Rams' devasting wave of Week 6 injuries might be the final blow

Disappointed. Devastated. Deflated. How to best describe Los Angeles Rams fans after learning that the team will be without three more superstars for the foreseeable future?

The list of injuries reported by head coach Sean McVay in the fallout of LA's Week 6 loss is long and lugubrious:

Nose tackle Poona Ford: ruptured tricep. Done for the year.

Receiver Davante Adams: ruptured hamstring. Out six to 10 weeks. 

Defensive tackle Kobie Turner: groin injury. Out four to six weeks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Kicker Blake Grupe: torn ACL. Done for the year. 

That's on top of existing injuries to star cornerback Trent McDuffie, who missed the game against Arizona and is in question for Week 7. Myles Garrett, McVay said, will not return to practice this week. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has been on injured reserve since Week 1. The Horns' season from hell is here. 

What's next for the Rams after losing multiple stars

Where does the team go from here? First things first, they'll have to sign a kicker. McVay expects that to happen in the next day or two. 

What about the defensive line, which just lost two starters? Is Aaron Donald ready to play more than 30-odd snaps in a game? Braden Fiske can step in and start. Tyler Davis and Ty Hamilton can split time in the middle and/or play defensive end. 

After that? Veteran Larrell Murchison is a solid bet to be called up from the practice squad. Despite Donald's presence, that's not exactly a fearsome group up front. 

Adams' injury is a killer. Six to 10 weeks could mean the rest of the season. In the meantime, Puka Nacua had better get ready for double and triple coverage on every play. Will any of the Rams' underperforming depth receivers show up? Will rookie CJ Daniels finally be activated?

It doesn't help matters that hybrid tight end-wideout Terrance Ferguson is on injured reserve. The good news is that he'll be eligible to return as soon as Week 8. So there's that. 

Latest wave of injuries feels like a potentially fatal blow 

The secondary clearly couldn't hold up without McDuffie against Jacob Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals. Let's repeat: the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams' next opponent, the Raiders, have a surprisingly explosive offense. The defense needs McDuffie back as soon as possible.

That is, assuming the games still count and the season isn't already over. 

The pass rush needs help, but who knows when Garrett will be back? No time soon, it seems. He might not be back at all if the Rams don't turn this thing around rather soon.

This team, these fans, we could deal with missing Garrett. We could deal with missing Nacua for multiple games. We could deal with temporarily losing Ferguson amid the Tyler Higbee renaissance that fumbled its way out of favor on Sunday.

Heck, we couldn't get Harrison Mevis out of town fast enough. 

But now? This might be it. The Rams are not the San Francisco 49ers, who have a next man up for the next man up for the next and the next and the next like a roster of Russian nesting dolls. 

This sure feels like the crushing blow to a season that might have been doomed from the moment LA's plane touched down in Melbourne, Australia, barely 24 hours before kickoff in Week 1.

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