6 critical takeaways from LA Rams Week 13 victory
By Bret Stuter
Takeaway IV – Rams found a returner
The LA Rams finally had something to cheer about on special teams besides placekicker Matt Gay. On the opening kickoff, just activated practice squad player Brandon Powell took off and returned the football 65 yards to set up the LA Rams with first-down and ten yards from the Jacksonville Jaguars 35 yard line. Why was that such a key play?
When the LA Rams offense took over, they were only able to advance the football 12 yards. But thanks to the great field position, that was close enough to send placekicker Matt Gay onto the football field to kick his first field goal of the day, a pretty 40-yard boot that placed the Rams instantly on the scoreboard.
Powell was one of two offensive players added to the roster just one month ago and likely was brought to the Rams specifically to step up for the team on special teams.
He was linked to the Rams based on his foreknowledge of Raheem Morris, having played for him in 2020.
Powell plays special teams perfectly
After the continuous stream of auditioning players in the return game, it was nice to finally witness a player with who fans can cheer and rally around. Although Brandon Powell is just 5-foot-8 and weighs 188-pounds, his 4.59-second 40-time is deceptively quick because he is a savvy and elusive return specialist who arrived on this roster with some sweet moves.
He was a former teammate of quarterback Matthew Stafford, having been signed after the 2018 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. But his true worth was uncovered when he signed on to the Atlanta Falcons the following year. He did not take any to the house with the Falcons, but he burdened the lion’s share of the workload in 2020, handling 17 punt returns for 152 yards, and 17 kickoff returns for 343 yards.
The LA Rams were desperate to find someone, anyone, who could handle return duties. Powell, despite just being activated off the practice squad, was the eighth player used by the team to return kickoffs. But it appears that the LA Rams saved the best for last. In just one game, he has already risen through the ranks to fifth-place on the team’s yardage leaders on kick returns. Just 10 more yards to that total will catapult him to first place on the team.
I don’t know about you, but he’s gotten my vote. He’s the real deal.