Rams Suddenly Have A Week 6 Concern In The Secondary

The Rams face a mixed injury report ahead of their clash with the Cardinals, but remain hopeful as they manage concerns over key player Trent McDuffies late addition.

The Rams are entering Week 6 in better shape than they’ve been all season, but a late change to the injury report added a little tension to the build-up.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie was added Friday with a groin injury and is listed as questionable after not taking part in practice. Head coach Sean McVay didn’t sound alarmed, though, making it clear the team was leaning on caution more than concern.

“Trent felt a little something in his groin so we're going to be smart with him,” said head coach Sean McVay. “He'll be listed as questionable, but he has the right mindset and mentality and we'll just see where we're at with that.”

McVay said the issue was soreness McDuffie felt coming out of the game before practice, and the Rams were simply trying to be careful with him.

Safety Kam Curl is the only other Ram carrying a game designation. He’s officially questionable after being downgraded from limited to a non-participant on Friday. Even with that setback, McVay said he felt good about Curl’s outlook.

Tight end Davis Allen also moved in the right direction this week. After being a non-participant on Wednesday and Thursday, he was limited on Friday. McVay said Allen was trending the right way, and his absence from the game designation list suggests he should be available.

The Rams have dealt with bumps and bruises like everybody else in the league, but at this point they’re mostly in good shape. There’s also a chance for another boost soon with Myles Garrett working back from injury.

The Rams did not open Garrett’s practice window this week, but that could come after Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.

“We've just taken it a week at a time so whenever we connect on Monday, I'll have that answer for you,” said McVay. “He has a good look in his eye and he's making good progress so we'll see.”

Arizona will be missing rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, who did not practice all week with an ankle injury and is officially out. The Cardinals will also be without safeties Wydett Williams and Andrew Wingard.

A few more Cardinals are in question, including safety Kitan Crawford (ankle), safety Budda Baker (rest), linebacker Zaven Collins (hip), and punter Blake Gilikin (back).

After dealing with their own injury stretch over the last few weeks, the Rams appear to be getting healthier at just the right time. Most of their key pieces should be available Sunday as they try to get back on track against Arizona.

In Other News...

Rams Fans Will Have Strong Reactions To This Sunday Notebook

Alaric Jacksons suspension has already given Rams fans plenty to debate, especially with the league also fining Bradley Chubb for taunting after the two sides crossed paths in a heated moment. The Rams have dealt with their share of emotional, physical football this season, and losing a key piece on the line for one game adds another layer to a stretch where discipline and composure have been part of the conversation.

There was a softer note in the Sunday notebook too, with the team set to host fan Mark Viegas and his family at an upcoming game after he lost his belongings in a fire. In a week where the focus could have stayed on league discipline and sideline warnings, that kind of gesture is the reminder that the Rams orbit extends well beyond the field, and their supporters will likely feel just as strongly about that part of the story as anything else. [Read more 🡒]

Sean McVay Sounds Fed Up With A Rams Problem Fans Know Too Well

Special teams has become one of those recurring headaches the Rams cant quite shake, and Sean McVay sounded as if he has reached the point where the frustration is impossible to hide. After an overtime loss to the Bills, McVay pointed to special teams errors as a major reason the game slipped away, a familiar theme for a team that has spent too much time trying to clean up avoidable mistakes instead of building on good football.

For a Rams team trying to keep pace in a tight NFC race, the issue is bigger than one bad sequence or one missed assignment. McVays comments carried the tone of a coach who knows the talent is there but also knows the margin for error disappears quickly when the hidden-yardage part of the game keeps biting back. Until that gets sorted out, it is hard for Los Angeles to feel fully settled, no matter how competitive the rest of the roster looks. [Read more 🡒]

Rams Face A Key Week 6 Decision With Plenty At Stake

The Rams head into Week 6 with a chance to get back to .500, and the injury picture is as clean as they could have hoped for at this point in the season. Safety Kam Curl and cornerback Trent McDuffie are the only names on the report as questionable, while rookie tackle Keagen Trost was activated from injured reserve, giving Los Angeles a little more flexibility heading into a division matchup that already carries extra weight.

Arizona brings its own challenges, starting with quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the steady presence of tight end Trey McBride. Josh Sweat gives the Cardinals another threat off the edge, which makes this a useful early test for a Rams team trying to steady itself and keep pace in the NFC West. With the standings so tight, even a mid-October game like this can feel bigger than it looks on paper. [Read more 🡒]