Two weeks into the 2024 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams find themselves at a daunting 0-2. The start to their season has been marred by injuries and inconsistency, casting doubt on their aspirations for a successful campaign. The loss of wide receiver Cooper Kupp to a left ankle sprain is a significant blow. Kupp, who suffered a similar ankle injury in 2022 that required season-ending surgery, will miss an extended period. The Rams cannot afford another prolonged absence from their star wideout.
Mounting Injuries
In addition to Kupp, guard Jonah Jackson and safety John Johnson III are both nursing shoulder injuries. Head coach Sean McVay has indicated that all three players are candidates for injured reserve, highlighting the critical situation: "We're kind of running out of those [injured reserve] spots and we're only into Week 3 in terms of the return to play, but that is a possibility for all of those guys," McVay noted. Such a scenario, especially this early in the season, puts the Rams in a precarious position.
Offensive Line Struggles
The Rams' offensive line has been a focal point for problems. A lack of cohesion has plagued the unit, something McVay acknowledged: "The amount of moving parts that we've had offensive line-wise has been wild." Quarterback Matthew Stafford has felt the brunt of this disconnect. In their recent loss to the Arizona Cardinals, he threw for 216 yards but was sacked five times, even losing a fumble. His average time to throw was 3.25 seconds, the fifth-longest in the NFL for Week 2—indicative of an offense struggling to keep pace.
Stafford, who missed the latter half of the 2022 season due to a spinal cord contusion and concussion, can't afford to be exposed to such high levels of pressure. The protection issues only compound the Rams' offensive challenges, as they aspire to bounce back from a dismal start.
Defensive Gaps
The Rams' defense is also navigating a new landscape without Aaron Donald, who has retired. The defensive front seven now relies heavily on rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, their first and second-round picks in 2024. While there is potential, the absence of veteran leadership is palpable. Moreover, corners Darious Williams and Derion Kendrick being on injured reserve further dilutes the defense's effectiveness.
Past and Present Injury Woes
The Rams are no strangers to injury-related challenges. Frank Schwab points out: "In 2022 they dealt with numerous injuries and finished second in adjusted games lost due to injury." Last season, however, they experienced a dramatic shift to better health: "It went from 146.6 AGL in 2022 to 26.4 last season, which is an incredible shift and shows how injury luck often has no rhyme or reason." This season already shows signs of regression to their past injury struggles, a concerning trend that Schwab also flags as a potential reason for their performance issues this year.
The Road Ahead
The prospect of starting the season 0-3 looms large for the Rams. History isn't kind to teams that stumble out of the gates; no NFL team starting a year with such a record has ever won a Super Bowl. The Rams are at a crossroads, needing to navigate a perfect storm of injuries and underperformance.
However, there's a silver lining in the form of their draft capital. The Rams hold their own first, third, fourth, and sixth-round picks for the 2025 draft, plus additional sixth-round picks from the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Houston Texans. This stockpile of picks could provide the franchise with valuable assets to rebuild or bolster their roster in the future.
As Sean McVay and his coaching staff search for solutions, the Rams must dig deep to find resilience and adaptability. The road ahead may be steep, but the season is still young, and in the NFL, fortunes can change swiftly.