ESPN: Los Angeles Rams have just announced the return of their 24-year old veteran star to the starting roster…..Read more
In Week 8, the Minnesota Vikings were stunned by the Los Angeles Rams, who defeated them 30-20 on Thursday Night Football. The spectacular play of returning wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, along with the unwavering brilliance of quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Kyren Williams, played a significant role in this.
As expected, this has caused the Rams to skyrocket in power rankings across the board. By jumping eight spots to No. 16, Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports had the Rams firmly established, saying that rumors of Los Angeles “being traded deadline sellers is likely over.”
Los Angeles jumped seven spots to fifteenth, according to Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr, who also noted that the team has a lot of potential to reach much higher given their future schedule.
“A stunning performance by the Rams with a full battery of offensive playmakers on deck now and a 10-day extended rest before taking another crack at it this weekend against the Seahawks,” added Orr. “Seattle, Miami and New England make up a very winnable runway for the Rams, who only sit a game out of first place in the NFC West.”
Even though it was only a three-place jump to No. 20, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm also had the Rams ranked higher.
“The Rams notched two season-saving wins over five days and now appear to be in the mix in the NFC West, a division that remains a crapshoot at this point,” said Edholm. “If Los Angeles’ defense can continue making strides, this is a dangerous team.”
After completing last week in 22nd place, the Rams jumped up one spot to 19th in Bleacher Report’s power rankings, putting them in the top 20.
The Rams also climbed in the rankings, moving up to No. 19 on CBS Sports and ESPN. Despite the prominence of players like Kupp and Nacua, ESPN’s Sarah Barshop highlighted the significance of rookie defensive lineman Jared Verse.
“Verse, the Rams’ first first-round pick since 2016, has impressed early in his rookie season,” stated Barshop. “Through seven games, he leads all rookies in quarterback hits (12) and has six more than the next-closest defender (Buccaneers linebacker Chris Baswell).”
“The Rams knew one player wouldn’t be able toreplace Aaron Donald’s production, but Verse has made an impact so far, including 1.5 sacks on Thursday night against the Vikings.”
Wyatt Miller of TheRams.com reports that Los Angeles has jumped five spots, putting them in the 18th spot on average. Sean McVay Ignores Claims That Rams Were “Buyers” During Trade Deadline, Leading to More Rams
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