Tag: Quentin Lake

Mic’d up: Quentin Lake shows exactly why he’s a captain for the Rams

Quentin Lake was mic’d up against the 49ers and he showed exactly why the Rams voted him a captain in just his third year

Quentin Lake has gone from being a sixth-round pick to playing every snap on defense for the Los Angeles Rams, becoming an integral part of Chris Shula’s group. What’s most impressive about his rise in the NFL thus far is the fact that he was voted a captain in just his third season.

Against the San Francisco 49ers last week, Lake was mic’d up and he showed exactly why he’s deserving of the “C” on his chest. He’s a terrific leader and an even better communicator on the back end, getting everyone aligned on defense.

In addition to being a captain, he also wears the green dot as the signal caller on defense, relaying the plays from Shula to the rest of the guys on the field. That’s a huge responsibility, but one he’s handled like a pro.

He shared a cool moment with 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga after the game, too, chatting about how they battled in college when Lake was at UCLA and Hufanga was playing for USC.

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.

‘Crazy karma’: Quentin Lake reacts to viral video of Bears DB taunting fans before Hail Mary

Even Quentin Lake couldn’t believe the viral video from the Commanders’ game-winning Hail Mary against the Bears

One of the craziest plays of the 2024 season happened on Sunday afternoon in the Bears-Commanders game, catching the attention of everyone around the league – including Rams defensive back Quentin Lake. In the final seconds, the Commanders beat the Bears on a 52-yard Hail Mary from Jayden Daniels to Noah Brown, stealing a victory with a miraculous finish in front of the home crowd.

Perhaps the most shocking part of the play was Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson’s role in it. As the play was going on, Stevenson was seen mocking Commanders fans in what’s now become a viral video. He then realizes the play’s happening, runs back to the action and tips the pass into the waiting arms of Brown for a touchdown.

Game over.

Stevenson has come under heavy scrutiny and even Lake shared his reaction to the young DB’s actions. He called it “crazy karma” in a response on social media.

 

Rams have secondary decisions to make with Darious Williams nearing a return

Darious Williams could return as soon as this weekend but how will the Rams fit him in at CB?

It’s always good when a starter returns from injury but that can sometimes come with difficult decisions, too. That’s going to be the case for the Los Angeles Rams with Darious Williams making his way back from IR as early as this week.

Williams practiced for the first time on Wednesday and has been designated to return already. The Rams will need to activate him before he can take the field on Sunday, but that seems like a good possibility.

If Williams does return to face the Packers this weekend, the Rams will need to figure out a way to fit him into the secondary – a secondary that’s been struggling without him in the first four games of the season.

They have a few different options to consider, none of which is simple.

Bench Tre’Davious White

The first option is to bench the cornerback who’s been playing the poorest this season: Tre’Davious White. He may have all the accolades as a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler, but his play has hurt the Rams’ pass defense. Whether it’s giving up big plays to Jameson Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. in coverage or committing costly penalties that extend drives, White has not played well thus far.

According to Aaron Schatz, White has the worst coverage DVOA of any cornerback this season.

 

The problem with benching him is he’s a high-profile defender who may not be playing well, but he could potentially turn it around as he gets further and further removed from the torn Achilles he suffered last year.

White and Williams are both at their best as outside cornerbacks and there are only two of those spots available each snap. Perhaps a more limited role for White could do him some good.

Bench Cobie Durant

A second option is benching the other starter on the outside, Cobie Durant. He actually has the lowest coverage grade on the team, per Pro Football Focus, but he’s allowed just 82 yards to White’s 151 on three fewer targets. He also hasn’t allowed a touchdown or committed a penalty yet, while White has given up four scores and committed five penalties (one declined).

Like Williams, Durant is slightly undersized for an outside cornerback, which could create some mismatches for offenses with bigger receivers. Therefore, starting both of them may not be the best approach. But Durant’s speed is also beneficial when the Rams are facing faster receivers who can stretch the field vertically.

Durant may not be playing particularly well right now but he has traits that make him valuable.

Move Durant into the slot and Quentin Lake to safety

If the Rams want to get a little bit more creative, there’s a third option that involves making changes at two positions. They could choose to start Williams at outside cornerback, move Durant into the slot and push Lake back to safety where he would replace the struggling rookie Kamren Kinchens.

This could solve two problems for the Rams. It’ll take Durant off the island of being on the boundary, and it’ll also relieve Kinchens of the heavy workload he may not be fully prepared for as a third-round rookie.

