The Rams used a third-round pick on running back Blake Corum with the idea that they’d use him to share reps and carries with Kyren Williams. On Sunday night, that didn’t happen.
Williams had 21 touches (with 18 carries). Corum had none. That’s because Williams was on the field for 91 percent of the offensive snaps (71 total). And Corum was there for none.
So what happened?
“I think each game is going to be its own entity,” coach Sean McVay told reporters on Monday, the day after the 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions. “It was a very unique circumstance because when we got so many of our [offensive] linemen banged up, it limited some of the different — basically, we didn’t operate off anything that our game plan was. We had to truly just change in the middle of that game plan. When there are some things that are unforeseen, you’re going to go with guys that you trust and that you know. I think the way that some of the drives unfolded where there were long breaks in between. . . . I think that’s why you saw our running back and tight end rotation reflected as such. Colby Parkinson played 69 snaps. I believe Kyren played 71 when you look at it. I want to get Ronnie [Rivers] a little bit more involved. I want to be able to get Blake [Corum] involved as well. . . . [B]ased on how the game unfolded, it was very unique for a lot of different reasons, none of which probably suit what you guys are really looking for but that was not how we anticipated the rotation to go.”
As Simms noted during Monday’s PFT Live, the injuries on the offensive line forced the Rams to use the short passing game as a replacement for the running game. Ultimately, the Rams had 23 rushing attempts (three went to receivers) and 51 pass plays (49 throws and two sacks). That’s a 68.9/31.1 percent split.
Regardless, the patchwork, on-the-fly game strategy almost worked. Down 17-3, the Rams took a 20-17 lead — and had a chance to slam the door before the Lions forced overtime and repeatedly crammed the ball down the Aaron Donald-less defense’s throat to win with an opening-drive OT walk-off.