Rams News: LA Officially Announces Inactives For 49ers Showdown
The Los Angeles Rams have started the 2024-25 NFL season more decimated by injuries than any other franchise in the league. Los Angeles recently released their inactive list ahead of their Sunday evening matchup against NFC West rival the San Francisco 49ers.
Prior to the unprecedented number of injuries, the week three matchup between the Rams and 49ers was expected to be must-see TV as it should have been a game that featured some of the NFL’s brightest stars. Both California teams have lost their best players to injuries but the Rams have dealt with what feels like a snowball turned avalanche as every week it seems like a new Los Angeles starter is put onto the injury report.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is going to have to put together an upset bid against the 49ers without both of his star receivers. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp will not be active for the Rams until potentially the halfway point of the season as they both are down with lower leg injuries.
Stafford and head coach Sean McVay will have to adjust to their new circumstances as they still have postseason aspirations this year. As he prepares for a game with a bitter NFC rival, Stafford has had to do a good job of getting his backup pass-catchers on the same accord as they will be relied on to keep this offense afloat.
In an interview with reporters this week Stafford talked about the communication that he has had with his receivers during the practice week.
"Just try to be as clear and concise as I possibly can,"Stafford said. "The way some of these guys might run routes might be different than how Puka and Cooper run them... It's body language. I don't mean they run completely different route trees, (it's) more in the fact that the way they might separate is going to be different."
Coach McVay is not making excuses for his football team after media members wondered if this season was going to look eerily similar to the 2022 season that derailed the Rams after a number of their key players struggled with injuries.
"It feels similar to what some of the challenges that we navigated in the '22 season but I think we're better equipped to handle it in terms of, let's worry about the things we can (control)," McVay said. "Let's develop, let's really focus on how we move forward instead of what we can't do."