In their season opener in Detroit, four of the top six offensive linemen for the Los Angeles Rams were injured or unavailable before halftime.
Receiver Puka Nacua, who has set records, also had to leave the game in the first half due to a re-injury of his knee. Despite these setbacks, the Rams pushed the game into overtime before losing 26-20, which is quite impressive.
However, the fact that the Rams are already struggling with injuries after just one game is definitely concerning.
Heading into Week 2, the Rams are winless for only the second time in coach Sean McVay’s career. They made several mistakes that contributed to their loss at Ford Field, even though they made a thrilling comeback with 17 consecutive points in the second half.
The Rams are expected to be short-handed when they travel to Arizona this weekend, as they are just trying to stay afloat until they can get healthier.
“We’re not going to sulk. We’re not going to say, ‘Why me?’” McVay said Monday. “You’re not going to see any pity from me.
There’s not going to be any excuses for me not to move forward the right way, but we’ve gone down that road before, and we’re not doing that again.”
McVay is likely thinking of the worst season of his NFL career, which was also the only losing season of his time with the Rams.
In 2022, the Rams were heavily affected by injuries during a tough season (5-12), which was the worst season for a defending Super Bowl champion in NFL history. McVay came out of that experience even more determined to guide the Rams to long-term success.
The Rams will face difficulties if their starting offensive line remains unavailable.
McVay mentioned that left guard Steve Avila is likely to be placed on injured reserve due to a sprained knee ligament, while swing tackle Joe Noteboom will be out for several weeks with a sprained ankle. Right guard Kevin Dotson also sprained his ankle but played through it, and McVay hopes it is not a serious injury.
