The Buffalo Bills came into Week 14 on a roll. They’d won seven straight and were 6.5-point favorites in L.A. But then, they came up against the buzzsaw that is the Los Angeles Rams offense right now. They put up 457 yards and 44 points, both of which were the most Buffalo had allowed to an opponent this season. It wasn’t just an impressive showing from the Rams; it was a statement—from their offense in particular.
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On Monday, NFL pundit Dan Orlovsky communicated what that message was on ESPN’s First Take. The former NFL QB understood the statement made by Matthew Stafford and company in the City of Angels on Sunday night: “Pray that this offense doesn’t” make the playoffs.
“What I’ve told everybody for weeks is, when [the Rams are] healthy, they can win the whole thing. And yesterday, they were healthy. And when they’re healthy, they can beat anybody on their schedule. And if you’re Detroit, or if you’re Philadelphia, you better pray that this offense doesn’t get into the playoffs. That’s what I am telling you.”
"When [the Rams] are healthy, they can win the whole thing. … If you're Detroit or if you're Philadelphia, you better pray that this offense doesn't get into the playoffs."
—@danorlovsky7 pic.twitter.com/Q8HFh0o8pa
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 9, 2024
Orlovsky did acknowledge the elephant in the room when it comes to the excitement surrounding the Rams right now: their defense is atrocious. When asked by Shannon Sharpe if he believed the Rams were a top five team right now, Orlovsky said he did not.
However, Orlovsky qualified that by saying that when the Rams’ offense is healthy, they can “beat anybody”. And we saw just that in Week 14, when they took down arguably the hottest team in the NFL despite giving up 40 points.
“Because when it’s Kyren Williams and Puka and Cooper Kupp, they score about 30 a game. And I know Philly played them and ran for a thousand yards a couple weeks ago. Defense has got to play better. (And then) they can beat anybody.”
It seemed that the Rams would have the season from hell with all the injuries they suffered in August and September. However, they have convalesced nicely, and are quietly returning to full health. Their division rivals and neighbors to the north, the San Francisco 49ers, have taken on the “season from hell” mantle in L.A.’s stead, with major injuries popping up seemingly on a weekly basis.
Both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp missed major swaths of the season, with Nacua even going on injured reserve. The second-year wideout missed five games. The veteran Kupp avoided IR, but still missed four games of his own as well. They’re both back and at full strength now: Nacua had 12 catches for 162 yards and a TD against Buffalo, while Kupp had five grabs for 92 yards and a score.
The biggest issue, however, was the offensive line. At one point in early September, four of L.A.’s five first-choice hogs were dealing with injuries.
- Left tackle Alaric Jackson missed a couple of games early in the season.
- Left guard Steve Avila was out for seven games before returning in Week 10.
- Center Jonah Jackson, who signed for $51 million in the offseason missed six games due to injury, but has since been benched for solid rookie Beaux Limmer.
- Right guard Kevin Dotson is the only starting lineman not to miss a game yet.
- Right tackle Rob Havenstein missed the season opener as well as a three-game span from Weeks 10 to 12.
Now, they are all back to full health, and they seem to be coalescing at just the right time. Even with a makeshift offensive line all year, running back Kyren Williams has been a menace. Just imagine what he’ll be able to do now.
The Rams are now sitting at 7-6, one game behind the 8-5 Seattle Seahawks atop the NFC West. They are also one game back of the Washington Commanders (8-5) for the final NFC Wild Card spot. With three divisional games and a visit to New York to play the hapless Jets left on their schedule, it seems the Rams’ destiny is now in their hands.
Next up is a trip to the Bay to take on those cursed 2024 49ers.
