Top Concerns About Rams Following First Game of New NFL Season

Ricardo Klein | Sep 10, 2024

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, September 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Los Angeles Rams left Detroit with a disappointing but hard-fought 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions, marking their second consecutive defeat to the Lions, reminiscent of last season’s NFC wild-card game. Despite digging themselves into a significant hole, the Rams clawed back, even taking the lead late in the game with a chance to win in regulation.

However, injuries and missed opportunities took their toll, and the Lions prevailed in overtime.

While there is still plenty to be excited about this season, Week 1 brought more bad news on the injury front. The most significant setback is the loss of star wide receiver Puka Nacua, who reaggravated a knee injury that plagued him during training camp.

Nacua will now be placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four games. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 7 when the Rams face the Raiders at home, following a Week 6 bye that should give him extra recovery time. Nacua is no stranger to injury, so if he can only miss four games and play for the rest of the season, L.A. will be in a great spot moving forward.

The Rams' injury woes don’t stop there. Starting right tackle Rob Havenstein was out due to an ankle injury, and offensive tackle Joe Noteboom was carted off with an ankle injury during the loss.

Starting left guard Steve Avila suffered an MCL sprain and may land on injured reserve, while right guard Kevin Dotson was seen in a walking boot after spraining his ankle. Adding to the concern left tackle Alaric Jackson is still serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Despite being severely depleted, the Rams came close to pulling off the upset, showing resilience and fight. While the injuries are a major concern, particularly on the offensive line, there were encouraging signs from both sides of the ball. The offense moved well, and the defense kept the Lions’ potent attack in check for much of the game.

Of course, the Rams are not perfect on either side of the ball, but they were close to beating a Super Bowl contender with some of their third-stringers out on the field. The Rams must be healthy, which will be L.A.'s concern moving forward.

If the Rams can get healthy, they have the potential to contend this season, as many expect. The key now will be keeping their top players on the field to make a serious run in 2024.

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