DETROIT – The Rams battled through multiple injuries to the offensive line, both before and during the game, to give the Detroit Lions a hard-fought overtime game on Sunday Night Football. Ultimately, the Rams fell to the Lions in Detroit for the second time in a row, losing 26-20 in the season opener after last year’s season ended at Ford Field.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford found wide receiver Cooper Kupp 14 times on 49 pass attempts as the pair returned to prime form. The two, along with head coach Sean McVay, discussed their performance in the season opener, how they persevered through injuries and some of the missed opportunities that could have changed the game. The full press conferences can be viewed below.
Here were some of the most significant quotes from Stafford, Kupp and McVay after the loss:
“I was really proud of the way those guys (the offensive line) played, to be honest with you. There were some unfortunate things that happened, you know, up front, with guys getting injured and not being able to come back in the game, and those guys battled through.” – Stafford
The Rams were already missing their starting tackles Alaric Jackson (suspension) and Rob Havenstein (ankle). So when Joe Noteboom went down in the first half, A.J. Arcuri had to step in against one of the league’s premiere pass rushers, Aidan Hutchinson. On top of that, offensive lineman Steve Avila was ruled out in the first half, which forced Jonah Jackson to move from center to guard, as rookie Beaux Limmer stepped in to snap the ball.
Limmer was as good as Stafford could have hoped for, allowing just two pressures on 26 pass blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Warren McClendon Jr. filled in for Havenstein at right tackle and performed well against a fierce Lions pass rush. Ultimately, Stafford acknowledged that the Rams were already wearing thin on the line prior to those in-game injuries, and he was impressed with how the men up front battled, considering they threw the ball 49 times.
Related News :