6 takeaways from Rams' dominant win vs. Broncos

[theramswire.usatoday.com] 6 takeaways from Rams' dominant win vs. Broncos


Cameron DaSilva
December 25, 2022 5:34 pm PT

It wasn’t much of a contest at SoFi Stadium on Sunday afternoon, as the Los Angeles Rams blew out the Denver Broncos by a score of 51-14. It was the Rams’ largest offensive outburst since 2018, jumping out to a 31-6 lead at halftime – also the most points they’ve scored in the first half since 2017.

For a team that scored a total of 52 points in their last three games combined, it was completely out of the blue for the Rams to put up 51 against a stout Broncos defense.

With just two games in the Rams’ season remaining, we take a look at six things we learned from Sunday’s win in Inglewood.

1
Baker Mayfield looks comfortable in Sean McVay's offense
On Sunday, Mayfield looked like he’s been in the Rams offense all season. Yet, this was just his third game with Los Angeles and he was as sharp as he’s ever been. Mayfield completed 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns before getting the rest of the game off, getting pulled with about 10 minutes left. He’s certainly making a case to earn a starting job with another team next season if he doesn’t want to return as the Rams’ backup.

2
Rams find success leaning on their RBs
It’s been tough sledding for the Rams’ running backs all season, ranking 30th in rushing yards this year. But against the Broncos, Cam Akers blew up for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries – all season-highs for the Rams running back. Kyren Williams added 18 yards on six carries, Malcolm Brown had 19 yards on two carries and as a team, the Rams finished with 158 yards on the ground. That hasn’t been a recipe for success in Los Angeles, but it worked to perfection on Sunday.

3
Bobby Wagner owned Russell Wilson in first game against him
Wagner and Wilson were teammates for 10 years in Seattle and on Sunday, they squared off for the first time. It’s not hard to see which player won that matchup. Wagner sacked Wilson once and also picked him off in the first quarter, making two big plays against his former teammate. There’s no bad blood between them despite Wagner saying how excited he was to sack Wilson back in August, but you can rest assured the All-Pro linebacker was thrilled with his performance.

4
Defense continues to create turnovers
The Rams had a dry spell on the turnover front from Week 3 to Week 11, creating just one takeaway in those eight games. But in the last five games, the Rams have created 12 turnovers, including four on Sunday against Denver. They picked off Wilson three times and also intercepted Brett Rypien once, which was returned by Cobie Durant 85 yards for a touchdown to cap off the 51-point outburst. Turnover margin is a big factor in team success, and the Rams won that battle by four against the Broncos.

5
Tyler Higbee comes alive late in an otherwise quiet season
Higbee came into this week with just 482 yards in 14 games, never topping 73 yards in a single contest. But against the Broncos, he erupted with nine catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns, giving him three total scores on the year. He was the Rams’ leading receiver, picking apart the Broncos’ defense by finding holes in the zone and beating their defenders when matched up man-to-man.

6
Cobie Durant should've been playing all season
I mentioned Durant’s pick-six earlier, but that was just one great play made by the rookie corner. He also had a spectacular interception in the first quarter, leaping to make the grab against Wilson to set up the Rams’ initial touchdown of the afternoon. He didn’t play a single defensive snap from Week 8 to Week 12, but in the last four games, he’s finally getting some reps and he’s playing well. This was the best performance of his career, with the 85-yard pick-six being the icing on the cake.