Blake Corum has early impact while the secondary struggled. Here is this week’s stock up, stock down
The Los Angeles Rams’ season has consisted of many ups and downs as they have remained inconsistent on a weekly basis. While it wasn’t pretty, the Rams got the win against the Saints in Week 13 which is all that matters at this point in the season. Blake Corum had an early impact while Kyren Williams bounced back in the run game. Defensively, the Rams still have major concerns in the secondary. Here’s a look at whose stock is rising and falling heading into the final stretch of the season.
Stock Up: A two-headed monster at running back
For the first time this season, the Rams had a relatively balanced rushing attack when it came to the usage of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Both players found success as well, averaging more than five yards per carry. Back in 2018, head coach Sean McVay utilized a two-headed monster at running back with Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson. It would be nice if Williams and Corum became the present version of that.
Corum’s touches went down as the game progressed. While he had five carries in the first quarter, he had just three the rest of the game. However, he has shown that he has the ability to create and pick up yards. Corum has a 48.6 percent success rate and 62.5 percent of his carries against the Saints were considered successful.
Stock Down: CB Darious Williams
The situation is what it is at cornerback for the rest of the year. Darious was brought in to be a steady presence on the boundary. For the most part, that’s exactly what he’s been. However, he also hasn’t been a difference-maker which makes his negative plays stand out more.
Williams gave up a long touchdown in the fourth quarter and the ensuing two-point conversion. Against a wide receiver group that the Saints were working with, that just can’t happen. Going into next year, the Rams secondary needs completely rebuilt.
Stock Up: Rams Red Zone Execution
Several times this season, the Rams have been on the wrong end of success in the red zone. It started in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions and then continued into losses against the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins. There was potential for a repeat of that on Sunday as the Saints had the sixth best red zone defense coming into the week.
Instead, it was the Rams executing in the red zone on both sides of the ball. The offense went a perfect 3-for-3 in the red zone while the Saints went 0-for-2. Very quietly, the Rams defense has been a top-10 unit in the red zone this season. This difference was a key factor in the Rams win.
Stock Down: iOL Beaux Limmer
During the stretch run when the Rams went 4-1 to get back to 5-5, Beaux Limmer played a key role in the middle of the offensive line. Still, the center position remains a spot where the Rams could look to improve. Limmer is solid, but is likely more of a really good depth player to have. The Rams aren’t going to make a change now, which means they’ll need Limmer to step up over the final five games.
Limmer allowed two pressures, but was given just a 5.2 pass-block rating via PFF. For Matthew Stafford to be at his best, he needs to be confident that he can step up into the pocket. Right now, Stafford doesn’t look confident because of the pressure coming up the middle.
Stock Up: Sean McVay’s halftime adjustments
For the first time in the regular season, head coach Sean McVay was shut out in the first half of a game. The last time it happened was the Super Bowl to the Patriots and the last time it happened to the Rams in the regular season was against the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. Head coach Jeff Fisher was fired the next day. The Saints came out playing tight man coverage and for the entire first half, the Rams didn’t have an answer for it.
From the start of the second half kickoff, the offense came out re-focused and ready to set the tone. Ten of Stafford’s 14 passes in the second half came out of play-action and McVay dialed up some man-beaters to give the Rams wide receivers some space. The result was the offense scoring on three of their next four offensive possessions.