5 surprise LA Rams players key to TNF win over Patriots

WR Kupp

When the LA Rams faced the New England Patriots faces the LA Rams, they didn’t defend WR Cooper Kupp. You see, while Kupp was rapidly emerging as the go-to guy on the Rams offense, a mid-season ACL injury forced him to Injured Reserve for the second half of the 2018 season. That disappointment has haunted the LA Rams ever since.

But now the Rams have a chance to determine what might have been. This isn’t a ‘prove-it’ game by any means. Cooper Kupp has proven that he is one of the best NFL receivers in both 2019 and for the majority of 2020. What this is more akin to is a chance for Kupp to show his teammates that he can make a difference against the Patriots defense.

Back to short intermediate passes

The Rams failed to catch the ball when the teams met in Super Bowl 53. The offense tried to hit the home runs with passes to Brandin Cooks, but the inability to complete passes short circuited any drives the Rams tried to cobble together. The Rams were forced into the big play mentaility without Kupp on the field. With Kupp and Woods on the field together, that forces the Patriots into balancing their coverage.

Woods would likely jump off the page to the Patriots as the most dangerous Rams receiver. But the reality is that both Woods and Kupp are very equivalent. That translates into an overwhelm for the Patriots defense, who will be spread too thin in this one. The Rams only targeted a tight end once in the Super Bowl. Since that game, the Rams have discovered the power of the tight end on offense.  In order for the Rams to win this one, Cooper Kupp must step up and have a monster game.