson mixing in as a third option when he’s healthy.

“I think the running game is still to be determined,” Snead said. “What we do know is we really like where Cam’s at and he’s ready to roll, even with no offseason. We know we have a very, very stable veteran that stabilizes that room who’s been very successful for us. Probably had some of the more tough yards since 2017 for us in those four-minute situations – that’s when you’re trying to close out a game and basically everybody in the stands and everybody on television knows you’re trying to run out the clock and the running back’s getting the ball – he’s been successful there. So I think between those two, mix in D-Henderson when he does get healthy and go from there.

“So at this point, committee approach and usually from there, there will be either a hot hand or someone who proves that, you know what, ‘Hand me the ball more than the next guy.’ So that’s still to be determined, but we do like that approach.”

While he didn’t say much about Akers, his acknowledgment that the Rams like where he’s at right now is telling – and simply that he was the first running back brought up by Snead. It’s a good sign for the rookie, who the Rams have brought along quickly in a truncated training camp.

Even more interesting, he mentioned Brown’s work as a closer and in short-yardage situations. Could it be that the Rams are going to use Akers early in games and let him get in a bunch of work before shifting more toward Brown to close out contests? And will Brown poach goal line carries from Akers in the red zone?

We won’t know until the games actually begin, and even then their roles could change from week to week. But one thing is clear: Akers and Brown appear to be ahead of Henderson at this point in the process.

Rams won’t name starting RB but are ‘going to ask a lot’ of Cam Akers

Even if he’s not the starter, Cam Akers will get his chances on Sunday.

All eyes will be on the running back position when the Rams offense trots out on the field for the first time on Sunday night against the Cowboys – not because it’ll be weird to see someone besides Todd Gurley behind Jared Goff, but because everyone is interested to see who the starter is.

It could be rookie Cam Akers, who the team drafted in the second round, but Malcolm Brown is the experienced veteran who’s excellent in pass protection and capable as a receiver. Even if Brown gets the call as the “starter” by title in Week 1, Akers will be involved.

McVay said Monday that the Rams are “going to ask a lot of him” in Week 1 despite Akers being a young player.

Akers has been getting first-team reps in practice and in the Rams’ two scrimmages, splitting time with Brown. Darrell Henderson Jr. could be available in the season opener, but even if he’s recovered from his hamstring strain, he won’t get as many chances as Akers and Brown.

Fantasy owners are dying to know how the Rams divvy up the touches at running back, but in all likelihood, Akers should be the guy by season’s end. It’s just a matter of him getting up to speed and acclimated to the NFL.

Rams RBs coach prefers ‘clear-cut’ starter, says competition will be ongoing

Thomas Brown would prefer a clear-cut starter, but says the competition at RB will be ongoing.

The running back position has been a focal point for Rams fans all offseason after the team cut Todd Gurley and drafted Cam Akers in the second round. They have three capable starters with Akers, Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson, but the Rams have yet to name a starter or say who will get the bulk of the carries.

Akers and Brown have been working the most with the first-team offense, especially now that Henderson is rehabbing a hamstring injury, but there’s no definitive starter.

And that’s not exactly how Rams running backs coach Thomas Brown would like to have it. He would prefer to have one running back getting most of the carries – a “clear-cut guy,” as he put it.

“I think it’s whatever helps up win a football game,” Brown told reporters last week when asked how the running back situation will work out. “I think every single situation’s going to be different. Obviously, I think you’d prefer to have a clear-cut guy to take the majority of reps and having certain guys that have a role in that offense, but I think it’s all about how those guys continue to develop and what they do well for us offensively and what can help us win football games.”

There’s only one week of training camp left and less than two weeks until the season opener against the Cowboys. Like the kicking competition, the Rams don’t seem to be in a rush to crown a winner of the running back battle.

Brown even admitted Akers, Henderson and Brown will be fighting for the starting job into the regular season, with the Rams figuring out their roles on a weekly basis.

“Definitely about what those guys do from a performance standpoint. But more important, I think the competition is always ongoing,” he said. “Just because you may start in a certain spot, it’s not guaranteed you’ll be in the same spot week after week.

