As the Rams start to look ahead at the final two games of the regular season and the playoffs next month, two members of the secondary are preparing to return to the field.
Safety and captain Quentin Lake’s 21-day practice window is expected to be opened next week, head coach Sean McVay said before the Rams practiced at SoFi Stadium on Wednesday due to the heavy rain in Southern California.
Lake dislocated his left elbow in Week 11 and was put on injured reserve as the injury required surgery to repair. The fourth-year defensive back played in all but two of the Rams’ defensive snaps in the first nine games of the season at both safety and nickel corner.
In the last five games without Lake, the Rams have ranked 11th in estimated points added (EPA) per play on dropbacks (-0.031) and 20th in rush EPA per play (-0.023). The Rams ranked third in both categories in the first nine games of the season with Lake on the field.
McVay hinted that Lake could be available for the regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
“What’s most likely is we’ll start his clock next week,” McVay said, “with the expectations of him being ready, worst-case, in the playoffs. And then we’ll kind of see for whoever we play in the last game. But he’s making great progress, he’s ready to go.”
The Rams (11-4) will also look to add cornerback Roger McCreary back to the fold this week against the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) as the team opened the practice window for him on Wednesday. McCreary has missed the last four games with a hip injury.
“We’ll start his clock, I think, with the intention of him being able to play,” McVay said. “Looking forward to get him out there.”
McVay said he did not have updates on wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) or right guard Kevin Dotson (ankle) on Wednesday but said both are continuing to progress in their recoveries.
Pro Bowl nods
The Rams received four Pro Bowl nods on Tuesday. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Puka Nacua and outside linebacker Jared Verse were selected as starters for the NFC, while outside linebacker Byron Young will be a reserve.
“It’s a great honor to get,” Stafford said. “You play this game to try to play at a high level and get the respect from the people that you do it with and play against. So that part of it is really cool.”
“Really happy for those guys,” McVay added. “I think the strength of our of team is our team. And there’s a lot of other guys that have done an excellent job of being vital parts of the collective.”
Tuesday’s announcement marked the second Pro Bowl nods for Nacua and Verse, and the first for Young.
It was only the third of Stafford’s 17-year career despite ranking seventh in all-time passing yards, seventh in completions and ninth in passing touchdowns, with the chance to pass Ben Roethlisberger and tie Dan Marino for seventh all-time with three more against the Falcons.
McVay admitted he was surprised how few times Stafford has been honored with a Pro Bowl appearance despite the career he has put together.
“What’s interesting, there’s a lot of layers to the Pro Bowl stuff. But you talk to the real football people, I don’t think he’s seen that way,” McVay said. “I think he’s seen as a guy that is one of the best to ever do it. I think that’s been very well acknowledged this year but it’s probably overdue.”
Stafford said he thought he had a good shot to be named to the Pro Bowl in 2011, when he threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns in a season that ended with him being named Comeback Player of the Year. When he was left off the roster that year, he said he stopped focusing on those kinds of accolades.
“At that point, I kind of reserved myself to just go play, have fun, whatever happens happens,” Stafford said. “But it is cool to be a part of it.”
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