It also presents some hurdles. Right now, Lake has been the Rams’ best defender in the secondary. Per PFF, he’s played 120 of his 258 snaps in the slot, with another 60 snaps as a deep safety and 67 in the box. He can line up anywhere in the secondary and also play dime linebacker, making him a chess piece for Shula to deploy.

While he may be needed at safety, moving him further away from the ball could lead to a regression when it comes to stopping the run – something that’s already been a big problem for the Rams.

It’s a difficult choice no matter what the Rams decide to do, but getting a good player back is always a positive for any team. Hopefully Williams can help turn around a secondary that’s been struggling so far this season.

Sean McVay loves how well Rams’ leading tackler Quentin Lake has played thus far

Quentin Lake has surprisingly emerged as the Rams’ leader in tackles through two games, finding himself around the ball constantly

As much as Quentin Lake has improved his game over the past three years, it’s never a good sign for a team when their leading tackler is a safety. However, that’s where the 0-2 Rams find themselves as Lake leads the team with 21 tackles, 11 of which were solo stops.

A product of UCLA, Lake plays the game of football with the same aggression as his legendary father Carnell Lake. Like Quentin, Carnell also played for UCLA and spent 13 years in the NFL.

Both Lakes, father and son, have a knack for putting ball carriers on the ground. Despite playing safety in the NFL, Carnell played linebacker for the Bruins. His son would inherit his father’s eye discipline, strength, and warrior-like nature, allowing him to make plays all over the field.

When asked about Lake, Sean McVay spoke about his play and the fact he’s the team’s current leading tackler.

“He’s done a great job and he’s at a spot where sometimes you can be in the middle of a lot of the action,” McVay said. “He’s been really active. There are some reasons and some things that you would prefer him not to have to make those plays so that it doesn’t get to the second level or the third level if he’s playing at safety. ‘Q’ has done a good job. He’s in a position to be able to make a lot of plays, but his production is – I think tackles can be a little bit of a misleading stat, but I think ‘Q’ has had two good weeks to start the season.”

While Lake continues to shine, the team remains in shambles after their blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams currently possess one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, getting gashed by both the Cardinals and the Lions.

Perhaps with the home opener on the horizon, Lake’s recent play could force DC Chris Shula to play him closer to the line of scrimmage. Perhaps the inclusion of Lake could help fill the gap left by Ernest Jones but such a tactic could expose the team to the deep pass.

UCLA alum Quentin Lake opens up on being named Rams team captain

A huge honor for Quentin Lake.

Quentin Lake was a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after leaving UCLA. Lake played just nine games in his rookie year and he played in 14 games a year ago.

With Week 1 of the NFL season finally here, Lake was named a team captain for the Rams in a big honor for the former Bruin.

“It was amazing. I really think this though, it’s such a blessing for everybody in the building. I wouldn’t be in this position without everybody in the building…It really is nice, it’s a blessing, but I wouldn’t be in the position I am today without them.”

Laje should see an uptick in playing time in 2024, and being named a team captain is quite the honor for the former Bruin.

The Rams begin the 2024 season on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football.

Rams announce 5 team captains for 2024 season

The Rams will have five team captains this season, including Kobie Turner and Quentin Lake

The Los Angeles Rams’ roster has changed dramatically in the last two years but most of the same leaders remain. Heading into the 2024 campaign, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Rob Havenstein will all be captains once again, representing the offense.

On defense, there are two new faces who have been voted captains: Kobie Turner and Quentin Lake. That’s some high praise for the two young defenders, who are each entering just their second seasons as starters – and for Turner, his second season as a pro.

Jordan Fuller held a similar honor when he was just a second-year player for the Rams and was voted a captain, so this isn’t a team that’s afraid to appoint young guys as leaders if they’ve earned that title.

Stafford, Kupp, Havenstein, Turner and Lake are the only five captains this year, going without a special teams captain in 2024; Ben Skowronek held that honor last season.

Quentin Lake unsure which position he’ll play this season but ‘anywhere is fine’

Quentin Lake doesn’t know if he’ll play safety or nickel this season but he’s comfortable at either spot

It seems almost certain that Quentin Lake is going to be a key player for the Los Angeles Rams this season after emerging as the team’s top slot defender in 2023. It’s just unclear which position he’ll play in Chris Shula’s defense.

A safety by trade, Lake took on a new challenge last season by covering the slot when the Rams were in nickel and dime defenses, which was the majority of the time. However, despite having so much success at that spot, the Rams are toying with the idea of moving him back to a traditional safety role where he’s covering the deep half or middle.

Lake was asked Tuesday about where he expects to play in the secondary this season and he still isn’t sure. All that matters to him is being on the field helping the team win games.

