As confetti soars down from Sofi Stadium, Matthew Stafford and his boys celebrate a Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl victory. The Rams 2021 season was a huge success with Los Angeles grabbing the NFC West in a tight contest. Topping off the season at 12-5 provided a ton of confidence going into the postseason. Led by Stafford and veteran defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Now, we will pick apart each piece of the Rams 2021 season.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Season Recaps.
What Went Right
With Cam Akers scratched from his 2021 season due to injury, the Rams scrambled for answers. Thankfully, Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel filled in for Akers and never looked back. Both running backs received a heavy workload which played a huge role in the booming Rams offense. Many questioned the Rams ground game when Akers went down, however, Henderson and Michel proved them wrong. Both backs merged for a total of 13 touchdowns throughout the season. Although, Akers’ return to the game questions Michel’s availability in 2022. With Henderson as the backup, Michel won’t see many snaps as the third-string back.
What Went Wrong
Not many things went sour for the Rams this past season aside from the downfall of Robert Woods. Woods has been an elite receiver for several years and his season-ending ACL tear wounded the Rams’ offense. The California native made nine appearances in 2021 before publicizing his horrifying news. The Rams anticipate Woods to make a full recovery and bounce back in 2022.
Team Award Winners
MVP – Cooper Kupp
Considered one of the greatest season performances by a receiver, Kupp evolved into an elite receiver in 2021. The young wideout was dubbed Offensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP, and reeled in the triple crown. Aside from Kupp, Jerry Rice is the only player to achieve those goals in his career. Unlike Rice, Kupp did it all in one season. The 28-year-old recorded 16 touchdowns paired with an astounding 1,947 receiving yards. What Kupp accomplished in 2021 is a feat that seems inevitable, however, Kupp worked countless hours to reach his greatest potential as a wideout.
Offensive Rookie of the Year – Ben Skowronek
Backing up such elite receivers is a pretty tough feat to achieve. Playing behind Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr., Skowronek proved that he can be a threat to any defense. While the rookie wideout didn’t see the football come his way too often, in his 11 receptions he totaled 133 yards on 12.1 yards per catch. With Beckham hitting the market, Skowronek has a great shot to earn a sizeable role in the offense next year.
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Ernest Jones
The young linebacker flourished in his rookie season as a Ram. Jones dominated in Super Bowl LVI and played a huge role in the win. In just seven started games, the linebacker recorded 61 tackles along with two interceptions. With Donald and Von Miller leading the way at the frontlines, Jones was still a major threat aside from the two all-stars. Topping off a phenomenal season, Jones seeks to improve his game and come back even stronger.
Biggest Surprise – Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham has had a long football journey as of late, and when signed by the Rams, he made a quick impact. From his time in Metlife Stadium to the Cleveland Browns, it appears that Beckham felt at home in Sofi Stadium. In eight games with the Rams, Beckham reeled in five touchdowns and 305 receiving yards. To cap off his break-out performance, Beckham was rewarded with a 17-yard touchdown to draw first blood in Super Bowl. Now hitting free agency, Beckham will most likely receive a sizeable contract this offseason.
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Biggest Disappointment – DeSean Jackson
After his release in February of 2021 by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams signed Jackson to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million. Many thought that Jackson would be a scary deep threat to the overpowering Ram offense. Sadly, Jackson wasn’t much of a factor and recorded just one touchdown on 221 yards. Aside from the lack of targets, even when on the turf, the 35-year-old seemed non-existent. Nevertheless, Jackson was waived by the Rams and spent the last nine games with the Las Vegas Raiders.
One Burning Question
Will the Rams Repeat?
Mystery floats through the air as the Rams head into the 2022 offseason. It’s pretty clear that Los Angeles intends to contend in 2022, however, many things still need to be sorted out. Will Donald hang up the towel and will Kupp retain his dominance and repeat in 2022. In terms of quarterback, Stafford should have no problem keeping his position as his relationship with head coach Sean McVay seems pretty firm. As of late, the Rams still have a Super Bowl roster and it will be entertaining to observe McVay’s approach in 2022.
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