Even though the Los Angeles Rams’ special teams were among the worst in the NFL last year, Sean McVay chose to keep coordinator Chase Blackburn for another season.
This decision paid off significantly in the Rams’ first win of the new season.
The Rams’ excellent performance on special teams was a key factor in their 27-24 comeback victory over San Francisco on Sunday.
The improvement in Blackburn’s group gives fans a reason to be hopeful for the Rams’ season, despite their ongoing struggles with injuries and defensive issues.
Starting with a well-executed fake punt that helped the Rams (1-2) overcome a 14-point deficit, and ending with rookie Joshua Karty’s game-winning field goal with just 2 seconds left, Los Angeles made many important plays in an area where they had struggled for the past two years.
“I thought special teams was a huge edge for us,” McVay said after achieving the largest comeback victory of his coaching career.
The contributions from special teams were consistent and impactful, allowing the Rams to win even after trailing for over 55 minutes.
Ronnie Rivers had a 7-yard run for a first down from a punt formation on the Rams’ side of midfield, which helped extend a drive that led to LA’s first touchdown in the second quarter.
After Kyren Williams tied the game with a touchdown with 1:51 left, San Francisco’s next drive stalled. Xavier Smith and his blockers then executed a 38-yard punt return, bringing the Rams to midfield with 42 seconds remaining.
Just two plays later, Karty secured his eight-point game with a 37-yard field goal to win the game.
This performance surprised Rams fans, who have felt uneasy watching the special teams in the past two seasons.
“The want-to and the coaching and everything has been there from the beginning, but I think yesterday was just a collection of everything we’ve been talking about for a long time, and just seeing how we can affect a game in a positive manner,” said Christian Rozeboom, a longtime special teams player now starting at linebacker.
Blackburn’s group also gets support from former Nebraska coach Scott Frost, who joined the Rams three weeks ago as a senior analyst. Frost had significant experience playing on special teams during his six-year NFL career.
