Blessings in disguise: LA Rams roster rested for playoff push

When the LA Rams prepared to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, the team had to adapt to five absences in their 53-man lineup, including several starters. The Rams won anyway.

When the LA Rams prepared to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, the team had to adapt to 29 players sent to their Reserve/COVID-19 lineup, including many starters. The Rams won anyway.

So for some starters, the month of December 2021 has included one, if not two, weeks off. While I’m not saying that landing on the COVID reserve roster for an NFL team is one grand vacation, the truth is that many players were simply unavailable due to a positive COVID test result, and were not experiencing any symptoms.

So could this be a blessing in disguise?

Rams roster returning key players

We know that the wear and tear of putting bruises on bruised areas of the body are that much more painful and that much longer to heal. Rest means recuperation. Rest means recovery. Rest means recharging. And for 29 players from the LA Rams roster, they are rested.

That may not mean everything to some players, and it may not mean something to all players, but it will mean something to some players. In a 17 game season, getting an extra week or two of rest could be the difference to healthy or injured, winning or losing.

Starters like DB Jalen Ramsey, TE Tyler Higbee, and offensive tackle Rob Havenstein show up and play almost all snaps for each and every week. But Ramsey missed Week 14. Higbee and Havenstein missed Week 14 and 15. That typically does not happen in the NFL, but when it does, it could make a huge difference.

In 2020, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started to get injured players back and proceeded to go on an eight-game winning streak that included four regular-season games and four postseason games.

The LA Rams are already on a three-game winning streak and are about to restore several key players to the starting lineup for the final three games of the regular season. Should the Rams hope for something less on their remaining three games?

It’s not how you start the season, but how you finish it. Right now, the LA Rams are on a three-game winning streak and getting red-hot. They did it without some key starters. Now, let’s see if they can sustain that same level of success as starters return.