Rams rookies lead the way in win over Cardinals
It never seems to come easy for the Los Angeles Rams and that was the case on Saturday even against the Cardinals. Needing a win to put themselves in position to win the NFC West, the Rams toughed out yet another ugly win, coming out on top 13-9. The Rams defense came up big in spots while the rookie class made their impact felt. Here are my 10 takeaways.
1. McVay and Rams have to figure out slow starts on offense
It seems like every week this is the first talking point. However, every week, it continues to be a problem. The offense started 1-for-4 on third down and they were shutout in the first quarter for the 11th time this season. At this point, it’s hard to even know what the issue is. Is it a game planning and coaching issue or is it an execution and player issue?
Whatever the problem is, the Rams can’t keep starting games like this. When it comes to playoff football, it takes four quarters to win games and the Rams are currently playing three. The inability to score in the first quarter is honestly unacceptable for this offense and it needs to be better.
2. Offense must find a secondary option in passing game
Quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 17 passes on Saturday night against the Cardinals. Out of those 17 completions 10 of them went to Puka Nacua and no Rams wide receiver had more than one catch. Wide receivers outside of Nacua seem to be struggling to generate any separation. When Nacua isn’t getting open, the play breaks down and Stafford has to then force something or check it down.
Cooper Kupp had one catch and it was a big one. With that said, the Rams need more consistency from their star wide receiver. He’s been held to three catches or less in three consecutive games which is the longest streak of his career. The Rams need Kupp to perform come the postseason.
3. Joe Noteboom is a liability
Coming into the game, it was uncertain whether or not Rob Havenstein would play. Havenstein was inactive for the game and will be week to week after suffering a shoulder injury in practice. That meant the right tackle responsibilities fell on Joe Noteboom. Before the game, there were serious questions on whether or not Noteboom could be trusted to play well in that spot. Injuries have had an impact on his level of play and it’s been a while since the Rams have gotten a good performance from him.
Noteboom got called for holding three times and struggled on the right side. It’s fair to wonder why it wasn’t Warren McClendon starting. McClendon may not be significantly better than Noteboom, but at least has more upside. The Rams need to figure out whether or not McClendon has a future at right tackle and Saturday night would have been a good test.
4. The Rams defense is playing at a high level
A lot has been asked of the Rams defense over the last three weeks and they’ve stepped up time after time. With the offense struggling in the first half, they pitched a shutout. After they got an interception, the offense proceeded to reward them by going three-and-out and giving the ball back to the Cardinals with more than two minutes left. It brought back memories of the 2022 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which the defense got a late stop up 13-9, the offense didn’t get a first down, and then Tom Brady marched down the field to win 16-13.
However, this defense got the game-winning interception. When they needed a negative play, they got one. Braden Fiske led the team with two sacks. For a third consecutive game, the Rams allowed fewer than 10 points. The last time a Rams defense did that was the first three games of the 1999 Super Bowl season.
5. Michael Hoecht needs to be brought back
A forgotten aspect of the Cardinals needing a touchdown at the end of the game rather than a field goal is Michael Hoecht’s blocked extra point. Hoecht blocked his third kick of the season and that ended up being a big one. It seems like almost weekly, Hoecht is making plays that positively impact games which is a near 180 to last year. He’s embraced his role as a swiss-army knife on defense and has become a bit of a special teams ace.
In the offseason, it seemed like Hoecht may not be brought back. However, after the Rams missed out on edge rushers, he was brought back for another season and has continued to grow. The Rams seemed to draft Brennan Jackson as a potential Hoecht replacement. However, at this point, Hoecht is a player that needs to be brought back.
6. Jared Verse avenged his early season performance
Earlier this season, Rams rookie Jared Verse had a ‘welcome to the NFL’ performance when Kyler Murray made him look silly at times. Verse missed four tackles and looked a step slow. Following the game, Verse said that it would never happen again. While he has missed tackles since then, Saturday night was a chance to show how much he has grown since that Week 2 meeting.
Rams rookie Jared Verse avenged his early season performance against the Cardinals to say the least.
Verse had a team-high 7 pressures, including 4 under 2.5 seconds. He dominated Kelvin Beachum on the right side with an average time to pressure of 2.33 seconds vs. the ARI RT. pic.twitter.com/Ed7dUBxvRa
— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) December 29, 2024
Verse did exactly that against the Cardinals in the biggest game of the season. The Rams rookie seemed to hit a rookie wall over the last month. However, he had a team-high seven pressures against the Cardinals, including six against right tackle Kelvin Beachum. Four of his pressures came in under 2.5-seconds. He may not have had the sacks, but he had high-impact pressures that changed the game. It was a reminder of why he should be the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
7. Not enough is being said about the impact of this rookie class.
After last season, there was a lot of pressure on this rookie class to perform and it was almost expected in a sense. The 2023 class set the bar high, but this year’s rookie class has stepped up, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Rams rookies played a huge role in the turnaround from 1-4 and were integral to the win on Saturday night against the Cardinals.
Fiske led the way on defense with two sacks while Verse had seven pressures, including a few that impacted the play. It was Verse’s pressure on Kyler Murray that led to the interception from Kam Kinchens. Joshua Karty made a 53-yard field goal to extend the Rams lead in the first half to two scores. This rookie class left their mark on this win in a big way.
8. How the Rams are winning is not sustainable
On one hand, it is nice that the Rams are finding different ways to win games. This is a young team that is coached very well who have shown that they can grind out ugly wins consistently. Knowing how to win those games is certainly commendable. However, while impressive, it is not sustainable.
At some point, the offense needs to be more consistent and play up to their level. Injuries to wide receivers and the offensive line are no longer a valid excuse. The Rams are walking a thin line and the margins are small. If they are to make noise in the playoffs, their level of play has to get better.
9. McVay goes from 1-4 to 10 wins for sixth time
After five weeks, the Rams were 1-4 and looked to be on their way to seven or eight wins at most. Here we are with one week to play, and the Rams are 10-6 and McVay clinched double digit wins for the sixth time in eight seasons. Getting to that point isn’t easy and it shows the consistency and culture that McVay has established.
What the Rams have done this season to go from 1-4 to the verge of the NFC West title is nothing short of impressive. The NFC West may not have been as strong as it has been in past years. Still, somebody had to win it and the Rams won games when needed to get the job done. The Rams have won the division three previous times under McVay and this would go down as the most impressive.
10. It’s not official, but win essentially clinches NFC West
A win against the Seahawks next week would guarantee the NFC West for the Rams. However, they could lose and still win the division if certain games go their way. Most of the pressure is off, but the job is certainly not finished.
There will be a lot of debate on whether or not the Rams should rest their starters next week against the Seahawks in prep for the playoffs. Several scenarios will certainly get laid out as to whether or not the third or fourth seed is better. At the end of the day, the Rams are on the verge of accomplishing what few thought they could do. The opportunity to celebrate the division title after win against the Cardinals on Saturday was stolen due to tiebreakers. However, hopefully the Rams can reflect on this after the season and be proud of what they’ve accomplished.