The Rams’ special teams headaches just got even messier.
Los Angeles already had to move on from Harrison Mevis after his rough showing against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, when his second missed kick of the game ended with a blocked attempt that helped send Buffalo to an overtime win. A day later, the Rams cut Mevis and signed Blake Grupe off the New York Jets practice squad to take his place.
Grupe’s start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals looked promising enough. The 27-year-old connected on a 44-yard field goal to open his day.
Then came the kickoff that changed everything.
On the ensuing return, Cardinals returner Devin Duvernay broke through several tackles with Grupe left as the last defender standing. Grupe pushed him out of bounds, but he came away hurt in the process. Not long after, the Rams announced that he was doubtful to return because of a knee injury.
Blake Grupe Goes Down in 1st Quarter
Rams New Kicker Blake Grupe Tried To Tackle Somebody On The Kickoff And Ended Up Injuring Himself.
The Rams Just Signed This Guy After Cutting Harrison Mevis.
Rough Start. 😬 pic.twitter.com/0BDZRD1hzh
- SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 18, 2026
For the moment, punter Ethan Evans is set to be the emergency kicker, though that is hardly a long-term answer. Losing a second kicker in less than a week is a brutal turn for a unit that has already been one of Los Angeles’ biggest problem spots.
McVay now has another kicking decision waiting for him before the Rams play again in Week 7, assuming Grupe’s knee issue keeps him out for any length of time.
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 🡒]