The Los Angeles Rams are coming off their biggest win since Greg Zuerlein‘s final kick to send the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2018. Not only did they defeat the Super Bowl Champions, but they also did it in style. Sean McVay was seen running down the field with a smile on his face more than once.
After such a huge win, it is hard to find players that didn’t have as much fun as the rest of the team. However, they did exist. Here is a look at the Rams’ winners and losers from Week Three of the NFL season.
Los Angeles Rams Winners And Losers: Week Three
Winners
Matthew Stafford
The Matthew Stafford train continues to pick up steam. This week’s win may have been the biggest win of Stafford’s entire career. Not only did he win, but he also posted a near-perfect game and his best performance yet. He threw for 343 yards, four touchdowns, and completed 71.1 percent of his passes. To date, Stafford has nine touchdowns and one interception.
At his current pace, Stafford will finish the year with 51 touchdowns and about five interceptions. Those numbers are better than Aaron Rodgers‘ 2020 MVP season when he had 48 touchdowns and five interceptions.
With this win, Stafford just made an early case for MVP consideration. Of course, Stafford has the help of Sean McVay and a loaded roster, but Rodgers also had Matt LaFleur, Davante Adams, and Aaron Jones.
Sony Michel
Sony Michel‘s production has only increased in each game since landing with the Los Angeles Rams. This week, Michel played a part in ruining Tom Brady‘s day while making his own. He rushed 20 times for 67 yards. He wasn’t amazing, but he showed that he deserved to be given consideration for a bigger part once Darrell Henderson returns. Michel’s goal will be to score a touchdown next week to add a layer of icing on the cake. He was also exceptional in pass pro and had a few highlight-reel blocks.
DeSean Jackson and Cooper Kupp
Both DeSean Jackson and Cooper Kupp split open the Buccaneers’ secondary. DeSean Jackson showed he still has plenty of gas in the tank with a 120-yard performance and a touchdown. With Jackson’s touchdown, he show the entire NFL world why he was brought to Los Angeles. Barring a complete breakdown over the next three months, Jackson will be in the running for a ring in January, assuming the Rams also do not implode.
One player with no risk of imploding is Cooper Kupp, who has clearly reached another level with Stafford. With Stafford, Kupp has emerged as the leading candidate to be the best wide receiver in yet another league. Many saw him as the best in the FCS and now he’s showing to be the same in the NFL.
In the game against the Buccaneers, Kupp caught nine balls for 96 yards and two touchdowns. This brings his yearly total up to 25 catches for 367 yards and five touchdowns. At this pace, Kupp is on track to finish the year with 141 catches for 2,079 yards and about 28 touchdowns. This pace is simply not maintainable, but if Kupp were to land at even 80 percent of these numbers, he would likely be the most productive receiver in the NFL.
Rams’ Playoff Hopes
Teams that start 3-0 have a 75 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to seemingly every talk show and broadcast under the sun. Therefore, the Rams have a three-fourths chance of playing in January. At the same time, the 49ers and Seahawks lost on Sunday, further driving the Rams up and those two teams down. The Rams still have to work their way ahead of the Cardinals, but they are trending in the right direction. And they just so happen to play the Cardinals at SoFi this weekend.
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Rams’ National Perception
With a strong win over Tom Brady, the Rams are back at the forefront of the national spotlight. Over the last few years, as the Rams worked through their struggles with Jared Goff, the national spotlight slowly refocused on other teams. However, after defeating the Super Bowl Champions, the NFL has no choice but to take notice of the team in sunny SoCal. When evaluating the Rams, most will look at who they have beaten and by how much. Not only did the Rams beat who many think is the best team in the NFL, but they also did it comfortably.
“Could this simply be who [Robert] Woods is now?”
Losers?
Robert Woods
As the stock has risen on Cooper Kupp, stocks have plummeted on Robert Woods. Could this simply be who Woods is now? Woods had three receptions for 33 yards and one rush for five yards. Put simply, the trend is alarming for the receiver. He’s on pace for 62 catches, 702 yards, and 6 touchdowns. If this comes to pass, this would be arguably his worst season yet with the Rams. But, he can still go off on any given day and the team is winning, so his role is still very important.
Tutu Atwell
Tutu Atwell is a rookie on a loaded receiving corps, but his contribution during games has been left wanting as the top Rams’ pick. Atwell’s only contribution was a punt return for nine yards. As he gains experience and gets more comfortable, the rookie may step up later down the line. However, at this point, this season is going to be a quiet one for the rookie. Considering he was drafted to be the next DeSean Jackson, and as Jackson is still clearly able to perform at a high level, Atwell’s time may come later than expected. His patience may be tested this season.
Defense
While the Rams’ offense was lauded, the defense quietly didn’t live up to its sky-high bar (doesn’t mean they were bad). They allowed 24 points, 6.3 yards per play, and 411 passing yards. The Buccaneers actually outgained the Rams in total yardage (446 to 407). If these two teams meet in the playoffs, the Buccaneers may be able to use this to their advantage. Even though the Rams won in a convincing fashion, the defense could be a problem in their next meeting. If they play again, the Buccaneers might be able to control the clock and shorten the game, keeping the game closer and forcing the Rams to be clutch to win.