The Los Angeles Rams pulled off a statement win on Thursday Night Football, dismantling the New England Patriots, 24-3, to improve to 9-4 on the year.
There were plenty of storylines to watch heading into the game, namely how Bill Belichick was going to stop Sean McVay’s resurgent offense. Belichick and his defense were able to stifle the Rams in Super Bowl LIII, but it was McVay who had the upper hand this time around as he leaned on Cam Akers and his rushing attack to get the job done.
Akers carried the football 29 times for a career-high 171 yards while adding two receptions for 23 yards. The rookie running back was able to find gaps all night long thanks to his teammates, gashing the Patriots for chunk gains on nearly every attempt.
The offensive line and tight ends did a great job up front, but Akers also received help from the receivers. According to Stu Jackson of Rams, Cooper Kupp admitted that blocking is a point of emphasis and something that brings joy to the receiver room:
Rams WR Cooper Kupp on the receivers throwing really good blocks and the reaction it gets when they're watching it in the film room:
"It might be the thing we get most excited about in our (position) room, actually."
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 14, 2020
Blocking is an underrated part of McVay’s offense, and Kupp’s comments speak to the unselfishness of the team. Kupp and Robert Woods are excellent route runners but have been lauded for their willingness and effectiveness blocking near the line of scrimmage.
As McVay has mentioned previously, the goal of his offense is to marry the run and pass game and having receivers like Kupp who take pride in blocking helps open up the playbook and take advantage of defenses who are playing them a certain way. Los Angeles has managed to double down on their identity as a run-first team, and have set themselves up to contend deep in the playoffs.
