Cam Akers appeared to be in the doghouse for Week 1 against the Bills. Sean McVay only gave him three carries and he played just 12 total snaps on offense, gaining zero yards on his three touches.
A day later, McVay said Akers needs to show more urgency and accountability, while also maximizing his opportunities. He didn’t have many of those on Thursday night, but he could get more chances against the Falcons in Week 2.
During the “Coach McVay Show” on Monday, McVay was asked what Akers needs to show in order to get back in the fold, and how soon that can happen.
“He’s gonna get an opportunity to do it this week. Really, it’s not just one guy. I know what Cam’s capable of, but I know what we’re capable of as an offense as a whole. This isn’t about one individual, this is about coaches and players competing and performing to the best of their abilities. And I think better results will come if we just take it a day at a time. There is a lot of football left to be played, but the sense of urgency and the intent and purpose behind every single day has got to be great for us.”
McVay hasn’t specified how the backfield workload will be split up this coming week, but it’s hard to imagine Akers getting fewer opportunities than he did in Week 1. He’s a dynamic player when healthy and can help the offense as a runner and receiver.
Darrell Henderson Jr. looked decent as the starter and had a nice 18-yard run against the Bills, but he’s not head-and-shoulders better than Akers. Expect to see Akers get some more carries this weekend.
