The Los Angeles Rams are coming off their biggest win of the season. Not many gave the Rams a shot, but they pulled off the win. While the team as a whole won in a big fashion, individual pieces had their own days. Here’s who helped their career and hurt it on Monday Night Football.
Los Angeles Rams Winners And Losers: Week 14
Winners
Andrew Whitworth
Andrew Whitworth was the Los Angeles Rams’ first winner of the night and the only player to lock in a win on the first play of the game. He was the first tackle to start a game in the NFL at the age of 40. While many continue to marvel at Tom Brady, Andrew Whitworth is also raising the bar for what age means in the NFL. To make a run, the Rams will need their 40-year-old lineman in tip-top shape. At 40 years old, Whitworth is still playing at a distinctly high level. This season, the tackle has an 84.0 PFF grade. As long as he plays like that, he can stay with the Rams as long as he likes.
Rams Playoff Chances
With the win against the Cardinals, the Los Angeles Rams resurrected their hopes in the division. Now only a game back, the Rams can pass the Cardinals if they have one more slip up. Additionally, with every win, the Rams come that much closer to clinching a playoff berth. With the win, the Rams are back on a winning streak for the first time since October. To make the playoffs, the Rams will need to keep winning. That said, having won the toughest game on the schedule, the sky is the limit for the Los Angeles Rams.
Matthew Stafford
Over the last month, the boo birds came out for Matthew Stafford, who admittedly looked lost at times. It was during this time that the doubts about having a quarterback coming from a losing culture were rearing their heads. That said, with the win over the Cardinals, Stafford has as good of an argument as anyone that he can make the Super Bowl and win it. Stafford has plenty of good stats this season, (eight games with at least three touchdowns) but this win goes above that. It shows that Stafford has the guts to win big in the NFL in 2021. If he can beat the Cardinals after losing once, he can beat anyone.
Sony Michel
Lightning has struck twice for Sony Michel. Michel had been patiently waiting for his chance all season long. He’s watched Darrell Henderson out-touch him and overshadow him all season long. However, with an injury and Covid knocking him out of the lineup over the last two weeks, Michel has stepped up to prove that he has a future still in the NFL. If not for the injury and Covid, Michel was on pace to slip out of the NFL. Now after back-to-back solid performances, the Los Angeles Rams running back has given himself a new life in the NFL. In the last two games, Michel has earned 200 yards and a touchdown while averaging roughly 4.5 yards per carry.
“If there is something that keeps the Rams from a Super Bowl, it is most likely to be the special teams.”
Losers
Special Teams
All season long, the Rams’ special teams unit has consistently been the worst aspect of the team. It was proven again against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals recovered an onside kick and took an otherwise-ended game down to the wire. The writing is on the wall for the special teams. If there is something that keeps the Rams from a Super Bowl, it is most likely to be the special teams. At this point, it is clear that the special teams are not getting fixed this season, and the Rams can only hope that they avoid any situations that put stress on the unit.
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Darrell Henderson
With every victory for Sony Michel, Darrell Henderson suffers. Now having missed two games, the running back is now in danger of needing to be eased back into the lineup. In all likelihood, the Rams will get at least one more starting performance from Michel before Henderson becomes fully ready to return to the spotlight. However, based on how Michel is playing, the running back could be returning to a new committee situation. What will happen to Henderson? One can only wait and see.
Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Photo Credit: Brevin Townsell | LA Rams