12 days of Christmas winners for the LA Rams in a Week 16 win over the Jets

(8) - TE Tyler Higbee

It's not secret that the LA Rams roster has been in a bit of a quagmire through the injury absence of veteran tight end Tyler Higbee. The team has carried a significant number of tight ends throughout the season. Perhaps that was not the original plan, but Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long, nor Davis Allen was able to step up and claim the starting tight end role.

At least, not in the way that TE Tyler Higbee does. TE Colby Parkinson has 29 of 47 catches for 288 yards and one touchdown. Higbee turned his first and only reception into an 11-yard touchdown reception.

Of course, it's simply not part of the LA Rams DNA to feature a tight end in this offense. Perhaps Higbee's performance in December 2019 of 522 receiving yards was far more astounding than originally thought. Since hiring Sean McVay as the head coach of the LA Rams, no tight end has ever had a better season that that of veteran TE Tyler Higbee, who put up 734 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2019.

In 2024, Tyler Higbee has just one reception in two targets. But his one catch resulted in an 11-yard touchdown for the Rams. After the score, Higbee's teammates celebrated en masse over his touchdown. That moment was significant enough to be cited by HC Sean McVay after the game:

The Rams offense has not been scoring on pace with some of the Rams more prolific offenses led by HC Sean McVay since 2017. But the group has scored enough to win nine of fifteen games so far this season. Sometimes, it not how you win, but simply that you do win. Tyler Higbee is back, and with him comes the vital ability to score touchdowns in the red zone.