The Rams special teams shows up in big way in win over Jets in Week 16
The Los Angeles Rams won their fourth consecutive game in Week 16, defeating the New York Jets 19-9. Led by performances from the special teams and running back Kyren Williams, the Rams were able to pull out an ugly win on the east coast. Here is this week’s stock up, stock down.
Stock Up: Rams special teams
It seems odd to be talking positively about the Rams special teams. However, the Rams special teams unit was a big reason for the win against the Jets. While Anders Carlson missed an extra point and a field goal, Joshua Karty made field goals from 38 and 45 yards in tough conditions.
Additionally, Ethan Evans had a punt downed inside the five and Jordan Whittington recovered a muffed punt to clinch the game. The Rams special teams unit played a key role in the Rams win for a second consecutive week which is not something that would have been said over the last few years.
Stock Down: QB Matthew Stafford
The Rams win on Sunday against the Jets was a prime example of the differences between the Matthew Stafford Rams teams and the Matthew Stafford Lions teams. Stafford was not at his best with one of his few throws downfield getting intercepted. His 110 yards passing was the fewest in his career. The last time Stafford threw for under 125 yards and won was back in 2017.
Unlike Detroit, the Rams have an ecosystem that can support Stafford when he isn’t playing at an elite level. The Rams defense held the Jets to under 10 points while Kyren Williams rushed for 122 yards. While Stafford may have been efficient, the Rams defense and running game was able to step up and make the difference in the game.
Stock Up: RB Kyren Williams
Over the past few weeks, the Rams offense has run through Kyren Williams. Williams had 23 attempts for 122 yards and scored his 13th rushing touchdown of the season. That was more rushing attempts than Stafford had passing attempts and more yards on the ground than the Rams quarterback as well.
Williams has had some moments this season when it comes to ball security. The Rams running back had 31 rushing yards over expected which is his second game with more than 20 rush yards over expected this season. He still lacks explosiveness, but he’s been the engine to the Rams offense recently.
Stock Down: Chris Shula
The Rams defense has been playing well over the second half of the season. However, a big reason for that is because they’ve been more aggressive. An issue over the first 4-5 weeks was that the Rams didn’t blitz. The Rams were one of the least blitzing teams early on in the season, but have since increased their blitz rate.
Against the Jets, the Rams blitzed Aaron Rodgers two times. Coming into the game, Rodgers ranked 32nd out of 34 quarterbacks in EPA per dropback against the blitz. The Rams had a 4.5 percent blitz rate, which was the team’s lowest under Sean McVay. While the Rams defense only gave up nine points, the Jets had 32-minutes in time of possession and four of their first five possessions went more than 10 plays.
Stock Up: Rams playoff position
Sunday’s results could not have gone any better for the Rams. In the NFC West, both the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks lost, putting the Rams in firm control of the division. Depending on results next week, the Rams could clinch the division with a win over the Cardinals.
However, additionally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. That puts the Rams all the way up to the three-seed in the NFC playoff race. Despite starting the season 1-4, the Rams are in a good position heading into the final two weeks.
