The Los Angeles Rams fell to 1-2 on the year Monday night, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals on the road, 19-16. It’s a game they should have won, but it’s tough to beat your opponent when you go 1-for-11 on third down and turn it over twice.
The Rams’ roster right now is flush with young talent, but those players must step up because the depth behind them isn’t great – to the point where the coaching staff doesn’t trust using a very deep rotation on either side of the ball.
Buy Rams TicketsThe snap counts from Monday night’s loss indicate that, particularly at running back, wide receiver and outside linebacker.
Offense
The name at the top of the list isn’t one you expect to see playing every single snap. Kyren Williams never came off the field, playing all 55 snaps on offense as the only running back to see the field. That’s not exactly a sustainable approach because of the wear and tear a running back endures, but clearly the Rams don’t trust Ronnie Rivers or Royce Freeman.
Joe Noteboom left the game with a knee injury but he missed just three snaps, during which he was replaced by Tremayne Anchrum Jr. Alaric Jacson missed 35 snaps and was replaced by Zach Thomas at left tackle. The other three linemen played every snap.
Puka Nacua played the most snaps of the Rams’ receivers, only coming off the field for two snaps. Van Jefferson was WR2 with 51 snaps played, followed by Tutu Atwell (48), Ben Skowronek (12) and Demarcus Robinson (1).
Tyler Higbee continues to be the only tight end to get significant playing time for Los Angeles. He played 53 of 55 snaps, with Brycen Hopkins playing the other two snaps.
Defense
Jordan Fuller and Russ Yeast are still playing every snap at safety, and Quentin Lake mixed in for 15 snaps in sub-packages. John Johnson III didn’t get on the field on defense, so he’s clearly not a player the Rams feel can help them on that side of the ball.
Derion Kendrick and Ahkello Witherspoon never came off the field on defense, playing all 77 snaps. Cobie Durant played 61 snaps as the nickel corner, but no other cornerbacks played a single snap.
The Rams aren’t using a very deep rotation at outside linebacker. Byron Young and Michael Hoecht each played 71 snaps, and Zach VanValkenburg was the only other edge rusher to take the field; he played 12 snaps.
On the defensive line, it’s Aaron Donald and Kobie Turner playing the majority of the snaps. Jonah Williams played 43% of the snaps, followed by Larrell Murchison (23%) and Bobby Brown III, who only played 21%. With how often the Bengals threw the ball, the Rams went with a lighter front on defense.
Ernest Jones played every snap again and Christian Rozeboom played 64% despite the Rams being in nickel and dime packages for a good portion of the contest to counter the Bengals’ passing attack.