“We’re still in the process of evaluating guys and competing.”

The Rams have been bringing Akers along quickly in this pandemic-shortened offseason, giving him a lot of work with the starters. In all likelihood, he should emerge as RB1 at some point this season, given his draft pedigree and potential.

One would think the Rams didn’t draft him to limit his workload to 10 carries per game as a rookie, especially with Henderson and Brown doing little to stand out in practice thus far.

As Brown said, their roles could change on a weekly basis, which gives the Rams a lot of options in the backfield – and fantasy owners endless nightmares.

Rams triplets ranked in bottom third of NFL

The Rams’ triplets were ranked fairly low, weighed down by the running back position.

The biggest change fans will notice when watching the Rams from last year to this season – besides the new uniforms, of course – will be the absence of Todd Gurley in the backfield. He’s been a cog on offense for the last five years, but the Rams cut him back in March, less than two years after signing him to a record-setting contract.

In his place will be one of three players: Malcolm Brown, Cam Akers or Darrell Henderson. Sean McVay has yet to decide who will be the starting running back, as he’ll let the competition play out in camp and early in the season.

At quarterback, it’ll still be Jared Goff. And the top wide receivers will remain Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. But when assembling a cast of triplets – a QB, RB and WR – the Rams are weighed down by the running back spot.

Ali Bhanpuri of NFL.com ranked each team’s offensive triplets and the Rams came in at No. 24.

Quarterback: Jared Goff — Rank: 20 (One game: 20 | 2020 prod.: 18)
Running back: Malcolm Brown — Rank: 32
Pass catcher: Cooper Kupp — Rank: 18

Crazy what happens to an offense — and a quarterback’s efficiency — when you struggle to run the football. The Rams’ rushing attack plummeted 33 percent year-over-year in yards per game (139.4 to 93.7), shining a spotlight on Goff’s flaws under center. As a result, the team scored 122 fewer offensive points than it did in 2018, and Goff — pressing more than he had at any point since head coach Sean McVay’s arrival in 2017, the QB’s second year in the NFL — averaged a whole yard less per attempt (7.4). After a shock to the system like that, it’s no wonder McVay is looking to mimic the RB-by-committee approach of the reigning NFC champions, especially considering how said approach effectively elevated a quarterback of a similar talent level in San Francisco. Brandin Cooks’ departure makes official what became crystal clear last year: When at 100 percent, Kupp is the most reliable offensive weapon on L.A.’s roster.

The Rams could very easily finish the season higher than 24th if the running game exceeds expectations. It’ll likely take on a committee approach with the three aforementioned names, most likely led by the rookie Akers.

Henderson is a nice complementary piece and change-of-pace back, while Brown provides stability and short-yardage prowess.

Kupp and Woods are a coin-flip for the selection at wide receiver in this exercise, but by having to choose just one, it does the Rams no justice because their strength is in numbers at wideout, not with one star like Michael Thomas or DeAndre Hopkins.

Malcolm Brown taking on leadership role with Todd Gurley gone

Malcolm Brown is using his experience in the Rams offense to his advantage this year.

Malcolm Brown is only 27 years old, but he’s viewed as the elder in the Rams’ running back room. That’s because the other backs on the roster are all 23 or younger and have no more than one year of NFL experience.

Brown is now viewed as the leader of the group with Todd Gurley gone, and it’s a role he’s embracing.

“Yeah, I mean it’s been easy to fall into that role. I knew right when left, I would probably play a bigger role. It’s easy in that running back room because we all want to learn and we all want to get better,” he said via conference call Monday. “So, there is nothing drastic that’s happened or anything like that. But, like I said, throughout training camp, we’ll see how we’ll fall into our roles and everything like that. But, everybody in that room wants to learn and wants to get better and we play off of each other. It makes it so much easier.”

Brown isn’t that much older than his fellow running backs on the team, but he does have at least three more years of experience on all of them. Apparently, Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, John Kelly and Xavier Jones all let Brown know just how much older he is, frequently ribbing him about his age.

Brown couldn’t think of anything specific that represents the age gap, but he’s gotten an earful from his running mates.

