Turf Show Times
The Los Angeles Rams moved to 2-0 after a closer than expected contest against the Tennessee Titans. LA came out on top 33-19.
Do we know who the Rams are and what they are capable of after two games? It’s really not clear.
Los Angeles bested a talented Houston Texans team that has holes in important areas of their roster in the opener. This weekend’s game against the Titans was a tale of two halves. It’s difficult to know how this team stacks up for their Week 3 matchup versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
But good teams find ways to win. That’s exactly what the Rams were able to accomplish on Sunday.
Which individuals affected the outcome in positive and negative ways? Let’s look at the “winners & losers”.
Now up to three sacks on the season with two coming from this game, Byron Young is on pace for a major statistical breakout in his third year as a pro. Young was stout in the run game on Sunday as well.
Most importantly—with the outcome in the balance at 20-16 Rams with two third of the fourth quarter remaining—Young recorded a strip sack on rookie QB Cam Ward to trigger a resounding finish by LA. They went on to score 13 fourth quarter points after this splash play.
Jared Verse hasn’t filled up the stat sheet yet. Opposing offensive lines are paying him a lot of attention. If Young is going to capitalize like this consistently, his presence will make the Rams defense dangerous.
Nacua is the engine of the Rams offense. His early 45-yard rushing touchdown set the tone. While Davante Adams out targeted and gained more yards than Nacua at 13-106 and 9-91, the offense seemed more efficient when they got the ball in the hands of their best offensive player.
Ahkello Witherspoon left the game early due to a shoulder injury. Fortunately for Los Angeles, they didn’t seem to miss him too much. It’s worth mentioning that Witherspoon brings a size element to the corner room that others don’t offer; however, he’s the worst coverage player out of the big four on the roster.
While Williams did not play a single defensive snap last week against Houston, he stepped in for roughly a third of the game and played admirably. Williams was stingy in coverage and forced a pass breakup in limited targets.
You can do worse than having a savvy veteran with a wealth of experience in this defense on the bench. That value was evident on Sunday afternoon.
There wasn’t much to be excited about with the Rams running game in the first half and continuing into the second. Blake Corum received two carries and created yards after contact in a way that Kyren Williams simply was not. Sean McVay rewarded Corum with more touches, and he rewarded his head coach by rushing five times for 44 yards...
