Injuries have almost single-handedly derailed the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl defense. The Rams seemingly lose a key player or two every week and Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals was no different as they saw more offensive linemen go down.
Alaric Jackson will miss the remainder of the 2022 season due to blood clots, while Chandler Brewer played through an MCL injury that will require surgery.
However, the biggest loss was Cooper Kupp, who suffered a high-ankle sprain late in the game. The Rams placed Kupp on injured reserve, and he could very well miss the remainder of the year as the team spirals toward the bottom of the standings.
Kupp means almost everything to Los Angeles’ offense, but Aaron Donald made sure to let his teammate know after the loss to the Cardinals that he and the rest of the team will do their best to win in his absence, via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic:
Aaron Donald says when he saw an injured Cooper Kupp in the locker room postgame on Sunday, he went right up to him and gave him a hug, told him he loved him and that they were going to try to hold it down for him these next few weeks.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) November 17, 2022
Like Kupp, Donald is one of the few constants on the roster and his gesture is a prime example of the “we, not me” culture that head coach Sean McVay has established during his tenure. However, while the sentiment is surely welcome the unfortunate reality is the Rams will have an ever-harder time being competitive without Kupp on the field.
Los Angeles’ odds of making the playoffs are slim to none, but crazier things have happened in the NFL. It’ll now be up to Donald and the defense to carry the Rams to victories for the time being.