“Man, I don’t know if I can think of any examples right off the bat. But, I definitely know what you’re talking about. Definitely,” he said. “They always make jokes that I’m the old head in the room and stuff like that. They remind me on the daily, for sure. I can’t sit here and think of an exact example. But, I definitely feel exactly what you’re talking about and they’re going to remind me all the time.”

Much of the talk surrounding the running back position has centered on Akers and Henderson. They’re the duo that has fans excited about the future, even though neither of them has been a key contributor like Brown has in the past.

He doesn’t yet know what his role is going to be on offense this season, but he’ll be in the mix for the starting job with Akers and Henderson. That battle will be settled in training camp and early in the season when things get back up to full speed.

“I believe we’ll really see once we strap the pads on and get training camp rolling and things like that we’ll kind of see how things play out,” he said. “I know myself and my mind, what I have for myself in that running back room being the oldest guy, is to do my best to bring these young guys along. I know I’ve been in this offense longer than anybody and then with the great addition that we have with Coach Thomas Brown, just to be an extra set of eyes, be an extra example for these young guys to play off of because, like I said, obviously I’ve been in it longer than anybody in the room.”

Rams RBs coach: Cam Akers can ‘potentially grow into an every-down back’

Thomas Brown spoke highly of the Rams’ backs, especially Akers.

The Los Angeles Rams appear to be moving away from having a true workhorse in the backfield and toward utilizing a committee at running back. At least, that’s what the decision to cut Todd Gurley and the selection of Cam Akers would seem to suggest.

And based on the way Sean McVay and Les Snead have talked about the running back group this offseason, it seems like the Rams will spread out the touches much more than they did with Gurley in the backfield.

New running backs coach Thomas Brown spoke recently about the Rams’ ball carriers and although he spoke highly of all of them, he only mentioned Akers as potentially becoming an every-down back.

Here’s what he told TheRams.com in a phone interview this week.

“Really excited about (him), know a little bit about from a history standpoint, just from trying to recruit the guy when I was (coaching) in college,” Brown said. “But a guy that can potentially grow into an every-down back, that can I do it all I think. Can play between the tackles, can play in space. Obviously the pass protection aspect of it is going to be the biggest part for any running back, especially young backs, coming into this league with the different number of looks and pressures you’ll have a chance to go against week in and week out.”

“A guy that I’ve continued to grow some confidence in, just meeting with from a virtual standpoint, of him understanding more about the offense and having the chance to come in and compete.”

The Rams haven’t committed to one back over the others, and they probably won’t. Not until one truly emerges out of the group, at least, which may take weeks into the regular season. Akers doesn’t have the NFL experience that Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown have, either, which doesn’t help his case entering his rookie season.

But Brown is right: Akers seems like the best fit as an every-down back, and it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if he turns into one at some point this year.

Malcolm Brown calls out anyone doubting his receiving skills

Malcolm Brown is here to silence his doubters, and he has tape to back it up.

The running back position has gotten a lot of attention in Los Angeles this offseason after the Rams cut Todd Gurley and drafted Cam Akers in the second round. Darrell Henderson’s name has been brought up often in recent months, too, given the opportunity now present atop the depth chart at running back.

The player who hasn’t been discussed much is Malcolm Brown, the veteran of the bunch who backed up Gurley for the better part of the last four seasons. He’s viewed as a reliable player who’s good between the tackles and in short-yardage situations, but his receiving ability is rarely on display.

His 20 career catches in five years have led some to believe he isn’t a good pass-catching back, but he’s here to dispel that notion. Brown shared six clips on Instagram showing himself doing everything from making a one-handed catch to shaking linebackers – Cory Littleton included – on option routes in the middle of the field.

Brown is the type of player who does everything relatively well but isn’t elite in any single category. He’s a good blocker, has displayed good ball security and is decent when it comes to breaking tackles, but he doesn’t have the power that Gurley did, nor the speed that Akers and Henderson possess.

He’s still a quality back, however, and someone the Rams can count on to pick up a blocking assignment on third down or sneak into the end zone near the goal line.