“We’ll see. I think for me, it’s just being on the field,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. It’s up to the coaches on where they want me to be, but we’ll see. Obviously, we’ve got some new additions, some things could get changed. But for the most part, as long as I’m on the field, I’m OK. I’m good.”

When asked whether he prefers playing safety over nickel, he simply said “it’s different.” He doesn’t seem to have a preference between the two positions, having shown the ability to play either one during his football career.

“I would say it’s different,” he said. “Obviously, I played in a little bit of a different position last year. but like I said, anywhere is fine. You can have the communication aspect at different positions. There are little nuances, but at the end of the day, as long as I’m on the field communicating with the guys and helping the team win, that’s all I can ask for.”

Among all slot defenders last season, Lake allowed the 11th-lowest passer rating in coverage (93.9). He’s a terrific tackler, which helped him limit receivers to only 81 total yards after the catch, the second-lowest of any slot defender.

Given his numbers from a season ago and the Rams’ need for a slot corner, it makes a ton of sense for him to stay in that spot – especially after the team brought back John Johnson III at safety.

Training camp should provide some clarity on Lake’s position but look for him to be on the field a bunch no matter what this year.

How does John Johnson’s return impact the Rams secondary?

John Johnson III is back with the Rams, which complicates the depth chart in LA’s secondary

The Los Angeles Rams appeared to be done adding pieces to their secondary after drafting Kamren Kinchens and signing Kamren Curl, but Les Snead and Sean McVay made another notable move on defense this week. The Rams and John Johnson III agreed to terms on a new deal, bringing back the veteran safety for the second straight year.

Johnson didn’t earn a starting role until the second half of last season but the Rams clearly liked the way he played enough to add him to the mix again at safety. His return does complicate things in a secondary that already had several questions to answer.

The only certainties right now are that Curl and Darious Williams will be starters at safety and corner, respectively. Tre’Davious White is likely to be another starting cornerback, but that’s contingent on his health as he recovers from a torn Achilles. It remains to be seen who will cover the slot in the “star” role, a position Quentin Lake played last season, because Russ Yeast and Derion Kendrick are both getting reps there.

Could Lake be moving back to a more traditional safety role next to Curl? And if so, where does that leave Kinchens on the depth chart? And now that Johnson is back, does Kinchens have any chance to start as a rookie?

Last season, Johnson played most of his snaps as a deep safety. Assuming the Rams want to play him there again, he would be a natural fit to start next to Curl, who has been more of a box and slot defender in his career. The Rams have never really deployed a true free and strong safety under McVay, seeking safeties who can play either spot, so they might see Curl and Johnson as interchangeable.

Details of Johnson’s contract haven’t been released yet so we don’t know if the Rams are paying him starter money or the veteran minimum again like last year. That won’t determine his role, but it could be an indication of the team’s plan for him.

The biggest questions on defense following this signing are with Lake and Kinchens. The return of Johnson could mean the Rams want to keep Lake as the “star” and allow Johnson to compete with Yeast and Kinchens next to Curl. It’s hard to imagine Lake falling out of favor so much after a strong 2023 season that the Rams felt the need to replace him by signing Johnson.

No matter how things shake out, the Rams now have more depth and leadership in the secondary than they did a week ago. Johnson was fine with a backup role initially last season before working his way into a starting spot, so he’s a team player through and through.

This is a smart move by Snead and McVay, one that will guard against youth and inexperience creating weaknesses at safety.

Look: Rams players arrive for 1st day of offseason workouts

Rams players have arrived for the 1st day of offseason workouts, including Kobie Turner and Tre’Davious White

It seems like not long ago that the Los Angeles Rams’ 2023 season came to an end with their loss to the Detroit Lions in the wild-card round, but the team is already back in the building preparing for the 2024 campaign.

Monday marked the first day of the offseason workout program, which will gradually ramp up leading into summer break before training camp. Initially, players will mostly go through meetings and lifting sessions, but they’ll be on the field for OTAs in May.

Players began arriving for these voluntary workouts, including Kobie Turner, Ernest Jones, Quentin Lake and Rob Havenstein. Players aren’t required to participate in these workouts but the Rams are not expected to have any holdouts, so attendance should be near-perfect, if not 100%.

The new guys have made their way into the Rams’ building, too. Darious Williams, Tre’Davious White, Kamren Curl, Jonah Jackson and Colby Parkinson all arrived on the first day as they get acclimated to their new team.

Here’s the full schedule for the Rams’ offseason program this year.

  • First Day: April 15
  • OTA Offseason Workouts: May 20-21, May 23, May 28-29, May 31, June 3-6
  • Mandatory Minicamp: June 10-12