The Los Angeles Rams mostly have not been able to cover larger pass catchers all season. They’ll travel to face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football where this problem will likely be ever apparent.
Kyle Pitts has been on an absolute tear recently since Kirk Cousins took over the reins as signal caller. He’s had a December (and a day before) to remember:
- November 30th at Jets: seven catches for 82 yards
- December 7th vs Seahawks: six catches for 90 yards
- December 11th at Buccaneers: 11 catches for 166 yards, three touchdowns
- December 21st at Cardinals: seven catches for 57 yards, touchdown
Pitts is currently at 854 yards and could eclipse the millennium mark for the second time in his career and for first time since his rookie
season.
But that’s not all the firepower Atlanta brings to the table on Monday night. Drake London is officially listed as “questionable”, though Raheem Morris indicated the star receiver will likely suit up. London hasn’t been healthy since mid-November. Before that, he strung together 100-yard performances in three-straight games with four scores:
November 2nd at Patriots: nine catches for 118 yards, three touchdowns
November 9th at Colts: six catches for 104 yards, touchdown
November 16 vs Panthers: seven catches for 119 yards
London is in the same ballpark as Pitts with 837 yards on the season. The Falcons will strive for two 1,000 yard receivers in what has been a disappointing year in a weak NFC South division.
How have bigger targets fared versus Rams?
London is listed at 6-4, 225 lbs. Pitts is 6-6, 250 lbs.
Let’s take a look at how bigger pass catching targets have performed against the Rams this season:
- Week 1; Nico Collins, Texans (6-4, 215): 3/5 for 25 yards
- Week 1; Jayden Higgins, Texans (6-4, 215): 2/3 for 32 yards
- Week 3; AJ Brown, Eagles (6-1, 226): 6/10 for 109 yards, TD
- Week 4; AD Mitchell, Colts (6-4, 196): 3/4 for 96 yards
- Week 4; Michael Pittman, Colts (6-4, 223): 5/10 for 41 yards, TD
- Week 4; Tyler Warren, Colts (6-6, 261): 5/6 for 70 yards
- Week 7; Brian Thomas, Jaguars (6-4, 205): 3/7 for 31 yards
- Week 10; George Kittle, 49ers (6-4, 250): 9/9 for 84 yards, TD
- Week 13; Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers (6-5, 212): 1/2 for 43 yards, TD
- Week 14; Michael Wilson, Cardinals (6-2, 213): 11/16 for 142 yards, 2 TDs
It’s notable that the efforts by Brown and McMillan came in games where the Rams found themselves on the losing end of the contests. Brown was a key contributor in the Eagles’ second-half turnaround that eliminated a large first half lead for Los Angeles. McMillan caught the game-winning (or game-losing, depending how you want to look at it) for the Panthers.
There are encouraging performances by the Rams secondary we can look at. Week 1 was maybe the secondary’s best outing against large targets that LA’s enjoyed all year, though Emmanuel Forbes was not in the starting lineup for this game. The Texans also struggled offensively early in the year and have since had a resurgence. Brian Thomas hasn’t accumulated 100 yards in a single game all season long.
It seems like the Rams are headed for trouble in Atlanta Monday night. The outcome could determine playoff seeding. The difference between the fifth and sixth seeds could decide whether LA hosts a postseason contest this year.
