Rams win exposes 7 reasons to sound the alarm over questions that may haunt team

In the NFL, victories needn't be pretty, polished, or perfect. Ugly wins are still wins. The Los Angeles Rams know this because in their two losses, they were the better team. Unfortunately, special team flaws contributed to losses. And so, in a season in which Los Angeles could be 10-0, they are 8-2—

Que será será.

But even in tough, hard-fought victories, a laundry list can point to areas that the coaching staff must address and overcome going forward. It's the struggles, not the glory, that galvanize a team to get better. That was certainly the case in Week 11, where the team won by a solid team effort, but without any margin of error.

The win played a huge factor in shaking up the entire NFC playoff picture. But even as Chris Shula's defense showed the rest of the NFL how to harass and beat Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, the Seahawks exposed how to beat Matthew Stafford.

So, what alarms went off in your head? We counted seven areas of concern that may haunt this team going forward. They are:

7 sinister alarms that may haunt Rams going forward

Sinister alarm 1- How severe were multiple Week 11 injuries

Quentin Lake is one of the best defenders on the football field for defensive coordinator Chris Shula. So when he was injured in the first half with an elbow injury, the defense was placed in a hole. Josh Wallace was promoted in the game to take his place. But how long with Wallace last in a larger role?

Wide receiver Xavier Smith was subjected to the NFL concussion protocol after a jarring helmet-to-helmet hit. While he may be limited in practice and for Week 12, he should not be subject to a prolonged injury absence.

Tight end Tyler Higbee suffered an ankle injury as well. Details following the game were sketchy at best, but it's certainly something to monitor this week. No definable update yet, but it's an injury pattern like right tackle Rob Havenstein that may be problematic as the team pushes for the playoffs.

Sinister alarm 2 - Wide receiver Davante Adams

It's easy to love a guy who just caught his 1000th career pass for his 10th touchdown in 10 games. But did you look at Davante Adams' stat line a second time? One of eight catches for one yard and a touchdown. If you toss out the TD, that's an appalling performance in a huge game. It also appeared to be a huge setback in his progress with Stafford.

Sinister alarm 3 - Kicker conundrum is not over yet

For two consecutive games, the team has elevated newly signed kicker Harrison Mevis on game day. So far, he has kicked nine extra points flawlessly. But he has not even attempted to kick a field goal in two games for the team. The problem is, players can only be elevated from the practice squad three times in a season. That means Mevis can be elevated one more time. Will the team release Joshua Karty to make room for Mevis on the roster, in hopes of signing him to the practice squad?

Oh boy, this is quite the pickle.

Sinister alarm 4 - What happened to the pass rush?

Since the Week 8 BYE, the formidable and feared pass rush has generated just one quarterback sack in three games, and has not recorded a quarterback sack in two games. Is that an anomaly? Or is something a bit more concerning at play right now? Whatever the cause, the Rams pass rush was sizzling in the playoffs last year. Now? It's ineffective.

Sinister alarm 5 - Why did rookies disappear in Week 11?

No offensive rookie touched the football in Week 11. On the defensive side of the football, only rookie outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart made tackles. The roster is projected to lose a number of key players in 2026, and the team cannot possibly afford to re-sign all of them. But for the first time in several years, young players are not appearing to show up to replenish the ranks.

Sinister alarm 6 - When are injured players returning to the fold?

While outside linebacker Keir Thomas is out for the season, both wide receiver Tutu Atwell and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon ought to be nearing healthy returns to the team. Witherspoon is the guy who will be on everyone's radar, but Atwell would have been huge against the Seahawks, as he is the deep-threat guy who amplifies the multiple tight-end packages.

Sinister alarm 7 - Puka Nacua continues to be the sole offensive standout against tough defenses

How good is wide receiver Puka Nacua? He's missed the equivalent of two games (ignoring the BYE) this season, but remains firmly entrenched among the NFL's Top 5 receivers after Week 11. He hauled in seven of eight passes for 75 yards against the Seahawks secondary. But that's nothing new. He hauled in 10 of 11 passes for 130 yards in Week 1 against the Houston Texans. It seems the stingier the defense, the better he plays.

If only some teammates could step up as well.

It was a win, sure. But it's also a learning opportunity. The offense struggled. The defense did not break, but it did bend. And we still have no clue if Harrison Mevis can kick an NFL field goal. There are many questions to answer, and here come the 6-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.. Stay tuned.

And as always, thanks for reading.