The Los Angeles Rams managed to pull yet another clutch victory versus the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately, it came with a bit of a sacrifice after Cooper Kupp was forced to exit the game early with a knee injury.
Early reports were certainly not encouraging. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Rams’ fears were confirmed as Kupp has now been ruled out for the rest of the 2018 NFL season with a torn ACL:
To no one's surprise, Rams' WR Cooper Kupp tore his ACL and is out for the season, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 12, 2018
There is no question that Kupp’s injury deals a devastating blow to the Rams’ receiving corps. He had already missed three games this season after suffering a knee injury after a horse-collar tackle back in Week 6 versus the Denver Broncos. It appears to have lingered after his recent diagnosis.
Kupp has made some tremendous strides this season following a stellar rookie campaign. He had clearly established himself as Jared Goff’s favorite target. The former third round draft pick had registered 40 receptions for 566 yards and six touchdowns in eight games this year as a result of their outstanding rapport. Unfortunately, they will not be able to keep it going the rest of the way.
Los Angeles will certainly have to shake things up in order to alleviate Kupp’s absence. Fortunately, the versatility of Robert Woods will allow the Rams to move him back into the slot. This opens the door for Josh Reynolds to step up on the outside. Reynolds certainly managed to fill the void last time Kupp was out with a two-touchdown performance versus the Green Bay Packers.
However, the Rams also displayed other options during Sunday’s win over the Seahawks. Goff managed to connect with both of his tight ends for touchdowns against Seattle. There is a very good chance that head coach Sean McVay utilizes more two-tight end packages on offense moving forward.
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