On Thursday night, the Rams’ defense gets another opportunity to prove it should be regarded among the NFL’s best when the San Francisco 49ers and their multidimensional star running back visit SoFi Stadium.
The injury-riddled 49ers (3-1), with victories over the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) and Arizona Cardinals (2-2), are in first place in the NFC West. The Rams (3-1) can move into first place with a victory in the division opener.
A key will be giving McCaffrey the same treatment Barkley received in a crushing defeat by the Philadelphia Eagles, and that Taylor endured during the Rams’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday.
Barkley, the reigning NFL offensive player of the year, gained only 46 yards in 18 carries. Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, gained 76 yards in 17 carries.
McCaffrey is averaging 56.3 yards rushing and 76.3 yards receiving per game. But the Rams are well-acquainted with his breakaway threat.
“He’s a fast dude who can bounce it outside,” Rams edge rusher Jared Verse said. “He can run downhill, he can make you pay if you leave even the smallest crease just like we faced the past two weeks.
“I think the biggest threat that he adds is his ability to receive, like he’s leading them in receptions for a reason. He’s leading them in yards for a reason. He’s a dangerous back when you get to it.”
Since the 49ers outbid the Rams to acquire McCaffrey at the trade deadline in 2022, McCaffrey has played against the Rams twice.
In 2022, he rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown, caught eight passes — including one for a touchdown — and passed for a touchdown in the 49ers’ 31-14 victory.
In 2023, he rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown in a 30-23 victory for the 49ers.
“We know they’re going to target him,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “He’s going to be the focal point of their offense and it’s just a huge challenge.”
McCaffrey, however, will be operating in an offense that will be without key several players because of injuries.
Quarterback Brock Purdy and receivers Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Jordan Watkins will not play. Star tight end George Kittle remains on injured reserve for at least one more game.
After signing a one-year, $10-million contract, he seemed to be virtually ignored while playing in the shadow of stars Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Atwell went into Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with only one target in each of the first three games.
He got two targets against the Colts.
But the speedy Atwell made one count.
With less than two minutes left, he broke free, caught a midrange pass from Matthew Stafford and turned it into an 88-yard touchdown that gave the Rams a 27-20 victory before 71,257 at SoFi Stadium.
“Throughout this season, I’m mentally ready for a game like this.” Atwell said. “Just wait for my number, because it’s something I’ve been doing the whole year, all these years that I’ve been here.”
Stafford also tossed touchdown passes to Nacua and Adams, and Kam Curl intercepted two passes as the Rams improved their record to 3-1 and rebounded from their heart-wrenching defeat by the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.
So, not a bad start.
The Rams are far from perfect, or even consistently dominant in any phase.
But nearly a quarter of the way into the season, the Rams still look like the Super Bowl contender they were built to be.
Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates with wide receiver Tutu Atwell after his 88-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter against the Colts.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The Rams don’t have much time to marinate in the victory: the rival San Francisco 49ers are coming to town on Thursday night.
But coach Sean McVay and his players should be feeling confident, if not overly so.
For the second game in a row, Stafford missed on some passes he typically completes. But he was outstanding during a trademark two-minute drill that ended with a touchdown pass to Adams at the end of the first half, during a fourth-quarter drive that Nacua finished with a fourth-down touchdown catch and on his perfect throw to a wide-open Atwell.
Nacua caught 13 passes for 170 yards, and became only the third player in NFL history to have at least eight catches in each of the first four games.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua celebrates after scoring a touchdown to tie the score in the fourth quarter against the Colts.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
General manager Les Snead’s offseason effort to bolster the run defense continues to pay early dividends.
A week after neutralizing Eagles star Saquon Barkley, the Rams limited Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, to 76 yards rushing in 17 carries.
They also forced quarterback Daniel Jones into his first turnovers of the season.
After having two consecutive field-goal attempts blocked by the Eagles — including a potential game-winner that the Eagles returned for a touchdown — Joshua Karty kicked two field goals against the Colts. And punter Ethan Evans boomed long punts that forced the Colts to start drives deep in their territory.
The Rams led 13-10 at halftime after Stafford engineered a patented two-minute drive that covered 96 yards and ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Adams.
Stafford had misfired on a few passes, and also had a few bounce off the hands of receivers, before he found Adams, Nacua and tight end Tyler Higbee on consecutive plays to move the ball to the 21-yard line.
The Rams have struggled to score touchdowns from inside the 20, and it looked like it might be a repeat when Stafford was sacked on first-and-goal from the 10. But this time Stafford finished the deal with a laser pass to Adams.
