There was at least minor concern in Los Angeles after the Rams got crushed by the Buffalo Bills in the opener. Some were asking if the Rams could be as good as they were last year.
It’s still too early to tell, but the Rams looked more like the team everyone expected them to be during their 31-27 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Matthew Stafford improved, the offensive line got much better and the running game came alive.
We graded every position on the team, with most groups improving from Week 1.
Quarterback: B
There was some good and some bad from Matthew Stafford’s performance against the Falcons. He made a handful of really impressive throws and completed his first 12 passes of the game, looking sharp and comfortable in the pocket.
He also threw a bad pick before halftime and an even worse one when the Rams were up big in the third quarter. Very simply, he has to cut down on the turnovers because five in two games is too many.
Running back: B-
The running game was better, but still not great against the Falcons. Cam Akers rushed for 44 yards on 15 carries, averaging less than 3 yards per attempt. Darrell Henderson Jr. had a 13-yard rush, which helped his average, gaining a total of 47 yards on 10 carries.
The offensive line definitely gave Henderson and Akers more room to work with this week than it did in the opener, but neither running back is breaking many tackles or making defenders miss in the open field.
Wide receiver: A-
Cooper Kupp played extremely well once again, catching 11 of his 14 targets for 108 yards and two touchdowns. He did have one big mistake, though: He lost a fumble in the fourth quarter, nearly costing the Rams a win.
Allen Robinson chipped in with a solid performance, catching four of his five targets for 53 yards and a touchdown. He should’ve had a second touchdown, too, but the officials blew it dead mid-play due to an injury timeout. Perhaps his best play was a difficult third-down grab that moved the chains, somehow going down and securing it before it could hit the turf.
Ben Skowronek caught two passes for 16 yards and did a nice job in his new role as a fullback, helping the running game with strong blocks in the hole. Kupp’s block on Henderson’s touchdown was also quite impressive.
Tight end: A-
Tyler Higbee has gotten a ton of work in the first two weeks, seeing nine passes thrown his way on Sunday against the Falcons. He caught nine of them for 71 yards and like Skowronek, he did a nice job blocking in the running game. Brycen Hopkins was a non-factor once again, barely playing at all.
Offensive line: B+
It was surprising to see the offensive line improve despite being without Brian Allen and losing Tremayne Anchrum Jr. after just two plays. A.J. Jackson played really well at right guard, as did Rob Havenstein at right tackle. And if you noticed Joe Noteboom’s name not being called, that’s a good thing.
He held down the left side of the line, bouncing back from a rough outing against Von Miller and the Bills in Week 1.
Coleman Shelton looked even more comfortable at center than he has at guard, moving defenders out of the way in the running game.
Defensive line: B
Aaron Donald was quiet for most of the game, but he woke up when the Rams needed him most. He pressured Marcus Mariota into a high throw, which Jalen Ramsey picked off to seal the win. If not for the pressure, Mariota might’ve found Bryan Edwards for a big gain or possibly a touchdown.
Greg Gaines was good against the run but didn’t offer a ton as a pass rusher, and the same goes for A’Shawn Robinson. Both have been solid run defenders but the Rams need more from them against the pass.
Inside linebacker: A-
Ernest Jones has been everywhere in the first two games of the season. He recorded a team-high 12 tackles on Sunday against the Falcons despite playing 13 fewer snaps than Bobby Wagner. Wagner was also effective, recording another sack and seven tackles.
The tandem of Jones and Wagner is working out just as the Rams hoped, with both guys playing at a high level right now.
Outside linebacker: B-
Leonard Floyd only made one tackle, but he did land two hits on Mariota in the pocket. He set the edge well in the running game, too, battling through a knee injury that occurred in practice last week.
Justin Hollins had five tackles and a sack, while Terrell Lewis registered three tackles and had a career-best 81.5 grade from Pro Football Focus. The edge rushers were definitely better in Week 2 than they were against the Bills.
Cornerback: B-
Like Stafford’s performance there was a lot of good and a lot of bad from the Rams’ cornerbacks. David Long Jr. was called for a 36-yard defensive pass interference penalty, and Jalen Ramsey was flagged for the same thing earlier in the game.
However, Ramsey saved the win with a pick in the fourth quarter and Cobie Durant not only picked off his first pass, but also recorded a sack. Robert Rochell barely played but he gave up a touchdown pass along the goal line.
Safety: B-
Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott and Taylor Rapp all continue to rotate at safety, with the Rams utilizing all three of them. None of the three had a particularly standout performance against the Falcons, but they also didn’t make any major mistakes, either.
This is a reliable and deep group of safeties in Los Angeles, one the coaching staff has a lot of confidence in.
Special teams: D
One of the Rams’ costliest mistakes was allowing the Falcons to block Riley Dixon’s punt and return it for a touchdown. It was a blown block by Matthew Orzech, and to make matters worse, Dixon took a while to get the kick away.
The return game wasn’t effective for the Rams, either, not that Brandon Powell had many chances.
