Who was the backbone of 2023 Rams' success against the Week 9 opponent?

The LA Rams swept the Seattle Seahawks in 2023. The first victory was the opener for season. The second victory was coming out of a BYE week. The team did not get much production out of veteran WR Cooper Kupp, who caught just one pass for 11 yards between the two games. The team did not have RB Kyren Williams in the second game, ans as a result only rushed 15 times for 52 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener.

So, who was the Rams go-to guy in their two games against the Seahawks in 2023?

Well, dialing back to the two games, it was clear that the team greatly trusted rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua. In the two games, the team threw 15 of 22 passes to Nacua for 189 yards in the air, and one touchdown. But underused wide receiver Tutu Atwell was part of the aerial assault as well, catching nine of eleven passes thrown his way for 136 yards. Despite only a cameo appearance from starting veteran Cooper Kupp, the air was filled with Rams passes.

On the flip side, the Rams balanced out their aerial assault with a committee of rushers. The team settled for 52 yards and two touchdowns to lead the infantry in Week 1 but turned to veteran power running back to rush for 73 yards on 17 carries in Week 9.

So how can the team replicate similar victories in 2024 without one of the key contributors?

Well, the trick to success is less about who, and more about the how. In the season opener, veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford remained clean in the pocket, and dialed up a 24 of 38 for 334 yards performance to a cast of receivers that only Rams fans recognized by names. In the second outing, the team had to scratch and claw for a late game rally after falling behind by a score of 16-7 and suffering a Matthew Stafford interception to open the fourth quarter.

This team may not be setting into success comfortable just yet, but the Rams two wins against the Seahawks in 2023 came when the team was struggling as well. The Rams (0-0) opening with the road win in 2023, and then improved to a record of 4-6 with the sweep. In 2024, the Rams are once again arriving to face the Seahawks with a losing record.

It's a game the team can win. It's also a game this team must win.

That's not being overly dramatic. Losing four of the first five games to a new NFL season strips away the margin of error the rest of the way. A loss places the Rams at 3-5. But worst of all, it gives this team a 1-2 record in the NFC Western Division, necessitating a winning streak to afford the team any chance of postseason competition.

Look for the team to get plenty of mileage from WR Puka Nacua and RB Kyren Williams in this one. But don't discount the other offensive weapons.

In 2023, the Rams proved that even injured and without key contributors, they can beat the Seahawks either at home or on the road. Now, in 2024, they must use that knowledge to do so once again.

Thanks for reading.

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