The LA Rams playoff discussion we need to have right now…

Breaking down Week 16 injuries

So let’s go over the Week 16 injuries one by one, okay? The most logical order is to discuss them from least to most severe. Ready? Here we go…

Starting off the injury list is one that I missed during the game. Nose tackle Greg Gaines suffered a broken hand that required surgery. Per Lineups.com, Gaines played 44 defensive snaps in the game or 70 percent of the action. He will have his hand placed into an NFL-approved cast, and the team expects him to be ready to go in Week 17.

The Rams will certainly need Gaines against the brutal rushing attack of the Baltimore Ravens

Brian Allen

Starting offensive center Brian Allen played just 18 offensive snaps before coming up limping. He apparently tweaked his just healed knee.

Right now, the post-injury assessment is that Brian Allen may have simply tweaked his injured knee, and will be day-to-day. That is a good diagnosis, but one that comes with its own set of troublesome questions. If Allen comes up limping after just 18 offensive snaps, did he truly have any right to be on the football field in the first place? He’s endured a nagging injury to his elbow, and now is fighting through another nagging injury to his knee.

So the question is, should the LA Rams sit the guy? I get it that he wants to start in the worst way. But realistically speaking, after starting out the season on fire, he has suffered noticeably from injuries since mid-season. There is little to be gained by starting him, only to bench him to another tweak, twinge, bump, bruise, or miscellaneous boo-boo.

RB Darrell Henderson

Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. saw action on five offensive snaps and was able to handle one carry for 17 yards before he too left the game with an apparent knee injury.

So the news that came in on Monday was not good for Henderson. He will be placed on short term IR, which will open up a roster spot for the potential return of either Andrew Whitworth or Joseph Noteboom

As much fun as the debate from fans has been this season over playing Michel or Henderson, I think this latest news really punctuates the fact that the LA Rams must treat Henderson as a change of pace back going forward. He simply cannot, and should not, handle a steady diet of carrying the football.

ILB Ernest Jones

The hardest injury from Week 16 to digest right now is the one suffered by rising defensive star Ernest Jones. While still a rookie, Jones has been a meaningful contributor on defense, playing very well against the run while putting up solid pass defense.

So it turns out that Jones suffered a high ankle sprain and will need surgery. That places his return in question, as the timetable for returning to action will be entirely dependant on the post-surgery care plan

Okay, that catches us up on the latest details of the LA Rams Week 16 injuries. Now, we turn our attention to the final two weeks of the season. What should the LA Rams decide to do with the starters of the team?