Rams Week 12 report card: Grading every position group vs Packers…

Rams Week 12 report card: Grading every position vs. Packers

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

It’s been a while since the Rams put together a quality performance on the field. You’d have to go back to Week 8 against the Texans to find some semblance of a decent game because in their last three, they’ve looked out of sorts.

Against the Packers on Sunday, the Rams could do very little right on offense and once again made far too many mistakes. The result? A 36-28 loss at Lambeau Field.

When grading each position group, it should come as no surprise that the majority of them were subpar and even downright bad. There was very little to like about the way this team played in Green Bay.

Quarterback: D

Right now, Matthew Stafford just looks … off. He made several throws that were way behind his receivers, he underthrew Tyler Higbee on a corner route and threw an unsightly pick-six in which he locked in on Cooper Kupp and never left his primary target. His mechanics have been worse than usual, too, causing him to miss throws that he would normally make in his sleep. His 302-yard, three-touchdown stat line didn’t look bad in Week 12 but if you watched him play, you’d know he played poorly.

Running back: C+

Darrell Henderson Jr. gained 55 yards on 16 carries, but his longest run was only 7 yards. He didn’t have a great game and made a bad read on a screen pass that could’ve gone for big yardage, but he was still moving the chains and keeping the offense on track. Sony Michel gained 14 yards on his three carries with a long of 7 yards, too. The Rams’ running backs simply aren’t breaking enough tackles or making many big plays.

Wide receiver: B+

Cooper Kupp once again caught seven passes, gaining 96 yards on his 10 targets. He hasn’t missed a beat all season and even though he hasn’t found the end zone in recent weeks, he was still productive against the Packers on Sunday. Van Jefferson only caught three of his nine targets but did gain 93 yards and scored a 79-yard touchdown. Odell Beckham Jr. broke through with a 54-yard touchdown and totaled 81 yards, giving the Rams’ receiving corps 15 catches for 270 yards as a group.

Tight end: C

It was a quiet week for Higbee, who caught just one pass for 3 yards. He should’ve had a long reception of 20-plus yards but Stafford badly underthrew him on a corner route. He was the only tight end to play meaningful snaps, even though he didn’t have much of an impact on the game.

Offensive line: C+

The Packers hit Stafford five times, sacked him twice and forced a fumble on him when Rashan Gary beat Andrew Whitworth for a sack. Brian Allen played relatively well with just one pressure allowed, but the other four linemen allowed 13 pressures as a group. It’d be crazy to blame the offensive line for the offense’s struggles in this one but this unit has had better days.

Defensive line: A-

Aaron Donald and Greg Gaines were two standouts for the Rams on defense Sunday, being the two primary defensive linemen throughout the game. Donald had five pressures and four run stops, while Gaines recorded three pressures and made three stops of his own. A’Shawn Robinson had an impact on back-to-back plays, too, recording a tackle for a loss on first and then pressuring Rodgers on the following snap.

Inside linebacker: D-

It’s been a problem all season, yet there’s no real solution in sight. The Rams’ inside linebackers are not good and teams are beginning to take advantage. Troy Reeder missed three tackles and gave up six receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Ernest Jones was slightly better, allowing just one reception for 2 yards and making five total tackles, but Reeder’s inability to cover and tackle is an issue.

Outside linebacker: B+

Von Miller, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Leonard Floyd each landed a hit on Rodgers, combining for 12 of the Rams’ 24 pressures. Okoronkwo had three pressures on only eight opportunities, once again showing he deserves the snaps he’s been getting. Miller played well against the run in addition to his team-high six pressures, making four stops and five tackles. Terrell Lewis didn’t make much of an impact, though, with one assisted tackle and no pressures.

Cornerback: C-

It’s rare to see Jalen Ramsey allow as many catches as he did on Sunday, giving up seven receptions for 48 yards on seven targets. He wasn’t alone in struggling against the Packers’ receivers, with Dont’e Deayon also having trouble; he allowed four catches for 111 yards, including a 43-yarder to Davante Adams. Darious Williams missed a tackle and gave up 42 yards in coverage, too.

Safety: B-

Jordan Fuller was around the ball often, making seven tackles and breaking up two passes. He’s been an important player on defense, but Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott aren’t giving him much help. They combined for six tackles and Scott dropped what should’ve been an interception, while Rapp missed one tackle and took a terrible angle on Randall Cobb’s 54-yard catch.

Special teams: D

Will the Rams ever correct their problems on special teams? The answer seems to be no, with yet another dismal performance from Joe DeCamillis’ unit. J.J. Koski fumbled a punt and dropped a kickoff, Sony Michel bobbled the ball on one return and Buddy Howell lined up offsides on a punt to give the Packers a free first down. Johnny Hekker shanked a punt badly, too. The only bright spot was Robert Rochell falling on a muffed punt by Cobb.