Los Angeles Rams Will Get Critical Piece Back For NFL Playoffs
After missing the final three weeks of the regular season, Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Davante Adams is expected to suit up for Saturday’s playoff opener. And according to his head coach, the mandatory rest period didn’t exactly go over well in the locker room.
Sean McVay admitted on Monday that the organization’s decision to hold Adams out of the season finale against the Cardinals “pissed him off pretty good.” It’s the classic clash between a player’s competitive fire and a coach’s long-term risk management. The Rams opted to play the long game, betting that a 100% healthy Adams in the playoffs was worth a few bruised feelings in Week 18. Will McVay be proven right?
The calculated Risk To Bench No. 17
Adams aggravated a hamstring issue back in Week 15 against Detroit. Hamstrings are notoriously fickle beasts for speed players; come back too early, and a two-week injury becomes a season-ender. McVay knew this. He kept his star playmaker in bubble wrap despite Adams returning to practice last Thursday.
While Adams might have hated watching from the sidelines as the Rams closed out the season, McVay sees the silver lining.
“He’s got that look in his eye that I know he’s ready to go,” McVay said. “And man, you just feel better when you see No. 17 out there on our offense, and it poses a lot of different challenges for people to have to defend when you put that freaking stud back out on the grass for us.”
A Historic Season For the Rams
It’s easy to see why the Rams treated Adams so conservatively down the stretch. In his debut season in L.A., Adams proved he is arguably the most quarterback-proof receiver in NFL history. Despite missing time, he snagged 60 catches for 789 yards and found the end zone a staggering 14 times.
That touchdown total didn’t just lead the league; it put Adams in the history books. He is now the first player in NFL history to lead the league in receiving touchdowns with three different franchises. Whether he’s in Green Bay, Vegas, or Los Angeles, all Adams does is score. Getting that level of production back into the lineup instantly transforms the Rams from a solid playoff team to a legitimate contender.
Reinforcements Arriving For the Playoffs
The good news didn’t stop at wide receiver. The Rams are getting healthy at exactly the right time.
McVay confirmed that Safety Quentin Lake is likely to return from an elbow injury that has sidelined him since mid-November. The defense missed his presence during their Week 13 loss to the Panthers, so his return offers a timely boost for the rematch. Additionally, Tight End Terrance Ferguson is expected back from a hamstring issue of his own.
However, the offensive line remains a question mark. Guard Kevin Dotson is battling an ankle injury, and his status for Saturday is much murkier than the others. The Rams might have annoyed their star receiver by forcing him to rest, but if Adams torches the Panthers on Saturday, McVay will look like a genius. A 14-touchdown receiver with fresh legs and a chip on his shoulder is a dangerous combination.
