Cam Akers had his best game of the season on Sunday. He rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ 20-12 win, with 48 of those yards coming on one single drive in the third quarter.
Buy Rams TicketsHe also had a costly fumble on the goal line, the second time he’s fumbled it at the 1-yard line since last postseason. Had he punched it in, the Rams would’ve gone up 27-9 and all but put the game to rest. Instead, the Cardinals recovered, scored a field goal on the ensuing drive and gave themselves one last chance with an onside kick – which failed.
Akers didn’t get another touch after that, but only because the Rams only ran two more plays, both of which were kneeldowns. If the offense did have another drive, Akers would’ve been the running back, Sean McVay said.
“That I’m coming right back to you and have all the confidence in the world,” McVay said when asked what he told Akers. “Let’s learn from it, but you’ve done too many good things throughout this game for that to minimize – all right, if we have to go back out on the field in some sort of four-minute situation, he was gonna be the guy we were gonna lean on and that’s what would’ve happened if that had unfolded like that.”
It’s good to hear that McVay still trusts Akers despite goal line fumbles seemingly becoming a problem for him. He fumbled on the goal line against the Buccaneers in last season’s playoff game, which nearly cost the Rams a win.
Akers should use this learning moment to be more secure with the football around the end zone because those fumbles can become extremely costly.
For fantasy owners, it sure sounds like Akers is the preferred back over Darrell Henderson Jr. now. Henderson had just four carries for 17 yards and no receptions on Sunday.