That momentum, or at least the breaks, continued early in the second half.
Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell caught a pass and seemingly was on his way to turning it into a 76-yard touchdown. But Mitchell lost the ball at the one-yard line and it bounced through the end zone for a touchback that gave the Rams the ball.
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell fumbles the ball into the end zone during the third quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Rams, however, failed to capitalize, and fell behind 17-13 early in the fourth quarter after Jones engineered a long drive that ended with a short touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr.
Stafford did not get much of an opportunity to direct a come-from-behind scoring drive.
On the first play of the ensuing possession, Stafford and Williams could not complete a handoff and the ball fell to the turf for a fumble that was recovered by the Colts.
With about nine minutes left, the Colts kicked a field goal to increase their lead to 20-13.
Despite two penalties that stunted their drive, Stafford finished an 83-yard march with a fourth- down touchdown pass to Nacua that tied the score with 3:20 left.
Taylor broke off a run for an apparent 53-yard touchdown, but a holding penalty nullified the play. Two plays later, Jared Verse sacked Jones and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Colts at their 29-yard line.
The Rams got the ball with 1:44 left, and on their first play, Stafford passed to Atwell for the touchdown.
Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell trots into the end zone ahead of Colts defensive back Camryn Bynum on an 88-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
Another week, another big-name running back across the field on the opponent’s sideline.
Rams running back Kyren Williams acknowledged the well-deserved attention Saquon Barkley received last week before the Rams played the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Now Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL’s leading rusher, is coming to SoFi Stadium.
Williams said a “competitive mindset” drives him when high-profile backs are in the building.
“I know how people look at those guys,” Williams said, “and so it’s like, ‘Bro, you better look at me the same way.’ I love it.”
Williams, who signed a $23-million extension before the season, and second-year pro Blake Corum are providing the Rams with the backfield balance coach Sean McVay envisioned as the Rams built a team regarded as a Super Bowl contender.
Last season, the 5-foot-9, 207-pound Williams carried the ball 316 times. Only Barkley (345 carries) and Derrick Henry (325) of the Baltimore Ravens had more. The Rams averaged 103.8 yards rushing per game, which ranked 24th among 32 teams.
Through three games, the Rams are ranked ninth, averaging 127 yards rushing per game.
Williams, a fourth-year pro, has rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown in 55 carries (4.1 yards per carry). He also has five receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown.
Rams running back Kyren Williams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Corum has rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in 14 carries (7.1 yards per carry). He has one catch for 14 yards.
“Those two play off each other really well,” McVay said, adding, “We feel really good about where both of those guys are at, and continue to lean into it and look for a good balance of being able to keep Kyren feeling good throughout it and take advantage of Blake’s skill set.”
McVay has said that ideally he would like to see Williams get 65% of the carries, Corum 35%. But the flow of the game dictates whether that plays out.
After Williams carried the ball 18 times, and Corum only once, in the opener against the Houston Texans, the duo provided more balanced production in the next two games.
“It was a good one-two punch,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said.
That is what McVay and general manager Les Snead aimed for after Williams carried a combined 544 times in the previous two seasons.
“We’ve got it kind of dialed into where, like, we’re able to feed off each other,” Williams said of he and Corum. “It’s like friendly competition as well. I go out and make a play, now Blake is going to come in and make a play.
“It allows me to stay fresh throughout the whole game. So it doesn’t feel like I just took 50 carries and it’s only the second quarter. To me it’s a great system.”
Rams running back Blake Corum carries the ball during a preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys in August.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Corum, a 2024 third-round draft pick from Michigan, is enjoying the expanded opportunity after getting only 58 carries last season.
“It’s been great getting my feet under me, being able to just go out there and play free and fast,” he said. “Kyren and I are feeding off each other, so it’s been phenomenal.”
Against the Eagles, Williams bested Barkley, who was limited to 46 yards rushing in 18 carries.
Taylor, the 2021 NFL rushing champion, arrives Sunday averaging 112.7 yards rushing per game. Last week, he gained 102 yards and scored three touchdowns in 17 carries against the Tennessee Titans.
After each of the last two games, Taylor was named AFC offensive player of the week.
Both Williams and Corum aim to continue their production, and to break free for long gains. This season, each of their longest runs has been 15 yards.
“I know I’m capable to create not those 15-yard runs but those 40- and 50-yard runs,” Corum said. “Just need to keep working in practice to hopefully go out and show that on Sundays.”
