Pushed to oblivion, Rams K Lucas Havrisik heroics nearly won Week 14

The LA Rams lost Week 14 in a game in which they were never supposed to be competitive. This was a game that started too early, was held in horrible weather, and pitted an overmatched LA Rams team to the best team in the AFC. But in the end, that's why they play the game, isn't it?

For example, the LA Rams had placed kicker Lucas Havrisik on notice. After a less-than-acceptable performance against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13, the Rams sought, auditioned, signed, and elevated veteran kicker Mason Crosby to compete for the starting kicker role against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14. But for some unspecified reason, the Rams had a change of heart at the last minute and inactivated Crosby before the game.

That placed the kicking job, and the outcome of the game, firmly upon the shoulders of kicker Lucas Havrisik. Would the Rams regret their decision to give Havrisik one final chance to keep his job?

Havrisik has a career-high performance

While his 2023 performance in five games prior to Week 14 was not exactly newsworthy, the performance of kicker Lucas Havrisik was exemplary in this game. He kicked three of three field goals, including a 51-yard field goal as well as a game tying score in the closing seconds of the game. If the Rams had gone for the extra point, rather than a two-point conversion, Havrisik may have kicked the game winner.

Instead, the Rams had to be content to send the game into overtime.

If the LA Rams were willing to replace Lucas Havrisik as the starting kicker after a disappointing performance, then the team must be equally committed to sticking with him after a game that was nothing short of spectacular. Much of what the team is doing across the entire Rams roster is vetting players to see who has the right mindset to compete in 2024.

Did young kicker Lucas Havrisik show enough to have that chance? In my mind, the Rams need to afford Havrisik the benefit of the doubt. The Rams won in Week 13, despite a bad performance from Havrisik. The Rams almost won in Week 14, thanks to the same player.